Photography by Steven Le, Thee Photo Ninja
The Parkshore Grill’s prime location on Beach Drive and enduring appeal as a distinctive culinary environment have made it a perennial favorite among locals and an enticing draw for visitors. With the trusted appeal of an old friend and a tradition of exceptional quality, it maintains a steady presence that speaks to its longevity. This year marks the restaurant’s 20th anniversary.
It’s woven into downtown St. Pete’s daily life so seamlessly that for many locals who prefer conversation over commotion, it’s the default answer. The table you book without overthinking. The bar seat you gravitate toward after a long day. It’s cozy without being cramped, polished without feeling precious. There’s an ease to the space—a hum rather than a buzz. Staff move with quiet confidence.
Out on the patio, the energy shifts just enough. The outside tables are among the best vantage points downtown. You can watch the evening unfold: people drifting past toward the pier, couples leisurely strolling along, the sky softening over the marina. It’s people watching at its most civilized. With a glass of wine in hand, a breeze off the bay and dinner arriving at an unhurried pace, the patio at Parkshore feels like an oasis where natural elements converge.
The eatery’s menu offers a sophisticated take on contemporary American cooking with subtle global touches, but nothing feels forced. A steak arrives perfectly prepared to your liking, properly rested and deeply flavored. Fish dishes are clean and bright, accompanied by sides that make sense rather than compete. Starters are familiar enough to be comforting yet refined enough to feel considered. The cuisine is designed for balance more than bravado. The bustling kitchen is a victory garden of the best ingredients and the staff handles them with care.
At the center of it all is Chef Tyson Grant, whose presence has shaped the restaurant with a steady hand since the start. Grant’s style mirrors the space—familiar, solid and lacking in pretense. He built his reputation in Tampa Bay and rooted himself here. His philosophy is grounded in quality and restraint. The sourcing is thoughtful—fresh Gulf seafood, premium cuts of beef and produce that reflects the season.
Over the years, Grant has earned recognition that underscores this consistency. Awards like Florida Trend’s Golden Spoon and Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence have found their way to Parkshore through repeated seasons of sustained quality, and Grant himself has been recognized as one of the Best Chefs in Tampa Bay.
Growing up in St. Pete’s Allendale neighborhood, Grant found his calling in the kitchen at a young age. He remembers that formative time with his mother in the kitchen, which was a big part of what led him to develop an interest in cooking.
“I never really was into the news, current events or anything like that. But that was what my brother and father enjoyed watching,” he recalls. “So instead of hanging out with them I would go help my mom in the kitchen. I was more interested in that.”
He credits his first job for propelling him further along the culinary path and helping him develop both his technical skills and a deep appreciation for fresh ingredients.
“At first, I was washing dishes at Fancy's Gourmet Market. The Olson family gave me a shot. Then I started hanging out with the butchers and I learned how to cut meat. I learned to butcher meat before I learned how to cook it,” he explains. “After a while, I got into the catering side of it. I was learning about all the different cheeses and wines and I never looked back. I thought, Man, this is cool. I enjoyed the back of the house thing.”
His passion for food quickly became a clear career path.
“Working with food never stressed me out. It was always fun. And then I started making recipes for my buddies in high school and they started really getting into it. I was making food at home and getting good feedback,” he explains. “So it was that immediate gratification on what you're doing that felt good to me.”
Grant moved away several times to learn more about regional and island cuisine in Washington, D.C., and Turks & Caicos, but always returned to St. Pete to be near his family.
Once back, he distinguished himself by working at local bistros that offered him the creativity to develop his own menus and sharpen his skills. Afterward, he won acclaim at The Grill at Feather Sound in Clearwater, where his vision for contemporizing American cuisine won him the award for Best Chef of Tampa Bay in 2001. He also led the kitchen at O'Bistro, a local favorite known for its straightforward flavors and innovation.
But he wanted to be in downtown St. Pete and one day saw a little something in the paper about Steve Westphal developing a restaurant there, so he reached out.
“He was an old school restaurant guy, and he wanted to open a fine dining, chef-driven restaurant,” Grant recalls. “He said, ‘I just want two things on the menu. I want a sliced filet mignon with onions, mushrooms and mashed potatoes and I want a Beef Wellington. Other than that, the menu is yours.’ It was the same vision, so I was like, ‘Yeah, that's what I'm looking for. Let's go.’”
The pair quickly established Parkshore Grill as downtown St. Pete's premier dining destination.
Over the years, that early enthusiasm for cooking has only grown. Grant continues to create new menus for dinners that allow him to explore ingredients, techniques and flavor combinations.
“The chef’s tables and seasonal dinners provide an opportunity for experimentation and creativity. I'll do a five-course tasting. I’ll work with my sous chefs on different features and different techniques,” he shares. “The guys in the kitchen like to do it. Every month we do a different wine or bourbon dinner.”
Grant is equally committed to maintaining consistent favorites on the menu, ensuring that signature items remain available for its longtime patrons who come regularly for something like the Beef Wellington.
“The Surf and Turf is a new one, but the filet and the lobster pasta have been on the menu since day one. It's what people want and it's consistent,” Grant offers. “I wanted to do a perfect lobster roll, but I don't want to serve an actual lobster roll. So, I created a deconstructed version.”
“I’m a believer that we should be stewards of clean and healthy foods. When we opened this restaurant, I wanted to find the best meat I could. We started working with Niman Ranch and ended up becoming an ambassador for them,” he explains. “We work with local farms. I want the best. I mean, it's impossible for us to do all 100-percent organic and all from small family farms, because we're a large restaurant. But we try to do it right and keep it fresh and make everything in-house.”
He is also deeply invested in giving back. Grant partners with local charity events like The Longest Table, an annual benefit dinner and fundraiser hosted by WUSF, and is a co-founder of the Frogman Feast, a high-profile culinary event benefiting the Navy SEAL Foundation. He also represents St. Pete in culinary festivals that illuminate the city’s taste identity on larger stages. Such visibility bolsters not only his reputation but reinforces Parkshore’s connection to the community it serves.
Visit parkshoregrill.com to learn more.
