Bosphorous Turkish Restaurant Opens in St. Pete
What happened
A new 5,000-square-foot Turkish restaurant named Bosphorous has opened in St. Petersburg's EDGE District. The restaurant aims to provide an authentic dining experience with a wide menu of traditional dishes. Its opening reflects the continued growth of the EDGE District as a culinary destination in the Tampa Bay area.
Why it matters
- The Bosphorous brand was acquired in 2009 by Doved and Tammy Sexter, both former veterans of Darden Restaurants, a Fortune 500 company that operates brands like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse. - This St. Pete location is the company's largest yet at 5,200 square feet and is part of a strategic expansion into the Tampa Bay market, with another location recently opening in Tampa's SoHo district and a third planned for Wesley Chapel. - The restaurant is an anchor tenant in the EDGE Collective, a mixed-use development by Miami-based PTM Partners and DoveHill Capital Management, which also includes a 163-key Moxy Hotel by Marriott. - To ensure authenticity, the owners import approximately 85% of their ingredients directly from Turkey, making the chain one of the largest importers of Turkish goods in the United States. They also had a shipping container of plates, silverware, and art sent from Turkey, with furniture shipped from Istanbul. - The restaurant's opening comes as the broader Tampa Bay restaurant market faces economic pressures; a November 2024 survey found that 46% of independent restaurant owners were unable to pay rent, an 11% increase from the prior year, due to rising costs. - The EDGE District is a nationally accredited Main Street America™ district, managed by a non-profit organization focused on economic vitality and preserving the area's historic character. - The food and beverage sector is a significant driver of the regional economy, with visitors spending $1.7 billion on it in Hillsborough County in 2024, accounting for 28% of all tourist spending.
Key numbers
- A new 5,000-square-foot Turkish restaurant named Bosphorous has opened in St.
- - The Bosphorous brand was acquired in 2009 by Doved and Tammy Sexter, both former veterans of Darden Restaurants, a Fortune 500 company that operates brands like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.
- Pete location is the company's largest yet at 5,200 square feet and is part of a strategic expansion into the Tampa Bay market, with another location recently opening in Tampa's SoHo district and a third planned for Wesley Chapel.
- The restaurant is an anchor tenant in the EDGE Collective, a mixed-use development by Miami-based PTM Partners and DoveHill Capital Management, which also includes a 163-key Moxy Hotel by Marriott.
What happens next
- The restaurant aims to provide an authentic dining experience with a wide menu of traditional dishes.
Quick answers
What happened in Bosphorous Turkish Restaurant Opens in St. Pete?
A new 5,000-square-foot Turkish restaurant named Bosphorous has opened in St. Petersburg's EDGE District. The restaurant aims to provide an authentic dining experience with a wide menu of traditional dishes. Its opening reflects the continued growth of the EDGE District as a culinary destination in the Tampa Bay area.
Why does Bosphorous Turkish Restaurant Opens in St. Pete matter?
The Bosphorous brand was acquired in 2009 by Doved and Tammy Sexter, both former veterans of Darden Restaurants, a Fortune 500 company that operates brands like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse. This St. Pete location is the company's largest yet at 5,200 square feet and is part of a strategic expansion into the Tampa Bay market, with another location recently opening in Tampa's SoHo district and a third planned for Wesley Chapel. The restaurant is an anchor tenant in the EDGE Collective, a mixed-use development by Miami-based PTM Partners and DoveHill Capital Management, which also includes a 163-key Moxy Hotel by Marriott. To ensure authenticity, the owners import approximately 85% of their ingredients directly from Turkey, making the chain one of the largest importers of Turkish goods in the United States. They also had a shipping container of plates, silverware, and art sent from Turkey, with furniture shipped from Istanbul. The restaurant's opening comes as the broader Tampa Bay restaurant market faces economic pressures; a November 2024 survey found that 46% of independent restaurant owners were unable to pay rent, an 11% increase from the prior year, due to rising costs. The EDGE District is a nationally accredited Main Street America™ district, managed by a non-profit organization focused on economic vitality and preserving the area's historic character. The food and beverage sector is a significant driver of the regional economy, with visitors spending $1.7 billion on it in Hillsborough County in 2024, accounting for 28% of all tourist spending.
