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Meet the vendors at St. Petersburg’s 22 South

Here’s what you’ll be ordering at St. Pete’s newest food hall.
 
Lan Mai of Shokkan Sushi preps his station with toasted coconut at 22 South, the new food hall opening April 30 inside the newly renovated historic Manhattan Casino in St. Petersburg. At his restaurant, Mai will serve sushi, poke bowls and burritos.
Lan Mai of Shokkan Sushi preps his station with toasted coconut at 22 South, the new food hall opening April 30 inside the newly renovated historic Manhattan Casino in St. Petersburg. At his restaurant, Mai will serve sushi, poke bowls and burritos. [ JOHN PENDYGRAFT | Times ]
Published April 22, 2021|Updated April 24, 2021

On April 30, St. Petersburg’s Historic Manhattan Casino is reopening as a new food hall, incubator and event space. The hall features seven different restaurants from local culinary entrepreneurs plus a cocktail lounge, sangria bar and Deuces Coffee, where grab-and-go items like sandwiches and pastries will be sold. From sushi and poke bowls to barbecue and vegan soul food, here’s what to know — and what to order — when 22 South opens next week.

Betterway BBQ

Brothers William and Bryan Graveley bring more than two decades of food service and catering experience to their barbecue concept, which will highlight smoked meat staples from brisket to pulled pork.

On the menu: Smoked ribs, pulled pork, baked beans and potato salad.

22 South, the new food hall opening April 30, will look and feel like a restaurant, but diners will be able to order from seven different vendors. [ JOHN PENDYGRAFT | Times ]

Irie Mon Jamaican Grill

Chef Dean Hudson and Melissa Grannum run this Jamaican and Caribbean-inspired restaurant, with an emphasis on the island flavors Hudson grew up eating. (His family hails from Jamaica.) The pair ran a catering business and later a popup food stand at the South St. Pete Marketplace in the lot outside the Historic Manhattan Casino.

On the menu: Jerk chicken, oxtails and red snapper escovitch.

Related: At 22 South, a new kind of food hall takes shape in St. Petersburg

Ray’s Vegan Soul

The long-running vegan restaurant from chef Ray Milton finally has a new home at the hall, and fans of the vegan comfort food hub can expect to find plenty of Milton’s classic dishes, plus some new ones.

On the menu: Buffalo cauliflower, curry pumpkin chili and lemon pound cake.

Shokkan Sushi

Lan Mai of Shokkan Sushi will serve sushi, poke bowls and burritos. [ JOHN PENDYGRAFT | Times ]

As a former sushi chef at Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion and later Soho Sushi, Lan Mai has made a name for himself slinging high-end sushi and Hawaiian-inspired dishes around town for the better part of the last decade. Customized poke and burrito bowls are the highlight here, but guests can expect some of Mai’s signature sushi rolls to make an appearance, too.

On the menu: Sushi rolls, poke bowls and burritos.

St. Pete Bowls

This health-focused bowl, fresh fruit and juice spot comes courtesy of mother and daughter team Anja Adams and Naomi Richardson.

On the menu: Fruit and nut bowls and fresh juices.

Three Generations

Run by chef Melissa Gardner, who also operates a popular food truck by the same name, the menu features comfort food and Southern classics with a creative twist.

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On the menu: Smoked salmon “Novacado” toast; fried lobster, smoked Gouda and cheddar mac ’n’ cheese; and chocolate chip red velvet chicken and waffles.

VJ’s

Antonio Palmer of VJ's preps meatballs in the kitchen at 22 South. The New American restaurant is a tribute to one of the hall's original partners and primary investors, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Vincent Jackson. [ JOHN PENDYGRAFT | Times ]

Named in honor of the food hall’s late partner and primary investor, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Vincent Jackson, the restaurant will feature a rotating New American menu led by the hall’s executive chef John Karasiewicz. A portion of the proceeds will go toward Jackson’s foundation — Jackson In Action 83 Foundation.

On the menu: Brisket and short rib burger with caramelized onions; salmon with bourbon-creamed leeks and roasted mushrooms; and brined pork chop with white bean ragout and braised greens.