Whether or not human life began in a garden, being in one can certainly reconnect the human spirit to the cycle of life and a sense of wonder. Gardens nourish, soothe, and inspire.
“There’s no place like this,” says Marlin Kaplan, co-owner and chef at the new Two Graces restaurant in St. Petersburg. “This garden has that special quality to it. Once the hedge grows to its full height, you won’t even know where you are—it’ll blow people away.”
Standing under a sprawling live oak at the edge of the restaurant’s newly designed outdoor dining spaces, Kaplan explains that the tree is at the heart of what he and his partner, Lisa Masterson, have envisioned for this new venture. “The gardens are the focal point for us. They are what set Two Graces apart from other dining experiences in the area.”
Located in the former Reading Room space on Central Avenue, Two Graces has inherited and improved the mature, productive gardens on site. Surrounded by stands of papaya and banana, macadamia and peach trees, and vibrant vegetable and flower gardens, Two Graces can seat a hundred people outdoors. Multiple al fresco dining spaces have been created, including a patio lounge, a column-lined portico with seating around a fountain, another circular outdoor room under the lighted oak tree, and a curtained private dining room.
The spirit of the garden is carried to the indoor bar and dining area as well, where the décor pops in colors of eggplant, tomato, and avocado, and a playful mural by artist Alli Arnold reflects the eclecticism of the menu.
While Two Graces features plenty of choices for the omnivore, Kaplan has intentionally designed his menu to include a variety of plant-based and gluten-free options, pointing out that the first entrée item is a tasty vegan roasted stuffed squash. Starters include crispy Brussels sprouts with citrus aioli ($16); steak tartare with capers, peppers, and raw quail egg ($21); and cardamom-crusted tuna, roasted fennel, and curried mayo ($18).
And speaking of crusts—one of the chef’s special talents—gluten-free entrée options at Two Graces include a pistachio-crusted Florida grouper with a quinoa and orzo roasted stuffed pepper, wilted spinach, and pine key aioli (MP). Signature handcrafted pastas are also offered—including short rib ravioli with mushrooms, truffles, and wild mushroom demiglacé ($32)—as are wood-fired pizzas and a tantalizing list of desserts.
Weekly additions to the fixed menu will delight guests with the chef’s latest inspiration and will incorporate produce from the Two Graces gardens, as available.
“I have always gravitated towards simple but impactful kinds of food,” Kaplan says. Though the Two Graces menu offerings are artfully crafted, Kaplan insists that it’s not fine dining. “There’s a whimsy and lightheartedness in what we are doing here. You may have a more refined experience if you sit inside, but if you want to sit outside and have a pizza and a glass of wine, that’s fine, too.”
Two Graces’ wine list includes an impressive selection of over 60 different wines—all from organic, biodynamic, or sustainable sources. Ten Florida-brewed beer selections are on draft and exotic cocktails are named for birds and flowers.
Elegance and mirth are two of the graces you can expect to find in St. Pete’s newest garden of culinary delights. But it’s not the only “grace” in the area: There’s Kaplan and Masterson’s restaurant Grace in Pass-A-Grille (no menu overlap, according to Kaplan), as well as their Gracie gourmet pasta and provisions shops in Pass-A-Grille and downtown St. Pete.
Two Graces, 6001 Central Ave., St. Petersburg.
