Located right next to The Market at Left Bank, Left Bank Bistro is going to be the hottest new spot to eat lunch and get a couple drinks. I interviewed owner Susanne Byram, bar manager(and daughter) Danielle Dawley, and executive chef Kate Gorr for my most recent Creative Loafing article. When I was there, Danielle gave me a quick tour and I’m still obsessed with the wallpaper…honestly it’s beautiful.

I had a great time talking to the women in charge (#GirlPower) and learn about the story behind Left Bank and all their plans for it. Here’s an excerpt from the article:

“Who would’ve thought they could experience Paris, circa 1920, in the heart of St. Petersburg? The Left Bank Bistro wants to transport diners to the City of Lights, yes. But more importantly, back to a time when artists reigned supreme.

After doing some shopping at the forthcoming restaurant’s next-door sibling, Market at Left Bank (which debuted in May), you’re bound to work up an appetite anyhow, right?

The owner of both establishments — Susanne Byram, who’s originally from Copenhagen — was inspired by childhood memories to open the bistro; she spent time in Paris while growing up.

“I’m fascinated by the 1920s artists that lived in Paris, like Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Josephine Baker,” Byram says. “The restaurant is named after the Left Bank in Paris.”

The Left Bank Bistro has taken over the 3,200-square-foot property at 1225 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. in Historic Uptown. With all of that space, it’s no surprise the restaurant, featuring a wrap-around porch, offers more than 150 seats with indoor and outdoor dining areas.

Recommended by a mutual friend, executive chef Kate Gorr joined the bistro’s team more than a year ago. She started off consulting with Byram and her daughter, Danielle Dawley, while working at Stillwaters Tavern on Beach Drive before coming on full-time.

The menu spotlights accessible French-style fare, or as the chef puts it, “nouvelle French.”

“It has French influence, but also has colonial influence. We’re bringing different cuisines together, but there’s still the idea that it’s a bistro, so we still want to be accessible, which is the most important thing,” says Gorr.” 

Get your berets ready and work on your best French accent because you’re going to want to have those on hand when you go. To read more about Left Bank Bistro, go here.