Ahoy, fellow deal hawks! Last month, I shared a few fun things to do on the cheap in downtown St. Pete, and promised a day-by-day listing of the best food and drink specials this month. After a bounty of scrumptious research, I came to the conclusion that since there are so many great deals out there I’ll hone in on the toughest ones to find, penny pincher’s gold: the weekend deals. Fridays and Saturdays are guaranteed to be busy, but you can still find some killer specials if you know where to look.
TGIF! It’s 5 pm and you just got off work. Head straight to Central Ave to hit The Mill. Why start here? Besides being a fantastic restaurant, they offer FREE VALET PARKING to customers, so no need to worry about exhaustive Friday night parking! Just remember to hang on to your receipt.
Once inside, belly up to the bar for $5 schmancy drinks and appetizers ‘til 7. Plan on grabbing a small tapas-style plate or two at each location instead of plopping down for a full meal at any one spot. It’s fun to keep it varied and is a great way to explore the area.
After you finish up, hop a few blocks to the Wooden Rooster, or just around the corner to The Galley. If entertainment is what you’re after, The Galley is the way to go. Help yourself to some live music and a dollar off all drinks until 8. If you’re looking for a comfortable, quieter spot for conversation and a bite to eat, the Wooden Rooster is the place. Beer and wine and half-priced from 7 to close every night of the week!
Oyster Bar is where you want to set up shop. Sit outside for great people-watching, or nab a comfy booth inside. Mojitos, margaritas and moscow mules are $5 all night on Fridays, so go to town! Just remember to check out their money-back deal on Groupon.
If you think you might need to call a car to get home safely, go right ahead! You can pick up your wheels in the morning. Better safe than sorry.
I hope you drank enough water on Friday night, otherwise you may be nursing a bit of a hangover come Saturday. Chug some Gatorade, then get thee to Tryst of Thirsty First for some hair-of-the-dog and a big plate of comfort food. If you are in a fancier mood, Tryst will give you half-off a bottle of Moet Champagne ‘til 3 or an aptly named “Hangover Bloody Mary” ‘til 4. There are plenty of healthy and not-so-healthy options, so everyone will be happy.
Looking to hop right back on the party train? Thirsty First is the place for you. Between 10 & 3, they will hook you up with $15 bottomless mimosas or $20 bottomless bro-mosas. Yep, “bro-mosas.”
A number of restaurants offer drink specials with brunch on Sunday, but these special spots have them available on Saturdays, as well. Smart cookies.
From here, you have three solid boozy options within walking distance. Acropolis is always a great pick for drink specials, as they offer 2-for-1 sangria and margaritas all-day, every-day. Margaritas are a particularly good pick for day drinking because tequila is the only liquor that doesn’t make you tired – true story! For a little more local flavor, hit Angelo’s for half-priced beer, wine and wells every Saturday and Sunday between 11 am and 10 pm. Finally, you have Gastro del Mar, which boasts “the longest happy hour in St. Pete,” 11-7 every day of the week.
When you are ready for another nosh, hoof it to 400 Beach. They serve up a three-course meals for a measly $14.95 every day of the week between the hours of 3 and 6, and their food is seriously good.
If you want to eat a little later, it’s all about Hofbrahaus. You’ll find happy hour food and drink specials aplenty on Friday and Saturday nights from 7 to close. $5 house wines, well cocktails, and half-liters of Germany’s finest, and numerous snack options. This is a great pick-me-up on a weekend night because of the playful, raucous atmosphere and periodic live music throughout the evening.
Many of these restaurants take reservations, so make sure you check Opentable or your favorite rez app to avoid long waits. Nothing kills your buzz like standing around empty-handed and empty-bellied!
Now go forth, bargain hunting party animals! Eat, drink, be merry, and save some dough! You can absolutely afford full, fun weekends in Downtown St. Pete if you plan correctly.
Please remember that your life is priceless, so never hesitate to call a car or a friend if you’ve been boozing it up. You will never regret it. Cheers!
