Which grocery store?

[ryanwanger.livejournal.com]

While we're on the subject...

Any recommendations for nearby grocery stores besides Shaws? I absolutely hate that place. It's so crowded, and the prices aren't great. So ideally, some place that's cheaper where you don't bump into someone every 3 seconds.

Discuss.

Comments

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

Farmer's markets: Weds. in davis, Sat. in Union sq. ... google MA Farmer's Markets for a complete list.

The Shaws in Porter is very crowded. Try going during off hours if you can. The one in the Twin Cities mall is larger and less crowded; the one on Beacon St. in Somerville is less crowded but also not renovated and not very nice.

The River Street whole foods is perhaps the best, although the one out in Alewife is expanding dramatically soon.

[derekp.livejournal.com]

I've heard the expansion is actually open now.

[fraterrisus]

i can confirm this, though there is still ongoing work inside the new addition (as of last weekend).

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

the one on Beacon St. in Somerville is less crowded but also not renovated and not very nice.

... or kind of nostalgic, depending.

[grapefruiteater.livejournal.com]

Oh good, so I'm not the only one who thinks of the Beacon St. Stah Mahket as a nostalgia fest. It's like the supermarkets I used to go to with my dad when I was little. Mismatched linoleum, harsh lighting, sorta cramped... So great.

[lena-a-mermaid.livejournal.com]

Ha Ha. The one on Beacon Street is the one I used to go to with my Dad when I was little. Not much different.

[warlord-mit.livejournal.com]

There's the Star Market on Beacon Street (across the bridge from Somerville Ave on the other side of Porter), the Market Basket on Somerville Ave (near Union Sq), and the Foodmaster on Broadway and Route 16.

[jmorash.livejournal.com]

Market Basket is no-holds-barred combat shopping... not what the OP is looking for. Cheap, and good produce, though.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I refuse to go into that Market Basket. I like to be able to breathe while I'm shopping.

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

That's an excellent way to put it. I consider it worth it most of the time, since the prices and produce quality are so much better than normal stores, but boy is it frustrating!

try it @ 3 pm

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

try it @ 3 pm - maybe a little later. I did this week and it was like a Market basket ghost town: more restockers than shoppers! Amazing.

Even with the crowds at other times - I still always prefer it to shaw's.

Re: try it @ 3 pm

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

well, sure, if I was not at work then...

I prefer to go early Sunday morning, but T/W evenings are usually ok.

I always feel ripped off when I go to the big stores now.

[ron_newman]

and another Foodmaster on Beacon Street near Inman Square.

[michele-blue.livejournal.com]

I actually like that one. Never crowded, and compact enough (without being omg tiny) for efficient shopping.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Though carpeted, which is a bit odd.

[ifotismeni]

hahah i live and die by mahket basket! love that place.

[viellen]

If you're going for lots of space to move around, I'd suggest the Super Stop n' Shop over on McGrath right past Broadway. It's not Davis Sq, but it's in the Somerville neighborhood and easy to get to by car. It's also huge and they have really fresh food that tends to be cheaper than Shaws.

Market Basket is great for cheap food, but the crowds there are sometimes worse than the Porter Sq. Shaws.

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

I am told that Market Basket tends to be especially crowded right around the first of the month-- it's a largely discount-oriented store and many people on public assistance shop there, and stock up as soon as they get their checks.

[mamajoan.livejournal.com]

Food stamps are distributed over the first two weeks of the month, based on the recipient's SSN. (And they are distributed electronically, not by check.) Unemployment insurance benefits are paid weekly. I don't know about welfare or Social Security checks, but I think the notion that "poor people flood the discount supermarket on the first when they get their checks" is, ahem, a bit inaccurate.

Personally I've been to Market Basket at many times throughout the week/month: early morning, midafternoon, just before closing; every day of the week and month...and it's ALWAYS crowded. But it's worth fighting through those crowds, in my opinion, because the prices are much lower and the produce is higher quality.

[grapefruiteater.livejournal.com]

Agreed and agreed.

Market Basket is great and is worth a trip for stock-up or regular shopping, but it's always crowded. Prepare yourself mentally and it'll be fine. The crowds are one of the things I like about Mahket Basket—reminds me of shopping at Fairway on the Upper West Side when I lived in New York, so it keeps me on my toes.

[nowalmart.livejournal.com]

Market Basket is definitely a shopping experience. It is almost always busy, but it also follows the typical grocery store busy times - between about 4pm and 6pm it is busier as people get off work and so on.

Once you get used to it (and realize that if you can do without a grocery cart you are MUCH better off), though, it definitely grows on you.

I would get my major grocery runs at the Mahket Basket and refill at the Foodmaster near my house on occasion.

Defintely more crowded at the evening rush

[avjudge]

I shop primarily Market Basket, and find that it does make a difference when you go - if you're able, go earlier in the day. The closer to 5 pm, the crazier - by 5 I've had to wait for a parking space - so I try to go before 3 (or just before closing). Not saying it's not somewhat crowded all the time, but it's not so much of a madhouse.

As mentioned below, definitely McKinnon's for meat - I make food for my cats (except they're deciding they don't like it, prefer cheapo cat food) and they have rabbit cheaper than any place I've found, and chicken hearts (a source of taurine the cats need). Plus meat for people.

Anne

[enhf94.livejournal.com]

SSI checks come on the first; SSDI checks come on the third. There's some adjustments for when the first or third are on a weekend day.

I certainly agree that Market Basket is always crowded! I only go at 7am when they open. Agreed on the prices, the produce (best around) and also the fish, which they sell in incredibly high volume so it's very fresh and there are lots of cuts (whole fish, fillets, steaks, heads, bones). Same with variety meats like tripe - none better. Market Basket is my favorite!

[jennyelfenmass.livejournal.com]

The one in Burlington is waaaaaaaaaaay less crowded. Fortunately I work in Burlington and drive past the MB on the way home.

[pushupstairs.livejournal.com]

second on the Stop and Shop. I highly endorse it, and luckily for me it's right down the street.

there is the Star Market on Broadway at Temple St., but I hesitate to mention its mere existence because it easily the single worst grocery store I have ever been in (and that's saying a lot, the former Market Basket on Dummer St. in Lowell was really atrocious).

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

Third on Super Stop & Shop. Though, admittedly, it's not the best produce on earth.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

What kind of stuff?

McKinnon's in Davis Square is cozy, but it has great inexpensive meat. There's a place more or less across from it that sells veggies and fruits. For other bulk consumables I usually go to Costco in Everette.

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

I like both McKinnon's and Farmer's Bounty for many things, but the Farmer's Bounty produce I've always found questionable.

I like Pemberton Farms on Mass Ave (right outside Davis), but it can get pricey quick. GREAT organic produce, though, and a lot of really great gourmet stuff.

I also will generally trek to River Ave Whole Foods, the Trader Joe's on Memorial Drive, and the Market Basket in Somerville - the last has shockingly good produce for how cheap everything is, but yes - you do have to fight the crowds a bit. I've been there from 12-3 and still had to battle crowds. Hell 10 in the morning there were still crowds. But I got four bags of groceries (including much fresh produce) for about $30, so I didn't complain.

[dominika-kretek.livejournal.com]

Farmer's Bounty will try to sell you spoiled, expired, or rotten produce at full price. Stick with the non-perishables.

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

yeah, I really don't buy the produce there unless I'm in desparate need and I'm in the area.

[thedoubleduches.livejournal.com]

Farmer's market linky-dink (doesn't list them all, but it'll get you started): http://www.massfarmersmarkets.org/

[elusiveat.livejournal.com]

There's that place on Mass. Ave. that I think is called Pemberton Farms, but it's pricey.

I sometimes shop at Harvest Coop in Central Square, but that might be farther than you want to go.

I also use the little Grocery across from McKinnon's. Farmer's Bounty, is th anem I think.

[elusiveat.livejournal.com]

anem=name (sorry)

[ron_newman]

There's a second (older) Pemberton Market on the other side of Mass. Ave., a couple blocks towards Porter Square from Pemberton Farms.

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

I hate Shaws (formerly known as "The Horrible Star Market." Unfortunately, it's the only grocery conveniently located.
I used to take the T to Chinatown to get groceries. I mean, you can't buy meat and ice cream at a farmer's market.
For staples like milk, though, I tend to go to CVS.

[grapefruiteater.livejournal.com]

Milk tends to be MUCH cheaper at CVS than it is at The Horrible Star Market. Enough to make a second stop worth it while I'm out doing errands. I mean, we're talking in the neighborhood of 50 cents cheaper at times.

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

Not to mention that if you have a CVS card, you also earn cash back on that milk.

[grapefruiteater.livejournal.com]

Good point! So CVS is paying me to drink coffee.

[ceo]

Actually, the Davis farmer's market has a vendor of nice organic frozen beef.

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

The Union Sq. farmer's market has Stillman's, who sell chicken, pork and sometimes lamb. The Lexington one has an ice cream vendor, but that's not exactly walking distance from Davis Sq.

[xsemperfidelis.livejournal.com]

I enjoy spontaneously going to Shaws in Porter between 1 and 3am...no crowds at that time...but then again, that might not be your thing. (and doens't help the prices) :))

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

The prices at shaws are pretty reasonable if you use your Shaws Card I have found. I spend maybe $40 a week. I heart the shaws. I don't really know why people hate it so much. It's so damn convenient.

[ron_newman]

Regarding farmer's markets -- there's also one in Arlington Center on Wednesday afternoons. I enjoyed visiting it on July 4th, when it was open but Davis Square's wasn't.

[interglossa.livejournal.com]

I live near both Porter and Davis Sq. but do most of my shopping at the Harvest Food Coop in Central Square. They still have the best and most affordable bulk items.

A challenge...

[piscesboy311.livejournal.com]

Grocery shopping in around Davis/Porter/Ball is a bitch. Shaw's is way overpriced but at least it is 24 hours. Market Bastard is the best deal in prices but one has to fight through a sea of shopping carts and random children running around like it's a playground. Parking is also a nightmare. It doesn't matter when you get there, it's always crowded. I always feel like there a bunch of fat mamas that have 10 mouths to feed because their carts are filled over capacity. With that place though it's smart to stock up for a season. Even Sunday mornings one thinks it would be empty but I guess Catholics go to church at all hours of that day.

Johnny Foodbastard has the worst produce and the prices aren't anything reasonable. It's ghetto in there with that carpet. It's smart to buy dry goods but I wouldn't want to get the blue meat on special-the butchery area is just as bad.

Star Market on Beacon St. is nothing special either. If you have a car, I prefer Trader Joe's on Mem Drive any night of the week past 7 or 8pm when it's not crowded. It may not have everything you need but you can make it everything you need. We are so conditioned to thinking we need a ton of random food but really Trader Joe's has almost everything except more obscure things. The prices are cheaper than most grocery stores and similar caliber to the Bread and Circus. I go every week and have always been happy with them.

[voynaren.livejournal.com]

McKinnon's is the place to go for meat. For deli foods and fresh bread, I go to Sessa's, which is around the corner on Highland.

Others already mentioned Pemberton Gardens, which has high-quality yuppie food for high-quality-yuppie prices, but for more plebeian fare (milk, eggs, mac&cheese, etc.) their original store, Pemberton Market, on the corner of Rindge and Mass. Ave. is decent.

[yttrai.livejournal.com]

I get all my vegetables delivered from Boston Organics (.com, if you are interested). I get the $37 box every two weeks, and for 1.5 people (i have an SO who cooks, but we do not live together) it is the right amount of vegetables. They have a $27 box, and also more expensive boxes, you can choose a range of all vegetables, mix of fruit and vegetables, or all fruit, and they will deliver weekly or less often if you need.

I highly, highly recommend them. I know some people have issues with them based on food quality or choices, but i HATE grocery shopping, and with having veggies delivered i go to Market Basket about once a month for staples, meat, and soy milk. It's saved me money and time.