Reading Room

Just ate here for the first time tonight, and we really liked the food. Went at 7:15 on a Friday night, and didn't have tables open, but did have seats at the bar and chef's bar. Well sat at the chef bar near the kitchen, and enjoyed watching the food being prepared. We had wine, champagne and a cocktail. They don't serve liquor, so the cocktail was made with an appertivo... It had grapefruit, herbs and other fruit flavors. Really good. I also enjoyed the wine and champagne, $12 and $9 a glad respectively. Service was great, no rush to order and lots of help deciding what we wanted. We got house made bread, a cheese plate, the seasonal veggie plate and a lamb pasta, similar to gnocchi, called Malloredus. The lamb pasta dish was our favorite. Layers of flavor and we ate every bite. All in all an excellent meal. We'll be back to try out other dishes and the desserts... They looked amazing coming out of the kitchen.

Food was fantastic! Very sad that this will likely be our first and last meal here. Beautiful garden area outside, inside was trendy but warm/inviting, service was attentive and entertaining, and every dish was really well balanced and utilized creative combinations of veggies/herbs/flowers. Great experience overall!

Everything here was phenomenal. Service was top notch and the atmosphere is very cozy. The food is even better. One of the greatest meals I’ve had in st Pete, if not the best.

I was recommended this restaurant by a friend in Atlanta and was not disappointed. You can tell by simply walking up to the restaurant that there is great attention taken into where the food comes from; they have many vegetable and herbs growing right there where you eat. It is a stand alone restaurant and seems to pop because of the architecture. The area’s exceptional growing seasons lends itself to fresh produce year-round. Reading Room clearly spends time thoughtfully finding ways to use their vegetables the way mom always told you to. They have a rotating menu and excellent wine selection, along with like-minded cocktails (think vegetable juices, and cold pressed ginger or the like). They have a well rounded concept that will impress any diner no matter what their dietary needs may be. I went for my birthday with my dad, between the two of us, we had: 2 individual cocktails, the bread and butter of the day, jerk vegetable, a bottle of wine (which we reluctantly corked and took home), and as fans of all things animal, the short rib dish. All of which were exceptional and well fitting for both the seasons and our taste for exotics flavors with the Caribbean and Asian influences. All of which filled us and left us with a satisfied tummy and impressed pallet. Please enjoy your time at this restaurant.

Well... the service was great! The food was tremendously overpriced for what it was. Seriously? $6 for 4 pieces of bread? My baked fish had a nice accompanying mix of vegetables, but the tiny piece of fish was disappointing. My wife’s Mongolian beef was cooked perfectly, but she tried to ask for more potatoes and less vegetables... “No, we don’t substitute anything. It says so on the menu”. So she received only 2 small thirds of a little “new potato”. They are very proud of their place, and charge for everything. If you go, take lots of cash or a card with a high limit. I won’t be back. Too many other fantastic places in St Pete!

My honey brought me here for our anniversary. It was such a lovely surprise. It's gorgeous outside, I recommend coming around sunset to see the gorgeous garden outside. Once inside you are left feeling relaxed. The decor is perfect, the employees are extremely kind, the food was honestly the best I've ever had. I now know why it's working the top 5 places to go in the Tampa Bay Times.

Very quaint restaurant. Food tasted good, presentation was great. Drinks were amazing. Very pricey though. Would be back for a special occasion

A dining experience. Lovely staff with even lovelier food. Come for the meal, return to fellowship. We will be back!!