The Frog Pond

16909 Gulf Boulevard, N. Redington Beach Tel. 727-392-4117

The Frog Pond is more than just a local hangout. Snowbirds soar in from far and wide to have a great big breakfast, brunch or lunch for less than $10. The food is good and it should be. Their specialty is breakfast and it's what American wives have been cooking for their families since eggs, bacon and pancakes became our Sunday morning specialty.

Service is good, maybe the boys are a little silly, but that goes with the whole beach, vacation atmosphere. Not to mention the frog decor. Every size, shape and color created from every material you can imagine is crowded on the dark green walls or sitting on the shelves.

The coffee isn't hot enough and one of my friends traded hers in for a tea, but our meals were fine. We all ordered scrambled eggs with different sides: corned beef hash, turkey bacon and real bacon on the side. Grits were okay and the toast was toast. The homemade strawberry jam, on the other hand, was very flavorful.

Always crowded, except maybe around 2pm on weekdays, but the wait is never a long one so take a drive up the beaches one Sunday morning, stop at this wellknown restaurant and experience a little Americana.

Emilio's Bistro, Bakery and Bar

437 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL. Tel. 727-258-4891

Always on the lookout for a new dining experience, my partner and I were cruising down Central Avenue this afternoon when we heard live jazz and thought....that's odd for a Sunday. The music turned out to be a very talented one man band who, like the pied piper, led us straight to Emilio's for Sunday brunch. What a find! Within the hour many stools were occupied at the long bar, while other music lovers were dining outside under the yellow umbrellas closer to the music

The decor is very artsy, huge colorful oil paintings hang on rust colored walls, lots of wood and stainless steel throughout. Everything is immaculate. We were seated at a table along the wall opposite the waitress's pickup station. She breezed by us first with a dish of the banana, caramel french toast made from challah bread, next a beautiful prawn and strawberry salad, a variety of croissant sandwiches and for the big guy we had a quick glance at the Chipotle meatloaf baguette. I just can't tell you how good this food looked. It was beautiful. We had already ordered the goat cheese and roasted red pepper panini which was very good, the bread was light and the side salad and dressing delicious, but next time I have to try the french toast. They'll also make your omelet to order outside.

The dessert menu changes daily. Today the baked goods, on display as you enter, included pumpkin cheesecake, a chocolate bomb cake, key lime pie, fancy cupcakes, scones and more. Someone ordered the berry parfait made with greek yogurt served in a sundae glass. Yes, we saw all of these delicacies and if you don't eat anywhere else this week, get to Emilio's. This is one talented chef.

Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant

10 Beach Drive St. Petersburg, FL
Tel: 727-209-2299

The best place to sit at Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant is on the porch. It's a great vantage point for watching the downtown foot traffic and special event mayhem. The tapas menu has something for everyone with more than 100 diminutive works of art on a plate.  Everyone loves the Patatas Bravas, fried potatoes tossed with homemade aioli and you can't go wrong with Solomillo A La Parrilla, prime filet served in a brandy cream sauce. If you go with a group order multiples since the portions are only a few bites. The fun is trying something different each time you go. The sangria (white or red) is a great compliment. Ceviche's was the first white sangria I really liked the taste of. The accompanying fruit is crisp and fresh and makes this cocktail healthy in my book. Ceviche is a great place for Sunday brunch too, starting at 11:00 am. A scaled down version of the tapas menu is available, as are traditional breakfast favorites including French Toast, Omelets, and Eggs Benedict. This Ceviche location also has the Pincho y Pincho, a 7-day a week coffee shop and bar open for breakfast and lunch located just West of the main dining room.

Banyan Coffee & Tea Co

689 Dr. Martin Luther King St., St. Petersburg, FL. 33701 Tel. 896-6100

Careful, you might drive right past this cafe the first time just like I did. Hidden behind the trees, it's an old fashioned American coffee shop with a modern twist and lots of color. A chalkboard menu is a sharp contrast to the colorful fiestaware cups and saucers that line the shelves behind, yes, another long bar. The wooden barstools get filled up fast on a Saturday morning. Not to worry, there are small tables for two, indoors and out. The coffee is Kahwa again, that local brew, but it's not as strong and flavorful as the Kahwa shops. The food is good however, with lots of morning sandwiches to choose from. Although, you have to place your order and pay when you arrive, the Banyan Tree has waitresses who pass by offering to fill your cup….they filled ours twice! For you jazz enthusiasts, Sinatra was singing in the background. Nice place and, we’re told, it's a popular hangout for local celebrities.