Love Food Central reopens as FireWater with a broader, still plant-forward menu in the Grand Central District

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Love Food Central reopens as FireWater with a broader, still plant-forward menu in the Grand Central District

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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Sprouts Farmers Market is now open in Largo

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Sprouts Farmers Market is now open in Largo

Niche grocer Sprouts Farmers Market has opened its new Largo store, offering farm-fresh natural and organic foods.

This morning, local management and city officials celebrated the grand opening at 2156 East Bay Drive in the Keene Plaza Shopping Center.

The new 23,266-square-foot Largo store is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

To celebrate the grand opening, from Friday, March 21st, through Sunday, a variety of activities will take place, including a “pop-up party” featuring seasonal produce at a tasting bar, a “guess the weight” contest with an oversized piece of produce, and more, according to the company's announcement.

The first 200 shoppers on Friday and Saturday will receive a free reusable goodie bag filled with special products and samples. Additionally, the first 400 guests on Friday will receive a free long-stem rose, courtesy of Falcon Farms Floral.

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Popular vegan restaurant Golden Dinosaurs will permanently close

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Popular vegan restaurant Golden Dinosaurs will permanently close

Golden Dinosaurs, regarded as one of the best vegan restaurants in Tampa Bay, will be closing permanently later this month.

The popular vegan deli and bakery that slings plant-based sandwiches and sweets announced the upcoming closure at 2930 Beach Boulevard.

"The era of vegan restaurant extinction seems to be upon us, and Gold Dinos will unfortunately not survive the apocalypse," owners Brian and Audrey Dingeman wrote.

The husband-and-wife duo, also owners of St. Pete's Good Intentions vegan restaurant, cited economic challenges for closing the fast-casual space that opened in 2018.

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