Best local spot for veggies? cheese? flowers?

Cheese- Grab on 7th ave and 15th st. I never go anywhere else. Its WAY better than union market and is cheaper too. And the owners kick ass.

MrsLimestone wrote: Thanks so much Carmen...I don't think Ive ever been in there. I'll be making a stop there tomorrow to check it out.

I <3 Grab (I'm in there at least 4 times a week.) Their cured meats are amazing: as a frequent traveler to spain, it's the only serrano and chorizo my boyfriend will tolerate without complaint. We WAY overspend in there!
They also have beer now which comes in growlers (I believe they're 64 ounces and around $9-$12 each, plus a deposit on the bottle the first time.) Great deal if you're having a party. AND Grab is right next door to my most favorite wine store of all time, Slope Cellars

Totally asgree with Carmen on both grab and slope cellars. grab's cheese is unbelievable, and the new growler thing is awesome.

Testiculon wrote: Can't beat the produce from the Korean store next to Big Nose Full Body on 7th between 11th and 12th.

Agreed - they've been in the neighborhood for nearly 20 years and they have the BEST of everything.

i admit to being a union market user, but i've been trying to cut back because as much as i like their selection and je ne sais quoi, i don't like helping a big place put smaller and similarly (or better)-priced places out of business. if you're have the extra time to go to two or three small shops in close proximity to each other, the korean market next to slope cellars is great for produce, the large grocery store (maybe called la dolce vita) on the corner of 14th and 7th (conveniently close to grab) has everything except a good produce selection, and the "gourmet" grocery shop on either 8th and 13th or 8th and 12th (can't remember, but it advertises its organic selection) has a lot of great stuff too. in my experience, all these places are at least as fairly (or unfairly) priced as union mkt, and if you pick one or two at a time, the time you save not waiting on line as you would at union mkt pretty much makes all things equal.

LongTimeSloper wrote: Hmm, I have always avoided going to GRAB because i assumed it is outrageously expensive, is it?

No. Its cheaper than Union market for all the cheeses I've ever compared (of which there are many.) The bread products and meats are very reasonable and are on-par with places like Bierkraft. It's not a grocery store, it's a gourmet shop so some things are going to be more pricey than the grocery store version (for example, their margarita mix is $10 where as a grocery "Rose's" version is about $6, but the one at grab is way way way better.) The crackers/olive oil/spice blends seem to be reasonable to me.

I shop there a LOT. Actually, I'm heading out the door to go there right now. I'm a huge comparison shopper (one of those people who will walk to 6 stores to get the best deal on salad ingredients) and I'm a proud Grab addict. And, as stated, the owners are aweeeeesome and very helpful.

As somebody who has gone through MANY of them over the years, I can confirm that Slope Cellars does indeed have a punch card.

LongTimeSloper wrote: Hmm, I have always avoided going to GRAB because i assumed it is outrageously expensive, is it?

Grab used to have a frequent customer discount card too - you buy cheese 10 times, and 11th one is on the house. But I stopped going there since I got preggo (don't want to tempt myself by their non-pasteurized cheeses) so I am not sure if they still offer the discount.

I much prefer slope cellars over big nose- the staff is nice at both, but slope cellars has way more selection (its much much bigger) and I think the staff is friendlier. I've heard the staff of Big Nose badmouthing slope cellars before, which is a turn off for me. However Brian from big nose is awesome (he's the one opening the winebar eventually in the old 11th st cafe spot)

Gotta vouch for both Grab and Slope Cellars. Grab's selection of everything is fantastic, and they totally know their stuff. The growlers are awesome as well.
Slope's my favorite wine shop in the area (although I tend to like Prospect too). They have the biggest selection of NY wines, and I've never been disappointed by the cheap and tasty selections, either.

And, let me give a shoutout to the large deli on the corner of 7th ave and 10th (maybe 11th, but I think 10th), that carries Amy's breads!!

Union market has weird, rude staff and all their cheese is pre-cut.

cheap n tasty are under $10.

Their cheap and tasty is kinda sparse lately. I was in there last night after drunkenly falling out of the Hoff and was disappointed in the lack of cheapo whites. I know its winter time but cmon!

Flexichick wrote: [quote=Carmen]Their cheap and tasty is kinda sparse lately. I was in there last night after drunkenly falling out of the Hoff and was disappointed in the lack of cheapo whites. I know its winter time but cmon!

I know nothing of these whites you speak of. I'm a strictly red girl

I love red but it gives me mondo headaches. Its a shame.

Hm. Apparently I don't know Patty because there is always the same dudes working in there, never a woman.

Flexi, last night I went into Slope Cellars and they were out of my $10.99 Cotes de Bourg and they couldn't find anything similar at that price. Who is this Patty and what does she show you?