Sundown Bistro With A View
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
Cuisine Style: Bistro
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 5/5
Dined in February and December 2016
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
You stand next to the railing at Level 11 rooftop Lounge as the sun begins to set in the horizon from the view of the shore in the Gulf of Mexico. You're on a balcony on the 11th floor of the Grand Plaza Hotel, which screams 1980 as far as design, architecture, and aesthetics. Below you is the beach plus another Grand Plaza restaurant, Bongos Bar and Grille, and above you is the third, a bistro, but none of that matters because you have just witnessed one of three best sights on St. Pete Beach to see the sunset. You are at the Level 11 rooftop Lounge is an artisan bistro with mixed cocktails, a great selection of local beers, and a wonderful blend of fusion cuisine from tropical to European comfort. My wife and I went several times this year and this is our story…
Menu:
- Starters
- Salads
- Soups
- Sandwiches
- Entrees
- Desserts
The Grand Plaza recently finished renovations on the rooftop bistro to expand the outdoor dining in a complete circle around the building. Starting with the bar near the elevator then left or right going around with couches, chairs, small tables, and high tops. In the shade or direct sunlight, this is what beachfront roof-top dining is all about. You can kick back with a domestic or a craft beer, including local brews from 3 Daughters Brewing, St. Petersburg Brewing Company, Coppertail Brewing Company, and Big Storm Brewing Company, just to name a few. If that doesn’t suit your fancy, they have craft cocktails like their blood orange margarita or a sparkling specialty like the blushing bride with prosecco and peach schnapps. Also for the namesake alone, if you're a martini drinker then try the eleven martinis for ten dollars with Hendrick’s gin, organic agave nectar, mango infused syrup, with fresh muddled mint and strawberries.
My wife enjoys starting with a cocktail, and then from their, she switches to one of her favorite wines, rosé. They offer one on the list from Bordeaux’s Quai De La Lune from Sovex Grands Chateaux and rated at 88 points by Wine Enthusiast in 2015. According to the winemaker tasting notes, it has pale and radiant pink color with cherry red highlights. The bouquet reveals an aromatic nose with intense raspberry notes. The round and fresh red fruit in the palate are enhanced by a pleasant clean finish.
Sundown is the perfect time to visit Level 11, the temperature starts to drop, the breeze picks up a bit, and you can relax, meet new and interesting people that are either local or from out of town, and enjoy some great food. One level above this restaurant the Grand Plaza is known for its more famous bistro, Spinners a 360-degree revolving restaurant, that gets a lot of rave reviews, but in all honesty, my wife and I were not very impressed from our visit. We prefer Level 11 or Bongo's hands down.
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| Sundown on St Pete Beach |
On this visit we shared a few starters from the light fare area of the menu, starting with the Kobé beef and sesame ahi sliders, three to the order with BBQ sauce, avocado, teriyaki wasabi, pickled ginger and a seaweed salad garnie. Along with this dish we enjoyed the fig and filet flatbread which was under the social plates portion of the menu. A seared filet mignon, with blue cheese peppercorn béchamel, figs, prosciutto, and arugula. There is also a light drizzle of a pomegranate reduction that adds extra sweet flavor to the tart blue cheese sauce, making this dish to die for.
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| Kobé beef |
Other selections include a smoked salmon tartare with marinated olives, cheese & charcuterie boards, a duck quesadilla, or duck potstickers, and some fried goat cheese that also melts in the mouth. If you want to stay to the healthy side then go for their hummus or shrimp cocktail.
Dessert:
For dessert, we could fit food like their raspberry white chocolate cheesecake or snickers pie, but we did drink our dessert with some fireball shots, and Irish Coffee.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
European Union:
France:
Other Noteworthy Bistro Articles & Restaurants:
Bistro at Biltmore Classy farm to table eatery in Asheville, North Carolina
Bistrot La Minette Charming French Bistro with movie filmed terrace in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Bridge Street Bistro Third Floor terrace Seafood Centric New American dining, Bradenton Beach, Florida
Cook'n' With Gas Bistro High end bistro with modern New Zealand cuisine in Christchurch, New Zealand
Fresco’s Waterfront Bistro - Laid-back dockside spot for global eats in St. Petersburg, Florida
Josty Bistro Eatery serving German regional cuisine at the Potsdamer Platz Sony Center in Berlin, Germany
Laurent Tourondel / BLT Swanky French-American Steakhouse chain with 14 restaurants
Le Grand Chancelier Countryside French Bistro in Cheverny, Loire Valley, France
Lobby at Twelve Boutique hotel bistro, New American, and Southern favorites at Atlantic Station, Atlanta
Prato Rustic Italian bistro with modern takes on classic dishes in Winter Park, Florida
Restaurant Le Gabriel Haute Gastronomique French restaurant & bistro in Bordeaux, France
Spinners Rooftop Revolving Bistro Buzzy seafood spot & 360-degree views in St. Pete Beach, Florida
Terroir Seasonal South African cuisine bistro in Stellenbosch, South Africa
The Brasserie at the Café de Paris A Parisian style bistro rendez-vous in Monte-Carlo, Monaco
Tirquaz Bistro and Garden Lounge W. Asian, N. African, & European dishes in Bur Dubai, UAE
Zinc Bistro and Bar Southwestern-inspired New American fare in San Antonio, Texas
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other St Pete Beach restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Cool cocktails and coastal eats
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
|
Med-Latin & tapas café with 360 views
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
|
New American Cuisine & Tapas
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
|
A Few Florida Favorites:
|
Rustic New American Fare
St. Petersburg
A top 20 on Wine Dine and Play
|
Old-world classic Italian & Mediterranean
New Smyrna Beach
|
Old School Rustic Tuscan
Gulfport
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Level 11 Bistro a 5 out of 5 stars, meaning that they not only exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants, but they surpassed outstanding, and were extraordinary.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
|
10
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10
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0
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Food quality
|
10
|
9
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1
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Plate presentation
|
8
|
8
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0
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Customer service
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8
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6
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2
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Alcohol and other beverages
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10
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9
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1
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Total regular points awarded
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46
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42
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4
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Total percentage Before Bonus
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0.91304347826087
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“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
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2
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0434782608695652
|
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Total percentage with a bonus for the final star rating
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0.956521739130435
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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5
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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5 of 5 Stars:
96% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
An Extraordinary Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Wine rating:
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6 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Italy, Portugal
New World selections:
Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, California, Oregon, Washington State
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style:
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American, Bistro, Seafood
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Low Carb, Organic, Pescatarian, Sustainable, and Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wears flip-flops!
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Trendy, Hotspot, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Scenic views, Upscale, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Valet or Hotel lot
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
|
€
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Alcohol prices:
$51.00 USD
Level 11:
Grand Plaza Hotel
5250 Gulf Boulevard
St. Pete Beach, Florida
33706
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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727-360-1811
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Webpage Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Dinner: Mon-Sun
3:00 pm - 11:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
High Rise Fine Global Dining, Highest Restaurant In The World
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
|
Elegant Modern Australian with Molecular Gastronomic dining
Melbourne, Australia
|
Haute French Restaurant
Paris, France
|
Other Pictures:
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| Level 11 view at night |
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| Charcuterie |
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| Hummus platter |
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| Scallops |
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| Fish dips platter |
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| Scream the 1980s with this Shrimp cocktail |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
