Breakfast, lunch spot Buttermilk to open in north St. Pete in early January
Buttermilk will debut this January at 10316 Roosevelt Boulevard in north St. Pete
Buttermilk, a new breakfast, brunch, and lunch concept created by a pair of Chicago restaurateurs who’ve turned their focus to St. Petersburg, is set to open early next year at 10316 Roosevelt Boulevard in the Ibis Walk shopping center in north St. Pete.
“We're shooting for the first week of January,” says Bob Asani, who co-owns Buttermilk with Ted Theo.
Buttermilk takes the place of a Crabby Bill’s seafood restaurant in a retail strip that also includes Jersey Mike’s and Tijuana Flats franchises. It will offer a menu loaded with traditional breakfast items, including a wide variety of omelets, eggs benedicts, and skillet dishes, as well as pancakes and local favorites such as chicken and waffles.
Avocado Toast: House made avocado spread lathered on toasted nine grain, topped with one sunny up egg
Buttermilk will carry Lavazza coffee, Asani adds, and customers will be able to place online to-go orders for coffee and food.
For the lunch crowd, the menu will feature burgers, BLTs, chicken sandwiches, soups, salads, and more. Buttermilk will also offer a bottomless mimosa special on weekends, but the price has yet to be determined.
Most entrees are priced between $10 and $16 but Asani says there will be some inflation-related adjustments to the menu prior to opening.
“Some of those prices are going to be changing,” he says. “We have to analyze the costs, because I like to keep higher-end products in stock.”
Berry Berry Oatmeal: Blueberries and strawberries topped with granola and honey
Asani and Theo plan to mitigate cost increases with some creative staffing and ordering systems.
“We're doing a very digital restaurant,” Asani says, “meaning that we’ll have QR codes at the tables, so people will do self-ordering, but there will be staff walking around the restaurant assisting people with things. We're also bringing in a couple of robots to assist with bringing out coffees, waters, and little stuff.”
For customers who don’t have a smartphone or just want to order their food in a more traditional manner, Buttermilk will have a counter kiosk where they can input their selections.
Berry Berry Cakes: signature house-made buttermilk pancakes mixed with fresh strawberries and blueberries, topped with nutella
The robots and QR code ordering system, though, aren’t meant to take away attention from the customer, Asani says. If anything, he believes technology will make the dining experience more satisfying and efficient for Buttermilk patrons, and it alleviates pressure on entrepreneurs in an industry that faces significant staffing challenges.
“The point-of-sale system you have in most places is Toast,” he says. “We’re all trying to figure out what directions restaurants can go to reinvent themselves for a good experience and to stay open.”
Including outdoor dining areas, Buttermilk’s seating capacity will be 99. It will be open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every day.