Intermezzo will open 'Bar Mezzo' cocktail lounge out of St. Pete’s former Independent Bar

Bar Mezzo is slated to debut during the late summer or early fall.

click to enlarge Bar Mezzo will open out of Independent's former St. Pete location at 1049 Central Ave. - independentbarstpete/Facebook
independentbarstpete/Facebook
Bar Mezzo will open out of Independent's former St. Pete location at 1049 Central Ave.
A downtown St. Pete favorite is expanding its footprint in the Edge District this year.

Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails (1111 Central Ave.) took to social media last week to announce the debut of its sister concept Bar Mezzo, which will boost the cafe’s already-stellar reputation for cocktails and spirits up a notch.

While Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails operates as a coffee shop during the day and laid-back lounge with simple beverages at night, the upcoming bar across Central Avenue will focus on upscale spirits, seasonal drinks, housemade syrups, infusions and cocktails on tap.

Bar Mezzo will open at 1049 Central Ave. out of the former St. Pete location of Independent Bar, which closed its doors in late 2022. Since Bar Mezzo will boast an extensive, yet rotating cocktail list, Intermezzo will continue to focus on beer, sparkling wine and coffee cocktail options during its evening service.

Sabatini told ILovetheBurg that he wants Bar Mezzo to boast a “a mid-century Italian design,” while remaining comfortable, intimate and relaxed.

Bar Mezzo’s space is slightly larger than Intermezzo’s at 1,600 square-feet, with additional seating on a large, covered patio.

Last year, owner Sabatini secured the lease across the street for the new location of Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails, since its flagship cafe was originally going to be razed for a new hotel in the Edge District.  Since there have been some delays with the hotel’s development, he decided to open a second cocktail concept across the street instead of letting the space remain empty. Last year,St. Pete Catalyst said Sabatini signed a ten-year lease for 1049 Central Ave.

Bar Mezzo is slated to open its doors sometime during the late summer or early fall, and folks can stay up to date on its upcoming grand opening by following @barmezzostpete on Instagram.

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Kyla Fields

Kyla Fields is the Managing Editor of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay who started their journey at CL as summer 2019 intern. They are the proud owner of a charming, sausage-shaped, four-year-old rescue mutt named Piña.
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