Ahhh.. Finally, summer time is over and the weather is beginning to change. This is my favorite time of the year! People are in better moods, the smell of pumpkin and cinnamon are in the air, jackets are being pulled out of closets and the humidity is slowly subsiding. It’s the best time to venture out and visit a local market in the area. Do you love fresh produce, breads, local honeys, pasta, local seafood, trinkets, jewelry and fresh flowers? Look no further! The Saturday Morning Market in St. Petersburg, FL has just about all you need for an adventurous day.

This market has it all, from actual farmers, great food, interesting crafts and lively music. For food, they have an array of gourmet ‘ready-to-eat’ and ‘take home’ food with more nationalities or styles than any market in the US. Alongside the ‘ready-to-eat’ food, they have a great variety of artisan food vendors that range from fresh seafood, baked goods, dips, jams, pastas, salsas, pastries, popsicles, truffles, spices, cheeses and jerky just to name a few. The coolest thing? They specifically select their food vendors for their nutritional value. (Nothing is fried at this market!)

Here are my Top 3 Favorites at the Market:

The all natural artisan pops by Pop Craft. Pop Craft is a business based in Sarasota, Florida and started their "pop" journey in 2009. These sweet and healthy frozen treats are sure to please. Everything is made with high quality ingredients and nothing is artificial.  They offer about 18 different flavors ranging from Blueberry Lemon Basil, Roasted Banana with Candied Pecans, Raspberry Avocado Lime and Caramelized Pumpkin with Ginger just to name a few. My personal favorite is the Coconut Cream! The good thing is once your addicted, you have the option to order these incredible frozen concoctions online and they ship for free if you live in Florida!

Ricky P’s New Orleans Cuisine - Ricky is straight from the swamps of Louisiana and boy can you tell by his cooking. He makes an incredible Jambalaya and an even better Gumbo with chicken, andouille sausage and crab. Mmmm.. serve that with a slice of buttered French bread and you’re set! Don’t forget to stop by his local restaurant, which is also located in Downtown St. Petersburg, FL.  

Last but not least, Pappardelles --The Fine Art of Pasta. They have a massive quantity available in all different flavors, shapes and sizes. You have the option of flat cut, orzo, lasagna and different fun shapes to choose from. The “flavorings” they use in their pasta are sourced from the industry’s highest quality producers. They do not use preservatives or unnatural flavorings in their pasta. Everything is natural. With so many options, from Basil Tangerine Fettuccine to Dark Chocolate Linguine, it’s truly hard to choose! They are all so darn delicious. If you’re in the area on a Saturday, stop by and enjoy beautiful downtown St. Petersburg, FL! The Saturday Morning Market is located at: 100 1st St SE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 Open every Saturday starting October 3rd through late May each year from 9am – 2pm.