My Sunday Brunch Downtown St. Petersburg FL Just Found Its New Home at Crafty Squirrel
When my friends and I rolled into Crafty Squirrel this July 2026, I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from a Sunday brunch downtown St. Petersburg FL — I'd been to plenty of quiet, sleepy brunch spots where you whisper over eggs and everyone's still half-asleep. This was the total opposite, and I mean that in the best possible way. Sitting right at 259 Central Ave in the heart of downtown St. Pete, Crafty Squirrel throws its big industrial garage doors wide open on a Sunday morning, so the whole place feels like it's spilling right out onto Central Avenue. Sunlight, music, the buzz of people ordering pitchers before noon — it hit me immediately that this wasn't just brunch, it was an event.
Let me walk you through how our Sunday actually went, because it turned out to be one of the most fun mornings-into-afternoons I've had downtown in a while.
WALKING INTO THE CENTRAL AVE SUNSHINE
We got there a little after 11AM, right when the weekend doors open, and grabbed a spot at the communal seating near the front. If you've never experienced the indoor-outdoor thing Crafty Squirrel does, it's kind of magic — you're technically inside, but with those garage doors up, you get the breeze and the people-watching of Central Avenue while still being in the middle of the action. Downtown St. Pete has a genuinely great weekend scene, and according to Visit St. Pete Clearwater, the district's walkable Central Avenue corridor is one of the biggest draws for both locals and visitors. Sitting there with a coffee-turned-cocktail in hand, I completely got why. You can read more about the whole vibe and story behind the place if you want the backstory, but honestly you feel it the second you sit down.
THE BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS SITUATION
Okay, let's talk about the part everyone wants to know about. Saturdays and Sundays lean hard into brunch energy, and the bottomless mimosas were flowing. I'm not going to quote you a price because these specials rotate and change — you'll want to check the current specials page before you go — but the pace of the refills was exactly what you want for a leisurely weekend morning. Nobody was rushing us. We clinked glasses, someone got up to grab another round, and the whole table just settled into that easy, no-plans Sunday feeling.
If mimosas aren't your thing, don't stress. The full drink lineup is available, so a couple of us went for margaritas instead, and one friend split a fishbowl with her sister that became the unofficial centerpiece of our table. There are cocktails, seltzers, beers and pitchers too — you can peek at the full drink menu to see the range. The point is, whatever your Sunday brunch drink language is, they speak it.
THE FOOD THAT MADE US STAY LONGER
I'll be real with you: we came for the mimosas and stayed for the food. Crafty Squirrel does tacos, and they do them well, so of course we ordered a spread of those to share. Then someone spotted the loaded apps and it was game over — we ended up with a table full of tacos, wings, and a couple of handheld sandwiches and wraps that got passed around and demolished. Brunch food that's actually fun to eat, not just fancy for the sake of it. If you want to plan your order in advance (I recommend it, because you'll want to try more than you think), the full food menu lays it all out.
What I loved is that it doesn't feel like a stuffy brunch menu. It feels like the same crave-worthy stuff you'd want at midnight, just enjoyed with a mimosa and the morning light coming through the garage doors. That combination is genuinely hard to find, and it's a big part of why this spot stands out among places serving Sunday brunch downtown St. Petersburg FL.
WHY A DJ AT BRUNCH ACTUALLY WORKS
Here's the thing that surprised me most. Crafty Squirrel runs live DJs all week, and that energy doesn't shut off just because it's Sunday morning. I thought a DJ at brunch might be too much, but it was perfectly dialed — upbeat, feel-good, enough to get a few people swaying near the dance floor but never so loud we couldn't talk. By early afternoon our quiet little table had turned into the most social morning of the week. There were 16 TVs going too, so the sports fans in our group could keep half an eye on the games while the rest of us were fully committed to snacks and gossip.
It's a true best-of-both-worlds setup. If you're the type who likes your weekend brunch to slowly evolve into an actual afternoon out, this is your place. And if you're mapping out a bigger day of exploring the wider downtown St. Pete bar and nightlife scene, Crafty Squirrel is a perfect anchor point right on Central to start from.
PLANNING YOUR OWN SUNDAY VISIT
A few practical things I picked up. Weekend hours start at 11AM, so you can get in early and beat the bigger crowds, or roll in later and ride the energy as it builds. Happy Hour runs 3PM–6PM on weekends, which means a well-timed brunch can flow right into afternoon deals if you play your cards right. Because specials and themed nights rotate, always double-check the live pages before heading over. And if you're bringing a big group — a birthday, a bachelorette crew, or just a bunch of friends — it's worth looking into group and VIP options so you've got your spot locked in. The place is genuinely built for groups, with all that communal seating and open space.
By the time we finally peeled ourselves away, it was mid-afternoon, we were happily full, and we'd somehow made brunch last three hours. That's the sign of a good one.
KEY TAKEAWAY: If you want a Sunday brunch downtown St. Petersburg FL that mixes bottomless mimosas, tacos and loaded apps, live DJs and open-air Central Ave energy all in one place, Crafty Squirrel delivers a brunch that turns into a whole afternoon.
Come get squirrely with us on Central Ave this weekend — grab your crew, throw the garage doors open in your mind, and make it a Sunday to remember. Check the latest brunch specials before you head down so you know exactly what's pouring.
FAQ
Q: What time does Sunday brunch start at Crafty Squirrel?
A: Crafty Squirrel opens at 11AM on Saturdays and Sundays, so you can start your brunch mid-morning. Weekend Happy Hour also runs 3PM–6PM, so an early brunch can flow right into afternoon deals.
Q: Does Crafty Squirrel have bottomless mimosas for brunch?
A: Yes, bottomless mimosas are part of the weekend brunch scene. Because specials rotate and change, I'd recommend checking the live specials page for current details before you go.
Q: Where is Crafty Squirrel located in downtown St. Pete?
A: Crafty Squirrel is at 259 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, right in the heart of downtown with garage doors that open onto Central Avenue. It's walkable to plenty of the downtown scene, making it an easy anchor for a full day out.
Back to BlogLet me walk you through how our Sunday actually went, because it turned out to be one of the most fun mornings-into-afternoons I've had downtown in a while.
WALKING INTO THE CENTRAL AVE SUNSHINE
We got there a little after 11AM, right when the weekend doors open, and grabbed a spot at the communal seating near the front. If you've never experienced the indoor-outdoor thing Crafty Squirrel does, it's kind of magic — you're technically inside, but with those garage doors up, you get the breeze and the people-watching of Central Avenue while still being in the middle of the action. Downtown St. Pete has a genuinely great weekend scene, and according to Visit St. Pete Clearwater, the district's walkable Central Avenue corridor is one of the biggest draws for both locals and visitors. Sitting there with a coffee-turned-cocktail in hand, I completely got why. You can read more about the whole vibe and story behind the place if you want the backstory, but honestly you feel it the second you sit down.
THE BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS SITUATION
Okay, let's talk about the part everyone wants to know about. Saturdays and Sundays lean hard into brunch energy, and the bottomless mimosas were flowing. I'm not going to quote you a price because these specials rotate and change — you'll want to check the current specials page before you go — but the pace of the refills was exactly what you want for a leisurely weekend morning. Nobody was rushing us. We clinked glasses, someone got up to grab another round, and the whole table just settled into that easy, no-plans Sunday feeling.
If mimosas aren't your thing, don't stress. The full drink lineup is available, so a couple of us went for margaritas instead, and one friend split a fishbowl with her sister that became the unofficial centerpiece of our table. There are cocktails, seltzers, beers and pitchers too — you can peek at the full drink menu to see the range. The point is, whatever your Sunday brunch drink language is, they speak it.
THE FOOD THAT MADE US STAY LONGER
I'll be real with you: we came for the mimosas and stayed for the food. Crafty Squirrel does tacos, and they do them well, so of course we ordered a spread of those to share. Then someone spotted the loaded apps and it was game over — we ended up with a table full of tacos, wings, and a couple of handheld sandwiches and wraps that got passed around and demolished. Brunch food that's actually fun to eat, not just fancy for the sake of it. If you want to plan your order in advance (I recommend it, because you'll want to try more than you think), the full food menu lays it all out.
What I loved is that it doesn't feel like a stuffy brunch menu. It feels like the same crave-worthy stuff you'd want at midnight, just enjoyed with a mimosa and the morning light coming through the garage doors. That combination is genuinely hard to find, and it's a big part of why this spot stands out among places serving Sunday brunch downtown St. Petersburg FL.
WHY A DJ AT BRUNCH ACTUALLY WORKS
Here's the thing that surprised me most. Crafty Squirrel runs live DJs all week, and that energy doesn't shut off just because it's Sunday morning. I thought a DJ at brunch might be too much, but it was perfectly dialed — upbeat, feel-good, enough to get a few people swaying near the dance floor but never so loud we couldn't talk. By early afternoon our quiet little table had turned into the most social morning of the week. There were 16 TVs going too, so the sports fans in our group could keep half an eye on the games while the rest of us were fully committed to snacks and gossip.
It's a true best-of-both-worlds setup. If you're the type who likes your weekend brunch to slowly evolve into an actual afternoon out, this is your place. And if you're mapping out a bigger day of exploring the wider downtown St. Pete bar and nightlife scene, Crafty Squirrel is a perfect anchor point right on Central to start from.
PLANNING YOUR OWN SUNDAY VISIT
A few practical things I picked up. Weekend hours start at 11AM, so you can get in early and beat the bigger crowds, or roll in later and ride the energy as it builds. Happy Hour runs 3PM–6PM on weekends, which means a well-timed brunch can flow right into afternoon deals if you play your cards right. Because specials and themed nights rotate, always double-check the live pages before heading over. And if you're bringing a big group — a birthday, a bachelorette crew, or just a bunch of friends — it's worth looking into group and VIP options so you've got your spot locked in. The place is genuinely built for groups, with all that communal seating and open space.
By the time we finally peeled ourselves away, it was mid-afternoon, we were happily full, and we'd somehow made brunch last three hours. That's the sign of a good one.
KEY TAKEAWAY: If you want a Sunday brunch downtown St. Petersburg FL that mixes bottomless mimosas, tacos and loaded apps, live DJs and open-air Central Ave energy all in one place, Crafty Squirrel delivers a brunch that turns into a whole afternoon.
Come get squirrely with us on Central Ave this weekend — grab your crew, throw the garage doors open in your mind, and make it a Sunday to remember. Check the latest brunch specials before you head down so you know exactly what's pouring.
FAQ
Q: What time does Sunday brunch start at Crafty Squirrel?
A: Crafty Squirrel opens at 11AM on Saturdays and Sundays, so you can start your brunch mid-morning. Weekend Happy Hour also runs 3PM–6PM, so an early brunch can flow right into afternoon deals.
Q: Does Crafty Squirrel have bottomless mimosas for brunch?
A: Yes, bottomless mimosas are part of the weekend brunch scene. Because specials rotate and change, I'd recommend checking the live specials page for current details before you go.
Q: Where is Crafty Squirrel located in downtown St. Pete?
A: Crafty Squirrel is at 259 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, right in the heart of downtown with garage doors that open onto Central Avenue. It's walkable to plenty of the downtown scene, making it an easy anchor for a full day out.
