CUAISR ITNE
MORNING,
NOON OR NIGHT
O’Bistro
By Aaron Fodiman and Margaret Word Burnside
Photography by Gram
This Baby Spinach Salad at O’Bistro with feta cheese, tomatoes,
dried cranberries, toasted pecans and apple cider vinaigrette is
JULY/AUGUST 2019 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 169
P arisian bistros are
small neighborhood
restaurants that serve
moderately priced
meals and drinks in a friendly
setting. In St. Petersburg,
O’Bistro follows that concept,
serving American food with
a Mediterranean flair from
breakfast through dinner. Currently
located at 66th Street North and Central
Avenue, where parking is easy, this long
established restaurant and martini bar has
fans for its various menus.
Beginning at 9 in the morning, you can
choose between omelets, eggs, waffles,
French toast, potato pancakes, Benedicts
and smoked salmon. Along with these
standards, O’Bistro serves their fabulous
“O” Gratin Grits and drink specials such
as mimosas, Bloody Marys and other
specialty drinks such as a peach bellini.
At lunchtime, they offer soups, salads,
bistro favorites such as Deep Dish Spinach
Pie and Breast of Chicken Salad, grilled
items such as their lamb burger, plus a
host of signature sandwiches that range
from a braised short rib patty melt to a
grilled salmon BLT. The poultry and most
meats are all natural with no hormones,
antibiotics or preservatives. They also offer
gluten-free options.
From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., O’Bistro offers a
first seating special at $15.50 for a house
salad or soup, an entrée of chicken, pasta,
meatloaf or salmon and chocolate mousse.
What a bargain. Even a glass of house wine
is just $5.
Dinner includes nightly specials and
entrees such as Tuscan-Style Pot Roast,
Pecan Crusted Chicken, Grilled Pacific
King Salmon and a flat iron steak. Their
seven salad selections can be enhanced
with chicken, salmon, shrimp or tuna, and
there are nine sandwiches and a variety of
starters from which to choose.
We loved the fried calamari
and the curry seared tuna
sashimi as well as the tomato
basil bisque with gorgonzola.
Try to leave room for
dessert, as their cheesecake,
six-layer carrot cake, chocolate
mousse cake, chocolate
Kahlúa mousse torte and crème brûlée
are well worth ditching your diet.
Servers at O’Bistro are polite, courteous
and efficient, and the comfortable décor
has a touch of sophistication that you might
not expect. The select wine list has excellent
options at reasonable prices. This is one of
those places where you feel at home right
away. Special requests or substitutions
are graciously accommodated. They do
whatever they can to make their customers
happy so that you can enjoy the dining
experience. They also offer catering. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: O’Bistro, your
neighborhood restaurant and martini bar, is
located at 6661 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg,
(727) 381-1212.
topped with grilled Pacific King Salmon.