Buttermilk Eatery is moving into the former Urban Brew & BBQ spot in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District, with plans to open this summer. The breakfast-and-lunch chain is planting its flag on a stretch of Central Avenue that has been racking up new shops and restaurants in recent months.
According to Tampa Bay Times, the Grand Central location will be the brand’s third in Pinellas County and is projected to open sometime this summer. The paper reports that Buttermilk plans to take over the former Urban Brew & BBQ building on Central Avenue.
St. Pete Rising adds that the restaurant will land at 2601 Central Avenue, where Urban Brew & BBQ closed last September after about 12 years. The new Buttermilk is set to feature roughly 1,400 square feet of indoor dining and a 3,000-square-foot covered patio. “We’re excited to keep growing locally and bring Buttermilk to the Grand Central District,” one owner told St. Pete Rising, calling the neighborhood a natural fit for the concept’s breakfast-focused lineup.
What Buttermilk Will Bring
Buttermilk bills itself as a casual breakfast-and-lunch spot built around pancakes, skillets and biscuits, according to Buttermilk Eatery's locations page. The chain currently lists locations in north St. Pete and Pinellas Park, and the owners say they plan to bring the same large-portion, family-friendly approach to Central Avenue.
Why Grand Central
The Grand Central corridor has been attracting independent retailers and restaurants and recently cleared new zoning rules meant to encourage denser, more walkable development along Central Avenue. St. Pete Rising details the city’s SunRunner overlay and other changes reshaping the area, making the neighborhood a draw for operators looking for foot traffic and patio-friendly real estate.
For now, the exact opening date and menu specifics for the Grand Central spot are still under wraps, and neither Buttermilk nor the building’s landlord has announced a formal ribbon-cutting. Expect soft-opening chatter and permit filings to surface as summer gets closer.
