Meaghan Habuda



Tuesday afternoon, this reporter and others attended Locale Market's media preview, which gave us a good idea what the Sundial market will look like when it debuts at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Upstairs, in the private dining room of Locale's FarmTable Kitchen, co-owner Don Pintabona said that he and co-owner Michael Mina, who was also in the house, weren't sure, in the beginning, if there was enough local product to support the market's name.

According to Pintabona, that's why it was important for them to meet locals, farmers and ranchers, educators and the like. And as he told CL last month, he said he believes the market will become a mecca for the little guy.

When I asked him to describe St. Petersburg's food and drink scene, Pintabona called it "a wonderfully tight community," acknowledging the craft beer boom and the new vendors he meets each week at the Saturday Morning Market.

"[Local is] a lifestyle, not just a fad. People here live it," he said.

Maintaining its commitment to local and community outreach will define success for Locale, Pintabona said. Events that allow adults and youths to interact with farmers, cookbook authors and other area chefs are in the works.

In addition to those, he said he's excited about market items like his seasonally focused Roman-style pizzas, which just got their own program, and the sweets.

So, the region's heard about Locale, read about it, and here's a peek inside, starting from downstairs.