St. Pete
Southern Grounds is a coffee shop on Central Ave in St. Pete's walkable EDGE District — a bright interior, sidewalk patio, and weekend live music drawing the arts crowd, remote workers, and Central Ave regulars. Direct-trade Intelligentsia coffee and scratch-made food in the heart of St. Pete's creative corridor.
Location
695 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
Hours
Open Daily: 6:30 AM - 9:00 PM
PHONE
Southern Grounds St. Pete is a coffee shop and restaurant at 695 Central Ave in the EDGE District — a walkable stretch of locally-owned coffee bars, breweries, galleries, and independent shops at the creative center of St. Petersburg. Steps from Florida CraftArt Gallery, the Morean Arts Center, and the murals that define Central Ave toward Historic Kenwood.
We draw remote workers who need a serious coffee shop and a reliable place to work, weekend brunch crowds, breakfast regulars, arts crowd regulars who move between galleries and breweries along the corridor, dog walkers on the sidewalk patio, and Central Ave explorers who find us mid-route. Tropicana Field is minutes away — we're a natural pre-game stop on Rays days.
Inside: bright white space with Florida-inspired murals by local artist Matt Kress. Couches, tables, and bar seating. Free Wi-Fi. Outside: dog-friendly sidewalk patio. We serve direct-trade Intelligentsia coffee — rare in Tampa Bay — all-day breakfast and brunch, dinner, scratch-made bowls, and Blueberry Bakery pastries. Mediterranean-inspired scratch kitchen cooking in extra virgin olive oil and beef tallow. Seed-oil-free options identified on the menu. beer and wine. Walk-in only.
Open daily 6:30 AM–9 PM. Street parking and lots on Central Ave.
Private events & Catering
Southern Grounds St. Pete is available for private events and catering on Central Ave in the EDGE District — dog-friendly sidewalk patio, arts corridor setting, and a chef-driven kitchen available for gatherings from intimate dinners to corporate buyouts. Contact us about private events and custom catering. Online catering order for local teams and offices.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I've never heard of Southern Grounds. Is this a local St. Pete brand?
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Originally from Jacksonville — Neptune Beach, specifically, where we opened in 2016. St. Pete is our first Tampa Bay location, and for most people here, it's their first encounter with us. Chef-driven all-day café: Intelligentsia coffee, scratch kitchen, gluten-free and vegan options, beer and wine. Not a chain in the usual sense — no drive-thru, no shortcuts in the kitchen. The locals who've found us tend to come back.
Where exactly on Central Ave are you?
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695 Central Ave, right next to The Melting Pot in the two-story building at 7th Street and Central. You'll see the murals through the front windows — local artist Matt Kress painted them. It's walkable from the waterfront, DTSP core, and most of the Central Ave gallery and shop corridor.a
Is this a good place to work during the day?
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Yes. The space is designed around couch and table seating with an open floor plan — good Wi-Fi, no pressure to turn over your table. Weekday mornings are the quietest window. Central Ave gets busier on weekends, which is also when live music occasionally runs.
Is there parking nearby?
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Street parking along Central Ave and in the blocks surrounding it. The Sundial garage on 3rd Street is a short walk, and there are surface lots throughout the immediate area. Downtown St. Pete parking is paid but generally available outside of events at Tropicana Field or the waterfront venues.
Is the menu the same as the Jacksonville locations?
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Same Intelligentsia coffee, same scratch kitchen philosophy, and the core menu carries through. Some St. Pete menu items reflect local sourcing — Verlasso salmon, Brasstown Beef, and produce from Trader Hill Farm are called out specifically here. If you're a regular at one of the Jacksonville locations, you'll recognize the format immediately.