Encompassed on the peninsula dividing Tampa Bay from the Gulf of Mexico, St. Petersburg is home to entrepreneurs offering locals and visitors the flavors of land and sea.
At the best restaurants in St. Petersburg, you will find creations by the Chefs and Restaurateurs that call this sun-drenched slip of Florida home.
In St. Petersburg, the best restaurants serve locally sourced foods from land and sea. These foods, common and delicacies, are then prepared in various ways to satisfy diners across the city.
Bella Brava — New World Trattoria
$$ | 727-895-5515 | WEBSITE
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Flaunting the best and longest happy hour in Tampa Bay, Bella Brava offers the flavors of Tuscany with a new world panache. Bella Brava has served St.Pete since 2005 and offers wood-fired pizza and traditional Tuscany-style Italian recipes from the freshest ingredients possible. Located on Beach Drive in St. Petersburg, Bella Brava is one of the best restaurants in St. Petersburg, and worth a visit if you are in the area.
Parkshore Grill
$$ | 727-896-9463 | WEBSITE
Serving lunch, dinner, and a fabulous Sunday brunch, the Parkshore Grill offers contemporary American cuisine. The most awarded restaurant on Beach Drive is the Parkshore grill downtown near the waterfront.
The location provides easy access to all the happenings of St. Pete’s waterfront and downtown areas. So come for a meal, take a stroll along the bay front, and peruse the many shops that line the streets of downtown St. Pete, Florida.
Gratzzi Italian Grille
$$$ | 727-623-9037 | WEBSITE
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There’s Italian, and then there’s Gratzzi Italian grille. Here, the daily early bird specials and reduced-price cocktails during happy hour are an affordable way to dine on their many menu items.
However, their dinner menu shines a light on their culinary creations. From the Antipasti (appetizers) to entrée made with fresh pasta, dinner at Gratzzi will be memorable, whether you dine on classic spaghetti and meatballs or Pork Osso Bucco.
Allelo — a place to gather and dine
$$$ | 727-851-9582 | WEBSITE
Offering classic Italian cuisine and fresh seafood, Allelo joins many other restaurants that dot Beach Drive in St. Pete.
However, what Allelo have going for them is they are one of the best restaurants in St. Pete. Allelo is receiving high acclaim from its guests, who are overwhelmingly happy with their dining experience at this locale.
Birch & Vine at The Birchwood
$$$$ | 727-896-1080 | WEBSITE
Some venues are made for special occasions, and whether you are staying the night at The Birchwood or need a restaurant that offers something unlike the others, the Birch & Vine is just the place.
Whether you visit us for an overnight stay or an occasion that requires a unique atmosphere, a reservation will prepare us for your visit so that we can cater to your culinary desires.
Red Mesa Cantina
$$ | 727-896-8226 | WEBSITE
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The flavor of Latin America has been served at the Red Mesa Cantina since 1995. Their recipes may be from South of the Border.
However, the Latin American food prepared at the Red Mesa departs from classic recipes. Duck quesadillas anyone? The addition of items like filet mignon, and ‘mofongo’.
This dish is a recipe from Puerto Rico and is usually offered with shrimp, pork, and other seafood and served with sauteed vegetables. Hungry yet? Tacos are on the menu, too, but even they are unique and worth the culinary adventure they provide.
Sea Salt
$$$$ | 727-873-7964 | WEBSITE
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Elegant, fresh, and inspiring, the delicacies offered at ‘Sea Salt’ are like nothing you will find anywhere else.
Located in the Sundial Shopping Center, this upscale eatery produces only the finest ingredients prepared under the watchful eye of Sea Salt’s culinary team. Their seafood is locally sourced, when possible, but it is always the best they can find when creating the delicacies served at Sea Salt.
Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille at Saint Pete Pier
$$$ | 727-857-8118 | WEBSITE
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Doc Ford’s offers a room with a view for everyone. Located at the base of St. Pete Pier, you can see downtown St. Pete, the St. Pete waterfront, and Tampa Bay. The menu is an eclectic mix of local Florida favorites, Caribbean flair, and an Asian twist.
A stop at Doc Ford’s is well worth the visit, and the menu is varied enough to suit everyone in the group, young and old. The waterside ambiance and excellent food make Doc Ford’s one of the best restaurants in St. Pete.
Cassis Restaurant – Bakery & Bar
$$$ | 727-827-2927 | WEBSITE
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Restaurants blended with bakeries offer the best of the food world and offer their patrons delights that only fresh bread and baked confections can offer. On Beach Drive, Cassis Restaurant and Bakery serves brunch, lunch, and dinner daily.
However, the bakery opens at 7:00 am every day of the week, and brunch is served daily. Their lunch and dinner menu include entrées of beef, chicken, seafood, and duck and have the flavor of France about them.
400 Beach seafood & tap house
$$$$ | 727-896-2400 | WEBSITE
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Located on Beach Drive in downtown St. Pete, 400 Beach seafood & taphouse, serves locally sourced meat and veggies. They produce menu items that include Charcuterie selections, a Raw Bar, and fresh green salads.
Their entrees showcase food from land and sea. However, they also offer fish & chips, lobster rolls, and a premium burger. So, whether dining alone, for a business meeting, or a special occasion, the excellent meals at 400 Beach are noteworthy.
Stillwaters Tavern
$$$ | 727-350-1019 | WEBSITE
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Taverns often have some of the most exciting food, and when visiting Stillwaters on Beach Drive, you won’t be disappointed. Their menu includes freshly made sausages in various flavors.
Even their salads reach gourmet status at the Tavern, where they offer grilled salmon salad, roasted beet salad, and fried chicken salad. These are only a few items on the eclectic menu of Stillwaters Tavern.
So if you find yourself cruising Beach Drive, stop in for a cold one and a meal. The Taverns of downtown St. Pete, offer classic tavern food, as well as local seafood.
Rococo Steak
$$$$ | 727-822-0999 | WEBSITE
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The extraordinary experience of Rococo Steakhouse goes beyond beef. It offers a menu that includes beef, salmon, Norwegian Elk, roasted chicken, and branzino (a mild white fish common to Italian cuisine).
From entree to various desserts, including S’mores, to the expansive wine list, dining at Rococo Steak is a gastronomic experience challenging to find in any city. However, it’s right at home in the diverse population of sunshine-touched St. Petersburg.
Tropez St. Pete
$$ | 727-898-4300 | WEBSITE
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Not all the best restaurants in St. Pete, Florida, are in mansions of a bygone era, nor do they all have a view of the Bay or Gulf. Tropez is located near St. Pete Pier and other downtown spots on and off Beach Drive.
Not all food requires the ambiance of a sunset or a cool ocean breeze to make it unique. It needs a chef’s skill and an imagination that can make the mundane something special. At Tropez, they have this blend of culinary magic and are worth a visit.
The Oyster Bar
$$$ | 727-897-9728 | WEBSITE
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The Oyster Bar is in the entertainment district of Downtown St. Petersburg. Serving brunch, lunch, and dinner, the menu is eclectic.
The ordinary is crafted into delicious meals that include fruits of the sea that include raw oysters, oyster Rockefeller, and baked oysters, Tuna, and burgers are also on the menu, for those who want something besides oysters.
The menu is a gourmand’s delight and is filled with delicious appetizers, entrees, and sandwiches that are beyond the mundane.
Teak
$$$$ | 727-513-8325 | WEBSITE
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Located at the St. Pete Pier™, Teak offers a view of the bay and puts you in the middle of the happenings at the Pier.
The menu at Teak offers beef, poultry, and seafood that have been given a chef’s touch and offers you and your group a wide selection to choose from. Come for a meal and stay for the events that are happening at the Pier.
Find time to visit the Best Restaurants in St. Pete.
The best restaurants in St. Petersburg offer food from around the globe. They are in small spaces and large, intimate, or gaily crowded. The restaurants dot the landscape of St. Petersburg, and although they are all worth a visit and unique, only a few can be the best restaurants in St. Pete, FL.
Hayden has been a digital director for years. He has five years of experience editing and writing about food, restaurant, and recipe review content. At Birch Restaurant, he’s in charge of scouting, showing up unannounced in different restaurants, and writing a thorough food guide!
