{"id":301856,"date":"2026-06-09T22:25:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T22:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/301856\/"},"modified":"2026-06-09T22:25:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T22:25:08","slug":"fathers-day-picks-the-dads-of-the-i-love-the-burg-staff-tell-us-their-favorite-restaurants-in-st-pete","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/301856\/","title":{"rendered":"Father’s Day picks: The dads of the I Love the Burg staff tell us their favorite restaurants in St. Pete"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

With Father\u2019s Day around the corner, we wanted to put together a rundown of the best things to do with dad on his special day. But after introspection and years of giving dad new ties and Lowe\u2019s gift cards, we realize we aren\u2019t exactly the experts.<\/p>\n

So, just like we do with everything else in life, we\u2019re asking dad for advice. In this case, it\u2019s the advice he\u2019d give himself. With three staff dads living locally, we decided to put the responsibility of what to do for Father\u2019s Day on their shoulders, and we hope it will help you celebrate your dad this Father\u2019s Day, and any day.<\/p>\n

Lucky for us, we have some foodie dads on our team. Clearly, we come by it honestly. If you\u2019re a dad looking for a getaway, or someone with a dad in your life worth celebrating, the following local spots are 100 percent Dad Approved TM. <\/p>\n

\"People\"PeopleYsa\u2019s dad has great taste in soccer teams, too<\/p>\n

Ysa\u2019s dad\u2019s St. Pete picks:<\/p>\n

1 Chick 1 Bro
<\/a>The family-run Venezuelan spot has been a star in Gulfport since day one, with amazing arepas as well as a full breakfast and coffee menu. There are 14 arepa varieties to choose from, including spicy sriracha chicken, pork belly, veggie options, and even a land-and-sea version packed with steak and shrimp.<\/p>\n

Chile Verde
<\/a>Chile Verde is the ultimate IYKYK spot for casual Mexican eats and drinks, and clearly Ysa\u2019s dad knows. Props for the insider pick. There is no shortage of people who consider this their favorite Mexican spot in St. Pete.<\/p>\n

Mazarro\u2019s Italian Market
<\/a>Just a few blocks from Chile Verde, Mazarro\u2019s may well be the best-known spot in St. Pete, and it\u2019s with good reason. Don\u2019t skip the sandwiches in the deli, the pre-made meals in the market, the wine and cheese room, the cafe, or the \u2026 well, don\u2019t skip Mazarro\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Bodega<\/a>
For our money, this is the best Cuban sandwich in St. Pete. Presumably, Ysa\u2019s dad agrees. Plus, you can stop by the speakeasy bar in the back after your meal.<\/p>\n

Pia\u2019s Trattoria
<\/a>Ysa\u2019s dad keeps coming through with great picks, and he clearly has a soft spot for carbs. The Gulfport star transports you straight to Old World Italy, with incredible food and an underrated cocktail program.<\/p>\n

Engine No. 9
<\/a>If you\u2019re reading this, Father of Ysa, we should hang out more. Engine No. 9 could easily be considered the best burger spot in Pinellas County. Don\u2019t sleep on the sriracha wings, though.<\/p>\n

\"a\"aAlexa\u2019s dad loves a beach walk and catching a sunset on the Gulf when he isn\u2019t out finding great hidden gems<\/p>\n

Alexa\u2019s dad\u2019s favorite spots:<\/p>\n

The Joint
<\/a>It appears we have another burger fan in the I Love the Burg family. The Joint is the quintessential pub grub spot, and it\u2019s a genuine opinion that you can\u2019t go wrong with anything on the menu, though the burgers are some of the best in town. Plus, you can\u2019t beat the prices.<\/p>\n

Greek Village Cafe & Coffee House
<\/a>Alexa\u2019s dad likes a hidden gem, and we\u2019re here for it. Greek Village serves up exceedingly tasty Greek dishes every day, and you don\u2019t have to drive all the way to Tarpon Springs. Alexa\u2019s dad stands on his word that it\u2019s the best Greek salad in Florida.<\/p>\n

Kelly\u2019s dad\u2019s go-to local spots<\/p>\n

Calida Kitchen & Wine<\/a>
Shoutout to our dads for the insider picks. Calida is one of the toughest tables to get in St. Pete, and it\u2019s with very good reason. The intimate dining service and rotating menu make it feel like you\u2019re being welcomed into someone\u2019s home for dinner.<\/p>\n

Il Ritorno
<\/a>Color us unimpressed that Il Ritorno is Michelin Recommended. Being recommended by Kelly\u2019s dad is the real honor here. The upscale, modern Italian destination has been a star in DTSP for years.<\/p>\n

Allelo<\/a>
We\u2019re sensing a theme here. Allelo became a quick favorite on Beach Drive with its Mediterranean-inspired small plates, outstanding brunch, and top-notch wine and cocktail lists. Any moms reading, this is where to take dad for date night.<\/p>\n

Isu Modern Japanese
<\/a>Kelly\u2019s dad is on top of the hotspots and I could not respect it more. In fact, Isu has been a favorite of the entire team, dads or otherwise, thanks to its stellar maki and sushi menu and escapist atmosphere.<\/p>\n

\"A\"AKeep an eye out Kelly\u2019s dad the next time you hit brunch at Elliott Aster<\/p>\n

Elliott Aster
<\/a>St. Pete\u2019s newest addition to the Michelin Recommended list also gets the approval of Kelly\u2019s dad. While the food is clearly top notch, it\u2019s the high level of service and beautiful space that really put it over the top.<\/p>\n

Olivia<\/a>
Alright, pops \u2013 when are you taking us on the Kelly\u2019s Dad\u2019s food tour of Italy? This is a man with taste and an appreciation of the finer things, seemingly doubly so if they involve pasta. The modern Italian spot has become a quick star. <\/p>\n

Bonus picks!<\/p>\n

Dads are full of infinite wisdom, and ours are no different. In addition to their local favorites, we have four more thoughts from our fine fathers. Ysa\u2019s dad shared the top three places on his list he wants to try for the first time, and Kelly\u2019s dad gave us a spot currently open in Tampa that debuts in St. Pete later this month. <\/p>\n

Forbici Modern Italian
<\/a>If you\u2019ve read all the way through, you can guess where this pick came from. The Tampa star for Roman pizzas and Italian classics opens in St. Pete this June. Kelly\u2019s Dad urges you to try it out when it does, and I agree.<\/p>\n

\"People\"PeopleWhen he\u2019s not checking off his culinary bucket list, Ysa\u2019s dad also enjoys a visit to the aquarium<\/p>\n

Ysa\u2019s Dad\u2019s list of places he wants to try:<\/p>\n

Car\u00fapano Kitchen<\/a> \u2013 The Foodie Labs and pop-up sensation delivers absolutely outstanding arepas and Venezuelan fare every time. <\/p>\n

Brick & Mortar<\/a> \u2013 Sir, I have surmised that you like burgers, and Brick & Mortar has perhaps the best one in St. Pete.<\/p>\n

Aji Ceviche Bar<\/a> \u2013 The new(ish) Peruvian spot in Downtown St. Pete has a beautiful dining room and bar, as well as an intimate ceviche bar. It\u2019s on my list too, Ysa\u2019s Dad.\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With Father\u2019s Day around the corner, we wanted to put together a rundown of the best things to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":301857,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[202,204,203,199,201,200],"class_list":["post-301856","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-st-petersburg","tag-st-pete","tag-st-pete-headlines","tag-st-pete-news","tag-st-petersburg","tag-st-petersburg-headlines","tag-st-petersburg-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/301856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=301856"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/301856\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/301857"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=301856"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=301856"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=301856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}