Balance House Cafe
Downtown St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Steep Index 7.9/10
A new wellness cafe on Central Avenue with surfboards on the walls, a long menu of matcha, espresso and protein drinks, and a warm crew, though our pumpkin spice latte lost the coffee entirely.
The Steep Index
Atmosphere leads on a well-appointed room, with solo and staying power close behind on plenty of seating and a friendly crew. The coffee is the soft spot: a seasonal latte so sweet the espresso never showed up.
- Coffee / Drink Quality: 6.2/10
- Atmosphere: 8.8/10
- Solo-Friendliness: 8.5/10
- Value: 7.6/10
- Staying Power: 8.4/10
- Overall: 7.9/10
Perfect for: reading
The Space
The interior is inviting and well appointed, with surfboards that give the room an easy, beachy calm. There is plenty of seating inside, so a table is rarely a problem. It is a new space and it still feels fresh.
The Coffee
The menu is long on libations: matcha, espresso, protein drinks and more. I ordered the seasonal pumpkin spice latte with cinnamon caramel cold foam, and it was too sweet for me, with no hint of an espresso shot at all. A flavoured seasonal drink is not a fair test of the coffee, but this one did not give the espresso a chance.
Come for the room and the welcome. Skip the sweet seasonal latte.
The Vibe
The staff are really warm and cordial, the kind who make a new space feel settled. It works well for a solo visit, whether you want to read or just switch off for a while.
The Verdict
A lovely room with a welcoming team and a menu worth exploring. Order something less sweet than I did, and it is an easy place to spend an unhurried hour on your own.
Practical information
- Address: 2152 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 33712, United States
- Price: $
- Type: wellness cafe
More in Downtown St. Petersburg
- Bad Mother Steep PickDowntown St. Petersburg · Steep Index 8.9/10
A dark, posh coffee bar inside the Station House, with a balanced, chocolate-and-berry flat white and staff who will talk about the beans.
- Daycation Coffee Steep PickDowntown St. Petersburg · Steep Index 8.8/10
A tiny owner-run shop just north of Central Avenue that looks like nothing from the street, where the owner and staff talk you through how to drink the house specialties.
- Coffee Concrete Steep PickDowntown St. Petersburg · Steep Index 8.7/10
A big, funky coffee bar inside a concrete design studio in the Warehouse Arts District, with a backyard patio and a latte worth the trip.
- Hogg Batch Coffee Roastery Steep PickDowntown St. Petersburg · Steep Index 8.7/10
A working roastery on Central Avenue that ages its beans in spirit barrels, pours only pour overs and cold brew, and does it better than anyone else in a city built on syrup lattes.
All cafes and bars in Downtown St. Petersburg →
More in St. Petersburg
- Sun Bear Steep PickDowntown St. Petersburg · Steep Index 8.6/10
A no-frills roaster in the Grand Central District with a berry-forward Ethiopian cortado, a peach and black tea cold brew, and a barista who will talk beans as long as you like.
- Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails Steep PickDowntown St. Petersburg · Steep Index 8.6/10
The same high-ceilinged Central Avenue room after dark, with a cocktail list that treats coffee as an ingredient and a Cafe Mexicana worth crossing town for.
- Southside Coffee Brew Bar Steep PickSouthside · Steep Index 8.4/10
A small, quirky South St. Pete cafe with a patio, a friendly counter and a latte with brown sugar notes.
- Intermezzo Coffee & CocktailsDowntown St. Petersburg · Steep Index 8.4/10
A high-ceilinged Central Avenue cafe that turns into a cocktail bar after dark, with a terrace out front and a room built for settling in with a laptop or a book.
- Black Crow Coffee Co.Downtown St. Petersburg · Steep Index 8.4/10
A funky, art-filled neighborhood cafe in Old Northeast with a piano in the corner and a crowd that actually talks to each other.
- Bandit Coffee Co. Steep PickDowntown St. Petersburg · Steep Index 8.4/10
A spacious, minimalist Central Avenue cafe that opens at 7am for espresso and a full breakfast menu, then pours wine, cocktails and beer.