ORLANDO, Fla. – These grocery stores have items you won’t find at your local Publix or Winn-Dixie. Pine Hills is home to several international supermarkets offering Caribbean, Asian, and Latin cuisine.
Curtis and Rethel Hunter were doing some early Thanksgiving grocery shopping at Enson Market (5132 W Colonial Drive, Orlando) purchasing chicken gizzards and livers. Enson Market is an Asian grocery store off Pine Hills Road and Colonial Drive. It’s located in the Chinatown plaza.
“Their prices are reasonable. The store is clean and everyone is so nice here,” said Curtis.
Rethel said she loves the large assortment of teas.
For Ai Mao, it’s all about getting a taste of home.
“I’m from China so I’ve got to find my food,” said Ai Mao.
She lives in The Villages and drives over an hour to shop at Enson Market.
“The drive doesn’t bother me, this is essential,” said Ai Mao. “In Orlando, we have a lot of Chinese, so it’s nice to have a store like this because otherwise, you eat hamburgers, steak, it’s great for Americans. For us, we’ve got to have our noodles, tofu, something that makes your stomach feel good.”
Along with exotic vegetables, the grocery store has a large variety of meats, fish, and noodles. They also serve food inside that you can order for take-out.
Across the street, customers are checking out groceries from a different type of cuisine.
“I’m from Jamaica, so most of the foods and snacks are in here that I love,” said a woman a the checkout counter.
The Caribbean Supercenter, also located off Pine Hills Road and Colonial Drive has aisles and aisles of Caribbean-based products like Jerk seasoning, Red label and unique snacks like Bon Bon Bums.
“Although you’re away from home you somewhat feel like you’re there. My son is one and he likes the same [Caribbean] snacks as well as my daughter. If it wasn’t here, they wouldn’t have any part of my culture,” said the woman.
Dinesh Ragoo shops at the Caribbean Supercenter weekly.
“It’s like you’re home again because you can find the same products you’re accustomed to,” said Ragoo.
The Caribbean Supercenter (5111 W Colonial Drive, Orlando) is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a Customer Appreciation Day event on November 16th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be Special Sales, samples and tastings, giveaways, and raffles.
Further north along Pine Hills Road, you’ll find Presidente Supermarket (2722 N Pine Hills Road, Orlando), with Latin-based products and unique juices.
Neighbors said these international grocery stores are representative of not just Pine Hills, but all of Central Florida.
“It shows the diversity in the community and we have different food to choose from in addition to Publix and Winn-Dixie and the other ones,” said Curtis Hunter.
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