Inside Juno & the Peacock, Beach Drive's newest restaurant
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The bustling main dining room. Photo: Kathryn Varn/Axios
Juno & the Peacock and cocktail lounge Pluma are now open on Beach Drive.
Why it matters: They're the newest additions to St. Pete's fine dining scene.
I checked out the restaurant on Tuesday during a press preview.
- While the grand opening isn't until next Friday, owners Shawn and Jeanna Damkoehler told Axios they were so excited they opened reservations this week.
The vibe: Gone are the dated carpet, fish decor and palm frond-patterned booths of 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House, the St. Pete institution of yesteryear that once anchored the space.
- Juno & the Peacock is all terrazzo-style floors, gold fixtures and red accents — lavish decor similar to Allelo, the Damkoehlers' Mediterranean concept a few blocks down the street.
The bites: Seafood and American fare dominate the menu, with starters like oysters Rockefeller ($28), lobster tail escargot ($48) and crispy Brussels sprouts ($15).
- Mains range from ribeye with chimichurri ($75), bone-in filet ($70) and grilled veal chop ($59) to seared scallops ($38), crab-crusted grouper ($48) and shellfish bucatini ($38).
The drinks: Cocktails ($16) are organized by decade, starting with a Manhattan for 1900 and rounding out, appropriately, with an espresso martini for 2020.
- There's an extensive wine list, with offerings both by the glass and bottle.
Next door, Pluma offers a South American-inspired cocktail menu amid moody lighting and velvet seating.
If you go: Book a reservation here.
