Fort Myers restaurant group brings new waterfront eatery to St. Pete

A longtime Florida restaurant operator is making a new investment in St. Petersburg’s waterfront with its latest neighborhood-inspired bar and grill. 

HM Restaurant Group — the Fort Myers-based hospitality company behind Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, Dixie Fish Co. and Bonita Fish Company — is ready to open Boca Ciega Waterfront Bar & Grill on Monday. 

The new Boca Ciega Waterfront Bar & Grill has taken over the old Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille location at 8790 Bay Pines Blvd. The new restaurant is a brand built around the bay’s coastal character, serving up fresh seafood and tropical cocktails in an atmosphere designed to reflect the history of the Boca Ciega Bay area, according to a statement. 

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"Boca Ciega Bay has such a distinct identity, and we wanted to create a restaurant that feels genuinely connected to this location and the surrounding community," HM Restaurant Group partner Joe Harrity says in the release.“From the menu and design to the atmosphere and hospitality, every element has been developed to celebrate the waterfront experience.”

The menu leans into Gulf Coast flavors with dishes such as Coconut Crusted Snapper with sweet chili piña colada sauce and a Shrimp Burger topped with applewood-smoked bacon and sweet red pepper jam. Fresh seafood, cocktails and other waterfront staples round out the offerings.

The restaurant's interior also reflects the surrounding neighborhood with design elements inspired by the area's waterways and coastal heritage. The company says it hopes the space will serve as a gathering place for lunch, dinner and cocktails overlooking the bay.

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"Boca Ciega Waterfront Bar & Grill represents an investment in this waterfront location and the community around it," Harrity says in the release. The restaurant will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving lunch, dinner and cocktails.