The Moon Under Water finds new home in Gulfport after decades on Beach Drive in downtown St. Pete
/The Moon Under Water operated for over 20 years on Beach Drive in downtown St. Pete | The Moon Under Water
Four years after closing its iconic Beach Drive location, The Moon Under Water is preparing for a comeback. This time in Gulfport.
The authentic British Colonial pub, known for its creamy stouts and spicy curries, will reopen by the end of the year at 2832 Beach Boulevard South. The space was most recently occupied by The Drunken Taco, which posted a “Closed Forever” sign on its door on Monday, September 1st.
Earlier this year, Kevin and Jeanne Milkey, owners of Grand Central Brewhouse, revealed that they were working with Mike Crippin, who served as The Moon Under Water’s Executive Chef for more than two decades, and his wife Alison, who was the restaurant’s HR and office manager for 20 years, to bring the restaurant back to downtown St. Pete, just steps from its former Beach Drive home.
However, those plans ultimately fell through, opening the door to the Gulfport opportunity.
“We love Gulfport. We initially looked in St. Pete, in the EDGE District and Grand Central District. But nothing felt quite right until the opportunity in Gulfport came along,” Milkey said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.
The 5,000-square-foot space will be renovated with British pub theming and will feature a large dining room, two interior bars, and a covered courtyard with seating for 100 and its own bar.
A designated sports area with about 20 screens will feature everything from Premier League and Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer to NFL and college football.
The pub will also host live music from local performers.
Guests can expect lunch and dinner daily, with weekend brunch and a late-night menu planned for the future.
The menu will introduce new dishes while also bringing back longtime favorites, like fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, and a wide selection of curries ranging from tikka masala to vindaloo.
Crippin also plans to broaden the menu with lighter, healthier choices, including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options.
To drink, The Moon Under Water will offer specialty scotches, bourbons, Irish whiskeys, and a full London gin bar.
Mike Crippin (left) and Kevin Milkey (right) have partnered to revive The Moon Under Water | The Moon Under Water
Alongside British and Irish ales, the bar will also showcase local craft beers on more than 20 taps curated by Milkey.
While the Gulfport location marks a new beginning, The Moon Under Water has a history that stretches back nearly 30 years.
The pub first opened in 1997 at 332 Beach Drive NE, founded by Alan and Suzanne Lucas, who moved from Wales to St. Pete after falling in love with the area’s laid-back lifestyle.
The restaurant’s name is presumably a nod to George Orwell’s 1946 essay “The Moon Under Water,” where he describes his dream pub as one with a creamy draught stout, a welcoming atmosphere, and a family-friendly garden, among other qualities.
In 2019, the Lucases retired back to Wales, and sold the restaurant to Caledon Concepts, owners of Ceviche and Rococo Steak.
In 2021, Caledon relocated Ceviche from 97 Central Avenue (now home to Fortu) to the more centrally located Moon Under Water space.
Caledon never reopened The Moon Under Water, but Mike Crippin, who spent more than 20 years as the restaurant’s Executive Chef, had other plans.
After the closure, he went on to open The Studio Public House in the Grand Central District, where he became friends with Milkey, a longtime fan of the original Moon Under Water.
It was that friendship that sparked plans to reopen the beloved pub.
At a time when so many established restaurants have disappeared, the comeback of a longtime favorite feels like a piece of St. Pete’s past finding its way home.
While Orwell admitted his dream pub never actually existed, the new Moon Under Water in Gulfport feels like it could come pretty darn close.
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