New Restaurants in St. Pete-Clearwater

Named for an Aesop fable, this sprightly Beach Drive newcomer to St. Pete offers an upscale dining experience featuring New American coastal cuisine. Here, it’s crispy pork belly with pickled red onion and carrot, drizzled with chipotle honey; ahi tuna tartare with avocado crema, short grain rice and shiso and other seafood-forward preparations, plus dry-aged beef and grilled Bulgogi-marinated bavette. Pasta and pastries are made in-house; guests rave about the shellfish bucatini; and Monica’s cornbread, enhanced with fontina, jalapenos and hot honey butter is every bit as good as it sounds. Open for lunch, dinner and brunch, the best seats in the house are outdoors under the red-and-white umbrellas.

You don’t have to be a surfer to dig this breakfast-and-lunch joint on Indian Rocks Beach. Start with a toasted coconut latte and pair it with a hash brown bowl made of all the best breakfast ingredients piled together—soft scrambled eggs, crispy potatoes, bacon or avocado, tomato, pickled red onion and sourdough toast. Yum. Even the Greek yogurt parfait bowl is an elevated version, pushed over the edge of deliciousness thanks to a dollop of jam and some toasted coconut. For lunch, the beet sandwich is a flavor bomb of roasted beets, greens and golden raisin puree with pistachios and goat cheese.

Set within the Ponce De Leon Hotel, Fortu is a dinner-only Pan Asian fusion restaurant with chic vibes and a menu that leans toward elegant: Think hamachi crudo, seared scallops with shiso crab salad and more wagyu preparations than you’ll see this side of Japan. (Try the wagyu gyoza with black garlic ponzu.) The fresh made-to-order dishes are meant for sharing, so take time together to enjoy the tastes and flavors of Asia.

Tucked away in St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District, this little eatery is getting major love from, well, everyone who shows up. Open for brunch (on weekends only), Eat Art Love is helmed by Chef Mario Brugnoli (of Michelin-starred Rocca) and he’s gone brunch-tastic here, taking, say, a humble poached egg and giving it star appeal. Guests love the fluffy, cake-like pancakes, duck confit on feta grits and the EAL Classic, a happy mishmash of scrambled eggs, kielbasa, hashbrowns, sauteed onions and hot sauce that is anything but basic. The menu is short and sweet and elicits comments like “I could eat this every day.” If only.

Welcome to your newest food obsession, French-Moroccan fusion, courtesy of Cybel. This newcomer to St. Pete’s Kenwood neighborhood got its start in the Foodie Labs culinary hub and, thanks to popular demand, Chef Taoufik Abdelmoula (aka Chef Touf) opened this space, serving lunch and dinner seven days a week. Drawing his inspiration from Morocco’s history as a French colony from 1912 to 1956, he transforms the simplest chicken dish with bold, authentic spices. Already, the restaurant has created major buzz for its French taco, a grilled flour tortilla filled with chicken, beef or lamb, layered with sauces and French fries. It’s as wildly craveable as it sounds and has quickly reached “must-eat” status in St. Pete-Clearwater.

This chef-owned spot is set within an unassuming neighborhood strip mall, but its fresh flavors are designed to transport you directly to India. Expect classic dishes like tandoori chicken and lamb curry, plus some unexpected items like rosemary cream cheese naan—a triumph of pillowy softness and creamy flavors. Savor garlicky naan and flaky samosas as well as chili gobi and chicken tikka masala with heat levels set to your preference. A choice of vegetarian and gluten-free options adds to the allure of this bright, welcoming spot, open for lunch and dinner.

If words like “onigiri” and “boba” ring your culinary chimes, this fast-casual Japanese café is for you. Set on Central Ave. in St. Pete, this spot is done up in sleek black and orange with, of course, a fierce Samurai cat (in poster form—their logo) watching over the action. Think house-made boba, Japanese-inspired sandwiches, onigiri (avocado, spicy krab, teriyaki spam, salmon, tuna), milk bread, pastries, desserts and ice cream in unique flavors like ube, sesame and lemongrass.

If Chef Ronicca Whaley looks familiar, it may be because you’ve seen her on Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games—she’s been on the show six times! What started as an Asian-fusion food truck business has expanded to a storefront in the EDGE District of St. Pete and (in the works) the Tyrone Gardens neighborhood. Local diners can’t get enough of Whaley’s melt-in-your-mouth gyoza (pan-fried dumplings), made with locally sourced, organic ingredients, along with her crave-worthy lobster tail Rangoon and a totally bangin’ version of bang-bang chicken.

This fun addition to downtown St. Pete’s Central Ave. is everything you love about the ’80s in food form. With music, playfulness and lots of neon, this lunch and dinner spot serves sandwiches, pierogis, salads and shareable bites named after the Golden Girls, Powerpuff Girls, Baby Spice, the Karate Kid and other ’80s icons. One favorite is The Spinelli, a gooey medley of fried mortadella, smoked gouda, house-made chips and hot honey, served on a brioche bun. (Grab extra napkins.) Cocktails and shots honor Yoda and Polly Pocket. You get the idea.