Downtown St. Petersburg on Central Ave has a new American restaurant this year. It replaces an Italian restaurant previously found at the same location at 200 Central Ave, JoJo’s in Citta. It is a pretty amazing replacement to say the least. JoJo’s was decent and marginally good food, but certainly nothing special. The Mill Restaurant is new, refreshing, and draws you in from half a city block away with its welcoming and delicious aroma.
We approached as a walk-up party of five between 6 and 7 PM on a busy night, and we were seated in about an hour — the quoted wait time from the hostess. Everyone ordered different drink options from the menu. Some of our options were out of stock, but our very courteous and attentive waitress helped us find suitable replacements.
When it came time to order our main courses, there were also some unavailable items. About an hour later, we received five absolutely delicious main courses. They may not have been our first choices in every case, but they were probably more delicious than anything we’d eaten in days or weeks.
Then we ordered desserts, and this is where things really reached the next level. After a bit of a wait, we received four absolutely breathtaking desserts. Literally all of us were astonished by the remarkable deliciousness found in these treats. Two of us ordered a sort of deconstructed apple cobbler item with ice cream, and it was absolutely amazing. The only parallel would be a BJ’s Pizookie, but this would be a gourmet version with five times the flavor and deliciousness. The other two desserts were cakes with some sort of chocolate layers that were amplified by a balsamic reduction. None of us can quite understand it, but it was an amazing dessert that on pure taste challenges the likes of The Harry Waugh Dessert Room at Bern’s Steak House.
So, if you are open to a few changes as you go, you may be in for a real treat here at The Mill. The main courses are great and the desserts are unparalleled.
Overall: 4.5 / 5
Food: 5.0 / 5
Service: 4.0 / 5
Ambiance: 4.5 / 5
Price: $25+ / person