A vacancy at one of downtown’s most prime locations is finally set to come to an end. The Nauti Duchess, a tapas-style seafood restaurant and craft cocktail bar, is opening on the Jannus block this summer at 217 Central Avenue.

The concept has been in the works for two years, and the seafood-centric menu (yet to be unveiled) will offer a selection of savory appetizers, light bites and snack plates, all meant to be shared and paired with a good drink. We’re told to expect “an array of locally and sustainably sourced meats and protein.”

As for the drinks, Nauti Duchess is promising a high-quality cocktail menu, forming a trio of great cocktail bars with next door neighbors Mandarin Hide and Club 201 at The Detroit. And while the entire block is a hotbed for great drinks, this new concept is taking it a step further, saying they will have “exquisitely crafted cocktails curated with aromatics from our indoor herb garden.”

In an ironic twist, it was on a St. Pete history tour that we learned about these future plans, when the owner popped out to greet our group and let us know that The Nauti Duchess is coming soon. (And if you haven’t heard about our history tours with Monica Kile, you’ll definitely want to check them out.)

While buildout of the kitchen and dining room will take some time, the restaurant says its courtyard will be open on First Fridays beginning March 1 for revelers to stop in and enjoy a drink. We look forward to seeing the cocktail menu, and The Nauti Duchess’s Instagram page has already teased twists on classics, including a potential tequila old fashioned.

Nauti Duchess is being opened by the Segreti Hospitality Group, which owns and runs several concepts in the Tampa Bay Area. The venue itself was most recently home to Caddy’s, and for some time the plan was for Pizza N Brew, another Segreti concept, to open inside the building. Eventually, the company settled on The Nauti Duchess as the perfect concept for the space.

The restaurant has teased a summer opening. Stay tuned to I Love the Burg for updates on the upcoming soft launch and grand opening.