the CAFÉ @ ARTpool Gallery

Their menu is perfect for a passing snack while touring the city or for an iced coffee while browsing their store. Quick and affordable and they have so much more to offer than just the café. I even enjoy passing by on days I can’t actually shop. lol

Very nice place with cool items for sale, but ai found it very disrespectful that when I walked in and asked for a bathroom, they said that is only for customers. If i’m a potential customer, why wouldn’t you at least say it differently to keep my business? Employees were very short and unwelcoming.

We came not only to check out the café but also their merchandise. I had to use the restroom and we clearly arrived with intentions to browse and potentially purchase something and the first thing the girl said was «bathroom is for customers only.» I did not realize potential customers are now not customers as a general rule. I’d much rather hold it than purchase anything.

Cute place. Not crowded. Good music on. Baristas genuine and quick, no hipster aloofness. Highly recommend.

It’s really overpriced. Beer selection is pretty good but it’s all in bottles. I like the IDEA of this place, but it’s overall mediocre execution. If they made the food better and more unique (instead of things I can easily make at home for far less) and marketed better this place could really be a chill spot for locals.

Love the house dressing. Great place to eat lunch.

I did not know what to expect for lunch. They have a simple menu, but with some great choices. I had the Hummus wrap, and was unsure how filling it would be. It was one of the best lunch choices I’ve had. It was very flavorful, and helped me get through the next 4 hours of my day.
For kicks, I decided to have dessert for lunch. I highly recommend the moist coconut cake. If you get nothing else there to eat, get this cake. It is incredibly moist, and delicious for anyone who enjoys coconut.
In terms of not knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised. The outdoor seating is pleasant, and relaxing. And you’ve got to simply check out the gallery. There are definitely some unique garbs interesting pieces.

Great place for lunch! We had the hummus appetizer, Thai noodles, and chicken salad sandwich – loved it all.

I love this place… not because the food is super great… it’s good, but because it is in my ‘hood anchoring a corner that needed a much needed anchor AND you just can’t beat it as a place to go and chill. The Café is attached to ARTpool, a combination gallery, vintage store, used record store and craft market. They serve up a variety of sandwiches and other entrees as well as coffee, tea and other beverages. The best part of it is the seating area. Built from an old commercial building, the Café has a huge patio with all sorts of classic patio furniture to sit on. It’s my go to lunch spot when i am working from home… I love to walk over, grab a lentil salad, browse old records — the vintage record shop is in the café — and then sit on the patio and eat. For the vegans — the lentil salad is a must and they usually have vegan chili.
Love ARTpool for binging some life to this corner :-)

«Yay! I’m a fan» at 4 stars sums it up. Plain, simple, delicious. Hummus wrap was simple, tasty, fresh, yum. Made fresh right in front of you… in sight, it must be right. I stole that from Steak ‘N Shake.
Brownie was double yum. Well worth the sugar, fat and calories. :)
Staff is super pleasant and open-​air atmosphere is the same. Lovely place for a pleasant, casual weekday lunch. Add some beers and it’ll be an extra nice afternoon. :)

I love this place. The food is served with all local fresh ingredients made to order! Whats even better is the vibe! This place is part lunch/​café and part antique/​thrift store. There is a great outdoor seating area with cute mismatch furniture right next to a garden. Can’t get better than that!
I got the hummus appetizer and a chicken blt. Both were fantastic and filling. I will definitely be going back for some the delicious dessert I saw others eating.

Absolutely love this place. Everything is interesting to checkout and all of the menu items are phenomenal (try the Art Gurl). Their passion for what they do and love shines through. This is a must if you’re a St. Pete native or just visiting.

Really really really cool and very different… I went here on a super long and awesome food crawl and was super surprised by what I found.
It looks like it may have been an old car dealership or something that has been turned into a café/​record store/​vintage store/​small music venue. You can definitely hang here.
We found some old Blue Note albums, a vintage Aunt Jemima salt shaker, some AWESOME vintage jewelry and hats, and we ate a fantastic peanut thai noodle dish while we dined al fresco on the patio furniture. OH, and I ate my noodle dish with a John Deere fork that I seriously considered nicking from the place.
Check it out. For a gift, a meal, or a neat vintage find.

OK this entire place is AMAZING. It’s kind of like a vintage store-​art gallery-​record store-​café all in one. Just check the hours to make sure you are going at the right time. It’s an amazing place to have lunch and or shop. The food is fantastic, the vibe is fantastic, I just can’t say enough about it. Reminds me of SoCal.

For anyone’s that has been to ArtPool, you know it’s a great little vintage boutique/​thrift store/​art gallery across the street from Haslam’s that really makes that part of Central Ave feel unique and full of Local Pride (and once a year another type of pride). The place is huge, with the main store and gallery, but they had this unique attached building and courtyard area that wasn’t truly utilized except for the monthly shows. That has all changed now.
The courtyard area is now filled with tables and chairs. With the weather the way it is, it’s really nice just to sit out there, or in the «garden». But we’re missing on why you would be sitting out there.
In the «garage» building are a few spots that encompass theCAFÉ@ARTpool. You have a sandwich bar that serves fresh sandwiches for breakfast and lunch starting at 7 am til 3 pm. The menu isn’t huge, but everything is great: fresh salads, sandwiches pasta, dips, soups, and even dessert. theCafe manager CF makes everything and does an excellent job. The Pressed Pimento Cheese Sandwich with Bacon is simple and tasty, although I am interested in trying the Pineapple Cream Cheese dip and Wet Coconut Cake.
NOTE: Get the organic green tea with honey. Wow, this is some of the best sweet tea I’ve had.
But wait, there’s more — theCAFÉ@ARTpool also has a craft beer bar. Beers selected by Evan fill the gamut — a choice variety of IPAs, Ales, Lagers & Stouts at very reasonable prices. Need any suggestions, turn to the barkeep who has an intimate knowledge of not just the beer, but the records for sale across the way.
What this all means:
–Working on Central and want a cheap, fast, good lunch — you have a new option.
–Shopping on Central on Saturday and want a cheap, fast, good lunch (and maybe a beer) — you have a new option
–Looking for a new record/​vintage toy shop — you have a new option
–Central Ave Beer Crawl — Perfect place to start
–Enjoy attending ArtPool events but lament lack of seating — no longer an issue
So I recommend checking out both sides of ArtPool now as both are different experiences and stores.