Vegan St. Pete: Grand Central District

Grand Central District · plant-forward, sandwiches, salads, pescatarian

This is the room that was Love Food Central, a vegan and gluten-free kitchen in Grand Central for nearly a decade. It reopened in December 2025 as FireWater with chef Sal Corteo and a menu that added vegetarian and pescatarian dishes. St. Pete Rising lists the vegan plates that stayed, among them the Portobello Burger, the Thai Peanut Cucumber Wrap and a Maple Dijon Chickpea salad. The stated goal: a table where a vegan and a vegetarian can both order comfortably.

Grand Central District · vegan sushi, ramen, asian fusion

Thalia Tatham was diagnosed with lupus at 23 and went vegan in 2020 to take control of it; she told FOX 13 she was in remission within six months. She would not give up sushi, so she started making plant-based rolls for her family, then sold them at pop-ups and a weekly drop at Black Radish Vegan Grocer. Her first brick-and-mortar opened on 21 March 2022 inside Body Electric at 655 31st St S, and the restaurant has since moved to 1990 Central.

Grand Central District · vegan hot dogs

Jenny and Jeff Howe started Nah Dogs in 2019 as a roaming vegan hot dog cart at markets and festivals around Tampa Bay. In 2026 they moved into a small storefront that shares a courtyard with Black Crow Coffee and Tombolo Books. St. Pete Rising lists the Yo Soy Dog (nacho cheese, street corn salsa, pickled jalapenos, garlic mayo, tortilla chips) and The Captain (chili, cheese, fried onions, spicy mustard). The Tampa Bay Times reviewed the new room on 14 August 2026.

Grand Central District · bagels, breakfast sandwiches

Steven Peterman started Pete's Bagels in 2019 in Historic Uptown. On 6 October 2026 the Grand Central shop moved four blocks from 2361 1st Ave S into the 4,200 square foot Quonset hut at 1900 1st Ave S, the former Good Intentions space, growing from 42 seats to about 100. Bagels are boiled and baked fresh, with house-made cream cheeses and breakfast sandwiches. Weekend brunch, evening beer, wine and cocktails and more vegan options are planned for the new room.

Grand Central District · bakery, doughnuts

Celine Beltgens owns Valhalla, an Orlando-born vegan bakery, and this is its St. Petersburg shop. The own site says every dessert is egg-free and dairy-free, made with unrefined sugar and unbleached flour, and that the kitchen cannot do gluten-free or nut-free orders. Valkyrie's square doughnuts are sold from the same counter. Its sister room next door, Freya's Diner, closed on 6 August 2023.

Grand Central District · new american, bistro

A neighborhood bistro and cocktail bar opened by Matt Kaye, owner of The Bends, with chef Rob Reinsmith in the former NuMex space. The same pair later opened Slim Charmer, a 26-seat martini lounge in a 1940s building next to Wild Child's patio at 2706 Central. Sunday is brunch only.