Juici Patties Opens First Treasure Coast Location in Port St. Lucie

For years, Port St. Lucie's Jamaican community made the drive to West Palm Beach just to taste a patty from home. That trip ends now.

Juici Patties, the iconic Jamaican fast-food chain that launched in the 1980s and has expanded into the United States, opened its first Treasure Coast location at 3213 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd. A grand opening celebration is set for Saturday, May 23 at 11 a.m.

Co-owner Earl Simpson Jr. has been watching Port St. Lucie grow for nearly two decades and saw what others missed. "I've been researching and following Port St. Lucie since 2008-2009, so I've seen the rise," Simpson said. "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?"

While competing restaurant investors chased the South Florida crowds in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Simpson's team bet on a city they believed was being overlooked. The gamble appears to be paying off. "They've welcomed us with open arms," Simpson said.

Store Manager Randel Turner, who was born in Jamaica and has lived in Florida for nearly a decade, said customers lined up before the doors opened. "They came before the store opened and said they want it open because they had to drive to West Palm," Turner said. "But now, right in their backyard, they can walk to the location."

The menu centers on four patty varieties: spicy beef, mild, curry chicken and spinach. Each is made with Scotch bonnet peppers, pimentos and proprietary seasoning inside a flaky, buttery crust. Patties can be paired with cocoa bread, a soft Jamaican staple that Managing Director Delroy Josephs of BLC Equity Partners, which oversees restaurant operations, called a runaway hit. "Pretty much everyone walks out with a cocoa bread, cocoa bread and the patty," Josephs said.

The response since opening has stunned even the ownership. "It's overwhelming. It's amazing, exceeds expectations," Josephs said. "People were waiting for this thing."

Saturday's grand opening celebration will include free patty giveaways, golden ticket prizes, merchandise, live entertainment and fresh coconut water served straight from the coconut, Simpson said. Doors open at 11 a.m.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.