Baba, the Mediterranean restaurant on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg, is getting ready to hit pause on its current run and come back with a whole new personality, according to its owners. The reset will also lock in Barra‑Barra, the Basque-style pintxo pop-up that has been doing limited stints next door, as a permanent neighbor in the connected Barbouni space. It is the latest twist on a block where the Sayegh family has been tinkering with intimate concepts and small formats since opening Baba in 2019.
As reported by the Tampa Bay Times, the owners told the paper they plan to close Baba and reopen it as a different concept, while bringing the Barra‑Barra pop-up back as a permanent fixture next door at Barbouni. The Times noted that the announcement did not come with a firm timeline for when the flip will happen, so regulars may want to keep an eye on the calendar and the menu.
Baba lists its address as 2701 Central Ave and highlights the Mediterranean menu that turned it into a neighborhood staple. Owners Debbie and George Sayegh, who also launched Bodega and Bar Chica on Central, have been key players in shaping that stretch of the corridor, Creative Loafing Tampa reported.
Barra‑Barra To Become Permanent Neighbor
St. Pete Rising previously covered Barra‑Barra's month-long residency in February, noting that the pop-up transformed Barbouni into a standing-room-only pintxo bar serving skewered gildas, Spanish tortilla and a vermouth-forward drinks program. Chefs told the outlet the format was designed to be social and easy to navigate, with small bites meant to be eaten one-handed while standing at the bar, and that extensions were on the table when the residency kicked off.
What This Means For Central Avenue
The Sayeghs have leaned on short-term residencies and sister concepts to keep this block buzzing. Barbouni itself opened in 2023 as a nine-seat raw bar and conservas spot, Creative Loafing Tampa reported. That test-and-tweak strategy, trying out new ideas in adjacent spaces before locking them in, lines up with a broader local pattern of operators using pop-ups to trial menus and build word-of-mouth before committing to larger shifts.
The owners have not shared an exact closing date for Baba or a timetable for the new concept to debut, the Tampa Bay Times noted. Diners looking for the latest updates are being directed to follow Baba's social media accounts or check the restaurant website for announcements.
