Noble Crust and Fat Beet Farm to open joint restaurant, bar concept in St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG — Two big names in the local food scene are joining forces to open a new tavern-style restaurant and bar in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District next year.

Noble Tavern Off the Farm, from the folks behind Noble Crust and Tampa’s Fat Beet Farm Kitchen & Bakery, will open on the ground floor of the Tru by Hilton at 1650 Central Ave.

The new restaurant and bar, which is slated to open in early to mid-2023, will be a casual tavern concept with a heavy emphasis on craft cocktails and farm-to-fork dishes, said Noble Crust co-owner Tj Thielbar.

The partnership with Fat Beet Farm means the menu will lean heavily on produce grown at the farm as well as pastries and baked goods sourced straight from the W Hillsborough Avenue facility, which includes a large farm, market and bakery.

A large bar will anchor the space with seating for roughly 40 people inside and an additional 10 bar seats outside. The restaurant’s design and construction are still in the early planning phases, but Thielbar said there will be an expansive outdoor patio and seating for roughly 180 people.

Though some favorites from Noble Crust’s Italian- and Southern-inspired menu might make the cut, it’s likely that the entire menu will be original, including the bar, cocktail and wine program, Thielbar said.

“We were ready to do something a little different.”