We
spent the day on Tuesday wandering St. Petersburg with our friends Laura and
Thu. We started the afternoon off at Locale Market – which just opened in
the brand new Sundial shopping mall (previously called Baywalk).
The
market is led by chefs Michael Mina and Don Pintabona and consists of 11
different food stations in a gorgeously designed space. When I was in college studying interior
design, one of our school projects was to design a gourmet grocery store. This is everything I could have imagined and
even more! The signage, artfully
arranged displays, and even the plating of the food are all so thoughtfully
crafted – it is clear their designers were attentive to the little details.
It
spans two stories and has everything – including a butcher, bakery, freshly
made pasta, cheese, and charcuterie stations, produce, wine, beer, kitchen
gadgets, and even ready-to-eat meals that can be enjoyed on their outdoor
patio.
While
wandering, Thu enjoyed a grapefruit sorbet that was tart and refreshing. We were given free samples as we walked
around – including mozzarella that had just been made, sausage, and some delicious
cheese.
We
ordered some lunch at the counter to eat out on the patio – the smoked St.
Louis ribs with guava BBQ sauce came with an almond, molasses and marshmallow
filled sweet potato and braised greens.
Lance had the Commander Hileman’s fried chicken, with potato &
mushroom gratin and also served with greens.
The
seasoning on the ribs was incredible – and the fried chicken was surprisingly
light with a bit of citrusy flavor. The sides
were equally as delicious. We were blown
away by our meals.
It
reminds me of Mazzaro’s Market (although it is definitely on the higher end for
prices…) It has only been open since
December 17th, but it has already had rave reviews. The quality of everything they sell is
top-notch. If I had tons of money to
splurge, I would buy this place out.
Locale
Market is located at 179
2nd Ave North St. Petersburg, Florida
33701 and is open 10am – 9pm Monday – Saturday and 12pm – 8pm on
Sunday.
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