Where to go for a lazy weekend lunch? This French bistro in St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG — Every now and then I find myself on a Saturday afternoon around 2 p.m. starved and unsure of where to go for a late, leisurely weekend lunch, and then I remember: Left Bank Bistro in St. Petersburg.

The charming French restaurant and bar opened in 2018, serving classic French bistro fare out of a beautifully renovated 1920s bungalow a couple miles north of downtown.

Lunch or brunch is served until 3 p.m., and the flexible hours allow for lazy afternoon drop-ins at a time when there’s usually always a table available, no advance reservations or planning required.

The chic and cozy aesthetic is part of this spot’s charm, but I’m also partial to the shady wraparound patio out back, where it’s easy to while away the hours over a glass of wine — or two.

A tarragon chicken salad sandwich is served on a croissant with little Gem lettuce at St. Petersburg’s Left Bank Bistro. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

You can’t go wrong with the Bistro Frites ($14), served with garlic truffle aioli, a creamy curry remoulade and Fresno chili aioli for dipping. On most days I’d be more than happy to pair the fries with a big Salade Nicoise ($25), which comes topped with seared tuna, eggs, olives, haricot vert, capers, tomatoes, potatoes and a lemon caper vinaigrette.

The spot’s sandwiches are a great bet, too, especially when accompanied by a crisp green salad.

I love the Tarragon Chicken Salad Sandwich ($18), which arrives on a toasted croissant and is chock-full of grapes, walnuts and celery, all swathed in a creamy tarragon dressing and paired with pickled onions and fresh little Gem lettuce.

Also good is the Seafood Salad Sandwich ($23), which comes on a croissant and features a hefty medley of lobster, crab and shrimp in a tangy dill dressing.

The Colette cocktail is served at Left Bank Bistro in St. Petersburg. [ HELEN FREUND | Tampa Bay Times ]

One of the spot’s best selling points is the cocktail program, which includes a short but creative list of craft libations including the Colette ($14), which is made with gin, elderflower liqueur, Aperol, sparkling wine and lemon juice. It’s a lovely, fizzy drink that goes down way too easily.

1225 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N., St. Petersburg. 727-256-1691. theleftbankbistro.com.