Grocery Shopping in the Slope - Best Places?

anonymous · January 2007

What would you consider the best place to shop for groceries in the slope (aside from the CO-OP - I don't have the time or flexibility). Any place has well priced and good produce? I just moved and I've been shopping at the Key Food on 7th and I feel like I'm paying too much for not so great food.

dw438 · January 2007

If you're going to stay in the Slope, head to the 5th Avenue Key Food, at Sterling Place. Well, stocked, clean, and fairly priced. Not related to the grungy one on 7th Avenue.
If you have access to wheels hit Fairway in Red Hook.

anonymous · January 2007

Thanks. I'll try that. I also saw the Associated on 5th and Union- has anyone shopped there?

brooklynjack · January 2007

2nd the 5th Avenue Key Food. I drive right by Steve's C-Town to go there. If you can get there Fairway is good but the produce is hit and miss especially this time of year

anonymous · January 2007

Subject: Groceries in the slope

BrooklynJack wrote: 2nd the 5th Avenue Key Food. I drive right by Steve's C-Town to go there. If you can get there Fairway is good but the produce is hit and miss especially this time of year

Agree. Cleanliness, selection are good at Key Food on 5th. There's always Fresh Direct online too, which we use from time to time if we're buying a lot of stuff and don't want to carry it home.

anonymous · January 2007

Key Food on 5th Avenue has the best selection and best prices. Best of all, it is like a real supermarket-large and you can move around in it. They will deliver and if you have a car, they have a big parking lot.

Also, if you have a car, go to Fairway in Red Hook.

sarajean8 · January 2007

I reccommend Steve's C-town for all basic groceries, produce & fish/meat.

If you want to pop in some smaller stores for specialty items, I reccommend Union Market and Russo's (for all things italian) on 7th ave/11th

anonymous · January 2007

The Associated on 5th had a makeover about a year ago and - to their credit - it's much nicer than it used to be. Still, if I had to choose, I'd go with the Key Food on 5th simply because they have a larger selection of items. I agree with others, AVOID the Key Food on 7th.

pitu · January 2007

Slopehead wrote: The Associated on 5th had a makeover about a year ago and - to their credit - it's much nicer than it used to be. Still, if I had to choose, I'd go with the Key Food on 5th simply because they have a larger selection of items. I agree with others, AVOID the Key Food on 7th.

that's what I'd say -- that Associated at 5th and President/Union has done a good job morphing up to a higher quality.
The 5th Ave Key Food is twice the size and very well managed. The produce is about the same at both those places, but Key Food has much better meat (they carry D'Artagnan products.)
So it depends on what you're shopping for...

if you want a real butcher and fresh mozz: A&S Pork Store on Fifth at Garfield
crusty bread: Union Market or Blue Apron
veg/bread/fish/pork on Saturdays: the Grand Army Plaza farmer's market. And a much smaller farmer's market on Fifth Ave across from the Gate on Sundays.
South Slope...Eagle Provisions on Fifth Ave near the expressway. Massive beer selection, Polish butcher, some interesting specialty products.

the 7th Ave Key Food deserves to go out of business - Trader Joe's should take over THAT space!

8thandprez · January 2007

God, if only we could get that damn 7th Ave Key Food out of there, replaced with a Trader Joe's and apartments above. That would be heaven on earth! Actually, I'd support replacing the Key Food with just about anything: a parking lot, a toxic waste dump, sewage treatment plant. That place just deserves to go under.

nice dude · January 2007

i go to key food, but i'm going to become a member of the co-op, cause alot of my friends are members, and it will be easier for me to get organic veggies and stuff.

MOD · January 2007

I go to 5th ave Key Foods, but I find the cashiers to be constantly rude and fully lacking in customer service on the simplest level. Yet, I still go there a lot. :x

The Pork Store is worth checking out (A&S -274 5th ave), and maybe Path Mark (?) Mart (?) by the Target, if you can handle the crowds. I found they have a large selection and decent prices.

Also, 5th ave Market, the bodega across from Lobo. Though, if you're a girl, make sure you don't wear tight jeans in there! :P

anonymous · January 2007

Thanks everyone. Since I live pretty close to Key Food on 5th, I'll give that a try tomorrow

No more 7th avenue Key Food for me.

mixergirl · January 2007

I also love Key Food on 5th. It was even voted the supermarket with the best music playing (no musak found here) but if you want fresh fish, you gotta go somewhere else.

anonymous · January 2007

I actually have found the best fish to be at C-town. They get it fresh every day from the Fulton Market (which is no longer called the Fulton Market). As they explained to me, because they don't just rely on fish for their income, so they don't keep old fish around. They usually have something on sale as well. I would also recommend Best Western for a real full service butcher. They have been around for a long time, and they will cut or pound your meat however you want.

sarajean8 · January 2007

Anonymous wrote: I actually have found the best fish to be at C-town. They get it fresh every day from the Fulton Market (which is no longer called the Fulton Market). As they explained to me, because they don't just rely on fish for their income, so they don't keep old fish around. They usually have something on sale as well. I would also recommend Best Western for a real full service butcher. They have been around for a long time, and they will cut or pound your meat however you want.

I couldn't agree more with the quality of fish at C-town. Last time I was there I wanted some Striped Sea Bass, so the sweet guy behind the counter, who wasn't too impressed with size of existing filets, came around and grabbed some whole fish out of the ice and fileted the fish right in front of me-- great service and tasted so fresh!

I've tried going in the fish markets on 7th ave, but each time I walk in, I turn around and walk right out. The putridly fishy smell in those places is so pungeant (and unappetizing) I can't buy my fish there.

laura · January 2007

sarajean8 wrote: I've tried going in the fish markets on 7th ave, but each time I walk in, I turn around and walk right out. The putridly fishy smell in those places is so pungeant (and unappetizing) I can't buy my fish there.

There's one that moved location that I've always called The Stinky Fish Store, I can't stand to even walk by. I can't imagine why anyone would buy fish there.

lostingreenwoodhts · January 2007

Read the C-Town thread.

http://brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=31663

My 2 cents, best in the 'nabe.

pitu · January 2007

laura wrote: [quote=sarajean8]I've tried going in the fish markets on 7th ave, but each time I walk in, I turn around and walk right out. The putridly fishy smell in those places is so pungeant (and unappetizing) I can't buy my fish there.

There's one that moved location that I've always called The Stinky Fish Store, I can't stand to even walk by. I can't imagine why anyone would buy fish there.

Me three. Stiiiiinkeeeeee!
I get frozen, from the Coop or Trader Joe's
fresh (or is it just thawed?) occasionally from Union Market
fresh from Chinatown (Sunset Park or Canal St)

Mamacita, I love that deli "5th Ave Market" at Berkeley
and they're open 24 hours. That place is brilliantly merchandised . . .

sarajean8 · January 2007

pitu wrote: fresh from Chinatown (Sunset Park or Canal St)

Mmm, I'm not too sure about the fish from Chinatown near Canal... I've seen some unpleasant things down there. One instance that stick out in my mind... I was walking down the sidewalk (holding my breath) and saw lots of fish flopping around on beds of ice. They kept flip-flopping their way onto digusting sidewalk and the man at the store kept tossing them back on the ice, without rinsing. It was a vile scene. On the very back streets of Chinatown I came across a vendor that was selling frogs and turtles- to eat- and had then CRAMMED in buckets so the ones on the bottom were completely smothered- ew.

anonymous · January 2007

Just got back from Key Food on 5th. A very pleasant shopping experience! Biger, cleaner, less cramped. I have made a sound decision never to shop at the KF on 7th again. I cannot believe how much cheaper 5th is, not to mention how much better the quality of produce is.

anonymous · January 2007

I like Back to the Land on 7th Avenue and Natural Land on Flatbush Avenue near 7th Avenue. The Key Food on Flatbush Avenue across from Natural Land is interesting. Union Market on 6th Avenue and Union Street is overpriced.

I hate the Key Food on 7th Avenue, but like the one on 5th Avenue.

anonymous · January 2007

Subject: Where to buy food

Park Slope Food Co-op or Grand Army Farmer's Market (weekends only) for produce
A&S or Great Western for meats & poultry
the GOOD 7th Ave fish store (has a blue awning - long and narrow) for the freshest possible fish - NEVER had anything bad from there
A&S for fresh mozzarella, sausages, and rice balls/spinach rolls
C-Town for general groceries and stuff you forgot to get at the other places

Grocery Shopping in the Slope - Best Places?

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