Longo's Food Stores

[Darienne]

With the seasonal LCBO fat shiny handout is often a thinner one from Longo's. We have no Longo's in our area...east central Ontario...but DH and I are thinking about sussing out the one in Markham when we also look up the Pacific Mall there.

Is Longo's like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's or more like a Loblaws Superstore?

I see they carry Western Family Brands although their website page is still under construction and thus gives no information. We used some Western Family products in Utah although they were nothing special at all. Just an inexpensive in-house brand with no distinguishing characteristics as far as I could see.

Is it worth the trip?

[Marlene]

Longos is sort of an upscale Sobey's. Depending on what other shopping options are available to you in Markham, I'd say go. And I have fallen in love with Western sour cream. No other Ontario brand comes even close to it.

[Anna N]

Longo's is a high-end supermarket though not nearly as expensive as Whole Foods. Their produce section is what draws me when I can afford to go. The variety and quality are generally much higher than one can find say in SuperStore or Sobey's. They also make a lot of their own products including a wide variety of sausages. They almost always carry fresh duck legs and breasts though you generally have to hit them close to their delivery day for the duck. I see they have also started bottling their own spices, herbs and seasonings. If money were no object I would do the vast majority of my grocery shopping at Longo's but it's a rare treat these days. Although the stores I know do not have a butcher on site they are happy to cut meat to your specifications. The staff on the whole are very pleasant and helpful though as with any large organization you do run into the odd grouch.

Edited to add: I second Marlene's endorsement of the Western Sour Cream!

Edited September 23, 2009 by Anna N (log)

[Marlene]

The other thing I can say about Longo's, and I agree with Anna's assessment of their produce, is that I have used them for catering platters for several school events, when I didn't have time to make them, and I didn't want "grocery store" quality, or lack thereof. I've always been very impressed with their platters, particularly their smoked chicken (real, not processed). When I don't want to make the trip to Whole Foods, I will go to Longo's for produce whenever I can. They also have a very very good cheese selection.

[Darienne]

Thanks to both of you for the information.

As for Whole Foods...I actually meant the one in the Southwest...I don't know where else it is...and didn't even know there was a Whole Foods in Ontario. Could it be the same chain? I really liked the Whole Foods in Albuquerque, better than Trader Joe's.

And as for a grocery store having a butcher...we are incredibly lucky where we live. We have a real live and wonderful butcher at our small local store. It's so small that it never ever carries eggplant. The butcher has a half-ownership of the store going way back and I guess that's why he's there. We treat him VERY well.

So, we'll try the Longo's for fun anyway.

[Marlene]

We have a Whole Foods in Oakville, and yes, it is the same chain. there is also one in Toronto, and 4 in Vancouver.

pssst. Get the sour cream.

Edited September 23, 2009 by Marlene (log)

[jayt90]

Another small grocery chain similar to Longo's, with less hype, is Highland Farms. Best for fresh produce , meat counter, and Mediterranean items. If I am going to Pacific Mall, or T&T at Steeles and Middlefield, I swing down to Highland Farms at Kennedy and Ellesmere, and also Diana's Seafood at Crockford and Lawrence.

[Darienne]

Another small grocery chain similar to Longo's, with less hype, is Highland Farms. Best for fresh produce , meat counter, and Mediterranean items. If I am going to Pacific Mall, or T&T at Steeles and Middlefield, I swing down to Highland Farms at Kennedy and Ellesmere, and also Diana's Seafood at Crockford and Lawrence.

Googled T&T at Steeles and got T&T. What is T&T? Thanks.

[Anna N]

Another small grocery chain similar to Longo's, with less hype, is Highland Farms. Best for fresh produce , meat counter, and Mediterranean items. If I am going to Pacific Mall, or T&T at Steeles and Middlefield, I swing down to Highland Farms at Kennedy and Ellesmere, and also Diana's Seafood at Crockford and Lawrence.

Googled T&T at Steeles and got T&T. What is T&T? Thanks.

T&T to the best of my knowledge is a chain of Asian grocery stores - well worth a visit for cheap produce, meat, and wonderful Asian ingredients.

[Darienne]

Finally got to Longo's at Kennedy & HWY7 today. Talk about wonderful. The produce fairly sang. Three kinds of mangoes. Sicilian eggplants...I had never seen a Sicilian eggplant. The fruits. Multi varieties of salt. Those wonderful little Longo sausages. The cheeses. And on and on. Didn't have enough time to even scratch the surface but will go back again for sure.

If only...if only... but then we would have to live near a Metropolitan area from heck. Living on 98 acres in the middle of nowhere has really changed this girl from the apartments in Montreal.

Edited April 30, 2010 by Darienne (log)

[Darienne]

Longo's #2 in Burlington after Chocolate Class with Kerry Beal in her new playhouse...oops, chocolate lab.

Bigger than the one in Markham, but I didn't like it as much. No special bread counter. This time, however, I bought lots of stuff. And so did confectionery partner, Barbara, who was with me at Kerry's (plus her sister, Mary).

The first down note comes next. Basing my decision upon what I had experienced in Longo's by then, I bought some Chocolate Mini-croissants. They looked delicious. Now 'we' don't buy pastries in public without thinking about it first...they are usually a disappointment. These were not just a disappointment: they were dreadful. :angry: (Well, I wasn't 'angry' but this is the closest emoticon to 'yucky') Gave one to each of the dogs and threw the package into the bin.

Next down note. I wrote to Longo's two days ago and so far, no answer. Now, maybe the woman who usually writes back to the consumer is on vacation or ill...but maybe this is par for the course? I'll get back...

[Darienne]

Longo's #2 in Burlington

Next down note. I wrote to Longo's two days ago and so far, no answer. Now, maybe the woman who usually writes back to the consumer is on vacation or ill...but maybe this is par for the course? I'll get back...

It is now June 12th and I still have not received any reply from Longo's. I wrote them on their website, so there is no way my letter could have disappeared. This speaks ill of the chain.

[Darienne]

Finally the Longo's affair is settled. Apparently there was some technical mix-up (?) in the reception of my posts to Longo's and they received the 2nd before the first which somehow got hung up in cyberspace but eventually did arrive.

So I now have an apology and a gift certificate for $10 from their Customer Service.

I don't have an explanation about the croissants...but then never really expected one. I still find it curious.