Sol St. Pete to bring health-conscious comfort food to the Warehouse Arts District
/Sol St. Pete will be located at 222 22nd Street South in the Warehouse Arts District of Downtown St. Pete
In early September, St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District will welcome Sōl St. Pete to the neighborhood at 222 22nd Street South, previously home to Puerto Rican restaurant WEPA Cocina and next door to 3 Daughter’s Brewing . Sōl St. Pete is a bistro serving elevated comfort food that offers a conscious culinary experience.
Debbie Devico O’Neil and Ron O’Neil, owners of Sol St. Pete
Health-conscious diners will have a new restaurant to add to their rotation with this unique concept that utilizes savory and delicious whole-food ingredients. The food at Sōl St. Pete will be free from gluten, soy, peanuts, refined sugar, and inflammatory dairy products. In fact, if you have an uncommon allergy, you can call beforehand so the staff can accommodate your needs.
Sōl St. Pete wants to take you back to your grandmother’s kitchen by creating nostalgic dishes that elevate comfort food and arouse your emotions organically. In other words, it’s the comfort food you love, without the unhealthy ingredients that make you feel weighed down afterwards.
“As someone who has suffered from food allergies my whole life, I wanted to create a place that offered organic, farm-to-table food that was also gluten-free,” says Debbie Devico O’Neil, who is opening Sōl St. Pete with her husband Ron O’Neil. “I want my Sōl tribe to dine out without the fear of being accidentally contaminated.”
Gluten-free, sheep and goat milk lasagna with Scratch made tomato basil turkey bolognese
After seven years as a personal holistic chef as well as over 20 years’ experience as a holistic nutritionist and lifestyle coach, the debut of Sōl St. Pete will be a lifelong dream realized for Debbie. Ron previously owned and operated Xtreme Fitness and Cycling Studio on Dr. MLK Jr. Street North next to Trip’s Diner.
The menu will be inspired by cuisines from all over the world with an emphasis on Mediterranean-style food.
Start off with appetizers like roasted sweet potato cream soup topped with micro-greens and coconut bacon. Or opt for a tropical side salad of baby greens, fresh pineapple, coconut bacon, snap peas, sprouts, and macadamia nuts tossed in a vinaigrette dressing. For a heartier appetizer, try the portobello mushrooms stuffed with grain-free herbs, pecorino romano, and heirloom tomato.
The entrée menu will feature Debbie’s famous gluten-free lasagna made with tomato basil turkey bolognese. Another customer favorite is the brown butter zucchini linguini with fresh herbs, almond and pecorino dusted roasted vegetables, uncured turkey bacon, and sundried tomatoes.
Sashimi grade tuna with sunflower butter and coconut amino veggie stir fry
As for drinks, expect to see upscale wines, infused waters, hard kombuchas, ciders, seltzers, and gluten-free craft beers.
Lastly, make sure to save room for dessert or you’ll miss out on Sōl’s fair trade, raw cacao chocolate avocado mousse parfait with fresh raspberries, toasted coconut, sliced almonds, and fresh mint.
Each part of Sōl St. Pete has been carefully curated by Debbie and Ron. “My husband and I have seven children between the two of us. Family is our number one priority, and we wanted to make sure that we could invest in our family while still bringing something new and exciting to a community we love,” says Debbie.
With her roots in Montreal, Canada, Debbie moved to Florida at a young age and grew up in Seminole and South Tampa before planting her roots in St. Pete. Her creative nature led her down many paths, but Sōl St. Pete’s concept is something that she conjured up herself and is excited to see it come to life.
Grain-free herb and pecorino Romano and heirloom tomato stuffed portobello mushrooms
“Finding a home in the Warehouse Arts District was the best decision we could make. It’s an up-and-coming area with other businesses like Urban Stillhouse and 3 Daughters Brewing. And since I’m an artist, I’m excited to connect with other local artists within this community as well,” added Debbie.
In fact, the O’Neil’s also plan on connecting with local suppliers to ensure they are serving the freshest food possible.
Debbie commented further by saying, “Our goal is to do everything with love and intention – from our food, environment, interaction with the community, and even with our staff.”
Fair-trade raw cacao chocolate avocado mouse parfait: fresh raspberries, toasted coconut, sliced almonds, fresh mint
Sōl St. Pete will open in early September in the Warehouse Arts District at 222 22nd Street South. Their hours will be Wednesday through Sunday from 5 pm–10 pm with reservations recommended. If you’re looking to throw a party, the space will also be available any day of the week for private events.
Make sure to stay up-to-date with all upcoming announcements by following Sōl St. Pete’s Instagram and Facebook accounts.
