Compare Foods

this is «definitely a hood supermarket… and i like it!
recently i did some PR cooking: Pernil, Sofrito (Pr Recaito) Arroz Con Guandules, Tostones, etc. errrrrything i needed was here from a new Coldero to super cheap pork shoulder (picnic cut) to culantro (not CILANTRO!) and many more needed goods.
that said it’s a pretty medium/​big supermarket crammed with produce, meats, packaged and processed goods, etc. there are daily/​weekly deals. you need to get there early to get them bc those items sell out and you’re pretty much assed out at that point. certain items here are going to be WAAAAAY cheaper than your Wholefoods, Trader Joes, and boojee supermarkets. for example orange juice is always 2 for $ 4 or less on brand and generics, packaged pasta is way cheaper here, meat and deli in general is as well, and the list goes on. even though produce tends to be cheaper most of it feels not that fresh unless you’re buying high turnover items like plantains, culantro, sweet potatoes, and other random loose produce. other items seem a lil wilty and will go elsewhere to shop for… the price efficiencies at this store make it worth it to split up my grocery shopping between 2 – 3 places. soda, chips, and cereal also tend to be cheaper here than at fancier places. shockingly they don’t sell much or any candy… probably bc the convenience stores in the area mark it down so much.
what i love about this store though it sells a lot of kitchen utensils etc. and they are way cheaper here than at Whole Foods, Bed Bath n Beyond, etc. like i said the Coldero, peelers, knives (when stocked), can openers, drain catches, roaster pans, etc. are well priced. greatest brand or quality not really but they tend to last long off that the price difference is worth it.
the staff? cool. it helps if you speak some or any spanish if you need something in particular. they tend to try and be helpful but everything in the store is pretty well organized, so confusion is not much of an issue. the store excels at providing a certain amount of variety on certain goods and not on others. boojee items will likely never be in stock here, but your coconut oil elsewhere… though on the other hand they carry lots of variety of almond milk… so there you go broad general statements by me be damned! lol
there’s an atm here, but whyyyyyy use it: they accept credit, debit, etc. they always have multiple cashiers open so long lines move relatively quickly.
PRO TIP: Shop early or late on non-​primetime supermarket days. if you try on Sat or Sunday you’re doomed and get what you deserve. lol
drops mic cuz this shopping cart requires two hands as it suffers from wobbly wheels!
i out.
zzzz

The worst grocery store in the east village — they are constantly out of sale items and they don’t give rain checks. The store is clean, but the shelves are always empty. Key Food on Ave. A is a MILLION TIMES better.

Supermarket. Nothing special. Typical Alphabet City supermarket, the quality is quite low, especially fruits and vegetables. The supermarket on Avenue C is usually a bit better.

This cheap grocery is an alternative to the Fine Fare on 4^th and C. Overall, I think it’s not quite as good as that Fine Fare — not quite as much variety and ever so slightly more expensive, but it is noticeably better in the produce department. The produce is definitely not great, but a lot of it looked just fine. There were edible apples, carrots, etc. Generally at the really cheap grocery stores, nothing looks good other than the onions, potatoes, and yucca, so I was pretty surprised.
As with all «cheap» stores, I did notice some hilarious price disparities. There’s a rectangular 16 oz package of Goya split yellow peas near the back of the store that’s $ 1.09, and another, square-​er 16 oz package of Goya split yellow peas that’s $ 1.39, for whatever reason. Generally, some things are priced really well and some things are overpriced. I think it’s worth checking out this store if you’re in the neighborhood, to see how they fare on the items that you care about.