Stew Leonard’s Farm Fresh Food

Similar to trader joes with many many people. Sadly I could see why America has heart health issues from the selections, and the effort to obtain the last side of beef. I would definitely wait a few weeks before coming here bc the lines to get in, the times to move freely around was minimal. The selections of breads were plentiful (no gluten free items as all) in the bakery. The deli was serving up all sorts of meats and cheeses for a line of people. There is a fresh zucchini press in the back that one can replace their traditional spaghetti with this delicious option. Vegetables are fairly priced and look well presented. Apples, oranges, pineapples etc looked in season. I think the seller here is the customer service and the «animal like» things placed throughout the store to entertain your little ones. Cows moo, chickens cluck, all sorts of animated things throughout the store. I would refrain from the peanuts as many young people and old are placing hands in the open bin to consume while shopping. They have fresh pizza, mozzarella sticks and a wings bar. Especially this weekend the wings were out of this world. I would return after the «craze» has decreased.

People made a big deal about this place right before it was opening. I wasn’t impressed, the lay out is horrible
It makes you feel claustrophobic And the singing puppets are extremely annoying !
I probably spent 15 mins and left.
I will not be returning

Yes it’s been crowded and parking is crazy but let’s move on from that.
The Checkout lines go really fast. You get free icecream or coffee when you spend $ 100. The apple cider donuts, fresh mozzarella made on premise and the butcher department are worth the chaos.
Hopefully it calms down a bit but they don’t deserve a bad review for being popular.

Yesterday was the fist time I visited after hearing so much about it from friends and family. The place is ckean and smells delicious. From the making of some of the best smelling desserts up to and including their food bar. SENSATIONAL. The kids got a kick out of the animated shows throughout the store. Dancing chickens, trapeeze minkeys and singing cows will get their attention. The food was a bit pricey unless on sale but in truth when you want quality, organic, fresh foods you have to be wiling to pay a lil bit more. The deli was kind of small and took a very long time but everything was sliced as I asked and given to me with a smile. Dont forget to grab a soft serve ice cream cone on the way out. delicious! One thing worth noting is id prefer a different sound to play once I spend the $ 100. something about hearibg a cow moo didnt make me proud lol

First time visiting SL after hearing about it from my sister. I visited around 10 am. There were not so many people shopping. So it was stress free. I loved looking at all fun and farm like decorations. The workers there seems happy and friendly. Their own brand products are cute, too. All store baked goods smelled and looked fresh and great.
However, as some other reviewers already said, to me, the price was ridiculously high. Of course I understand that fair trading and organic products, also taking good care of all workers costs a lot but I don’t think many people can afford that high prices. For example, I saw Quinoa Loaf Bread in baking isle, I would have bought it if that small loaf of bread was not 4.99.
Maybe I will come back here again, next time with my kids. They can experience grocery shop can be fun. I need to bring extra money though. Lol
Fun idea, but not for every day visiting.

This is not your regular/​every day grocery store… this really is foodie heaven!!! YUM!
OK folks — here is the deal; for close to a decade, Stew Leonard’s has been trying to get on Long Island and HOORAY! They finally did it!
Yes, the space is smaller than their flagship stores in CT, but HELLO — Have you had a steak from them? Have you tried the donuts/​bread-​ANY BAKED GOOD? Have you had their milk, more importantly, the chocolate milk that is like a shake!!! Did you see the size of that fresh seafood counter? The coffee bar, the cheese shop… I could go on about the hot food bar, the pizza, the to-​go soups, but seriously, go see this all for yourself!
Now let’s face reality — This place opened 3 days before a blizzard!!! The store had been hyped about for so long by so many folks like myself who used to travel to go there, that the first 3 days the place was like a song from Anthrax — MADHOUSE!!! But I can say that if you go mid-​week, after dinner — PERFECTION!!! There is a novelty about this place with all the cuteness of cows and singing chickens, which is great for kids of all ages!
Also, KUDOS for having the most friendly cashiers/​customer service in any grocery store!!! Both times I have gone now… one being the night before the blizzard, everyone was smiling and helpful — Something a lot of people can learn to be like!!!

This location is a madhouse on the weekends. On Sundays, the craziness is on par with Costco. The flow of the store is a bit frustrating. There are no aisles; the market has a zig-​zag path which everyone must follow which causes some congestion. If you’re claustrophobic, then I would advise against coming here during peak hours. In addition to the zig-​zag layout, the singing robots is another unique feature which makes the store more annoying for adults but more enjoyable for young kids.
In regards to selection, Stew Leonard’s carries a limited number of brands, yet it carries a multitude of goods. Again, I’d draw another comparison to Costco in terms of good availability.
A few of the standouts at Stew Leonard’s are the freshly baked apple cider doughtnuts, the freshly popped popcorn, and the prepared chicken wings.

Ok maybe because I’m not familiar with Stew Leonard’s except as a liquor store, which is across the street from here. Nor did I notice or care about cows & chickens. I was here for the food. And I wasn’t disappointed.
This place seemed more like Meat Farms, Fairway Mkt, & IKEA had a toddler. I went early on this Sunday morning trying to beat the reported crowds. It was a nice experience.
I wish my olfactory senses worked properly but alas they don’t. But EVERYONE was lured in by the fresh cooked before your eyes Apple Cider Donuts. The Bagels were still warm. Mmmmmm… crispy outside, tender & pillowy inside.
Follow the not really yellow brick road around, oooo is that fresh squeezed Blood Orange Juice?! Note taken. Nicely shaved Brussel Sprouts. Nice Pastrami! Yaaay it has fat on it! That’s the way Pastrami should look! I’ll take 2 Rainbow Trout Fillets please. Plump Short Ribs, just one package. Which I braised in a tomato & root beer sauce. Scrumdillyicious!
A Lobster Roll to go. I prefer a toasted bun but for $ 6.99 it was DELICIOUS! Chunks of lobster with the right amount of veggies & mayo! If I come back for nothing else, I’ll be back for the Lobster Roll.
I came early but they were starting to put out what looks to be a very nice hot buffet. My next trip I’ll come back later in the day to check this out.
Overall I enjoyed my foray into Stew’s world. Good addition to this area. 1-​31-​2016

I could take it but would rather leave it. Their pricing is above the local market pricing. BJ beat them in pricing on most of not all produce and dairy products.
They have a pretty cool kiosk where you order your deli meats in advance to save time.
The donuts are very tasty.
After the novelty of the store goes away it will be just like any other supermarket.

This place gave me anxiety. Everybody said, «you have to go check it out!», so I did. No. Never again.
It’s gimmicky in a cute sort of throw up from cuteness kind of the way. There are stormtroopers, Yoda, and even The Hulk flipping around above you. There is a band that resembles Chuck E. Cheese that plays «songs» every few minutes. There is a «selfie spot» in front of said band. A big ol’ chick has a solo by the dairy section. It’s cute but that’s really all it has going for it.
This place is cramped and tiny. The old DNB was also cramped. Because Stew Leonard’s is laid-​out like Ikea, there are no real aisles. There are sections with things you either grab on your own or stations where you can get seafood (which did appear fresh), baked goods, cheese, etc. Each station had a line and since every person in the store had a shopping cart, it was even more cramped. There is also a buffet section similar to Whole Foods, where you can pick up lunch or dinner. The meat section was pretty limited and the «freshly baked» items in the bakery looked far too perfect to be made in-​house.
The line situation is horrendous. I get this place JUST opened but the express lines have no belt so you hand your items one by one to the cashier. The first line we were put on (yes, somebody was there organizing) was cash only but no one told us prior to going to that cashier. Finally we did go to one who was accepting plastic. $ 14 for 3 small items. Get outta here. This isn’t Gristedes in the city and we didn’t buy anything organic (which they seem to pride themselves on) so why so expensive? Not worth it. I want the half hour I spent there refunded back into my life bank.

It is OK. The place looks big outside but it feels cramped inside due to its layout. Was hoping to find more organic food but no luck.

Meh minus. here’s my prediction. after the novelty wears off (not that there is even a novelty to begin with), they will start to move less produce and food and eventually be unable to cover their seemingly huge overhead.
I have always adored Stew Leonard“s. The kitschy farm décor, animals and plush stuffed props that spin on a trapeze. I remember when muffin tops were a specialty item that you could only get by driving to Norwalk or Danbury or buying the actual pan, as I did, and making them yourself.
I remember when it was a challenging goal to spend 100 dollars and reap the grand reward of a free cone with sprinkles… Here they will charge you 25 cents for those sprinkles. I remember the little samples in every nook and turn… nothing here but a sign on the salad bars and olives that reminds you «no nibbling»
Perhaps when I visited last night, a Thursday at 8, the staff had a busy day because they seemed tired. Mostly college aged workers do not have the stamina to serve the public as the adults that I saw working last week in Yonkers. Everyone was helpful and friendly, but a bit frazzled. And this is not New England where customers are calm and patient. Long Island is a tough crowd to please and I think that we are accustomed to fast and intuitive service.
Price wise, they are high on almost all items that are not on sale. If I am going to spend 3.99 on red and yellow peppers, I am going to stop at Whole Paycheck on my way home from work.
I wan’t out the door in the parking lot for 2 minutes when a small plane nearly clipped off my earlobe… yikes !! I grew up here and know that there is an airport in the appropriately named «Airport Plaza «, but I just wasn’t alert enough. Not sure how thrilled I am spending time shopping directly under a runway anyway.
All in all, I wish this well adored chain the best. One is soon coming to my town, so I need to get used to them being a household name on Long Island.

The hype surrounding the opening of the Stew Leonard’s Farmingdale store is one of the 21^st century’s longest running soap operas. Stymied for more than ten years by local politicians, fans of this store were ecstatic when it opened its doors a few days ago. I needed to see for myself what all the hype was about so I went there on 1/​26, on a Tuesday afternoon.
Opinions are going to differ about this store. I can be cranky at times. I could not figure out what annoyed me more, the continuous romper room music or the silly, non-​aisled layout. The latter created an obstacle course with carts bumping into each other as frenzied shoppers tried to navigate their way through the store. I’m not charmed by the floor plan… bring back my sterile aisles!
On the positive side, I saw some deep discounting on items like avocados (4 for $ 3.00), store brand bacon ($ 2.99), amazing looking loin lamb chops ($ 4.99) and porterhouse steaks with beautiful tails ($ 5.99). The store also features a massive variety of convenient prepared food for takeout if that is your thing. In addition, to the store’s credit, they have many people working checkout, as well as designated express cashiers to get the hungry throngs on their way. Finally, the bread is, in fact, baked fresh every day. I felt a sourdough loaf which was still warm.
On the negative side, prices, notably on produce, are high relative to other local grocery stores. You can get similar quality fresh fruits and vegetables at Giunta’s Meat Farms or Best Yet Market, both very close, for about a third less.
Bottom Line: It is worth checking the Stew Leonard’s circular and coming to take advantage of their great specials but I will continue to buy most of my fruits, vegetables and other staples elsewhere.

We went to this location yesterday. I have been going to the Stew Leonard’s in CT since childhood. I work near the Yonkers location, and go there frequently.
This location does not compare to the other locations I have visited.
1) The building itself lacks the distinctive farm-​like architecture with the big silo and outside areas. The other locations are like visiting an oasis. The other locations have animals and an outdoor food area that sells grilled chicken, hamburgers, and even lobsters. The Farmingdale location does not have either. It felt more like a regular supermarket from the outside, rather than a destination.
2) There were no samples in the bakery or other areas, like in the other locations. This was disappointing. The bakery was also much smaller and the layout seemed empty and thrown together. I felt like I was visiting Costco.
3) The other locations have a much better prepared section.
I was happily waiting for this location to open for a decade and I was disappointed. I will continue to visit the Yonkers location, even though Farmingdale is more convenient.

im sorry but i had to write a review cause its hilarious that people are knocking the fact ehey don’t have a friggin silo or animals, hilarious. i mean if you are coming here for the architecture you might want to rethink the decisions in your life. Its cheap good food. I could do without the lame cows and crap but i don’t eat the toys i eat the food and that shit is good. Go have fun and don’t worry about a silo LOL

I think I have died and gone to heaven! This place is off the frigin chain. Stew Leonard’s Farm Fresh Foods has come to Farmingdale, Long Island — and it’s about time! I mean where else can you go grocery shopping and feel like you’ve just left Disney’s It’s a Small World ride? I’ve never seen anything like this and boy do these people have it down! I almost tripped over my own feet when I looked up and saw Yoda, that’s right YODA, swinging across the ceiling on a trapeze bar above my head! WTF? How ridiculously cool is that?
First of all the sheer enormity of this place is overwhelming. Imagine two Super Stop N Shops side by side and Stew’s is probably still a little bigger. When I first walked in I felt like a kid in a candy store (which they have by the way). I had absolutely no sense of where to go first. I must have looked confused out of my mind. This puts a whole different dynamic on food shopping. This is more like you set out on an adventure, like walking through OZ down the Yellow Brick Road or leaving the Shire for the first time. (They hand out maps of the store people!)
In terms of food costs, I honestly do not know how their prices remain so competitive with this type of a production. Each department of Stew’s — and there are many – is like a store within a store. It is staggering. Cheese shop, bake shop, Ice cream/​coffee shop, florist, deli (including a huge cold and hot bbq buffet of 100 items @7.99/lb.), seafood, butcher, you name it they have in there somewhere! The coolest part about this place, in my opinion, is that they really do outsource to local and regional farmers for items such as produce and fresh dairy products. Kudos to that.
Really, it’s a no brainer hands down 5star first impression Stew Leonard’s FFFs has left on me. So if you haven’t yet had the opportunity to visit, I highly suggest you do, just go like now. You’ll thank me later!

Let me start off by saying I don’t really think that shopping at any supermarket is a fun experience. Stew Leonards however is a little bit different. I feel that it’s kind of like a Trader Joe’s meets Super Stop and Shop. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies, plenty of prepared foods for those that are not always able to cook for whatever reason and a large variety of items and brands to chose from. There are plenty of employees re-​stocking display cases and shelves as needed. If you have wee ones, they will usually get a kick out of the layout and singing characters that fill different areas of the store. This particular location just opened only a few days ago (I came on 1÷22÷16) and it has been overly crowded, but I’ve visited a few of their other stores in Connecticut and upstate New York and I generally think the shopping experience isn’t bad at all and I am definitely a fan. Usually when any store first opens there are a few growing pains, but I was informed by one of the employees that Stews is actually sending there workers from the Norwalk, Connecticut location by the bus load to work for a time in this store, which I thought was a fantastic idea because they all had a familiarization of the layout, products and company policy.
I do have to pass a number of other supermarkets to get here, so I’m not sure I’ll be shopping here every week… but I certainly will visit here as regularly as I can. Very nice job Stew Leonards.

After being in the Farmingdale area yesterday with mom, we decided to check out the Stew Leonard’s that opened here as a friend of mine on Facebook loved visiting it and I had heard great things about it, so we decided to stop by and check it out, as the parking lot was not too crowded and we were already in the area. After finding a parking space and getting a shopping cart, we entered the store and found it to be different than other supermarkets, as it was like a mix of a conventional supermarket, a warehouse, and a pinch of amusement park, with animatronic farm animals lining the store, making for a neat atmosphere. While the store was very clean, it was a bit dark due to low lighting and we found the layout a bit awkward. While we did not purchase anything at these departments, we thought that the ice cream and coffee counters were neat. In addition, the produce looked very good and I actually picked up some very nice strawberries, which were priced at $ 4.99/16-ounces, which is the same as the regular price at other conventional supermarkets, like Stop & Shop. Speaking of the prices, I thought that Stew Leonard’s were all over the map, with items like milk being cheap at $ 2.99/gallon as they bottle their own dairy and Rao’s Pasta Sauce on sale at $ 5.99. Other items, like strawberries, had average prices. However, many items were overpriced, such as Organic Yams being priced at $ 2.99/lb, the same as Whole Foods and $ 1 more per/​lb than Fairway, flowers priced higher than at Costco or Trader Joe’s, and tomatoes priced higher than at conventional supermarkets. Also, if you are looking for an alternative to Whole Foods or Fairway for organics, this place is not quite it, as their organic selection is limited compared to those two stores or even conventional supermarkets like Shoprite and Stop & Shop. Before checking out, we also looked at the prepared food, which looked kind of tired and was priced at about $ 7.99/lb for hot food, about the same as Fairway and Whole Foods but not as good freshness-​wise. Even at Shoprite, the prepared food looked better, which is kind of sad in my book as I would expect the opposite to be true at Stew Leonard’s. When it came time to check out, I thought that Stew Leonard’s did well in this area, as our cashier was friendly, efficient, and professional, along with other employees we encountered in the store. While I enjoyed the unique atmosphere, fresh produce, and friendly service that Stew Leonard’s offered, I had to dock two stars from my rating due to the higher than average prices on a lot of items, the awkward layout, and meh-​looking prepared food. While I will not be able to go back to Stew Leonard’s soon again as I don’t live in the area, I may give it another shot when I am in the area again once the opening crowds die down a little bit.

Well… I was pretty excited to see a Stew Leonard’s opening near me. Contrary to some other reviewers I think this place will certainly get a lot of business from the surrounding towns. People will travel for a deal. That said, there’s some things that are worth it and some that aren’t.
Worth it: milk, eggs, bread, cheese, meat, and maybe hot foods. Those all seemed appealing and at competitive prices. I know Stew’s really does source from local farms and have their own dairy farm, so these things are worth it. Their prepared foods are pretty good. I picked up a huge salad for $ 5.99. Better than ordering out.
Not worth it: Flowers were way pricier and TJs. Also, regular groceries were sparse and expensive. I buy seltzer for 88 cents and they wanted 1.19 a bottle. Those packaged items you should seek elsewhere.
I was minimally impressed. I couldn’t really enjoy my experience because it was crowded and they one aisle makes you basically trapped it a made until you get to the end. Think having to exit through the gift shop when you get off of a ride. You must pass everything to get through the store. And today people were everywhere.
I hope the next time is better. I couldn’t even get near some stuff that I really wanted. Til we meet again Stew!

I have been going to stew Leonards for over 30 years in Connecticut and Westchester. When I originally found out that stew Leonards was moving to my home area in Long Island, I was very excited! I even marked my calendar for the opening day to arrive at 8 AM.
Even though this store is a little bit smaller than the others, it lives up to the Stew Leonards quality and service.
The prices are fair and reasonable. The baked goods /​coffee /​donuts /​breads /​popcorn etc are all home made. Milk is always inexpensive. Meat and fish are always fresh. They sell PiSMO’s (if you can butcher it yourself)
I am 36 and even I press the button to watch the animated milk carton sing. If you have kids, they will be entertained while you shop.
I purchased my corn muffin tops and now they are all gone. (yum)
Every employee smiled and was very helpful. I accidentally put the wrong thing in my basket. When I got to the checkout line I mentioned it to the cashier. And most supermarket they would go OK, and put it back. However, it still Leonards the response is always different. They asked if I wanted to swap it out for the right item.
A+ service, high-​quality, reasonable prices. It makes shopping at the supermarket fun. I’ll be back!