Marketplace, the community space for an array of dining options is slowly emerging from under the rubble. Indeed, prior to COVID-19, with renovations on in earnest, many potential diners had to check out options elsewhere. Thursday Food is delighted that traffic is slowly returning to one of its fave spots. We highlight a few:

Sham’s Bakery & Mediterranean Cuisine

One of the restaurants to resurface with a renewed space and look is Sham’s , offering the most authentic Mediterranean food in town. Located in what was once a hole in the wall towards the back of Marketplace, Sham’s has been around for many years, sharing with customers a real, no-frills food journey. But now, the restaurant has been renovated to offer a much larger and more comfortable dining experience, holding more significance now more than ever due to the Government-enforced dine-in restrictions limiting the amount of people in public spaces at any given time.

During a typical lunch at Sham’s you’ll encounter the restaurant’s regulars sitting and chatting with the owner, adding to the overall friendly and welcoming energy of the space. The food is flavourful, healthy, tasty, and affordable! The menu consists of classic Lebanese dishes and can be customised to make your favourite lunch or dinner. An added plus is that, unlike most places, the pita bread is actually freshly baked daily in the bakery attached to the restaurant.

In addition to the newly renovated space allowing for a safe and socially distant dine-in experience, Sham’s also facilitates orders made by phone for a fast turnaround on takeout orders.

Marianna’s Kitchen

For those in search of creative vegan options, look no further than Marianna’s Kitchen.

Head chef and founder Marianna Farag infuses elements of her Egyptian, Syrian and French cultures, as well as inspirations from her travels around the world, into her cooking. Unlike the typical ital-style vegan food, she utilises a range of more Middle Eastern-inspired spices; however, each meal is seldom the same. Marianna’s marries ingredients in an innovative and colourful way, highlighting the various uses and nutritional benefits of adding a high diversity of foods to a meal. She also engages with customers virtually, through a visual and educational experience, posting live demonstrations and pictures of the many flavours and spices that go into each dish. Customers leave having not simply completed a meal but knowing from which side of the world their meal was inspired and its health benefits.

Farag keeps things fresh with a daily changing menu — great for those who are constantly wanting to try something new. She has a way of making healthy food look enticing, colourful, and vibrant; each main comes with a fresh side of greens.

On Thursday Food’s list of favourites are her quinoa crusted pumpkin nuggets, vegan chicken tenders, and vegan kofta, to name a few. For those healthy-goers who still have a sweet tooth, she has baked goods almost daily. Depending on the day, the food can be a hit or possibly a slight miss (if you’re looking for heavier, junkier or richer tasting foods). There’s no doubt, however, that she has a cult-like following.

Customer service and smiles are also an unwavering part of the Marianna’s experience. Even amongst the fears and anxieties surrounding COVID-19, and though you’re not able to see the smiles behind the masks of the staff, you can undoubtedly hear it in their voices and see it in their eyes.

Marianna’s has adapted well to the crisis, offering takeout meals and also by remaining active on social media with a constant stream of recipes and tips for cooking on your own. There have been fun collaborations with local vegan companies, such as @thenicecreamja, plus the support of local businesses via social media. Farag and the kitchen also operate in a socially responsible way, which deserves recognition, by acting as a farmers’ market space, as well as hosting food drives for communities. It’s definitely a small business you would want to support during this time.

PS: Look out for the inspirational and uplifting message that may be written on your takeout box!

The Fromage Brasserie

One of the more popular and well-known names around town is Fromage. An offshoot of the original Fromage Bistro is the Brasserie at the Marketplace. The company was forced to pivot as a result of its site being under construction as well as COVID-19. But resolve remained to provide sound food experiences like the take-out “family-sized meals” which feed four to eight people depending on the option.

As we adapt to a new way of life, and adjust to more family meals at home, this is a great option for those who miss the flavours of an elevated meal or are just tired of cooking for the whole family. If “value for money” were a meal it would be this one. On offer are menu favourites like the Korean BBQ ribs, chicken parmigiana and beef lasagne — all served in a to-go tray with a free side and a half-gallon bottle of lemonade.

For those still hoping to get the authentic dining experience in the restaurant, Fromage Brasserie has one of the airier and spacious restaurant spaces allowing for limited seating. The restaurant has taken the necessary health and safety precautions with staff wearing masks and sanitiser easily accessible to customers.

Sham’s Bakery & Mediterranean Cuisine

Address: Unit 22, Marketplace, 67 Constant Spring Rd, Kingston 10

Phone: 876-410-3317

Marianna’s Kitchen

Address: 67 Constant Spring Rd, Kingston 10

Phone: 876-668-2092

Fromage Brasserie

Address: 67 Constant Spring Rd, Kingston 10

Phone: 876-649-0820/21