Jacksonville Staple Brings Diner Favorites to St. Pete
St. Pete’s Fourth Street will see the launch of the newest Metro Diner location.
A growing Florida restaurant brand is introducing jazzed-up comfort food and a feel-good atmosphere to St. Petersburg.
Known for its service and award-winning fare, the St. Pete location for Metro Diner, based in Jacksonville, marks the brand’s first foray into the region at 5250 Fourth St. N., where the Hiro’s steakhouse and sushi bar used to be.
“We’ve just always loved it down there,” said founder and chef Mark Davoli. “[St. Pete is] really great for a diner.”
Opening at 6:30 a.m. June 27, the diner will serve favorites like chicken and waffles, a meatloaf plate and Yo Hala on the Square — two thick slices of challah stuffed with bananas, brown sugar, cream cheese and hazelnut syrup (it’s prepared like French toast and topped with a blueberry-strawberry compote).
Davoli recommends the shrimp and grits, served on grit cakes rather than traditional cheese grits, or the popular huevos rancheros.
“It’s just a great mess of food,” he said.
Source: Article by Carlynn Crosby, published on Creative Loafing (cltampa.com).