After three years of operating the intimate wine bar and eatery Bin6South in downtown St. Pete, owners Bren K. Ankrum and Dr. Donna Hargrove took a long, hard look at how things were going and made the decision to make some changes and necessary upgrades. The establishment temporarily closed in mid-September and has reopened following a thorough retooling.
“We have spent the last three years testing a model of our concept—that of bringing exceptional culinary and wine experiences to our guests in an intimate and social setting, assessing the model’s strengths and weaknesses—and have found a goodly number of the former with an expected smattering of the latter,” they shared on Instagram. “We will now take the necessary time to make the changes to our model to further reinforce the positive aspects while striving to eliminate areas of concern and, fundamentally, ‘up our game.’”
With that goal in mind, they embarked on a reset and Bin6South “version 2.0” is back, with new general manager and wine director Nanci Rosen, and a renewed focus on providing a curated dining experience featuring distinctive culinary offerings from Executive Chef Joe Nelson, early seatings, tasting nights and expanded outdoor tables.
The cozy 330-square-foot interior includes a six-seat tasting bar and a six-seat communal table.
The new schedule consists of themed tasting nights, featuring wines from around the world for a small fee (waived with discounted bottle purchases), paired with a menu of small bites. Thursday through Saturday, the restaurant returns to full dinner service with a rotating seasonal menu featuring wine, sake and beer service. Seating is available from 4pm to 9pm. Reservations for indoor seating are recommended, but walk-ins are welcome on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ankrum and Hargrove came to St. Petersburg in 1996 with a shared appreciation for intimate wine experiences. The couple’s vision for Bin6South grew out of the tasting rooms they loved in Napa Valley, Sonoma and the small enotecas of Tuscany, where concise menus and thoughtful pairings create a relaxed, personal connection to food and wine. They set out to bring that same sort of experience to St. Petersburg, shaping Bin6South as a place where guests can explore distinctive wines alongside carefully crafted dishes in a warm, welcoming neighborhood setting.
To learn more, visit bin6south.com
