St. Petersburg’s beloved Coney Island Sandwich Shop is back in the wild, this time on four wheels. Longtime staffers are ladling that familiar chili over hot dogs from a new food truck, hauling a portable slice of downtown nostalgia to local events and pop‑ups. For plenty of residents, spotting the truck feels like running into an old friend you thought had moved away for good.
From counter to cart
According to the Tampa Bay Times, two former employees of the iconic Coney Island Sandwich Shop are behind the revival of the chili‑topped Coney dogs. The paper reports that Gail Kelley, who spent nearly three decades working the counter, is now dishing out the shop’s signature chili dogs from a food truck she operates with her daughter.
Downtown staple for generations
The original counter, listed publicly at 250 Dr Martin Luther King Jr St N, built its loyal following on Michigan‑style chili dogs and hand‑dipped milkshakes. Local guides note the shop dates back to 1926, and online menu archives reproduce the straightforward lineup of hot dogs, chili and shakes that kept customers coming, per Discover Downtown and a historical menu on SinglePlatform. The familiar storefront address also appears on MapQuest, a small reminder of just how firmly the place was lodged in the city’s mental map.
Where to find the truck
Per the Tampa Bay Times, Kelley and her daughter are currently sticking to pop‑ups and local gatherings instead of reopening a permanent brick‑and‑mortar spot. The mobile setup lets them roll the classic counter fare into neighborhoods across St. Petersburg while they gauge how much appetite there is for a more complete comeback.
Old flavors, new format
For longtime customers, the food truck is a compact but meaningful return that keeps a piece of downtown culinary history alive. Hoodline previously listed the shop as a neighborhood favorite, and this roving reboot feels like a practical way to carry that legacy into a new era of St. Petersburg dining.
