Love Food Central reopens as FireWater with a broader, still plant-forward menu in the Grand Central District
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After nearly a decade, a longtime spot for vegan and gluten-free dining in the Grand Central District has entered a new chapter.
Love Food Central, located at 2057 Central Avenue, recently rebranded as FireWater Cuisine & Wellness and rolled out a new menu about a week ago.
The biggest change is that FireWater, unlike its predecessor, is not strictly vegan.
The updated menu now includes vegetarian and pescatarian options, while still offering a solid lineup of vegan and gluten-free dishes.
In many ways, the shift mirrors what’s been happening recently across St. Pete’s food scene.
Over the past several years, a number of vegan restaurants have closed, including Golden Dinosaurs, Rawk Star Café, Cider Press Café, Freya’s Diner, Black Radish Grocery, Meze 119, Leafy Greens Café, and The Works by Squeeze Juice Works.
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After nearly three years in the EDGE District, The Sourdough Co. is preparing to relocate to one of downtown St. Pete’s most recognizable historic buildings.
The bakery and café will move from 1113 Central Avenue to the former Union Trust bank building at 895 Central Avenue.
The 1926 building has remained vacant since its last bank tenant left in 1996.
The Sourdough Co. will occupy nearly 11,000 square feet across the building’s ground floor, mezzanine, and basement.
Owner Ariana Duksa announced the move on social media Monday.
“From baking inside our home to filling a historic building in the heart of St. Pete… we can hardly believe we get to say that,” Duksa wrote. “Thank you to every person who has ever purchased a loaf, pastry, coffee or meal from us. From a cottage bakery, to our first storefront, to this beautiful historic bank.”
Before opening its first storefront in 2023, The Sourdough Co. operated as a cottage bakery out of Duksa’s Seminole home.