By Nanette Wiser
DINE & DRINK Much to celebrate in Downtown St. Pete and St. Petersburg with lots of eclectic fare and high-octane cocktails. Cider Press Vegan Gastropub opens late August at 3118 3rd Ave. N. Lingr now serving a Sunday dim sum brunch 12-2:30. The Edge Eatery opened in the Fusion featuring Italian Carne D’Vino, The Cuban Sandwicherie, Sangrias at Saint Pete (Columbian fare), the Edge Eatery Bar and The District Lounge, an upscale listening room with stellar cocktails and weekend DJ. Kahwa is opening a location inside the Student Union Center at USF St. Pete campus late this summer. Brick Farms is on the move to the Warehouse District this fall.
Also on the Central Ave. horizon is Rasta Canna Bar from Nothing But Hemp featuring hemp-based cocktails, spirits, seltzers and smoothies. From Montreal comes Chiki Churros, a dessert fusion parlor and churreria serving milkshakes, frozen fruit slushes, coffee concoctions and churros with dipping sauces.
Cocktail at Intermezzo 
Brunch at Cassis
Intermezzo dropped a new menu with nine specialty cocktails and a coffee-cocktail selection. We love the Chamomile Gold Rush, a chamomile-infused bourbon, yellow chartreuse, local honey, fresh lemon, and apple bitters. Chef Trevor is now Cassis’ executive chef, with a new menu and extraordinary presentations. Cassis new Chef Trevor debuted a new menu and extraordinary presentations. For brunch we like the delicious smoked Salmon, red onions, capers, eggs, chives, tomatoes, toasted bagel and cream cheese. For lunch, it’s the Plateau (12 oysters, 12 shrimp, lobster salad, a pound of snow crab, champagne mignonette, bourbon aioli and cocktail sauce. Note: Cassis closed Mon.
St. Pete Brewing expanded its space and opened a full kitchen on 1st Ave. N. so you can now tipple beer and nosh pizza, fish spread, mini-meatballs and other munchies. There’s an event space for live music, trivia and stand-up comedy dubbed The Nest, art installations and pop-up shops. They even have Bandit Coffee cold brew in their Nitro system.
Have you been to Date Night with Sol, at Sol St. Pete, featuring a sexy four-course prix fixe seasonal menu for two Wed.-Thurs. evening? It’s amazing! Enjoy a glass of chef-selected wine pairing, a small nibble board, side salad, entrée such as grass-fed filet mignon with shrimp and veggie, culminating in dessert, hopefully their dark chocolate cake. Vegan and vegetarian options also available and the regular dinner menu also available. Reservations required.
Play all day at the Par Bar Mini Golf Bar in the Grand Central District where you can compete in Ping Pong, Corn Hole, Golden Tee, Trash Can Beer Pong and more while sipping frozen peach strawberry Bellini, 3 Daughters raspberry lemonade cider, Ranch Rider Ranch Water jalapeno tequila and more. Sign up for a fall league!
Sunday funday starts with music at Urban Stillhouse, then on to The Independent for James Suggs’ jazz jam and finishing up at the Floridian Social Club’s Sunday Jazz with the Crew and Bryan J. Hughes and Suggs. Trumpeter Suggs also will be joining St. Pete College’s Music & MIRA departments this fall. With extensive experience in jazz, commercial and classical genres, James is an active performer and recording artist with performances in London, Barcelona, Lisbon, New York, Boston, Mexico City and Caracas.
Returning in August is the Museum of Fine Arts’ Cocktails & Collections on the third Thursday of each month featuring live entertainment, customized docent tours of the MFA’s special exhibitions or Collections galleries, and art-inspired signature cocktails.
Head north from DTSP, and you’ll never go hungry. On the Fly Food Hall is Ciccio Restaurant Group’s quick hub for clean eating showcasing Taco Dirty’s fresh juices, bowls, and healthy Mexican; Better Byrd and Sweet Soul super food smoothie & açaí bar with plant-based desserts. Also, worth checking out are Serbian Mediterranean Restaurant and Patrona Coastal Café & Roastery next to The Getaway. On West Central, The Pierogi Bar takes over the O’Bistro location.
Love keeping up with DTSP culture doyenne Nanette Wiser. We are in good hands with her authoritive and informative recommendations on the “what’s happening” and “what’s up & coming” in this vibrant community in which we are so privileged to belong!