Celebrating Food, Beer, and Wine at Savor St. Pete

St. Petersburg, Florida, has come a long way in the past 15 years with a vibrant arts, culture, and food scene. Once known as a retirement community, the downtown area is now known for its many street murals, world-renowned museums, restaurants and local breweries. This is the atmosphere where Savor St. Pete takes place at the beginning of November.

Attending Savor St. Pete.

About Savor St. Peterburg

In its 11th year, Savor St. Pete is an annual festival taking place in the downtown area. This year, the event moved to Vinoy Park, which overlooks Tampa Bay and has views of the St. Pete Pier in the background. With multiple large tents and areas spread over 40,000 square feet, Savor St. Pete provides attendees access and samples from more than 50 local and national food brands, wineries and craft breweries.

Savor St. Pete (Photo by Marcea Cazel)

Drinks, Drinks and More Drinks!

What’s a celebration without a toast? At Savor St. Pete, that toast can be made multiple times throughout the event. With an impressive variety of drinks available to sample, no one will go thirsty. There was even a water truck available to stay hydrated in the Florida sun.

It doesn’t matter if attendees are into beer, wine or liquor – there’s a choice for everyone. Local breweries were no hand and engaged with enthusiasts about their processes. From hoppy IPAs to sours, there were beer selections to cater to a broad spectrum of tastes. There were plenty of opportunities to try local beer from breweries like Keel Farms in Plant City or a national favorite like Stella Artois.

Savor St. Pete (Photo by Marcea Cazel)

Wine and specialty liquor lovers also have a reason to raise their glasses. Choices for wine included whites, reds and even high-end sparkling wines that were on hand to taste. The event’s Mixology Experience Lounge offers specialty drinks made with brands such as Cointreau orange liqueur and Belvedere organic vodka.

Those who want to take their liquor sampling to the next level can purchase a VIP ticket, which provides entry to the VIP Spirits Lounge. Located under an expansive tent and with plenty of seating and private restrooms, the Spirits Lounge offers top-shelf liquor samples and cocktails from well-known brands like Uncle Nearest Whiskey, Baileys Irish Cream and Patrón Tequila. The brands in the lounge also gave away plenty of free giveaways and fun things to do, making the entry well worth the additional price. There was even a special Pier Punch available that Titos Vodka was making for guests.

Savor St. Pete (Photo by Marcea Cazel)

Plenty of Food Choices Offered

In addition to all the drink choices, attendees had access to plenty of food choices. From delicacies like make your own charcuterie bowl from Boar’s Head, grilled sandwiches made with pimento cheese and chicken bites served in a waffle cone for a deconstructed version of chicken and waffles, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy foods to offset all of those drinks.

waffle cone, Marcea Cazel, chicken bite waffle cones

Chicken bites serves in waffle cones at Savor St. Pete (Photo by Marcea Cazel)

Savor St. Pete also provides a platform for local restaurants to showcase their signature dishes. In addition to sampling, the festival invites four local chefs to participate in their Culinary Chef competition. In 2023, the chefs from Tampa Bay restaurants Allelo, Sal y Mar, Cane and Barrel Rooftop Bar and The Vinoy put on a show that included dishes that included wahoo, marinated skirt steak, Iberia pork and mofungo. After some tight judging, Chef Jonathan from Sal y Mar took home the top prize for the second year in a row.

Savor St. Pete (Photo by Marcea Cazel)

How to Attend Savor St. Pete

St. Petersburg festival takes place at Vinory Park in downtown St. Petersburg the first weekend of November. Located on the west coast of Florida, St. Petersburg is 20 miles southwest of Tampa International Airport and 12 miles south of St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport.

Two types of tickets are available for Savor. With a VIP pass, guests can enter the event one hour early and access the VIP Spirits Lounge. The VIP pass includes unlimited tasting of premium liquors, multiple seating areas and separate restrooms. The general admission ticket provides access to all other areas of the event. Everyone receives a tote bag (perfect for all the samples handed out) and a small wine glass for tastings. All attendees must be over the age of 21.