Julio’s Empanadas, Sea Hags, Mutts & Martinis: Restaurant News

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Here's the latest restaurant and bar news in the St. Petersburg area:

Waterfront St. Pete Beach Restaurant Closing

Sea Hags Bar and Grill, a waterfront restaurant on Blind Pass Road in St. Pete Beach, will close its doors for good on Monday. The bar and grill has been in business for 15 years.

The restaurant’s owners called the announcement of its closure “a sad day” in a Facebook post.

“We all kind of knew this day was coming when a developer bought the property a few years ago, but that doesn’t make (it) any easier,” the owners wrote. “We got 15 years out of this place - which was a pretty good run for an old fishing hut built in the 1950s. But like so much waterfront property in Florida, it’s going to be torn down and redeveloped.”

Julio’s Empanadas Coming to Tyrone Area

Julio Pagan, owner of Julio’s Empanadas, has plans for a new brick-and-mortar restaurant in St. Petersburg’s Tyrone area. The concept, Julio’s Latin Twist, will open at 7815 38th Ave. N., I Love the Burg reported.

Pagan operates Julio’s Empanadas out of a food truck that sets up in the parking lot of its future brick-and-mortar eatery in Gulfport at the intersection of 49th Street S. and 22nd Avenue S.

Dog Waterpark and Liquor Bar Opens

Mutts & Martinis, a dog waterpark and full liquor bar, has opened at 2900 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.

At more than 5,000 square feet, the venue includes a splash foundation, water sprays, a full liquor bar and 27 televisions.

The project stems from Love My Dog Resort and Playground owner, Natalie Conner, St. Pete Rising previously reported. She initially hoped the venue would be open in time for spring break.

Love My Dog also operates two upscale dog daycare and boarding facilities and a grooming boutique in St. Pete.

Memberships for Mutts & Martinis, either $150 annually for one dog or $75 for three months, are available to purchase on the bar’s website. Day passes are also available. Owners must show proof of vaccination.

Restaurant, Lounge Moving into Former Chief’s Creole Café Space

A new restaurant and speakeasy lounge concept, The Catalyst on the Deuces, has moved into the 22nd Avenue S. space at the corner of 9th Avenue S. that housed Chief’s Creole Café for the past decade.

Chief’s, owned by Elihu and Carolyn Brayboy, shut down in April after 10 years in business.

The Catalyst had its soft opening on Thursday and a grand opening event will be planned later this year, reports said.

“We call it The Catalyst because the Deuces, at one point, it was a very lively spot and we want to basically be a catalyst to get it back going again,” co-owner Jason Bryant told the Tampa Bay Times. “And that includes not just people coming to our establishment, but all of the surrounding restaurants and businesses.”

The restaurant and bar will serve Jamaican food and cocktails, according to Creative Loafing.

Some minor renovations have been completed in the building’s dining room and patio. Owners might give the exterior of the iconic pink building a facelift down the road, reports said.

With so much growth and development throughout St. Petersburg, Bryant told Creative Loafing that he hopes the Deuces, a historic Black neighborhood, will see its own renaissance.

“The southside is always a few steps behind the rest of the city, even though it's literally less than a mile from all of this growth that’s happening,” he said. “ I really love my city and I love the lifestyle here, but I’d like to see The Deuces become a destination like downtown or the Grand Central District.”

Upscale Steakhouse Opening on 4th Street N.

Frankie’s Italian Chophouse, an upscale chophouse, is coming to 4th Street N.

It will move into a 5,400-square-foot space at 8901 4th Street N. that was previously home to Perico’s Mexican Restaurant, St. Pete Rising reported.

“I've had in mind to open a steakhouse on 4th Street for 15 years, because there's nothing up here,” owner Frank Schittino, who also owns Cafe Cibo nearby, said. “When you think about 4th Street and you think about food, you can have Indian food. You can have Chinese food. You can have sushi, Mexican, burgers, pizza, pastas. But you can't get a steak unless you go downtown.”