Dad’s Kitchen and Co. (Photo courtesy the Nick Ellis.)
The Good Page features positive LGBTQ+ news in Central Florida and Tampa Bay, uplifting and inspiring stories highlighting locals in our community. In this issue, we dine at Dad’s Kitchen and Co.
Located in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District, it feels less like a new restaurant and more like a home opening its doors to the neighborhood. The space carries the imprint of its founders — Nick Ellis, a social worker and Joseph Christianson, an experienced cook — “two proud dads raising four incredible kids.”
That identity is not a tagline. It is the blueprint. Ellis says their family life is the heart of everything. He explains that they wanted a place where anyone could walk in and immediately feel safe, respected and welcomed.
Christianson adds that the restaurant is “an extension of our family: warm, a little loud, full of love and open to everyone.”
Their adoptive parenting journey has shaped the space in profound ways. Two of their children have intellectual and physical disabilities, and that lived experience informs every decision.
“When you’re raising children with disabilities, you learn quickly that the world isn’t always designed with them in mind,” Ellis says. “Care isn’t an add‑on for us, it’s the baseline.”
Staff are trained to slow down, listen and meet people where they are. The environment is also intentionally calm with their values of kindness, respect and showing up for one another guiding the guest experience.
Christianson explains that kindness shows up in the small things: remembering a regular’s order, giving someone space when they need it or offering conversation when they don’t.
Their commitment to inclusive employment began long before Dad’s Kitchen and Co. at Roo Roo’s Diner in Largo, where they taught adults with disabilities work and life skills. The impact stayed with them.
“Inclusive employment isn’t a side project for us. It’s core to why we do this,” Ellis says. “It’s not about lowering expectations; it’s about removing barriers so people can meet them.”
As LGBTQ+ business owners who know what it feels like to be underestimated, they are determined to build a workplace where people of all abilities and identities are given a fair chance.
Choosing the Grand Central District was intentional. They say the neighborhood’s LGBTQ+ history and resilience drew them in immediately.
“It felt like home before we even opened the doors,” Christianson says. They hope to contribute to that legacy by creating a space where queer joy is visible in everyday moments.
That will soon take center stage with their new Sunday drag brunch, Dads and Drags, launching May 17 at 1 p.m.
“Queer joy and performance bring an energy that turns a meal into an experience,” Ellis says. Hosted by Veronica Foxx and Alice Marie Gripp with performances by Autumn Vee and REB3L, the brunch will blend comfort food with celebration. Read more:
The restaurant can also host parties and special events with advance notice. It offers beer and wine, but the menu reflects Christianson’s love of comfort classics with their family’s personality woven in.
Offerings include pancake tacos, biscuits with gravy and chicken and waffles. When asked to choose a favorite, Christianson laughs but admits, “I’d have to go with the Chicken St. Pete. It hits everything savory, crispy and comforting.”
Several dishes are named after their children, a choice that keeps the business grounded in what matters most. “Each name carries a story,” Ellis says. “It makes the experience feel more human, more connected, like you’re stepping into something real rather than something manufactured.”
Their goal is to create a space where LGBTQ+ joy feels natural, families feel supported and allies feel invited into a community built on respect and connection.
Looking ahead, they hope to expand programming, deepen community partnerships and create more structured opportunities for individuals with disabilities to gain hands‑on experience.
“The goal isn’t just expansion, it’s impact,” Ellis says. “We want to keep building a space where people feel like they belong, while opening more doors for others along the way.”
Dad’s Kitchen and Co. is located at 2105 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg. Visit Facebook.com/DadsKitchenAndCo for hours and more.
Interested in being featured in The Good Page? Email Editor-in-Chief Ryan Williams-Jent at Ryan@WatermarkOutNews.com in Tampa Bay or Central Florida Bureau Chief Bellanee Plaza at Bellanee@WatermarkOutNews.com in Central Florida.
Sign up for the Watermark Out News eNewsletter and follow us for more:
BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Threads | YouTube
