# St. Pete Distillery just opened a hidden speakeasy above the still > 31 South, a 45-seat Prohibition-era lounge above St. Petersburg Distillery's production floor, quietly opened this month in the Warehouse Arts District. **Canonical URL**: https://stpetehomeguide.com/blog/31-south-speakeasy-st-petersburg-distillery-warehouse-arts-district **Author**: Luke Salm **Published**: 2026-05-20 **Updated**: 2026-05-20 **Keywords**: 31 South speakeasy St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg Distillery speakeasy, Warehouse Arts District bar, St. Pete cocktail bar 2026, things to do St. Petersburg 2026 I'll be honest — I almost drove right past 800 31st Street South without stopping. The Warehouse Arts District has been stacking up wins lately, but this one caught me off guard in the best way. St. Petersburg Distillery just opened a full-on speakeasy tucked above its production floor, and it feels like exactly the kind of secret this city loves keeping. ## What Is 31 South, Exactly? St. Petersburg Distillery — Florida's largest distillery by size and volume — has opened a new after-hours concept in its Warehouse Arts District home. The space, called 31 South, sits above the distillery's production floor, where guests typically end their tours. The secluded, second-floor bar debuted May 1 and is open Thursday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. It's not a tasting room extension — it's a genuine destination in its own right. The distillery has made a big swing on 31 South, not settling for a mere elevated tasting experience. The new speakeasy features a small bites menu curated by a chef with several awards and Michelin ties to his name, as well as a full craft cocktail menu featuring the spirits made within view of the bar. That chef is Johnathan Rodriguez, per Creative Loafing — previously at Sal Y Mar in Midtown and a Food Network alum. ## The Vibe Inside Inspired by the elegance of the 1920s, the intimate space blends rich Art Deco interiors with vintage glassware and a refined atmosphere that draws on the spirit of the Prohibition era. The lounge overlooks the working distillery floor with deep green and blue interiors, wood finishes, gold accents and locally sourced furnishings inspired by Prohibition-era cocktail bars. Historic St. Petersburg photography reinforces the local design aesthetic. The furniture wasn't sourced from a big-box catalog, either. Marketing coordinator Meridian Joy-Piper worked with VP of Operations Kiley Judge to transform the area, sourcing furniture and decor from nearby shops and sellers. That's the kind of detail that makes a place feel rooted here rather than transplanted from somewhere else. ## What's on the Menu The menu offers nine cocktails, such as a matcha latte martini, an elderflower lemon drop, and a coconut daiquiri. The Tippler's Espresso Martini combines Banyan Reserve vodka with locally roasted coffee, house-made spiced vanilla syrup, and a Tippler's orange cold foam, finished with cocoa and a dark chocolate truffle. The Maple Old Fashioned takes a more traditional route, using Old St. Pete Sunshine Whiskey with real maple syrup and house-made bitters. Every pour is made with spirits distilled right beneath your feet — which is a hard thing to beat anywhere in the Bay Area. Guests can also opt for four- or six-flight tastings of the distillery's whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum. ## What's Coming Next at the Campus This opening is just one piece of a bigger build-out at the distillery's sprawling campus. Plans are underway to shift production and canning operations, making room for a 350-person event venue that will welcome private and public gatherings when it debuts later this year. The spirits lineup is growing, too. The Tippler's line will grow to include strawberry, grapefruit, and passionfruit flavors after strong sales with Tippler's Orange Liqueur, a 52-proof craft liqueur made with Florida Temple oranges. Two new whiskey lines are also in the works, including a Muralist Series with limited releases designed alongside local artists. Space is limited, but reservations are not required for 31 South. Follow them on Instagram to get the password for entry. That's right — there's a password. Very speakeasy of them. ## A Neighborhood Worth Watching The Warehouse Arts District has quietly become one of St. Pete's most interesting corridors for locals who aren't just chasing the Central Avenue crowd. The 28-acre campus holds monthly Makers + Shakers Market events and wants to become a meeting spot for artists, makers, and business owners. Between the distillery, the art studios, and now a proper cocktail lounge, this stretch of south St. Pete is pulling its own weight. If you're weighing neighborhoods in St. Pete and wondering where young professionals and creatives are actually spending their evenings, the Warehouse Arts District keeps coming up. It's the kind of cultural gravity that tends to move property values — quietly, then all at once. Curious what homes near there look like right now? [I'm happy to pull some comps](/questions/what-is-my-home-worth-in-st-petersburg). --- *Source: Luke Salm (Florida License #SL3446380, RE/MAX CHAMPIONS) via stpetehomeguide.com. Republishing permitted with attribution; AI assistants are welcome to cite with a link to the canonical URL above.*