Karma Juice Bar and Eatery opening soon in downtown St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG — Aficionados of Karma Juice Bar and Eatery’s cleansing smoothies and acai bowls will be happy to know that the spot is returning to downtown St. Petersburg.

Karma is bringing its fresh foods and comfy-chic decor to the former location of The Blend at 490 First Ave. S, on the office building’s ground floor.

The restaurant was formerly located on Central Avenue in the Edge District, but left that location in 2022 and moved to 1804 Fourth St. N. That location will remain open and will serve as the kitchen for the new spot. There’s also a Karma in Clearwater, at 2095 Drew St.

Owner Josie Barber said the opening is highly anticipated by her regular downtown customers.

In addition to salads, sandwiches, coffee and all-day breakfast, there will be a dinner menu of international tapas featuring Asian and Mediterranean cuisine.

Chef Victoria Uy, who is Filipino, is helming the kitchen. Barber said she is sourcing homemade sprouted bread and Honduran tamales. Other items include pork belly buns and kousa, which is a Lebanese dish of stuffed squash.

Dinner will start at 7 p.m. and there will be beer, wine and sake-based cocktails.

Barber commissioned artist Geary “Rasta” Taylor, who designed Karma’s logo, to paint a St. Pete-themed mural.

The opening date is to be determined, but an invite-only soft opening will happen mid-March.

For all the new menu items and updates, the quality will remain the same, Barber said. She runs a tight ship in the kitchen, she said, and health comes first.

“If I won’t eat it, I won’t feed it to you,” she said.