Bosphorous Turkish Restaurant Opens in St. Pete
A new 5,000 square-foot Bosphorous restaurant has opened in the EDGE District of St. Petersburg. The eatery specializes in authentic Turkish cuisine, adding to the area's growing number of restaurants and businesses. The opening is part of a broader trend of revitalization in the district.
- This is the latest of several locations for the Orlando-based chain, which has restaurants in Winter Park, Dr. Phillips, Lake Nona, Winter Garden, and a recently opened spot in Tampa. A future outpost is also planned for Wesley Chapel. - The brand was purchased in 2009 by husband and wife Doved and Tammy Sexter, both of whom are veterans of Darden Restaurants. The original restaurant was opened in Winter Park in 2005. - The St. Pete eatery is on the ground floor of the former Furnish Me Vintage building at 1246 Central Avenue, part of the EDGE Collective mixed-use development which also includes a 163-key Moxy Hotel. - To maintain authenticity, the owners state that they import approximately 85% of their ingredients from Turkey. - Much of the restaurant's decor is also sourced directly from Turkey, including handmade Turkish lamps, silk carpets, plates, and silverware shipped from Istanbul. - The menu focuses on traditional dishes from Central Anatolia, such as chargrilled chicken kebap, babaganoush, and a signature baked-to-order hollow bread called Lavas. - Other businesses that have opened as part of the same development project include a Solidcore fitness studio and Floyd's Barbershop.
