Restaurants & Bars
April 26 Opening Day To Benefit Puerto Rico Hurricane Recovery
A portion of the proceeds from WEPA!'s opening will benefit hurricane relief in Puerto Rico.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- WEPA! Cocina de Puerto Rico will have its grand opening April 26 with a portion of sales that day going to PRxPR, a no-overhead nonprofit that supports Puerto Rico hurricane recovery efforts.
A celebration of Puerto Rican cuisine, WEPA! is located on 22nd Street South at 2149 3rd Ave. S. in St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts District. It seats up to 30 people in the dining room and 24 on the pet-friendly patio. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 9 p.m. for dinner.
The concept is authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, according to owner Jean Totti. WEPA! is the vision of Totti, who was born and raised in Puerto Rico. The menu items include traditional island recipes plus handwritten recipes going back three generations reflecting his Spanish and French family background.
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“WEPA! (pronounced Weh-pah) is a word of jubilation commonly used by Puerto Ricans,” said Totti. “The word is used especially as something is celebrated.”
“Working with these recipes for months, we’ve selected a range of dishes that will represent our culinary history,” Totti said. “Each menu item is made to order.”
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Get there early to guarantee a table. No reservations are accepted but you can call ahead for groups of eight people or larger.
Executive Chef Dan Varga is a corporate and executive chef as well as a skilled butcher. He was also selected as a participating chef in Flavored Nation, a 50-chef collaborative national event. He took part in the James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour Dinner in Columbus, Ohio, in 2018.
The kitchen staff also includes two Puerto Rican culinary arts students who are sharing their firsthand knowledge of Puerto Rican food.
Diners can experience street foods known as ”picadera.” In addition, traditional menu items include Masitas de Cerdo, Mofongo, Pernil and Chicharrones de Pollo from the island. Specials such as Paella and Pasteles will also be offered.
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