Local, Organic, And A Top Dining Destination At The Birchwood
St. Petersburg, Florida
Cuisine Style: New American
Average Price: $$$
Overall Rating: 4/5
Dined in: August 2018
Article Updated: February 2020
Article Updated: February 2020
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:
Birch & Vine Zomato rating:
Birch & Vine Executive Chef:
Lee Aquino
Birch & Vine inside the Birchwood Hotel is rated as one of the top restaurants in downtown St. Petersburg using organic, locally grown ingredients, and a menu that changes with the seasons plus an impressive wine library against one wall of over 12,000 bottles. You can enjoy a formal dining experience from the main dining room, or a more casual dinner on the terrace, garden, or sidewalk café with bayside views and North Straub Park along Beach Drive. With granite countertops and birch wood throughout the room, plus two private dining rooms, inlaid bookshelves, circular booths, and modern light fixtures. After dinner, you can also enjoy going up to the rooftop bar called The Canopy with some of the best views of the bay that St. Petersburg has.
My wife and I were on a date night, enjoying the wonderful cool night for August, sitting on the terrace. She found a great deal online half off a dinner for two (reg. $108), that include one shared appetizer, two entrees, a shared dessert, and as an addition, 20% off a bottle of wine. Beyond that great deal, we had fantastic service, visits from the Sommelier and management.
Menu:
- Starters
- Salads
- Soups
- Entrees
- Desserts
We started with a few cocktails while we looked over the menu and wine list, with my wife having the daisy cocktail blended with Milagro Tequila, lime, a house grenadine float, absinthe rinse, Black Sea salt, and a lime wheel garnish, while I had the special Birchwood old fashioned with a sugar cube, angostura bitters, bourbon, and an orange twist and cherry garnish.
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| Birch & Vine / Birchwood Old Fashioned |
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| Birch & Vine / Daisy cocktail |
The appetizer selections include the cheese slate of Chefs selection of 5 kinds of cheese with accompaniments, crab cake with violet mustard, creamed corn, fried green tomato, and roasted corn salsa. We decided on the fried calamari tossed with fried shrimp, oysters, crispy capers, and a citrus beurre blanc. The rings were crisp and filled with lots of flavors and light spice, blending perfectly with the citrus sauce. We ordered a bottle of Familia Torres Viña Esmeralda Rosé and according to the winemakers’ notes is pale, ephemeral pink in color, delicate, with subtle aromas of confected rose and banana. The palate is light, airy, with an elegant citrus finish.
For entrees, my wife had the sweet potato gnocchi with perfectly boiled potato dumpling pasta, mixed with pork belly lardons, a classic sauce meunière (mani) of brown butter, parsley and lemon. The sauce was made popular in Creole cuisine by Chef Paul Prudhomme (1940-2015). The dish is also tossed with smokey mushrooms, Brussel sprouts, and Mimolette cheese from Lille, France. This was one of the best gnocchi dishes I have ever tested. For my entree, I enjoyed a full rack of the Georgia peach ribs, which were the best ribs that either of us have had since the rib entree at Z Grille.
Dessert:
For dessert, we had the seasonal cheesecake with Mount Chèvre goats milk and cream cheese, peach compote, cracked Pepper phyllo hay, lavender thyme sorbet, and a piece of honeycomb. Other dessert selections include a cheese soufflé, bananas foster, and a three chocolate torte with dark, white and milk chocolate layered mousse, cherry gel and caviar, almond oil, and olive oil pine ice cream.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
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| Birch & Vine / The Canopy Rooftop Bar |
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.” - David Auerbach
Spain:
Other noteworthy New American articles and restaurants similar to Birch & Vine:
Also known as Modern American cuisine, or Contemporary American cuisine, the term "New American" refers to the wave of modernized cooking predominantly served at upscale fine dining restaurants that began in the 1980s. It is generally a type of fusion cuisine that assimilates flavors from the melting pot of traditional American cooking techniques and mixes it with foreign and sometimes molecular gastronomy components. There is an innovative use of seasoning and sauces, originally based on French, and Nouvelle cuisine, and it has progressed to include elements of Asian, Latin American, Mediterranean, and other cuisines.
Alinea Highly creative New American molecular gastronomy tasting menus in Chicago, Illinois
Brick and Mortar Rustic-chic new American dining in St. Petersburg, Florida
Bridge Street Bistro Third-floor terrace seafood-centric New American dining, Bradenton Beach, Florida
Chill Restaurant and Bar New American cuisine, tapas, and exotic cocktails in St. Pete Beach, Florida
Cip’s Place New American Cuisine in a casual but elegantly relaxed setting, Sanibel Island, Florida
Harvest Moon Café Farm-to-Fork daily changing new American fare menu in Sonoma, California
Kafe Kokopelli A New American restaurant named after a south-west Native American Indian god in Dade City, Florida
Lobby at Twelve Boutique hotel bistro, new American, and Southern favorites at Atlantic Station, Atlanta
Mad Fish A casual Gourmet American Cuisine restaurant in a Retro-Style Diner in St Pete Beach, Florida
Moshulu New American dining on a restored ship in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
O’Bistro A casual style bistro focusing on the Mediterranean and New American Cuisine with a small eclectic flair in St Petersburg, Florida
Samantha’s Restaurant Mellow new American dishes in North Canton, Ohio
Sandbar Restaurant A Chef driven seafood restaurant in the City of Anna Maria Island, Florida
The Mad Hatter Waterfront upscale new American cuisine on Sanibel Island, Florida
The Mill Restaurant New American fare with a southern spin in St. Petersburg, Florida
Waterfront Restaurant and Craft Bar, Global seafood with a comfortable feel, City of Anna Maria, Florida
Z Grille Colorfully inspired twists on American classics in St. Petersburg, Florida
Zinc Bistro and Bar Southwestern-inspired new American fare in San Antonio, Texas
Zink Kitchen + Bar Restaurant Modern and sleek American cuisine in Centennial, Colorado
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other St. Petersburg restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
|
Cal-Italian Cuisine, at the Sundial
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
Laid-back dockside spot for global eats
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
Relaxed eatery and comfort foods at the Albert Whitted Airfield
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
A Few Florida Favorites:
|
Modern café for southern Grub
St Augustine, Florida USA
|
Upscale locally sourced seafood eatery with ocean views
Vero Beach
|
Ybor City & Sarasota Traditional Spanish & Cuban chain since 1905
Sarasota, Florida, USA
|
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:
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Birch and Vine
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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
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11
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11
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0
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Food quality
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11
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8
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3
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Plate presentation
|
10
|
9
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1
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Customer service
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15
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14
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1
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Alcohol and other beverages
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9
|
8
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1
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Total regular points awarded
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56
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50
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6
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.892857142857143
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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1
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0178571428571429
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.910714285714286
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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4
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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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4 of 5 Stars:
91% Rating with a 1 point “wow” bonus
An Outstanding Dining Experience
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Birch & Vine Wine rating:
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8 of 10
Old World selections:
Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Sicily, Slovenia, Spain
New World selections:
Argentina, Australia, California, Canada, Chile, China, New Zealand, Oregon, South Africa, Washington State
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Corkage fees:
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Birch & Vine 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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Conservative to semi-formal dining
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Cuisine Style
at Birch & Vine:
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New American
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten-Free Choices, Low Carb Choices, Organic, Pescatarian, Sustainable, and Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Required
Walk-Ins:
Not accepted
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Dress code:
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Conservative, or smart 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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Birch & Vine Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Trendy, Lounge, Business parties, Romantic, Hotspot, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Scenic views, Great brunch, Intimate, Classy, 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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Birch & Vine has a valet, or you can use street meter parking
With entree a $5 off voucher is given
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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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Low
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Smoking:
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Birch & Vine is a non-smoking restaurant, with a non-smoking terrace
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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 (pricey)
$£€¥ 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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$$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€€
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Alcohol prices:
$62.00 USD
Birch & Vine:
Birchwood Hotel
340 Beach Drive NE
St. Petersburg, Florida
33701, USA
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 727 828-9940
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Online reservations
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Website Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
The Canopy hours may differ
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Lunch: Tue - Thur
110:00 am - 4:00 pm
Close for Lunch on Mondays through October 1, 2018
Brunch: Sat-Sun
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Dinner: Sunday
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Mon - Thur
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Fri - Sat
5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for
Birch & Vine:
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****
The world's 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…
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Refined and elegant creole fare since 1880
New Orlean’s, Louisiana, USA
|
Old-world classic Italian & Mediterranean
New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA
|
Country-style local ingredients w/French flair
Constantia, South Africa
|
Other Birch & Vine + The Canopy Pictures:
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| Downtown St Petersburg |
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| Dinner courtesy of Birch & Vine |
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| Birch & Vine / The Canopy Bar |
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| Birch & Vine / The Canopy Bar |
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| Birch & Vine / The Canopy Rooftop Tents |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
