Meditteranean foods are a cuisine that I’ve grown to enjoy over the last few years. Lamb is one of the riskiest I eat because my palate is so used to the taste of chicken, beef, fish, etc. that the taste came as a shock at first. Now, it’s nothing to me. St. Petersburg isn’t really known for having a multitude of Mediterranean options but that’ll all change once Baba opens soon. Owners Debbie and George Sayegh , owners of popular food spot Bodega, shows off their Greek and Lebanese heritages with baked goods and entrees that can make you think you’re eating with the ancient gods.

Baba opens soon on Central Avenue in the Grand Central District of St. Petersburg. I don’t know about you but I’m salivating just thinking about their dinner menu. Learn a bit more about Baba:

“The owners of Bodega are adding another concept to their small empire. Debbie and George Sayegh opened several restaurants in Brooklyn before moving to St. Petersburg in 2011. They opened the first location of the popular St. Pete staple Bodega Latin American Market along Central Avenue in 2015, and another in Seminole Heights last year. 

“When Bodega first opened, we were the only restaurant in the EDGE District. There was no one else there,” Debbie says.

Baba, the Sayeghs’ newest concept which is slated to open in the coming weeks, touches on their Mediterranean roots. The duo wanted to dedicate the restaurant to their fathers and their culture. A few years went by before they found their location in the Grand Central District at 2701 Central Avenue. 

“In Greek and Lebanese, ‘baba’ means dad. We opened a lot of Latin and American restaurants so opening a Mediterranean spot was something we wanted to do. It took a long time,” Debbie says. 

Visitors can’t help but notice the evil eye motif throughout the restaurant. Folklore surrounding the evil eye describes it as a symbol used to scare off evil spirits and bring good to anyone receiving one. Rocks painted with evil eyes are handed to guests in the dining room when the check comes as a parting gift and a way of saying thank you. “

Stock up on evil eyes each visit when they open their doors soon. Read more about Baba in their Creative Loafing story here.