Allelo — Restaurant in Saint Petersburg

UPDATE after Allelo opening 9/23/2022

We have been anxiously awaiting the successor to Alto Mare and Annata for 16 months, so we were excited to get to go there again after they opened. They don’t do OpenTable any more, so check their web site to make a reservation. If you have been to the previous restaurants, it’s hard to recognize that this transformation is the same space. They have a large bar on the left wall and on the right the addition of a smaller dining room which separates nicely from the main dining room. They still have all of the outdoor space you know and love from before.

I have to admit, looking at the menu we were skeptical and almost cancelled our reservation. The menu right now is quite limited. There are only four main courses, five pastas, but a number of flatbreads and starters. Unfortunately a lot of our past favorites are gone: pick and choose charcuterie, seafood pasta, tuna stacker, lobster roll, smoked fish dip, and that bread that we loved so much from Alto Mare. We would love to see some of these come back but there is a new chef so it’s hard to say. That being said we were pretty happy with the food but with there menu being pretty limited still, we might not come back as often until there is more variety.

When we got there, we asked if Michelle was there. She is responsible for the wine (and maybe more now). She knows her wine list well and was able to make us a good recommendation with a wine from Santorini. She always takes great care of us. The restaurant was well staffed and they were executing as well as a restaurant that had been open for years.

As for food, the plates are meant to be shared. You might get sticker shocked when you see the stripsteak costs $130 but they say it’s meant for up to four people. That’s interesting but I think they are going to need more options for more party sizes on the menu. We ended up getting the meatballs first. They were tasty and the sauce was perfect. Next came the Snapper Crudo which was well balanced with our quite wine. Very refreshing. We also go the bread. It is served in an iron skillet and comes with two butters: olive oil and garlic with scallions. I liked them both. We then had a pasta course. The lamb bolognese was excellent. The capio e pepe was good for a vegetarian dish. Finally, we had the half-chicken. It was quite tasty with a crispy skin. Served with a peri peri sauce it was nice and spicy. The biggest issue with the chicken was that I would have preferred that the staff break it up. We couldn’t cut through the bone and almost made a mess. Instead we just stripped the meat from the bone where it came right off.

Overall we are pretty happy with this new evolution. We used to come to one of the old restaurants one or two times a week. For us to get back to that, I think they will need to ensure they have a solid variety in the menu with additional options. A fresh supply of specials would be great too. I would love to see the baked oysters come back as well. That was one of...

It actually pains me to write this review. But, I think we need to start talking about how Annata being run by St. Pete’s new power couple (who bought Annata, Alto Mare, and 400 Beach) just maybe does not seem to be managing this Beach Avenue gem as well as the Mazzaro group used to.

We have been to Annata dozens of times, and even after moving away for brief stint for several months this past year…there was only ONE place we could think of going upon our return to St. Pete on our first night back.

Since then, we have had poor experiences at BOTH Alto Mare and Annata.

About 5 weeks ago, following my fiancée and I’s engagement, I wanted both my parents and her parents to finally meet. I thought Alto Mare would be a perfect option. Yet, we could barely even enjoy our meal because it was 90+ degrees in the establishment. We all left covered in sweat and my parents shocked that it was even the sister restaurant to Annata.

This brings us to this evening. Having been to Annata many times, we prefer indoor seating so book “Standard” and not “Outdoor”. Never have we had an issue. Upon arrival, the hostesses gave us a run around how “standard can mean anything and we do not have room inside. (This was a lie). The manager showed up and explains how on busy evenings we should be calling to ask for indoors but she could “make inside work”. I guess the joke was on us….

I felt like I was right back at Alto Mare and clearly they were trying to cover for the fact that inside was HOT as there was PLENTY of open tables inside that also stayed open for the duration of our dinner (contrary to what the hostesses and manager told us). It was so bad that they have these giant swamp coolers blowing aggressive humid air throughout the interior (see picture). Annata used to be a hip, though beautiful little wine bar and bistro which is now run by lackluster workers who curse, refuse to clean the floor (which had scattered pieces of food and dirt, dirty gloves, among other trash), and has these large blowing swamp coolers. I guess the new management, despite it being summer in Florida are maybe too greedy to pay for the air conditioning bill? This is especially frustrating when since last year many of the items have gone up in $3-5 dollar increments, yet i’m heading home soaking in sweat.

I hope one day I can raise my rating back up to 5 stars if I ever choose to return to my previously favorite restaurant, but besides the always yummy food, I feel like I wasted $150 of my hard earned money. Professionalism and care is incredibly lacking.

The new truffle mac and cheese is notably delicious and our server Angel, was...

During our recent visit to St. Petersburg we were looking for a restaurant that offered brunch on the last day of our stay in the area. We didn't want the typical buffet style brunch but something different. We had been to Allelo a few times during prior trips but didn't know they offered brunch on the weekends. Wow! We wanted something different and this place did not disappoint. Brunch was served family style and included a bunch of different courses. Each course was delicious and unique. My favorites were the olive oil pancakes and the Nueske thick cut bacon. The pancakes are light, fluffy and flavorful – hugely different than a regular pancake which I find more like tasteless dough. The thick bacon was cooked to perfection and if you’ve been to Peter Lugers in NYC, it was kind of like that. My wife's favorites were the cardamom French toast and the Shakshuka (which is poached eggs in a spicy tomato sauce). We both loved the deviled eggs and especially the papas bravas. Seriously on the papas bravas: these were small white potatoes smashed down gently then fried and covered in a sauce upon serving. The outside was crisp while the inside was super tender. The sauce the potatoes were tossed in was divine and I have to say this was also a highlight to the meal even weeks later (we visited in mid-July).

I have to give a shout out to the sommelier / wine director, Michelle. She not only helped us with our wine selection, but spent a few minutes talking about wine and champagne with us. I have a fair amount of wine knowledge, yet Michelle’s in-depth knowledge of the history and regions where the wines are produced is remarkable to the point where we wanted to ask her to pull up a chair, pour her a glass, and keep up the discussion.

I'd also highly recommend the espresso martini; it is the best I ever had. The “Sumac That” and the “Spanish Gin and Tonic” are also delicious and beautiful in presentation. The “Lost in a Daydream” is beautiful and good if you like Mezcal tequila, not my wife’s favorite, but I am a fan.

I'm happy that this place doesn't only look beautiful but has great service, food, and drinks. If we're sitting at the bar or having a meal, it is always a good experience. Looking forward to our next visit...