ST. PETE, FL — Cheeky’s, a new neighborhood seafood restaurant and raw bar, will open to the public Wednesday, May 7, on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District. From Tampa native Nate Siegel, co-founder behind Tampa’s award-winning Willa’s and Willa’s Provisions, Cheeky’s will serve fresh seafood from local waters and the Gulf, including East Coast and Florida oysters, Maine lobster rolls, po-boys with bread sourced from New Orleans’ bakery Leidenheimer, smoked fish dip, piping hot bowls of chowder, standout burgers, salads, daily specials and more. 

The restaurant will open with dinner service only and introduce weekday lunch, weekend brunch, a happy hour and live music in the coming months.

Cheeky’s noteworthy oyster program will anchor the menu with raw, grilled and fried selections sourced from Long Island’s Blue Point, Massachusetts’ Katama Bay and local Florida oyster farms like Indian River Oyster Company in New Smyrna Beach and Lost Coast Oysters in Tampa Bay. 

Cheeky’s kitchen will be run by Executive Chef Philip Cleary. Originally from Nebraska, Philip has been cooking professionally for over two decades. He launched his career at restaurants throughout Omaha, including Plank Seafood Provisions, Market House, Butterfish and Stirnella. In 2022, Phillip moved to Tampa and most recently worked in the kitchen at Willa’s and On Swann. At Cheeky’s, Philip wants to focus on top quality ingredients while incorporating techniques learned from his background in fine dining.

Behind the bar, the beverage program is designed by bar consultant Jacob Ceciro and showcases classic cocktails like ice-cold martinis, local beers and Guinness on tap, a tight list of approachable natural wines by the glass and bottle, and refreshing spirit-free beverages that will round out the menu. Guests can also sip fun, frozen cocktails like banana daiquiris, transfusions, margaritas and espresso martinis made with coffee from local roaster Look Alive. Cocktails on draft will include light and refreshing mojitos, palomas and strawberry negronis.

Inspired by New England oyster bars and Southern fish shacks, Cheeky’s aims to be a welcoming and family-friendly spot. Diners can choose from various styles of seating, from 20 bar stools at a spacious horseshoe-shaped bar, to plenty of banquettes in an open and breezy dining room, or at tables on the soon-to-open, expansive outdoor patio fronting bustling Central Avenue.

Founder Nate Siegel has worked in hospitality for over 15 years of experience in the industry, including time in New York working for the Keith McNally Restaurant Group (Balthazar, Minetta Tavern), Chelsea Hotels and Tacombi, and as the Vice President at Mise En Place in Tampa. In 2021, Nate co-founded Willa’s and Willa’s Provisions in Tampa, named one of Southern Living’s Best New Restaurants of 2023.

“Coming to St. Pete is a dream come true, and opening a new little place like Cheeky’s along Central Avenue is so exciting,” says Nate. “This is already such a special community, and I am honored to become a small part of it alongside my friends and neighbors at Bandit, Baba, Wild Child and more.”

The restaurant will welcome walk-ins, and reservations will be available on Resy. 

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a writer and journalist with over 15 years of experience. I write the food and travel blog Carlos Eats (https://www.carloseats.com​) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines on numerous topics​.