Construction is progressing on the long-awaited five-story Central Park food hall in the heart of downtown St. Pete.

Hi Hospitality Group has been working on transforming the nearly 28,000-square-foot space at 551 Central Avenue, formerly the Dome Grill. The highly anticipated venue will feature a variety of cuisines, price points, experiences and live events that will offer the community endless possibilities within the space.

"We are creating all of the concepts internally, with Culinary Director Chef Hart Lowry at the helm of recipe development,” said Natalia Levey, founder at Hi Hospitality Group, in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

“People have high expectations, and we are committed to bringing the same level of quality to Central Park St. Pete as we have to our other restaurants, and also create a seamless dining experience," added Levey.

Construction on Central Park commenced in 2021. After nearly a year of excavation work to add a basement level, vertical construction began at the end of 2022.

The five-story food hall is expected to debut later this year.

A high-end cocktail bar celebrating cocktail classics, history and premium aged spirits, will be located in the building’s newly constructed basement.

On the ground floor, Central Park will showcase a spacious bar alongside a vibrant food court featuring seven fast-casual dining options. These will provide a diverse mix of health-conscious selections as well as great versions of familiar comfort food.

Palm Avenue Deli, a New York-style delicatessen, will be one of the seven concepts featured in the food hall, Levey revealed to St. Pete Rising. The concept debuted in Sarasota less than a year ago and was recently named Sarasota’s Best New Deli and nosh spot by Sarasota Magazine.

On the left side of the food hall will be a large brick wall, the only wall that was preserved from the original building. A massive 23-foot TV screen will display an array of visual programming.

The food hall will feature proprietary technology developed in-house to ensure guests have a great experience every time they visit.

Overlooking the food court will be a mezzanine offering additional seating and table service. “A dessert bar will be situated on the mezzanine level.” - Levey added.

In 2021, St. Pete Rising announced Kojo would open a concept on the fourth level of Central Park. This will be Kojo’s second location, as the first debuted in Sarasota in 2021.

Kojo will feature flavors from China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Vietnam. Although the menu will include familiar favorites, such as gyoza and sushi, Kojo will stand out through ambitious and chef driven dishes as well as a carefully curated steak program featuring local and international cuts.

While Kojo will occupy fourth floor rooftop space, a tropical cocktail bar called Bar Hana will be located on the outdoor rooftop deck with sweeping views of the downtown St. Pete skyline.

The fifth and final level will house a members-only dining and social club with a private bar and lounge area designed with emerald green walls and curtains illuminated by modern globe lights.

Beyond the restaurants and bars, Central Park will also introduce a whimsical lifestyle boutique named Worth, curated by Levey’s daughter. This boutique not only pays homage to the Woolworths five-and-dime store that once thrived in the building but also explores deep themes of personal values.

Hi Hospitality Group is working with St. Pete-based architecture firm Behar + Peteranecz Architecture, general contractor Barr&Barr, and Pennsylvania-based BLOK Design Group.

SSA have also been retained as consultants.

Additionally, prolific St. Pete artist, Ales “BASK” Hostomsky, has been commissioned to paint a variety of murals inside the expansive food hall.

Central Park St. Pete is expected to debut at 551 Central Avenue later this year.

Follow Central Park on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates and opening announcements.