Luma will be the flagship restaurant within the newly renovated SkyBeach Resort in St. Petersburg’s Skyway Marina District. It is set to open in mid-January.
The new spot is a mezze affair, a style of communal eating common in the eastern Mediterranean that typically consists of finger food-style small plates meant to make up a whole meal.
An early look at the menu shows the restaurant leaning into that concept, with almost half of its selections under the mezze banner. On offer are dishes such as roasted garlic hummus with grilled naan and crudites ($8); grilled lamb chops with tzatziki, pickled red onions and black garlic puree ($17); and Florida Gulf ceviche with Serrano pepper and citrus ($15). Luma will also have raw dishes, salads, pastas and mains to choose from. Expect plates like Gulf shrimp bucatini and snapper Milanese.
Ryan VanDusen is the executive chef for the resort and will helm Luma. VanDusen most recently worked at The Don CeSar as banquet chef and chef de cuisine. A native of Michigan, he has been in Florida for about five years, arriving near the tail end of the pandemic. He previously worked at Food Dance in Kalamazoo, Michigan (which shuttered in 2022).
“The restaurant had a great relationship with local farmers, so I had this front-row seat to how beautiful food really is—from the care that goes into harvesting a simple carrot to collecting free-range chicken eggs,” the chef said. “Seeing that level of passion behind the ingredients we rely on every day is what pulled me into cooking and convinced me to pursue it as a career.”
VanDusen plans to showcase root vegetables in the fall and winter, plus Florida citrus and winter fruits. Brunch is on the horizon, but not before the team gets its sea legs.
“The idea is to keep everything fresh and light, with offerings that range from traditional Spanish-style tapas and Middle Eastern-inspired family-style dishes to larger shareable entrees,” he said.
Luma will serve beer, wine, mocktails and cocktails with a heavy Mediterranean influence. Expect to see ingredients like Moroccan mint tea in their Golden Empress, a play on a Bee’s Knees; and date syrup, saffron and cardamom bitters in the Sunstone, their interpretation of an Old Fashioned.
“We also offer a selection of nonalcoholic spirits that deliver the same great flavor profiles,” VanDusen said.
With sea-blue wood paneling, cushy roped-backed bar stools and chairs, and the existing submarine hatch-like porthole in the ceiling, the restaurant is nautically themed without feeling like you’re completely out to sea. The dining room faces east and southeast with views of the marina, the Serenity pool and the edge of Tampa Bay in the distance.
“When we created Luma, we drew a lot of inspiration from the beauty and spirit of St. Pete. It felt natural to blend Mediterranean flavors with the welcoming, easygoing hospitality this city is known for,” VanDusen said.
Luma is at the SkyBeach Resort in St. Petersburg’s Skyway Marina District, 6800 Sunshine Skyway Ln. S.