Adventure U.S.

Edgy St. Pete: Florida Fun

Discover Edgy St. Pete by staying in its Edge District. I came to this West Coast Florida city looking to soak up the sun on its beaches, which straddle the Gulf of Mexico. I found a funky St. Petersburg neighborhood where local businesses—including coffee shops, restaurants, book shops, and galleries—cluster.

We are an award-winning Florida Main Street and Main Street America™, collectively working to keep our district vibrant and preserve our historic character.”

The Edge District

For trip research, I turned to this association. The Edge District described their neighborhood as a “historic, award-winning Main Street district.” Check out a Google map to see the district, which is located between Dr. M.L. King Jr. and 16th Streets, and 1st Avenues North and South.

From the instant I left my AirBnb condo to walk one block up to Central Avenue, I felt at home. Brand new apartments and condos featured rooftop pools, gardens, and super safe sidewalks to walk Fido.

I get the sense that this is a neighborhood where residents want to live, work, and play. If you lived here, you want to frequent the locally-owned independent businesses and get to know their owners. And clearly at night, the Edge District comes alive.

Coffeeshop anyone?

My daughter Claire and I were in search of a Central Avenue coffee shop where we could linger on a patio to sip our morning brew. The Florida sun was warming every inch of my body. Even at 9 am, the temps already topped 70 degrees. Back at my home in Washington, DC, the thermometer wasn’t budging past 25 degrees.

We stopped at the first coffee shop we saw—Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails. The regulars were seated at small tables, lingering over chubby beige cups of brew. The artful menu featured one-of-a-kind coffee concoctions.

Intermezzo

Claire ordered the Honey Lavender Latte infused with lavender from the local Savory Spice shop. It featured honey from A Bee’s Place. (The honey farm’s motto? Helping bees thrive.)

There is nothing that compares IMHO to the first morning of your vacation. You sip your coffee or tea. There is no rush to get to work. Your job on vacation (especially in St. Pete where its logo is “Feel the Warmth”) is simply to slow down, sip your cafe latte, and stare at the people walking past your table.

Waterfront Museum District

After our coffee started to grow cold, we decided to explore the neighborhood. Central Avenue snakes toward the Waterfront Museum District. This is the home of St. Petersburg Pier as well as numerous museums, including the Dali Museum, St. Petersburg Museum of History, Museum of Fine Arts, and Renaissance Vinoy Resort’s History Gallery, along with the Duke Energy Center for the Arts.

Clockwise (left): Museum of Energy, Duke Energy Center for the Arts, Vinroy Resort, and St. Pete waterfront.

Dali Museum

But the Dali Museum may be the most famous. It features the works of renowned artist Salvador Dalí, including “iconic melting clocks, imaginative visual illusions, and avant-garde symbols. Through its virtual reality exhibit, visitors can travel inside and beyond the art, what the museums calls dreams of dalí. The museum features more than 2,000 works comprising nearly 100 oil paintings; over 100 watercolors and drawings; and 1,300 prints, photographs, sculptures and objets d’art.

Dali Museum

If you don’t have time to tour the museum, stop to see the building. It was designed by architect Yann Weymouth. The Dalí’s building combines the rational with the fantastical. There is a grotto with large boulders, plants growing sideways on the wall, and a butterfly in flight.

Surreal landscaping (Dali Museum)

Central Avenue

The Edge District signs can be seen everywhere as we roam Central Avenue. This neighborhood stretches seven blocks from 16th Avenue. The low-rise buildings seem to hold hands like kindergartners in line at recess, waiting for the locals and visitors to fill up the tables outside the cafes and restaurant.

Using my downloaded map, I began a walking safari to discover the historical buildings. At the Publix grocery store, there is an outdoor photo gallery showing scenes from St. Pete’s past.

Low slung buildings house locally-owned restaurants

The Floridian

From a historical perspective, I am most intrigued by the Florida Social Club. Housed in an old theater, the venue programs musical acts as well as jazz on Sundays.

“Our mission is to connect the Tampa Bay community with local artists and nationally touring musicians.”

Florida Social Club

It also books aerial acts, contortionists, cabaret, and burlesque. The theater is located at 687 Central Avenue. Shows are free Tuesday and Thursday.

Book + Bottle

No vacation is complete without finding a local bookstore to spend a morning and afternoon. Claire & I discovered the Book + Bottle store located off Central Avenue. This cozy hideaway is filled with shelves of books, cozy chairs, and a walkup bar.

Local book store features cat theme and cozy seating

Be sure to schedule time to just hang out and sip your cafe latte while you browse through the book collection. Or better still, head outside to soak up St. Pete’s sunshine and read your book purchase.

Restaurant Scene

For this article, I wanted to sample breakfast, lunch, and dinner at three different Edge District restaurants. My one criteria was locally owned.

For dinner, I recommend the German Knoodle at 951 Central Avenue. I ordered the Jager Schnitzel with a stein of German beer. The outdoor patio allows you to people watch as well as eat. Well-behaved dogs are permitted.

The blonde owner/hostess was so friendly and helpful in describing the entrees. I will definitely return to sample the bratwurst, currywurst, and sauerkraut on my next trip to St. Pete.

For breakfast, we wanted to eat omelets. This disqualified the Maple Street Biscuit Company but I would definitely like to try it in the future. We chose City’s Bistro (695 Central Avenue), which is a family-run restaurant. The owner came out to visit with us. I love that Southern hospitality!

Their California omelet includes tomatoes, avocados, peppers, cheese, and sour cream. Plus you get a side order of stone grits and a homemade biscuit. This huge breakfast supercharged us for our 12,000-step walk.

Claire and I ate lunch at Bodego at 1180 Central Avenue. It won “Best New No-Frills Dining in the ‘Burg” from Best of the Bay. The all-day menu specializes in burritos stuffed with beans, chicken, pork, ground beef, steak, or shrimp. I highly recommend it “enchilada style.”

My daughter Claire & I loved our margaritas at Bodego

Go half and half so you can try both the verde (green super hot) sauce and the salsa (red medium heat) sauce. The cocktail menu features different Margaritas as well as beers. The open-air restaurant offers seating under a roof. Or there is a jungle-like patio to linger with a drink at picnic tables. Dogs are welcome.

St. Pete Brewery

Be sure to visit Webb’s City Cellar (Green Bench Brewing Company).

Run by three locals, it is St. Pete’s first microbrewery. The owners are Steven Duffy, Nathan Stonecipher, and Khris Johnson.

“What started as a hobby for them evolved into a full time, professional business of passion.”

Webb’s City Cellar

Green Bench Brewery offers such one-of-a-kind brews, as Sunshine City IPA, Florida IPA: Lemon Meringue, Dark Tannin’ Oil, and Lampshade (Pre-Prohibition Style Pilsner).

The bar also serves cider, single varietal cider, and mead.

Street Art

St. Pete is home to the SHINE “Street Art Festival” as well as an arts district. So it is no surprise that the sides of buildings feature oversized murals and street art. According to the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, SHINE is responsible for more than 100 murals throughout St. Pete and the surrounding arts districts since 2015.

In the Edge District, my favorite is the big cat mural that features a yellow striped feline. I couldn’t resist posing.

His green eyes seemed to follow me as I walked toward him. The gigantic white whiskers sloped over his broad diamond-studded body.

This mural adorns the wall of the animal hospital in the Edge District. It was painted by Florida artist Matt Kress.

“My mission is to make you look twice.”

Matt Kress

According to the St. Petersburg Art Alliance, Kress is “best known for his intricate style that often combines figures with overlaid geometric designs in multiple layers.”

Teal eyes feline

There was also a painting of a diminutive white cat that only showed its teal-colored eyes, grey whiskers, and orange nose. Its perky ears were framed by a thick splash of the painter’s yellow brush stroke.

The city obviously loves its dogs as well. Nearby is a mural of a wide-eyed psychedelic Chiwawa pooch. I don’t know why he would be sad if he lived in this neighborhood. His pal is barking a message to the neighborhood.

Finally, you don’t want to miss Cartoon Alley. There are multiple toons running amuck, including a faux Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. It’s edgy, just like this St. Pete neighborhood.

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  • ANUKRATI DOSI
    January 29, 2022 at 6:04 am

    Lovely post! Thank you for sharing such helpful information.

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 6:42 am

      I hope you get to visit St. Pete. Fun city!

      • Kathryn
        January 30, 2022 at 4:44 pm

        This is perfect!! We are planning a trip to St. Pete this fall and this is exactly the type of information we are looking for. Thanks for sharing!

  • KarlaTypes
    January 29, 2022 at 7:18 am

    The museum looks amazing, and so does the fooooood 🙂 would love to visit!

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 7:23 am

      OMG the food was delish. I honestly can’t wait to go back and try the bratwurst. And this is a dream City if you love art – indoors or outdoors!

  • Madhu
    January 29, 2022 at 11:29 am

    Looks like a really cool place. And fun too .would love to visit

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 11:42 am

      St Pete is a fav getaway. I love the art scene.

  • anatureescape
    January 29, 2022 at 11:36 am

    We love a good mural. This place looks like a great travel escape.

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 11:42 am

      It is an art lover’s dream. The street art is amazing.

  • Bea
    January 29, 2022 at 12:53 pm

    This is making me miss the US! It’s been a few years since I’ve visited. And Florida is one of my fave states. St Pete’s looks like a hoot! Coffee, art, restaurants? Sign me up!

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 3:42 pm

      Hahaha you are signed up. This is my second visit to St. Pete in 12 months. I just love this quirky city.

  • Brooke
    January 29, 2022 at 2:05 pm

    Fantastic art scene! Thanks for sharing these unique locations.

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 3:41 pm

      I wish I took more pics of the street art. It is incredible.

  • Elena Pappalardo
    January 29, 2022 at 2:17 pm

    With all of the times I’ve been to Florida, I can’t believe I’ve still never made it to St. Pete! After reading your post, that will obviously have to change. I’d love to check out those murals – feels a bit like the Wynwood area!

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 3:41 pm

      I am amazed how street art can revitalize a city. St. Pete doesn’t feel corporate – it is funky and original. Go visit!

  • Alison
    January 29, 2022 at 2:45 pm

    Amazing post. I love all the street art. I vaguely remember St. Petersburg as a slow, nothing there town, but you’ve definitely changed my mind.

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 3:40 pm

      This city has everything-historic neighborhoods, vibrant arts scene, and great Main Street. I loved it.

  • Heather
    January 29, 2022 at 3:40 pm

    Wow this looks like a really fun place!! I love the photos and will keep it in mind for future.

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 3:43 pm

      Heather I think the street art will remind you of U Street in Washington DC. It is that good. Hope you get to visit!

  • Val
    January 29, 2022 at 4:03 pm

    St Pete and Tampa are high on my bucket list !

    I have friends in Punta gorda – planning a trip soon ! Great post

    Valerie

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 5:08 pm

      Lucky you! You need to visit. The Gulf coast of Florida is fantastic. I have visited twice in the last year.

  • Krista
    January 29, 2022 at 4:40 pm

    The street art here is really impressive. It looks like you had a great trip!

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 5:09 pm

      Yup! I love visiting cities because there are so many things to do. But you can also escape to the beaches (less than 20 minutes from St. Pete).

  • Eloiae
    January 29, 2022 at 6:43 pm

    I was meant to visit Tampa but things happened and I haven’t been there yet. I’ll also keep in mind St Pete for our trip. So many things to see! The virtual reality exhibit sounds very fun.

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 7:17 pm

      Tampa is fun too especially the River Walk. But I really like the local feel to St. Pete. Plus the beaches are incredible.

  • Joanna
    January 29, 2022 at 7:01 pm

    St Petersburg is right up my alley – food, Dali, and street art. Thank you for introducing me to this interesting city.

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 7:16 pm

      You are welcome. I love when cities have a vibrant art culture. It always makes it interesting!

  • simplyjolayne
    January 29, 2022 at 7:08 pm

    What a fun place. The street art certainly takes center stage. Looks like a great place to spend a day or tow!

    • Terri
      January 29, 2022 at 7:15 pm

      The street art definitely takes center stage. I’d love to attend SHINE!

  • Tabitha
    January 29, 2022 at 7:42 pm

    I love looking at street art in different places. It looks amazing in this area!

    • Terri
      February 3, 2022 at 8:20 pm

      Searching out street art is one of my favorite things to do when I travel. I love to blog about it!

  • Sue
    January 30, 2022 at 7:20 am

    This looks like you really enjoyed your time & the Edge District sounds like a great place to explore. From Street Art to Dali, to all the coffee & food. Definitely my kind of place, thanks for the introduction!

  • Pam
    January 30, 2022 at 8:42 am

    What a fun place to visit! The bottle & books seems right up my alley! Thanks for sharing, hoping to get to Florida this year!

  • Hannah
    January 30, 2022 at 2:21 pm

    What a fun place to visit! I love discovering cool places like this on my travels. I’d love to see the street art – it looks incredible! Thanks for the great guide!

  • Shannon
    January 30, 2022 at 5:54 pm

    St. Pete is so much fun! The Dali Museum is great. I didn’t know about that street art though!