Marketplace Feature: Island Flavors and Tings
Island Flavors and Tings has a unique specialty, and it’s cooking up Caribbean-inspired breads, cakes, spices, and savory Jamaican cuisine. This St. Pete Pier Marketplace vendor describes itself as “a unique showplace of the cultural richness of the Caribbean Islands,” and one visit is all it takes to see that Island Flavors and Tings delivers on all counts! With extensive menus and catering services filled with Caribbean influence and traditional Jamaican favorites, this local favorite has been bringing a unique flavor to the area since 1995.
Award-winning entrepreneur, chef and owner Helena Josephs celebrates the diverse heritage of the Caribbean with savory, sweet, and light dishes that strike a balance between something new and something cherished. Every menu item reflects her unique cultural heritage. With two locations in Gulfport and St. Pete, she has raised the bar on hospitality with fresh, delicious menu items that keep both locals and visitors coming back.
Island Flavors and Tings’ menus feature flavors of hot peppers and citrus, slowly stirred sauces seasoned to perfection, intense curries, jerk chicken, fried plantains, and seafood with tropical fruits. In addition to these savory Jamaican dishes, the shop’s unforgettable sweet breads and cakes steal the show as well. Helena’s famous mango bread, Calypso cake, and rum balls are offered alongside specialty drinks like sorrel with hibiscus, ginger, and spices.
While Island Flavors and Tings restaurant and catering is headquartered in Gulfport, their location at the Marketplace on the Pier is open this spring and summer from:
March 7 – May 31, Thursdays – Sundays, 10am-6pm
June 1 – August 31, Fridays – Sundays, 12pm-8pm
You’ll find many of their popular grocery staples like Calypso sauce, hot pepper sauce, and fresh original recipe breads and cakes. Next time you’re visiting the St. Pete Pier, be sure to stop by the Marketplace and take home a chocolate rum cake! It’s a delicious exPIERience you’re sure to love!