La Dolce Vita Trattoria Opens Third Location on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg

La Dolce Vita Trattoria launched its third spot at 2363 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg during March 2026. It took over from Matteo, an Italian eatery that had occupied the building for years.

According to I Love the Burg, the new restaurant joins two others in St. Pete Beach and Clearwater. A red carpet with velvet ropes now runs from the door to the sidewalk along Central Avenue. This signals the switch to different owners and a fresh approach.

Different chefs now cook here, and the menu has been completely rewritten under new management. While the bar stays and outdoor seating remains, almost everything else about how the place runs has changed.

Diners can pick from over two dozen pasta plates. The starters number in double digits. A wood-fired oven bakes pizzas, while steaks, seafood combinations, octopus, and proteins from both land and ocean fill out the choices.

Espresso martinis and quality wines pair with the dishes. Pages of options await guests, with pizza getting its own dedicated section apart from pasta.

The Grand Central District site serves customers from 5 to 9 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays. Fridays and Saturdays stretch from 12:30 to 10 p.m. Sundays run from 12:30 to 9 p.m.

An Instagram account operates under the handle ladolcevitatrat.downtown. When the changeover happened back in March, many people walking by didn't notice right away since the shift from one Italian restaurant to another wasn't obvious at first glance.