Baba Restaurant

This place seems to have gotten better over time. I always love the atmosphere and their cocktails are great. The daily hummus can’t be beat. I got the red snapper collars which I’ve only seen here and they are amazing especially when eaten with the fresh herb salad. Kebabs shown in photos were a winner as well.

Sunday night, I headed to Baba for some lamb chops after seeing the good reviews. Very disappointed. Presentation amazing! Eating is awful. Upon cutting the chops open, Sous Vide overcooked nasty - see that mush? That's when the muscle fibers break down excessively, and the connective tissues begin to disintegrate. Result? No flavor. It's a common issue these days, as restaurants often fail to manage their cook. Potatoes were lovely. Wine was great, and well priced. If a restaurant is preparing the lamb with sous vide, they should tell you, in my view. I'll be back as it's a cool place, so long as Baba can grill my lamb and dump their lazy sous vide recipe, which ruined what was a very nice piece of meat before cooking.

Everything was so good! Our server, Teal, was wonderful. She was very attentive, helpful, and made our experience even better. Food was delicious and presented beautifully. The atmosphere was very pleasant. Would 100% come back whenever I am in St. Pete.

EXCELLENT!!! First off the quality was exceptional, the service was amazing! Thank you Maddy our server she was lovely and the manager Tony was fantastic! Absolutely loved the food? The ambiance, the service and the menu! The octopus was perfection!!!! BEST BREAD PUDDING AND BAKLAVA IVE HAD IN MY LIFE! The food was so fresh you can absolutely tell and that is what I appreciated most!

I wouldn’t recommend dining here on a busy evening. Otherwise, the food is fresh and tasty. I appreciate the vegetarian entree not being an after thought. The mushroom kebab is inventive and had a lovely texture. The server was kind, however the service was extremely slow. From the kitchen being backed up, the staff being out of sync (one runner dropping warm bread only to be cold by the time our server brought the dips), to taking about half an hour to be cashed out after finishing our meals. Perhaps go on a slower night

My wife chose this restaurant for date night and we had a very enjoyable evening. Both outdoor and indoor seating are available. I ordered the whole bronzino, and my wife ordered the mushroom kebabs. The bronzino was cooked perfectly and very tasty. We also tried a trio of dips and an octopus appetizer. Again, we enjoyed both. Beer, wine, and cocktails are available. Our service was very friendly.

Had a family dinner at Baba last night and as always the food was delectable! We order a sizeable combo of selections from their consistently amazing menu. All the spreads, octopus, falafel, roasted chicken, lemony orzo, snapper skewers, and more (desserts!) Yum! The highlight is always our waitress, Teal, who we call ahead to request every time. She is lovely, professional and well versed on the menu of the day/ season. We adore her 😊. Baba is a guaranteed delicious choice for our family and friends ~ every time!

Teal was our fabulous server. She greeted us with such a warm interaction, it put our dinner over the top. The food was tasty, and the portions were great. We left very happy, and full!

Delicious gem on central. My friend and I went and shared apps and a ribeye before a night on the town. It was the perfect dinner for 2! Highly recommend their hummus dips with extra pita. If they don't have tables open would highly recommend sitting at the bar. Still a great ambiance coupled with wonderful service. This one place is climbing up my St.Pete's favorites list.

I dined here the other night and sat outside, which had a great setup. Once we received the menus, we thought it was extremely small with minimal options. We ordered three dips with pita. The dips were good; however, the pita was not the usual pita from Greek restaurants. We weren't sure what to order for entrees, as the menu was so limited, so we were both going to go with the shish kebabs. The waiter assured us they didn't have any, so we had the dips and went somewhere else. Our waiter was friendly, and the place itself looked nice. I just recommend looking at the menu before you go because it's extremely limited, and even on the limited list, they don't have things.

Braised lamb is surprisingly succulent. There was no bone, so I can't say "fall off the bone" so I'll use "melt in your mouth." The waitress had to double as the bar tender last night[Thursday]. At close to the end of a 12-hour shift, She managed to smile, and remember every order without writing anything down. The ambiance indoors is spare. The tables are large, the space between tables is ample and the chairs were comfortable. We added this to our list of must do again

This is always a hit when we are in the Tampa Bay Area. They consistently offer great dishes. Their pita bread and dips always taste great. We love the prawn and shish kebab appetizers. We love the lamb dish! Their outdoor patio area is very cute, and love the blue evil eye decor around the restaurant. Their team has always been friendly and helpful. We really enjoyed our latest waitress Teal. You should make a reservation beforehand but sometimes they have availability for walk ins.

Walked in on a weekend evening with some friends! We split the steak, octopus, and prawns. The octopus was some of the best I've ever had, totally cooked to perfection and a great dish to split. The steak was also great and easy to split. The prawns I wouldn't order again personally, but they were still good. We also split all 6 of the dips between our table. The spicy feta was my absolute favorite and the warm pita was so good. Our server was super helpful for our table of 6! Loved sitting outside on the patio this time, it was beautiful.

Amazing service Super clean small restaurant that offers a full bar on fun outdoor seating Ambiance is low lights and comforting We had the hummus platter and it is the smoothest hummus I have ever had The octopus was super tender and flavored well Small parking lot available They do take credit card

This is a beautiful restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. I came late at night near closing and the crowd was intimate. I sat at the bar and the bartender was really good. She recommended amazing drinks and even knew the history behind the wines. I ordered an eggplant dish that I was told was similar to baba ganouj (I was craving baba ganouj). Unfortunately it wasn't similar enough so I didn't enjoy it. The texture was not my favorite and the flavor was lacking depth. The octopus however was wonderful. It was prepared very well and wasn't rubbery nor chewy. It was a light bite and was able to hold me over. The alcohol and wine collection is really nice and I really enjoy the ambiance.

Genuinely a great spot. The pita starter was honestly one of the best parts of the meal, definitely get it. Ordered the hanger steak, half chicken, and branzino. The steak was good but I'd probably skip it next time just because the other dishes stood out more. The branzino was super crispy and fresh, and the chicken was juicy with great flavor. Service was great and the overall vibe of the place was super relaxed.

What a lovely setting! We showed up real late but the service was kind and let us get a fina glass for the night. Loved the fires outside. We didn't eat but I sure want to make a visit back to try some!

This is one of my favorite places in St Pete. The food is always great, quality service, and a nice atmosphere. Their menu has something for everyone. I love the spread sampler with some of the most beautiful crudite. The charred octopus and shish kebab were fantastic and the cocktails well balanced. Great tasty gluten free options at a great price.

What a beautiful little spot with amazing food options, which I am to understand they change the menu weekly. The service was beyond GREAT! Food came out quickly and served hot. I am a lover of Greek/ Mediterranean food.. to have so many options and to share with your dinner party is so much fun! This place has indoor and outdoor seating the is beautifully decorated and makes this spot so quaint. It's definitely a VIBE. We had all the MEZZE options and loved every bit of it. I cannot wait to return to Tampa to visit this little spot. Baba on Central is definitely a YELPING GOOD EATS!!!

This place is significantly overpriced for what they offer. We ordered the grouper for $38, which was delicious but only about 4 ounces. The octopus at $22 was fairly priced, but the eggplant dip appetizer was just 1.5 ounces for $16. When I asked for more, they charged me extra. To top it off, they're asking $69 for branzino, which you can find for $38 in NYC. While I appreciate quality, I expect fair treatment, not price gouging. The ambiance is lovely, but the service could improve, and management really needs to address the discrepancies between portion sizes and prices. I'm tired of hearing that everything has gone up--this is excessive. If you want to leave feeling unsatisfied, be my guest.

Tasty portions in the right amount. Prompt and polite service in an open setting that can handle some crowds in a classy indoor or outdoor setting. Definitely worth a visit

Really good food, atmosphere, and service. The homemade hummus is my favorite I enjoyed my cocktail - the baal made with rya and pistachio orgeat. So slightly sweet and creamy. It was refreshing. I plan to go back and try more of the cocktail menu and other food items My friends enjoyed the flafel. Every order comes with evil eye rock. How cute.

Ambiance outside is next level! Private, moody, and beautiful after dark. The food was great. I really liked the fluffy and airy hummus. Our waiter was kind enough to surprise my friend with a sweet treat for her birthday. I'd definitely recommend!

Went in for lunch with no reservation and it took a minute to get seated even though there were plenty of open tables inside and outside, but no biggie. The lunch menu was limited HOWEVER everything we ordered was delicious and we left fulfilled. Let's start with the TOMATO CARPACCIO -- so much flavor (surprisingly) and they used green tomatoes (my favorite). Highly recommend that mezze dish. Next, we ordered the CHARRED OCTOPUS.. so tender and not chewy whatsoever, it's a must try. Lastly we had the HOUSE CUT FRIES w/ ZA'ATAR & LEBNEH. The lebneh was good and tasted fresh, however I would've liked a little more za'atar sprinkled on it -- still tasty nonetheless. Definitely would return to try their dinner menu or lunch again on a florida "winter" day.

Amazing food and drinks. Our server was so helpful suggesting menu options. Service and ambiance were also great!!

Great and friendly service. The food was fantastic. Definitely be sure to save room for the baklava! We had the dips with pitas, the falafel, and the lamb. We sat inside which was cute, but they have a nice patio area I would try next time. Check out my photos!

Came in with one of my girlfriends on a Sunday October 20th and I have to say the steak we ordered was one of the best I've had. It was cooked perfectly to temp and was so juicy. 10000/10 we will definitely be back

I've always passed by Baba and finally was able to check it out. Came here for dinner on a Saturday night with a group of friends. I would say, the service wasn't that great and it took the server at least 20mins to order our drinks. I do like the vibe but unfortunately, the service could be better. However, the food was amazing minus some of the spread dips and the fresh fish was okay. What I ordered: - Spread sampler: hummus, labneh, and taramasalata (don't get, basically just greek yogurt and very thick) - Souvlaki platter (choice of chicken, kafta, pork, or lamb) - Charred octopus - Prawns - Daily fish - Lamb chops (really good!) - Ribeye

Our group of 4 all agreed this was some of the best Mediterranean food we had ever ate. The platter of humus and spicy feta left us speechless. The taste and quality of the ingredients was unmatched. For the entree I had the hanger steak with pickled onions and a small size of fries. The medium steak was in the top 5 I've had. Topped with pickled onions it was well worth the wait. If you re on vacation in the area and even remotely considering dining at Baba; don't hesitate. I promise you it will be well worth the experience!

Not sure why this restaurant only gets 4 stars. My hubby and I have been there 4 times when in St Pete. Romantic seating inside + out. Great bar if you care to sit there or if tables are all taken. But really it's the food that shines the brightest! The daily hummus was a knockout. The daily grilled or filleted fish have on the 4 occasions I've been there all solid. But the homemade flat bread is Addicting!!!!! Never mind cannabis when you have this! Or maybe both together could be fun!

This place was highly recommended to us so I was very excited to try it but unfortunately did not like the food. The atmosphere was the best part of this restaurant. It was romantic setting with lights and heat lamps and the tables were spaced far apart enough where you can't hear your neighbor's conversations. It's the perfect setting for date night. The service was just ok. Waiter was nice but service was so so slow. Took forever to get our food out. We started with the three platters: hummus, red pepper and spicy feta. I didn't like the feta much. Not spicy and had a very strong cheesy aftertaste. The red pepper hummus with nuts was all right. Nothing that stood out for me. The regular hummus as good at first but after a couple bites, it tasted like store bought hummus. The pita bread was good. Wish they gave you more than just 1 piece though. We also got some appetizer that included braised rabbit. I liked that but didn't like the sweet crush it came in. Again, a disappointment. For my main course, I got the octopus appetizer which was a 0/10 for me. The dish was so salty I didn't even eat much. I should've sent it back. The octopus was rubbery and not cooked well. It was chewy and hard. Hard pass. My fiancé got the lamb chops which I didn't try but he liked it. The polenta that came with the lamb, I did try. It was dry and tasteless. I was so disappointed that a $140 dinner was absolutely not satisfying. People must've came here for the atmosphere and ambiance because the food was not good. If you're looking for good hummus and Mediterranean food, I highly recommend checking out Mio's in downtown st pete. A bit cheaper too and way better food. I won't be back.

Based upon recommendations, we stopped by for a late Sunday lunch around 1:30pm after strolling the Art area in the historical Kenwood neighborhood. Usual parking challenge for Central- my advice....seek out a place on one of the side streets .... which probably drives the home owners crazy with people parking outside their homes! Sat outside in the shaded covered patio area, service was friendly and surprisingly prompt for the number of diners there. Love that it is a dog friendly patio, will bring the pups next time. It closes at 3pm so it was emptying out by the time we were served. Tables were cleared which is important- kudos for training there! The tomato carpaccio salad was a winner with heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, onions- artfully presented with crumbled feta. Also tried the trio appetizer, selecting the labneh with olive oil which was amazing, crudite/pita bread, and the muhammara/red pepper spread with walnuts. The latter I was expecting a red pepper vegetable flavor and it a chili red pepper flavor which was not my favorite and it kept repeating on me- TMI- lol! The homemade pita with za'atar and plain were both yummy. We will return to try out the dinner menu next time!

Recently had birthday dinner here. Got a great deal on a bottle of wine but miss the falafel.

Nice place, I suggest getting an uber as the parking is a bit of a challenge. The hummus trio is excellent, they bring you more pita if you want. We ate outside, which was really nice as it was a pleasant evening and we felt secluded thanks to the hedges surrounding the patio. The staff was accommodating, as my dining companion took 25 minutes to find a spot so they did check on me while I waited and reassured me no worries, even though I worried i'd have to bail. I'm a picky eater, and there's usually some kind of a 'deal breaker' listed in a menu but not so in this case. The half roasted chicken was just wonderful, and my companion was able to order lemon roasted potatoes which were not on the menu, but which added to her kebab (mezze) order to make it a full meal. And we had leftovers! Excellent choice.

It's our first time at Baba on Central and we truly enjoyed eating there! My daughter recommended this restaurant, and it was just across the street from where my grandson was having his concert. Not to mention that it had to be one of the hottest days of the year. Baba's is located on Central Ave, a trendy area in downtown St. Pete. It looks like it was converted from an old gas station and still had overhead doors, and a courtyard. Modern and clean with delicious fresh food. Dave and I both had the Lamb Pita with a side salad. We also had the spicy feta cheese appetizer and it was out of this world! I had fresh brewed black coffee and Dave had a wheat beer. My daughter joined us and had the Chicken Pita. It was a lovely afternoon and we enjoyed the great food and wonderful service. Thanks Baba's'!

This place is pretty good! Tons of healthy options. Tons of gluten free options. We had the spreads appetizer with hummus, spicy feta and a walnut red pepper dip. All were good but if I had to skip one... hummus. They serve it with pita or crudités. We had the salad, it was great. Octopus didn't seem fresh and was slightly rubbery. My niece got the rabbit spanakopita type dish and she said it was good. Would I be back? Yes!

Really a beautiful, chic restaurant with open air seating, large outdoor patio. We came here on a weeknight and were lucky to snag a table since the place was pretty full and vibrant. The cocktails were are amazing!! Many intriguing drinks to choose from. I asked the waitress for something fruity but not too sweet and loved what she recommended. We had some spreads (hummus, labneh, fava bean, tyrokafteri) and liked them all. Spreads come with fresh pita. Main downside was that service was essentially not present (ie rarely came to the table, and if we asked for something would forget)

What a unique cocktail menu, which includes Mediterranean liquors like Arak and Metaxa -- not easy to find or often on menus! Would highly recommend the Metaxa flight if you've never had it before. Similarly, the Arak is a perfect after dinner choice. The sampler is great-- this time I tried the pantzarosalata (the roasted beet dish) for the first time and wonder where this wonderful spread has been all my life! The fish special for the evening was barrel fish, which was also new to me, and it came expertly prepared over a delicate broth with roasted fennel. Fantastic service and ambiance seated outside. I hadn't noticed the small bar here...would be a great place to sit for dinner too. I need to come here more often and try Barbouni (the tiny tin fish and raw bar sister restaurant attached to Baba)!

It's definitely a cute date night spot, although the outdoor is a bit too humid and hot for me. The outdoor seating is the cutest and the high plants that surround the outside makes it feel very private. The service is really good, with great attentive staff. The only issue I have with the place is the food. The menu changes apparently all the time, and the portions aren't very large, the flavor is slightly lacking, and the prices on the food/drinks are a bit too high in my opinion. I've been to other Mediterranean places that had better flavor and were half the price. I think it was like $5 for a plate of 2 pieces of pita.

Everything was delish....service was great, along with a beautiful ambiance. An absolute must visit in dtsp

Good food fresh not Astoria New York Greek food but it's ok. Drink are good. Met a prickly waitress but the other waitress apologized and she was great. Nice atmosphere it's surrounded by olive trees an there pasties which is adjacent to the restaurant are amazos ! even have gluten free which I was happy about

I ate here tonight with a friend, for the first time, following a music concert in St Pete Our food came out at different times so I had to watch my friend eat while I waited for my food. When my shish kabob eventually arrived I was given four small cubes of meat on a skewer. that was all. this cost me 28 dollars. that's seven dollars a cube . seven dollars each for four small cubes of meat. and to top off this wonderful meal our table, inside the restaurant, was approached by panhandlers who were eventually driven off by the manager. so if you want small portions of overpriced food this is the place for you. they got me this time but I'll never go back. it's a clip joint

I was recommended this place by several friends, so I felt like it was time to go. I went with two other friends on a rainy Saturday for a late lunch. The menu is surprisingly simple. Many times, I feel like Mediterranean restaurants have bloated menus. We went with the dip sampler trio as an app with the hummus, the tzatziki, and the muhammara. It says it comes with pita and za'atar, but be warned... it comes with ONE of each. Extra bread is $4... The dip to bread ratio is strangely off: we were able to finish the hummus, but we didn't have the bread to finish the other two. I ordered the Chicken pita with the side salad. Be warned again... it is small. The chicken is very tasty, but you only get a couple smaller pieces. Overall, this would be fun if you have a bigger group and were ordering a lot of small plates on someone else's tab. It would also be amazing catered to an event. But eating here as a full meal isn't sustainable for a guy who likes to eat when I go out. the quality of food is solidly 5 stars... the cost/volume ratio is 3 stars... so I will meet in the middle at 4 stars.

Cool vibes, good food & friendly service. This is a perfect date night spot! The sampler app and grilled octopus was delish. They even have a caviar, oyster and tin fish bar.

Chosen by my date. Really beautiful open air space with high ceilings which consumes half a city block. Extensive and impressive wine list including a 2018 Bordeaux that knocked my socks off. Intimate table with romantic lighting and real linen. My martini . Fish necks were adventuresome! I didn't eat much, but what I did eat was a creative mixture of flavors prepared by someone in the kitchen who is clearly formally trained perhaps in French culinary school. For example: the dessert my date ordered was some sort of anisette tart with a mint mousse and pine nuts. It was a sophisticated pallet put that together and it takes skill and courage. It wasn't pulled out of any recipe book. Our server, Teal was attentive, but not overly so (that's a skill in and of itself) and knowledgeable. As a Trump Conservative I was skeptical of invading the clearly liberal space. But it was a memorable romantic evening, it's a five star restaurant.

We enjoyed a fantastic Saturday afternoon lunch at Baba recently. We had heard that the octopus was stellar so we ordered that as an appetizer to share with a glass of delicious Greek wine to accompany it. It did not disappoint at all! My husband enjoyed the chicken souvlaki while I opted for the falafel entrée. We both agreed it was some of the best Mediterranean cuisine we had enjoyed in years. Our server was excellent, Kristen we believe though our receipt reads Lunch S which is so weird We strolled over to the tempting bakery line up and brought home a fabulous ricotta olive oil cake. Oh my! RUN do not walk to Baba on Central today!

This place is just gorgeous in the evenings, with an outdoor patio full of twinkling lights and an indoor seating area that has an open wall leading to it. The food has been spectacular each time I've visited, with some of the best naan bread around (you get 2 types, a soft fluffy buttery one and a more "pita pocket" shaped one with delicious za'atar seasoning), a variety of interesting dips and hummus, and some of the best lamb chops around. But the desserts are what keep me coming back! The best baklava anywhere, along with a rotating selection of dishes from smoked beet creme brulee to chocolate tahini pie and more. I wish they still had their adjoining bakery! The service here is also great; everyone is so welcoming, and happy to help me navigate a menu featuring cuisine I'm largely unfamiliar with.

I thought maybe this place was new because there weren't too many people there and it's kind of secluded on central. But to my surprise the decor was super cute and drew us in. The food i thought was very reasonably priced. It was served a bit cold but the fries were hand cut ... so good. The cocktails were also beautiful and tasty! The food was kind of light and refreshing . Service was decent ! Although there wasn't many tables , i think one server was managing them all so totally understandable. I'd give it another shot just alone for their cocktails .

Went for Saturday lunch and loved it! Menu wasn't huge but everything was very flavorful. Would like to go back for dinner soon. Make sure to get the dip sampler with bread to start. Spicy feta was incredible. The chicken pita was perfect. Service, bar, location, shaded outdoor seating, it has everything we could ask for.

Had an enjoyable late lunch, Sunday at Baba. Daily hummus selection was great as always. Ordered additional freshly baked pita to sop up every bite. Chicken pita sandwich had a nice grilled flavor with chunks of feta. Washed the whole thing down with an Aperol Spritz. Service was spot on and we enjoyed sitting inside right near the front open doors. A go-to St. Petersburg gem on Central Ave.

The food was terrific and the service was outstanding. It had a good crowd but due to the construction of the building, (it looks like a renovated garage,) and the high ceilings and concrete floors, it was fairly loud. My only real complaint is it's quite expensive. I'll go back but have to plan to set aside some cash.

Repeat customers. We have had a great time at Baba. The ambiance is romantic in my opinion and good for date night. You can eat indoors or outside they have a very large patio. The restaurant takes reservations and it's recommended. Street parking is available, but you may have to park a few blocks down because Central is very busy. The food here is simple and straightforward and in my opinion pretty healthy. The village salad is my favorite as well as the Mixed platter, you choose what you want...hummus, spicey feta etc. It's gluten free served w crisp veggies. I would highly recommend this restaurant. My only complaint is that the chairs indoors are very uncomfortable and it seems to take a long time to get your check. Both times we had to wait 25 minutes to check out and service was a little slow also.

Way overpriced. $28 for a single kebab. Kebab was good, but with just that and tap water, my total with tip was $36. Left hungry and had to eat a second meal. Also disliked that they charge 2% extra on top of all prices 'to pay the kitchen'. As if they weren't already way overpriced and cannot afford to pay the kitchen. Seems like the owners may be a bit greedy.

Came here for a girls birthday dinner. We sat outside, were served right away. We started with the pita and three different dips. The pita was warm and hummus was delicious. The grilled octopus was grilled perfectly - usually if over or undercooked it can be chewy and it wasn't! The salad was good. Came with a runny egg in the middle. A little overpriced for the drinks but besides this, good spot

I saw this place come up on my IG feed and decided to give it a try! Beautiful outdoor and indoor space, great food and drinks! Everything we ordered tasted great, was fresh with lots of flavor and we particularly loved the Shakshuka with the Lamb Hash in close second. Baba offers several fun cocktails, and a great selection of wines and spirits.

We arrived around 9 pm on a Saturday. Sparsley crowded. We ordered the beef kabob: salty The anchovy and chard salad appetizer was over cooked burnt super salty stale. The branzino was drenched in oil. The microwaved bread lacked character: Terrible food. We were disappointed. Oh and then add 2% kitchen service charge.

We enjoyed dinner at this lovely restaurant. The decor is very relaxing and inviting. Almost makes you feel like you're dining at a restaurant in Greek island. We had the octopus appetizer and the mujadra with fish. The accompaniments served with the octopus were a bit underwhelming, the dish was definitely missing some acid. The mujadra was not by any means classic and the burnt onions were way too burnt, they overpowered the dish. The fish was cooked perfectly though and the mint sauce was delicious. The highlight of the meal was definitely dessert. We ordered their version of panna cotta which was served topped with a fruit compote and almond cookies. This style of almond cookies are dry but I love them. The fruit compote has the perfect amount of sweetness to compliment the panna cotta. Their wine and drink selection is great, offering wines and spirits from Greece and other countries not usually showcased in most restaurants.