One of our long-time favorites for gluten-free eats and great coffee is expanding to South St. Pete in a massive new facility. Craft Kafe, the celebrated gluten-free bakery and café, is opening a fourth location, this one in the Skyway Marina District inside the Skyway Village shopping plaza at 4725 34th Street South.
The new location has a much larger footprint than Craft’s three other locations, and owner Teddy Skiadiotis tells us the new space will allow them to significantly expand their offerings by using a portion of the property for the public-facing café, and the sizable kitchen for production of all their goods.
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The café is expected to open later this year or in early 2024, with construction currently underway. The new production facility will be up and running any week now, which even regulars of their current locations may notice, given the increased production capacity.
New location allows Craft to expand offerings
Skiadiotis says the new Craft Kafe will have the same offerings as the other three locations, which have gained a cult following in St. Pete and Tampa.
“It’ll be, hopefully, our best version yet,” he said. “It will be a typical Craft where you can have lunch or breakfast or order all the goodies.”
Plus, he hopes to add a marketplace experience to the new café, where guests can purchase items such as sauces, nut butters, soups, and other ready-made foods. He also anticipates offering take-and-bake style goods that you can bring home and pop in the oven to eat fresh.
At the moment, Skiadiotis estimates that Craft Kafe as a whole is operating at about 20% of his preferred capacity, due to the small kitchens at their three current cafes. This new production facility will give him the ability to increase that production at significant levels. Already, the facility is home to much larger stone mills, freezers, and coolers that Skiadiotis believes will give them lots more leeway for what they can offer both at their cafes and, with the opening of the new facility, through online orders out of state.
“I’m trying to do it in the most organic way possible and not over-extend myself,” he said. “I want the product to get better, not worse.”
Stay tuned for more updates on Craft Kafe’s Skyway Marina District location. In the meantime, visit them at their original location in West St. Pete at 6653 Central Avenue, in downtown St. Pete at 200 Central Avenue, or in Tampa at 442 W Kennedy Blvd. Follow them on Instagram for more.
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