Baba, which the operator's Instagram describes as one of St. Pete's most beloved Mediterranean restaurants, is closing after seven years. In its place, Chef Andrew Duncan and sommelier Danielle McCoy — the team that built Baba — are launching two Iberian-focused concepts under the same roof. The announcement, made via Instagram, frames the move as a complete reinvention rather than an evolution of the existing operation.
The pivot is a meaningful departure. Baba's identity has been Mediterranean — a category that broadly encompasses Greek, Levantine, and North African flavors — and the new direction shifts west to the Iberian Peninsula, centered on Spain and Portugal. That is a distinct culinary repositioning, not a menu refresh.
Kaixo
Kaixo will serve as the primary dining room and bar, with a concept built around Spanish and Portuguese flavors. The name comes from Basque — the greeting used across the Basque Country straddling the Spain-France border — which hints at a possible northern Spanish lean to at least part of the program. Whether the menu ranges across the full Iberian breadth or anchors to a specific regional tradition was not detailed in the announcement.
McCoy's role as sommelier positions the beverage program as a central pillar of Kaixo. Iberian wine — Rioja, Priorat, Douro, Galicia's Albariños — offers an expansive canvas, and a sommelier-led operation tends to build the cellar around the kitchen rather than as an afterthought. No specifics on either the menu or the wine program have been shared.
Barra Barra
The second concept, Barra Barra, takes a more casual format and will occupy the former Barbouni space within the same building. Barbouni was itself a Mediterranean concept that previously held that footprint. The name — barra translates to bar in Spanish — points toward a counter-oriented format, which would differentiate it from the dining-room posture of Kaixo.
That the team is operating two distinct concepts within what sounds like a shared footprint raises practical questions about kitchen arrangement, reservations, and hours. Those details have not surfaced yet.
No opening timeline, design credits, or staffing details were included in the Instagram post. The announcement does not specify whether Baba has already held its final service or when closing will occur.
Duncan and McCoy built Baba over seven years into a recognizable name on the St. Pete dining map — long enough to develop regulars and a clear identity, and long enough to feel the creative pull of something new. Walking away from a working concept with an established audience to build two businesses simultaneously is a considered bet, not an incremental move.
When Kaixo and Barra Barra open, they will enter a St. Pete dining market that has seen consistent activity across the peninsula. The former Barbouni footprint gives Barra Barra an immediate address within the building; how Duncan and McCoy calibrate the price point and format gap between the two rooms will determine whether the dual-concept structure reads as complementary or competing. Watch for a soft-open announcement once Baba closes for good.
