Downtown Concierge By Nanette Wiser
With St. Paddy’s Day March 17th, Grand Prix in April, Easter celebrations and spring festivals, DTSP is the place to be, festive masks and smiling eyes in place, six feet apart. Champa Bay is gearing up for another Rays season, with Chris Archer for another year!
Some of our favorite St. Patrick’s Day festivals will be downsized or cancelled, but local bars will host some leprechaun-loving fun including 3/16 Flying Boat Brewery and 3/17 The Galley and Courigan’s Irish Pub. You can kiss the blarney pup at The Dog Bar March 15 for green beer, drink specials, Jell-O shots and Irish classics including corned beef from Maggie on the Move. You can buy a raffle ticket and get a pet portrait from Oley Art, with a portion of the proceeds going to Animalluvr’s Dream Rescue. (Head north to Clearwater’s O’Keefe’s Tavern for an outdoor celebration featuring Highland dancers, Irish merchandise and music, bagpipes and corned beef.)
DINE & DRINK: Central Ave. welcomes Job Site Stuffed Burger that goes beyond cheese and bacon with your choice of spinach, pineapple, ham, multiple cheeses plus small batch ice creams. Frozen confections abound downtown with the addition of Bright Ice’s small-batch ice creams, espresso-based drinks and fresh-baked pastries. Lots to cluck over when Chicken Salad Chick opens in Old Northeast with its 27th location.
If you love The Saints speakeasy and Zazoo’d for gifts and décor, mark your calendar for owner David Fischer’s inspired Grand Central bar Cocktail St. Pete.
Also on the horizon is a new Neopolitan pizza bistro (joining Bavaro’s and Fabrica), Original Flavor Pizza & Wine Bar 1889 at 409 Central. Also on the menu are pastas, wine and an outdoor café.
Want to learn more about charcuterie? Book your spot at Book + Bottle for 3/15 charcuterie creating class, including how to make a salami rose! They will provide all the materials and foods, paired with a glass of wine to sip while creating. Take it home or eat there.
Gulf to Bay Food Truck Association serves up spring festivals at Albert Whitted Park and we can’t wait for The St. Pete Wing & Craft Beer Fest 3/19 (free admission). On 3/13, Brick Farm Street Farms hosts the VegFeast from noon-4 pm. The 5th Annual St. Pete Beer, Bacon & BBQ Festival 3/13-14 at Vinoy Park will serve 50+ dishes from 25+ food vendors, with music, games, Beer Olympics and a Sunday Brunch Day.
Vegan and salad lovers adore LoveFoodCentral, especially the Buffalo Ranch Salad (crisp romaine, housemade creamy cashew ranch dressing, lil grape tomatoes, smooth avocado, garbanzos roasted in hot sauce) and kale Caesar salad.
Key West Seafood Co. opens Cori’s Seafood Grill on 1431 49th St. S, selling local seafood and serving burgers, wings and Philly Cheesteaks. And in West Central, deli lovers welcome The Nosh Pit with NY Egg Creams, triple decker sammies, Reubens, matzoh ball soup and chopped liver.
Hire a bar for your next event or meeting with The Traveling Tap, a mobile dry bar inspired by Italian Prosecco Vans. Inside Baum Market next to Intermezzo, Karma Juice Bar now serves craft cocktails in charming tiki style as well as their delectable acai bowls. Look for wines, coffees, raw honeycomb, foods and dry goods inside Alesia on Central at the brand new Knoouk Market and Provisions. Meet for coffee and dessert and enjoy the banana chocolate chip bread pudding with a side of whipped cream and French vanilla bean ice cream.
CULTURE KUDOS: Zubrick Magic Theater will be opening in St. Pete. Illusionists Chris & Ryan Zubrick conjure up an exhilarating blend of sleight-of-hand, family-friendly comedy and breathtaking grand-scale illusions in a 70-minute performance that captures hearts and imaginations.
Lit lovers can talk non-fiction and fiction books virtually every other month on the 4th Thursday at 6:30pm with The Tombolo Book Club, hosted by Librarian Mallory Arents. To RSVP and receive a Zoom link, email bookclubs@tombolobooks.com. Check the bookstore website for more book clubs by topic. The Studio@620 and Keep St. Pete Lit continues live-stream poetry readings and discussions on the third Wednesday of each month. Join hosts Denzel, Sara, and Maureen; sign up at Studio@620 Facebook page.
Looking for a creative space to write and work? Join the Factory St. Pete family with 24/7 access, on-site events and collaboration opportunities with folks like Keep St. Pete Lit. Rent a desk, open or private studio. Email josh@thefactorystpete.com.
SHOPPING: Re-treat fashion, décor and more is now open thanks to turned designer and community leader Rhonda Shear and her husband Van Fagan. They joined forces with veteran consigner experts Matt Worsham and Ashley Hamilton in 2020 to create in store and online experience for shoppers and consigners alike. Everything old is new again at downtown’s So Chic and on both Central Avenue and 9th/MLK, Designers’ Consigner.
DO GOOD: Help St. Pete Free Fridge community fridge & pantry at 2662 Central Ave. Bring any fresh goods (no prepared/cooked meals, sorry!) to the fridge, or non-perishables to the pantry, donate on Venmo or stop by and tidy up. Help them connect with those who have fresh produce/gardens.
