Story and photo by Taylor Tew
The world’s best pineapple can be found at the Saturday Morning Market in downtown St. Petersburg.
That’s according to Dean Moustafa, a finance student at USF St. Petersburg who runs Rudy’s Fresh Market, a produce vendor that occupies a nook on the east side of the weekly market.
Rudy’s serves fresh juice and produce as well as homemade hummus.
The market, which is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from October through May, bills itself as the largest outdoor market in the Southeast.
On a typical Saturday, an estimated 10,000 visitors fill the parking lot of Al Lang Stadium at the corner of First Street S and First Avenue to listen to live music and shop for crafts and food like Moustafa’s pineapple.
“This is not just any kind of pineapple; this is the world’s best pineapple!” he chants as each new group of people walks by.
On a table at Moustafa’s stand, there is a cardboard box with the words “College Funds” written in black sharpie and dollar bills poking out. A sign leaning against a table reads, “The World’s Best Pineapple, 2 for 7.”
Moustafa, 24, has worked the Saturday Morning market since he was 6. His parents, Mohamed Elsayed and Mono Khalifa, were among the first vendors when the market began in 2002.
Rudy’s used to be associated with a brick-and-mortar location on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street N in St. Petersburg, but it is now closed because of illness in the family.
Moustafa said that his favorite part about working the market is meeting new people and the sense of community it brings. His least favorite part is getting up at 2 a.m. to prepare for the market.
“It takes the whole crew; we hire a few people, but it’s a family operation,” said Moustafa.
On a recent Saturday, Moustafa had a steady line of customers and spoke to each one as he sliced their fruit for them.
A few people hovered nearby, recording the scene with their phones as he skinned and cored each pineapple. It was obvious he’d done the 20-second routine countless times.
“How many times have you cut yourself?” asked customer Barbara Bailey.
“A few times. If you don’t make a mistake, you can never learn,” Moustafa said.
Moustafa will soon earn his finance degree from the university. Then Rudy’s will go up for sale, he said, or they’ll find a way to keep it in the family.
What makes it the world’s best pineapple?
Simple, he said. It’s because it’s served by him.
Who’s here from that girls tiktok? Lol
Every year I have a girls trip to St Pete and the first thing we did was stop and get our pineapple from Dean at the market. We enjoyed watching him work and we bought enough pineapple to have with breakfast every day of our vacation. It is the BEST pineapple. We haven’t been there in 2 years due to COVID and we are disappointed that this year our flight arrive after the market closes. Maybe in another year if he is still there. Dean hope you already have that degree and are putting it to great use.