Three St. Pete restaurants recognized by Michelin Guide, though none received stars

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Three St. Pete restaurants recognized by Michelin Guide, though none received stars

The Michelin Guide held its annual Florida ceremony last night in Orlando, where three St. Pete restaurants received recognition.

The guide, which first came to Florida in 2022, features restaurants known for exceptional culinary experiences, awarding up to three Michelin stars to those with outstanding cooking. It also honors establishments that serve excellent food at more affordable prices with the Bib Gourmand distinction.

This is the first year the Michelin Guide has considered restaurants from Pinellas County.

Four restaurants—located in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, West Palm Beach, and Orlando—earned their first Michelin star this year, raising Florida’s total number of one-star restaurants to 29. Sorekara in Orlando received two stars, becoming the second restaurant in the state to achieve that honor.

Five Tampa restaurants held on to their coveted Michelin star.

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St. Pete's decaying historic Euclid Methodist Church to reopen as place of worship after denial of event space request

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St. Pete's decaying historic Euclid Methodist Church to reopen as place of worship after denial of event space request

Religious sermons and wedding bells may once again echo through the sanctuary of a 100-year-old historic brick church at the edge of St. Petersburg’s Euclid-St. Paul neighborhood.

The 100-year-old Euclid Methodist Church, located at 919 10th Avenue North, has sat vacant for years. Inside, it’s plagued with black mold, collapsed ceilings, and crumbling walls.

Yet despite the daunting repairs ahead, owners Noam and Irene Krasniansky are determined to breathe new life into the deteriorating building, which was added to the St. Petersburg Register of Historic Places in 2004.

The couple purchased the church in 2023 for $1.1 million using profits from the sale of their Los Angeles home. Their original vision was ambitious: transform the church into a 180-person event venue with a seven-unit bed and breakfast called The Treehouse.

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Pepe's Cantina Mexican Grill opens next week in Historic Kenwood

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Pepe's Cantina Mexican Grill opens next week in Historic Kenwood

A new Mexican restaurant is set to open next week in St. Petersburg’s Historic Kenwood neighborhood, bringing tableside guacamole, tacos, and margaritas to the area.

Pepe’s Cantina Mexican Grill, a growing Central Florida-based eatery, will launch its first Tampa Bay location on April 11 at 3118 3rd Avenue North in the Shoppes at Kenwood.

The 2,275-square-foot space previously housed Cider Press Vegan GastroPub, which closed in October 2024. Before that, it was home to the popular LGBT bar Georgie’s Alibi.

"We initially looked in Tampa, but the Cider Press location had the perfect layout for a cantina with minimal renovation needed," John Cameron, a local franchisee, said to St. Pete Rising.

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Mainsail Art Festival celebrates 50 years this weekend with 250+ artists and live music

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Mainsail Art Festival celebrates 50 years this weekend with 250+ artists and live music

One of St. Petersburg’s premier cultural events, the Mainsail Art Festival, will celebrate its 50th anniversary this weekend, drawing over 100,000 visitors and showcasing the city's diverse creative community and passion for the arts.

The 50th Annual Mainsail Art Festival will take place at Vinoy Park on the St. Petersburg waterfront, running from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 5th and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 6th.

Each year, a dedicated team of Mainsail volunteers organizes this free-admission event, welcoming thousands of residents and tourists to explore high-quality artwork, participate in family-friendly activities, and enjoy live music and local food vendors.

This year’s festival will feature its largest lineup ever, with over 250 artists showcasing work across 13 mediums: ceramics, digital art, fiber, glass, graphics, jewelry, metal, mixed media, oil/acrylic painting, photography, sculpture, watercolor, and wood.

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Chef Ted Dorsey’s highly anticipated Sunshine City Tavern opens next week in St. Pete

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Chef Ted Dorsey’s highly anticipated Sunshine City Tavern opens next week in St. Pete

Chef Ted Dorsey, known for launching some of the area’s most popular restaurants, is set to open a new throwback neighborhood restaurant and bar on Monday, March 24.

Brisket fresh from the smoker, locally sourced seafood, and inventive cocktails take center stage at Sunshine City Tavern, located at 4351 4th Street North.

The 3,500-square-foot space was most recently home to Oaks on 4th, which closed in late 2023.

Designed as a tribute to St. Pete’s history, the tavern features a modern coastal aesthetic with teal walls, white wooden tables, wicker chairs, and a vibrant mural by local artist Kaitlin Ramirez, also known as Swirly Painter.

Dorsey, a restaurant industry veteran with decades of experience, has previously opened Sonata, The Mill, Ciro’s, Boca, and Copperfish.

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