Ferg's Dog Park & Grill
A St. Pete institution near the ballpark, built almost entirely from the city's own reclaimed history.
🕰️ History & background
Ferg's started in 1992 when Mark Ferguson, a Pinellas County schoolteacher at the time, bought a rundown gas station across from what was then the Florida Suncoast Dome — years before St. Petersburg even had a Major League team to fill it. When the Devil Rays arrived in 1998, Ferg's became part of the ritual, connected to the stadium by a tunnel under 1st Avenue. Built partly from reclaimed materials — old school gymnasium floors, pieces of a former hospital, even wood from the Derby Lane dog track — Ferg's has grown to nearly two city blocks and was ranked the #1 local sports bar in America by USA Today in 2025.
🐕 What's there now
A sports bar and grill with a dog-friendly outdoor area, great for game day when the whole crew — four legs included — wants to come along.
🗺️ Nearby
Worth a stop: the rest of the EDGE District along Central Ave, packed with bars and restaurants that get lively on Rays game days.