Flûte & Dram The New Champagne & Whiskey Bar Coming to Beach Drive

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Flûte & Dram The New Champagne & Whiskey Bar Coming to Beach Drive

Hot New Big City Trend Comes to Downtown St. Pete

UPDATE: FEBRUARY 9, 2018 – March 9 Targeted Opening

St. Petersburg continues to get added to several “Best of…” lists that include major US cities. Our city is certainly trending and holding its’ own with cities like San Francisco, Chicago, and dare we even say New York? Well, St. Pete is about to add another epicurean delight that the big cities offer. Downtown St. Petersburg’s Beach Drive is going to get a little more swanky when Flûte opens later this year.

Well-known, successful restaurateur Tony Mangiafico (Gratzzi Italian Grille), and accomplished long-time bar and club owner Greg Haddad (Central Cigar & Ruby’s Elixir) have teamed up to open a lounge specializing in bubbly and gourmet fare.

There will be over 100 champagnes, cavas, proseccos and sparkling wines along with the classic luxurious accompaniments such as; caviar, foie gras, lobster, paté, tartare, filet mignon, classic meat & cheese boards, and several other delectable comestibles.

USA Today’s “America’s best bars for bubbly” (June 2016) says:

“Does Champagne ever go out of vogue? According to Dan Davis, the “Wine Guy” of Commander’s Palace in New Orleans and certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, it’s currently having a moment.

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First let’s examine exactly what Champagne is. Davis explains that all Champagne is sparkling wine and sparkling wine is wine that has bubbles. “Only wine from a designated region can or should be called Champagne,” he adds. Essentially, it’s special.

According to Davis, the biggest driver for Champagne’s comeback is not Champagne, but that Americans are now drinking more Cava, Prosecco, Crémant and a variety of sparkling wines. “He says that with an added interest in the world of food and technology — especially apps — people are learning about sparkling wines and how they pair well with certain dishes, and therefore buying more bubbles.” – Excerpted from USA Today

There will also be a selection of premium cigars available, such as; Davidoff, Fuente, Padron—and more—for smoking outside on the patio.

Mangiafico and Haddad are longtime, nearly inseparable friends that can be seen together almost every night at their respective businesses; eating, imbibing and enjoying cigars and music.

Tony Mangiafico & Greg Haddad on Vacation Last Year in Italy
Tony Mangiafico & Greg Haddad on Vacation Last Year in Italy

Haddad has been the owner of Central Cigars for nearly 20 years, and the attached jazz / blues club Ruby’s Elixir since it opened in 2010.

Mangiafico has been quite entrepreneurial lately. He has been the co-owner, along with Domenic De’Angelo, of Gratzzi for 16-years. They just opened Spacco Italian Grill in Sarasota. Mangiafico has also teamed up with Charles Marco, owner of Boulevard Burgers in St. Pete Beach, to open The Grateful Taco right next door to the hip burger joint. And now we have the partnership of Mangiafico and Haddad with Flûte, which will be located at 234 Beach Drive, which is the current home of The Eagle Café next to Coastal Christies and Tryst. They just signed the lease this past Friday morning, February 3rd, and plan to open around April 2017.

Lori Brown of St. Petersburg Foodies is Ready for Her Champagne & Caviar While She Sits on "The Prince"
Lori Brown of St. Petersburg Foodies is Ready for Her Champagne & Caviar
While She Sits on “The Prince”

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Flûte: The New Champagne Bar Coming to Beach Drive
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Well-known, successful restaurateur Tony Mangiafico (Gratzzi Italian Grille), and accomplished long-time bar and club owner Greg Haddad (Central Cigar & Ruby’s Elixir) have teamed up to open a lounge specializing in bubbly and gourmet fare.

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DISCLAIMER: Kevin, Lori, Abby, Haley, & Lindsey do not dine anonymously (this would be impossible) and we sometimes get free food (though never expected). However, we dine with the locals and we support our own. You will always get honesty in a respectful manner. We do not include any large national or regional chains in our ratings and reviews. We focus on independent locally owned eateries exclusively.

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4 Responses

    • Hello Janelle, I talked to one of the owners yesterday, and he said that it will most likely be the end of August.

      Everything is done, and they are just waiting in line for their turn for inspectors to approve the finished work. Otherwise, they’d already be open. This is unfortunately a common tale in St. Pete.

    • They are actually close though. Permitting always hols up everything in St. Pete. Maybe October or November.

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