NORFOLK, Va. - Looking for a last-minute gift idea you can't find anywhere else? Selden Market is your place...and you can fill your tummy with some unique flavors in the process.
This week for Takeout Tuesday, News 3 is featuring the one-of-a-kind food concepts inside the market located in Downtown Norfolk with entrances on both Plume and Main Streets.
Vessel Craft Coffee
Vessel Craft Coffee opened with Selden Market in 2017.
The coffee shop gets its coffee from small, sustainable farms from around the world, tracking growing patterns in order to find the best product.
When News 3 was there, Vessel was featuring coffee from countries like Nicaragua and Ethiopia.
Operations Manager Jess Ritter says a lot of the shop's business has typically come from people who work Downtown, but the COVID-19 pandemic is still keeping a lot of them working from home so Vessel had to get creative.
"We were able to start going online and really reaching out," said Ritter. "We're actually getting customers all the way out on the West Coast and more in middle America because we're able to branch out with online sales so that's helped us a lot."
Slide Thru #FAM
One storefront over from Vessel is Slide Thru #FAM, a hip hop-inspired spot featuring traditional Filipino and American foods and flavors and combining them in a unique way.
Try the Mango Adobo slider, the phonetically spelled PAHN-sit or the Brekky Lumpia.
Slide Thru #FAM opened in 2018. The people behind it say it's the loyal customers keeping them open during the pandemic.
"There's a lot of people that will go out of their way, come here and buy catering-size orders and do very thoughtful things to sustain us during this time," said Matt Thompson, one of the staff members at Slide Thru #FAM. "Even during the early-onset of the pandemic we've had those excellent customers come in and show us that love and support."
S'mores Amore
It's a similar story next door at S'mores Amore which is taking the campfire favorite to new heights with, yes, the traditional graham cracker/chocolate/marshmallow combo, but also other flavors like strawberry shortcake, ube and, for Christmas, eggnog (21 and over, please!).
S'mores Amore is run by the husband and wife team Duane and Kristine Dinio.
Duane is the chef behind the s'mores and Kristine is the friendly face torching them up front.
"You know, we're in it together. I like to say she's definitely the better half outside here. People always comment about how pleasant Kristine is with them," said Duane Dinio. "It also frees me up to be consistent in the back as far as making new product creations and maintaining the flavor."
Prior to the pandemic, S'mores Amore did a lot of business in catering in addition to the Selden Market storefront. A growing profile and a deal with Wegman's in Virginia Beach has helped sustain the business since COVID-19 hit.
Vessel Craft Coffee, Slide Thru #FAM and S'mores Amore have varying hours as do the other pop-up eateries inside Selden Market.
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