Temple Terrace snack shop puts Tampa Bay twist on Turkish treats

TEMPLE TERRACE, Fla. - Roasted! is a Middle Eastern snack shop located in Temple Terrace. The name comes from the roasted coffee and nuts they serve. But the store offers much more in the way of chocolates, gummies, spices and Middle Eastern knick-knacks.

"It kind of is like a Middle Eastern candy store," laughed owner Loai Kader.

The star attraction at Roasted! is the wide variety of Turkish treats called lokum, better known as Turkish delights. The shop carries about 45 different flavors in a 12-foot window showcase.

"They’re nougat-based, so it has a marshmallow filling in it. The majority of them have nuts on the inside and outside," Loai described.

The shop gets creative, asking their distributor in Turkey to make Turkish delights with everything from Oreos to Snickers bars wrapped inside.

The gummies at Roasted! are halal, meaning they are made with no pork, a common ingredient in most gummy brands.

The nuts and seeds the shop carries come in from California and then get roasted in a warehouse in Plant City.

"Nuts and seeds are big in the Middle East if you have guests over," Loai continued.

The Turkish coffee includes a popular spice called cardamom. "It just gives it that perfect kick."

Roasted! is located at 11301 N 56th St in Temple Terrace. They also offer free shipping on their website, www.roasted813.com.