What is in season in Tampa. and what to order when the market changes.
Spring
- Florida sweet corn: Florida's sweet corn harvest runs February through April, with Plant City and the Hillsborough farms supplying Tampa farmers markets. Best at Seminole Heights Sunday market.
- Florida strawberries: Plant City's strawberry harvest peaks late February through April. The Florida Strawberry Festival runs the first week of March with Parkesdale Farm Market as the year-round retail anchor.
- Hearts of palm: Florida swamp cabbage hearts of palm peak in spring; Ulele on the Riverwalk runs it as a side, and farmers markets sell jarred.
- Spring mullet: Florida mullet runs in the Bay early spring; smoked mullet shows up at fish markets and as appetizers at Old Florida restaurants like Skipper's.
Summer
- Florida mango: Florida mango (Kent, Keitt, Tommy Atkins) peaks June through August, sold at Hyde Park Sunday market and the international markets in West Tampa.
- Lychee: Florida lychee harvest peaks late June through July; available at Asian markets in Tampa and as a cocktail garnish at Tanto in Seminole Heights.
- Florida grouper: Grouper season runs through summer; Frenchy's in Clearwater, Ulele in Tampa Heights and Doc Ford's in St Pete run grouper sandwiches off Gulf catches.
- Datil pepper: Florida heritage hot pepper from St Augustine; appears as a hot sauce on Tampa Cuban sandwiches and at the deviled crab counters in late summer.
Autumn
- Stone crab claws: Stone crab season opens October 15 and runs through May 1. Joe's Stone Crab in Miami leads but Tampa's seafood shops at the Sparkman Wharf carry fresh claws weekly.
- Blackfin tuna: Gulf blackfin tuna peaks October through January. Noble Rice at Sparkman Wharf runs blackfin nigiri off Florida catches plus weekly Toyosu imports.
- Florida oysters (Apalachicola): Apalachicola Bay oysters peak in cooler months; Bern's Steak House and The Pearl on Water Street run them by the half-dozen.
- Citrus: Florida citrus (Honeybell, Murcott, navel) peaks November through January; the Tampa farmers markets sell direct from Polk County growers.
Winter
- Stone crab claws (continued): Stone crab season runs through May 1; jumbo claws cost the most and are best mid-season (January, February). Joe's Stone Crab Miami plus Sparkman Wharf fish counters in Tampa.
- Mullet (smoked): Florida mullet smokes through winter as the traditional Old Florida fish; Ted Peters in St Pete is the regional standard, plus markets in Tampa and Crystal River.
- Florida strawberries (early): Plant City strawberries start appearing December and January, before the February-March peak; farm stands sell direct from picking through the spring.
- Cuban Nochebuena pork: Tampa Cuban Christmas Eve tradition: whole roasted mojo pork served with yuca, black beans and yellow rice. La Teresita and the Cuban bakeries take Nochebuena orders by late November.