The building at 217 Central Ave. will soon be home to a new restaurant concept, The Nauti Duchess. Segreti’s Hospitality Group, which is behind the nautical-themed restaurant, originally planned two concepts for the space back in 2020, according to coverage in St. Pete Rising, but has since changed course: Duchess will occupy all 7,000 square feet of Segreti’s space.
“The Nauti Duchess is inspired by the building’s history,” Segreti’s creative director Nova Segreti told What Now in an email conversation on Monday. “Like a ship long at sea, what was once the Detroit Hotel, has managed to survive the storms and tides of the last century.”
For this reason, Segreti says, the brand will work to preserve the building’s history: “We firmly believe guests will appreciate the subtlety of how we have chosen to incorporate its roots into our decor. This location, above most, has a tale worth sharing. While we won’t be a museum there will plenty of conversation starters found almost everywhere you look!”
Segreti describes the menu as seafood-focused but not seafood-exclusive, with an emphasis on local fish and sustainably sourced meats and other proteins.
The Nauti Duchess is also setting out to become a major part of Downtown’s nightlife, with a sea change occurring around 11 p.m. on weekends as the restaurant transforms into a lounge with three full-service bars, two indoor and one outdoor.
“Our courtyard will host multiple live artists throughout the week with a focus on Jazzy Low-Fi Beats (we hope this atmospheric choice brings feelings of nostalgia to lovers of the Garden, a very missed previous concept at this location) and Acoustic performances,” Segreti said.
Stay up to date on the Nauti Duchess’s opening by following the brand on Instagram and Facebook. According to a recent post on its Instagram page, it’s anticipating an opening in Summer 2023.
