Biscuit Belly Is Replacing Maple Street Biscuit Company in Downtown St. Pete

Downtown St. Pete is getting a new breakfast and brunch concept, but it will come at the expense of a familiar Central Avenue name. Maple Street Biscuit Company at 662 Central Avenue is expected to become Biscuit Belly following the sale of the breakfast chain by Cracker Barrel. Biscuit Belly will take ownership of 35 Maple Street Biscuit Company restaurants, including the downtown St. Pete location. Another 16 Maple Street locations that were not included in the acquisition are expected to close. Financial terms of the sale were not publicly disclosed.

The St. Pete restaurant is expected to remain open as Maple Street Biscuit Company until its conversion begins. Once the transformation is complete, customers can expect a renovated interior, new branding and an entirely different menu centered around Southern breakfast and brunch dishes.

A Familiar Breakfast Spot Is Getting a New Identity

Maple Street Biscuit Company has operated in downtown St. Pete since 2018, becoming a recognizable breakfast stop along one of Central Avenue’s busiest stretches. Cracker Barrel acquired the Jacksonville-based chain in 2019 for $36 million, but the company is now stepping away from the brand as part of a broader business strategy.

From our perspective, the downtown St. Pete location has not maintained the same quality it had when it first opened. We stopped going years ago after a negative experience, and the restaurant had already started to feel noticeably different from what originally made it appealing. While some longtime customers may be disappointed to see the Maple Street name disappear, a complete reset at this location may be exactly what it needs.

Biscuit Belly plans to convert the acquired Maple Street restaurants over an estimated 18 to 24 months. The downtown St. Pete location is currently expected to complete its rebrand during the first quarter of 2027, although that timeline could change as the company works through dozens of restaurant conversions.

Unlike many restaurant closures that leave behind an empty storefront, this transition will keep a breakfast concept operating at the location. However, longtime Maple Street customers should expect more than a simple name change. Biscuit Belly plans to introduce its own design, atmosphere and menu once the Central Avenue restaurant officially joins the brand. The acquisition will also dramatically increase Biscuit Belly’s footprint. The company currently operates approximately 15 restaurants, meaning the Maple Street deal will more than triple the number of locations under its control.

What Biscuit Belly Will Bring to Downtown St. Pete

Biscuit Belly was founded in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2019 by Chad and Lauren Coulter. The concept was designed to fall between a quick-service breakfast restaurant and a traditional sit-down brunch destination, offering counter service alongside a larger menu of Southern-inspired meals, specialty coffee and cocktails.

Biscuits remain at the center of the menu, but Biscuit Belly takes a more indulgent approach. Signature options include the Mama’s Boy, made with buttermilk fried chicken, roasted jalapeño pimento cheese, spicy pickles and fried green tomato. The Biscuit Bennie combines smoked brisket, poached eggs, smoked Gouda mornay, roasted tomatoes and poblano tomato sauce.

The menu also includes breakfast platters, omelets, wraps, sandwiches, salads, cheesy grits and loaded tots. Shareable options include Bonuts, which are fried biscuit doughnut holes, and Pancake Corndogs made with sausage links dipped in pancake batter and served with maple mayo.

Biscuit Belly also leans further into the weekend brunch experience with cold brew, espresso drinks, chai, house-made sodas, mimosas, Bloody Marys and espresso martinis. That broader menu could help the restaurant compete in a downtown breakfast scene already filled with cafés, diners and brunch destinations. Once the conversion is complete, the downtown St. Pete restaurant is expected to open daily from 7 AM to 2 PM, with hours extending until 3 PM on weekends. Dine-in, takeout and delivery are also planned.

The departure of Maple Street Biscuit Company may disappoint customers who have visited the restaurant for years, but Central Avenue will not be losing breakfast biscuits entirely. Instead, the location is preparing for a complete reinvention under a fast-growing chain with bigger expansion plans, a more extensive brunch menu and a noticeably different personality.