Marketplace Express

284 Beach Dr NE, St Petersburg, FL 33701
Tel:727-894-3330

The Marketplace Express is all about location. It's situated across the street from the St. Petersburg Fine Arts Museum and snuggled into a multi-million dollar condo facing the harbor. If you are strolling on Beach Drive or going to the museum or the Chihuily gallery, this is a nice place to stop for a coffee. Take a load off and enjoy your beverage and/or snack inside or outside the shop. They serve a variety of sandwiches and pastries in the under $10 range.  Coffee is $1.59 for a small, with refills costing $0.98. It's proximity to so many downtown features, events, and attractions make this a popular spot. Outdoor seating allows for people watching and such. Inside are high top tables to sit with friends or on your own. Classical music is piped in creating a very nice ambience. The movie theater at Baywalk is just a stone's throw from this location, making it a wonderful meeting place before or after the show.

Museum of Fine Arts -- MFA Cafe

255 Beach Drive NE., St. Petersburg, FL. Tel. 822-1032

On recently becoming a member of the MFA I planned to take full advantage of everything it had to offer. The museum is very good at promoting their exhibits and gallery talks through both website and newsletter. Quite often though, there's the urge to explore first hand, take a closer look, and so I discovered the Cafe. Actually, I can't take any credit, it would be hard to miss. When the new Hazel Hough wing was built a cafe was placed in the very large atrium beneath a wall of windows that look out onto the sparkling waters of Tampa Bay. Ingenious! Who could resist wanting to dine on stark white tablecloths in such a setting. It oozes sophistication. I've found the lunches and dinners to be light and flavorful and am always pleasantly surprised by their presentation. Salads and seasonal soups are fresh and healthy, but a heartier meal can be had. Dine al fresco on the terrace beneath the palms even tour the museum when you're done. It's all worth the visit and you might even become a member! Prices are reasonable and there's no entrance fee to dine in the cafe or to visit the museum store.