PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — After decades of success in Jamaica and their expansion into the United States, Juici Patties has chosen Port St. Lucie for their latest location, bringing authentic Caribbean cuisine to Florida's Treasure Coast.
Earl Simpson Jr., co-owner of Juici Patties Port St. Lucie, has been watching the city's growth for almost two decades.
"I've been researching and following Port St. Lucie since 2008-2009, so I've seen the rise," Simpson explains. "I realized there's a lot of Caribbeans up here, and I thought, what would be better than to bring something from home to Jamaica, where they can experience it here while they're living here?"
The company, which started in Jamaica in the 1980s, represents the first Jamaican brands to be exported to the United States. While many businesses flock to Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Simpson and his team saw an opportunity in Port St. Lucie's overlooked market.
"We don't want to follow the crowd, let's try to go outside of the box," Simpson says. "We decided to come to Port St. Lucie because it was overlooked, and they've welcomed us with open arms."
The restaurant's success feels especially meaningful to Store Manager Randel Turner, who was born and raised in Jamaica and has called Florida home for over a decade.
"In Port St. Lucie, there's a large contingent of Jamaican population, so some people might call it a little Jamaica in Port St. Lucie," Turner explains. "They are excited. They came before the store opened and said they want it open because they had to drive to West Palm, but now, right in their backyard, they can walk to the location."
Turner's journey to Port St. Lucie took him from Jamaica's tourism industry to Turks and Caicos before settling in Florida nearly a decade ago.
The response from Port St. Lucie residents has been nothing short of extraordinary, according to Delroy Josephs, Managing Director of BLC Equity Partners, which oversees restaurant operations for Juici Patties.
"It's overwhelming. It's amazing, exceeds expectations," Josephs says. "People were waiting for this thing, and they've been waiting, waiting, waiting. As you can see, they just keep rolling in. Daily, we just say, 'See you tomorrow,' and they are back. 'See you tomorrow,' and they are back."
For those unfamiliar with Jamaican patties, Simpson offers a simple comparison.
"Think of a burger in a flaky, buttery, warm crust," Simpson said.
But the authentic flavors set Juici Patties apart from other options.
"Inside of our patties, it's not just beef," Simpson explains. "We have Scotch bonnet peppers, we have pimentos, we have proprietary seasoning that we've put into all of our patties."
Turner, who has been passionate about cooking since age 10, brings his culinary expertise to the menu, which features four main varieties of patties: spicy beef, mild, curry chicken, and spinach.
Customers can customize their patties with cheese, bacon, avocado, and other toppings. The restaurant also serves patties on cocoa bread—a buttery, soft Jamaican staple.
"Cocoa bread goes off the chain. I cannot have too much of it," Josephs laughs. "Hot seller, hot, hot, hot. Pretty much everyone walks out with a cocoa bread, cocoa bread and the patty."
Beverages include traditional Coca-Cola products, fresh juices, and sorrel—a hibiscus flower drink that's a Caribbean staple with no added sugar.
Juici Patties is planning what Simpson calls "one of the biggest grand openings they've ever seen" for this Memorial Day weekend.
The celebration will feature free patty giveaways, golden ticket prizes, merchandise, fresh coconut water served straight from the coconut, live entertainment, and more.
"If you haven't walked through this door yet, Saturday will be the grand opening. Please make sure you make every effort, come and enjoy the Jamaican patty, and come and enjoy the Jamaican cuisine, and it's all fun on Saturday," Turner said.
For those still on the fence about trying Jamaican patties, Josephs offers this guarantee:
"Expect authentic Jamaican flavors, menu, recipe—everything put together all in this patty. Very good," Josephs said.
Juici Patties Port St. Lucie is located at 3213 SW Port St Lucie Blvd. The grand opening celebration begins Saturday, May 23 at 11 a.m.
