Punky’s Bar & Grill, one of St. Pete’s beloved LGBTQ+ restaurants, has closed
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Aug 3, 2022

Punky’s Bar & Grill, an iconic LGBTQ+ business in St. Petersburg's Grand Central district, has closed.

The restaurant posted on Facebook that after 2,423 days in business it was closing its doors. Punky’s opened on Dec. 15, 2015, and has raised more than $150,000 through a variety of fundraisers for more than 100 local nonprofit organizations. The restaurant was known for its charity drag bingo, Live on the Patio music nights and unique cocktails and food.

“Punky’s has been such a joy for so many people, but she is ready to retire… gracefully. Punky’s has closed our doors as of this morning, Wednesday, August 3rd, 2022,” the post read.

The 2,480 square-foot restaurant at 3063 Central Ave. sits on approximately 0.53 acres at the tail end of the Grand Central district, according to Pinellas County property records. This portion of the district has seen a wave of development in recent years.

Grand Central Townhomes, 24 three-story buildings, is coming to First Avenue South between 28th and 29th Street. At 2700 Central Ave., MTB Urban is building a mixed-use building that has ground-floor retail and residential. Another nearby project is Driftwood on Central, a mixed-use development featuring 11 units.

A representative from Punky’s Bar & Grill could not immediately be reached for comment.