Brick & Mortar owners to open new restaurant in Grand Central District

The owners of Brick and Mortar will open a new restaurant at 2147 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District

A new restaurant is under construction at 2147 Central Avenue, a building whose second floor houses the offices of the Anderson Group, a private equity firm, in the Grand Central District.

The eatery’s name is unknown, but it will be owned and operated by Jason Ruhe, chef and co-owner of Brick & Mortar, a downtown St. Petersburg restaurant located at 539 Central Avenue, and his brother Dylan Ruhe, who has over 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry, including two NYC-based Michelin-starred restaurants Nobu and SHO Shaun Hergatt.

Jason and Dylan’s childhood friend, Julian Colson, is also a part-owner. Joe Esposito of KW Commercial represented the landlord and tenant in the lease transaction.

The restaurant’s menu, St. Pete Rising has learned, will feature Latin cuisine with tapas-style dishes. Specific menu items have not been revealed yet, but if you’ve ever dined at Brick & Mortar, you’ll want to give the Ruhe brothers’ venture a try.

Artistic Rendering by Zazoo’d

The centerpiece for the 3,000-square-foot eatery will be a semi-circular bar where handcrafted cocktails and the restaurant’s curated wine menu will be served. An expansive outdoor patio will also offer al fresco dining along Central Avenue.

David Fischer, owner of St. Pete-based interior design firm and retail shop Zazoo'd, has been hired to handle the interior design, which will feature a contemporary, colorful look. Fischer’s portfolio includes trendy new St. Pete establishments such as Cider Press Vegan Gastropub, as well as The Saint and COCKtail, which he also owns.

St. Pete-based Innovative Design Studios, Inc. has been hired as the restaurant’s architect.

The Anderson Group fully renovated the 6,060-square-foot building, which was constructed in 1926 and had been used as housing for St. Petersburg Free Clinic patients, in 2020. According to Pinellas County records, it acquired the property for $925,000 in 2017.