Meze 119

119 Second St. N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701

(727) 498-8627

http://www.meze119.com/

Categories: Restaurant

Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Vegetarian

Features: Late-night dining, Takeout

Cost range: 1.0-10.0

Payment options: Credit cards accepted

Alcohol: Beer and wine only

More in this neighborhood: Downtown St. Petersburg

Meze 119 is billed as "authentic Middle Eastern food with modern flair." That it is. What it may take the unobservant diner a while to figure out, though, is that it's 100 percent vegetarian. It's not that owner Dean Hershkowitz is being coy. It's as he says: "A lot of the food we're making is inherently vegetarian. The fact that it's vegetarian is secondary."
It cooks up exciting and inexpensive spins on traditional Turkish, Lebanese, Syrian and Israeli dishes in a light, airy space, with lots of colorful pillows and a funky tree mural on one wall. Servers are warm and helpful, and the prevailing vibe is hip and upbeat.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, until midnight Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday