The food businesses the state licensed in St. Pete in September, Maple Street Biscuit and Zali's Table on Central among them, plus the Manhattan Casino reopening.

Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. This roundup is built from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s District 3 food inspection file, where a new food business’s first state visit is recorded as a licensing inspection, and from the City of St. Petersburg calendar. Rebuilt each month.

A licensing inspection is the state’s first visit under a new food service license, so the list is a good record of new restaurants, cafes, caterers and food trucks. This is the first edition of a monthly roundup; other kinds of business will be added from city records as they are published.

Starting a business?

The big reopening: Historic Manhattan Casino

The city held a ribbon cutting for the reopened Historic Manhattan Casino, 642 22nd St. S, on Saturday, Sept. 19, with Mayor Kenneth Welch, followed by an open house. Built in 1925, the two-story hall opened as the Jordan Dance Hall in 1931 and, as the Manhattan Casino, became the center of entertainment for Black St. Petersburg on the 22nd Street South corridor known as “The Deuces,” hosting performers from Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to Ray Charles, according to the city’s Manhattan Casino page. It closed in 1968 and has since been revived as an event hall. More at historicmanhattancasino.org.

September 2026 at a glance

The state made food-licensing inspections at 15 businesses with St. Petersburg addresses in September, and four more in the first days of October. A St. Petersburg address includes some places outside the city limits. We leave out two unnamed listings at Tyrone Square Mall and one institutional kitchen. Dates are the state’s inspection dates.

Downtown and Central Avenue

  • Zali’s Table, 318 Central Ave. (Sept. 4)
  • Maple Street Biscuit Company, 662 Central Ave. (Sept. 8)
  • Fortu, 180 Central Ave. (Oct. 8)
  • Bellies, 1001 1st Ave. N (Oct. 7)

The Deuces, Midtown and the south side

  • Aunti Mama’s Sweet Spot, 515 22nd St. S, Suite 130 (Sept. 2)
  • Martha’s Kitchen St. Pete, 515 22nd St. S, Suite 130 (Sept. 16)
  • Mair’s Groceries, 2230 9th St. S (Sept. 8)
  • UBN Foodz, 1245 18th Ave. S (Sept. 25)

West and north St. Pete

  • Mrs. Thelma’s Southern Cuisine, 119 49th St. S (Sept. 4)
  • Crooked Cup Cafe, 4130 5th Ave. N (Sept. 4)
  • Burger King, 6760 22nd Ave. N (Sept. 16) and 3701 34th St. N (Oct. 8)
  • Taqueria El Tenampa, 2000 16th St. N (Sept. 28)
  • Pita Party, 6518 42nd Ave. N (Sept. 29)
  • Flippers Ice Cream, 3629 49th St. N (Sept. 30)

Names are as the businesses registered them with the state. A licensing inspection can also mark a change of owner at an existing restaurant, not only a brand-new one.

How to check a business

Opening a business in St. Petersburg?

Before doing business in the city you need a city business tax receipt, an annual tax formerly called an occupational license, which expires each Sept. 30; the Business Tax Receipts page covers how to apply. Check the zoning of your location first on the GIS zoning map and see our building permits and zoning guide before you build out a space.

Opening soon? Tell us through our contact page and we will include you in next month’s roundup.

What this means for you

  • New places to try on Central Avenue and in the Deuces.
  • Check any restaurant’s state record before you go.
  • Business owners: get the city tax receipt and the right zoning before you sign a lease.

Frequently asked questions

What new restaurants opened in St. Petersburg in September 2026?

State licensing inspections in September included Maple Street Biscuit Company at 662 Central Ave., Zali’s Table at 318 Central Ave., Crooked Cup Cafe at 4130 5th Ave. N and Mrs. Thelma’s Southern Cuisine at 119 49th St. S.

Has the Manhattan Casino reopened?

Yes. The city held a ribbon cutting and open house for the reopened Historic Manhattan Casino, 642 22nd St. S, on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026.

How do I get a business license in St. Petersburg?

Businesses in the city need a city business tax receipt. The city’s Business Tax Receipts page explains how to apply.

How do I check if a new restaurant is licensed?

Search its name on the state’s MyFloridaLicense.com license search, which shows the license and inspection reports.