Local Jersey gourmet stores/markets vs Whole Foods

[jhlurie]

Years ago I was a fairly regular and loyal customer at the Fort Lee institution Cafaso's Fairway. But driving by it last week, and noticing how close its current renovation is to being done, I realized that I hadn't been in it AT ALL since Whole Foods opened in Edgewater.

Got me to wondering if others in the area have seen themselves visiting their local fresh markets/gourmet stores less as a result of WF.

Thing is... I'm CLOSER to Fairway.

From the outside Fairway looks like it will eventually have about twice the floorspace they used to have. Inside, about a third of that new space seems to be "done" and is being used as an expansion of the produce area..

[tommy]

i gotta say, i'm not all that impressed with Whole Foods on the whole.

[jhlurie]

Really its mostly the convenience. It has ENOUGH of the stuff I want to always be a sure bet that I'd find most of it. Also, while stuff can be quite expensive off sale, it can be quite cheap on sale.

Then again, re-visiting Fairway reminded me that I've neglected another good source for no good reason. Yeah, its also expensive, and the selection is a lot "less", but overall the quality is more consistent than Whole Foods.

I've also noticed that the little Organic Foods store on Anderson Ave. in Cliffside Park seems a lot less busy in the past few years than before WF moved in. It has to have hurt their business.

[allie]

This is an interesting topic, because Whole Foods has gotten *so* big over the last 5 years or so, alot of folks call it the "Wal-Mart of health food stores". I seem to remember a bunch of folks even protesting the opening of the Whole Foods in Boulder, CO a few years back because they didn't want their independent stores going out of business.. (Whole Foods still opened of course! I have no idea how the other stores are doing now).

Personally, I like Trader Joes alot better than Whole Foods for groceries you won't find in your normal supermarket, BUT you're not always getting the healthiest foods, and this is probably why it is alot cheaper...

[prichwich]

Great topic!

The only good Whole Foods, imho, is the one in Manhattan (I have not, however, been to the one in Edgewater). The Whole Foods in Montlcair, and other Whole Foods that were formerly Fresh Fields, seem unable to complete the formula. It seems many of the Jersey Whole Foods fall into this category.

This being said, I'm still not in love with the Manhattan Whole Foods. Even if you look past the inflated prices, still the produce, meat, and fish--while, in general, better than what you'll find in most stores--is rarely of gourmet quality. And how could it be otherwise? Whole Foods has grown into a huge national company. The only way to insure uniform quality is to offer a good, but not exceptional, stock.

As a newly-minted New Jerseyian, I'd be interested to hear what people's opinions are about the best large and small markets in Northern and Central New Jersey.

I've only found one so far: Market Basket (www.marketbasket.com) in Franklin Lakes. They have a very good butcher, who stocks great prime beef, including kobe, which he'll cut to order. The rest of the store is smallish, with decent quality, but a limited selection. It's 35 mins. away for me, so it's really only worth the trip for the meat. One tip: good wine store/wine bar next door.

Kings is fine, others are passable, but rarely of the highest quality (esp. fish). Right now, since I work in Manhattan, I schlepp bags home during the week (mostly Fairways, Citarella, Murray's Cheese, Whole Foods, some local butchers). Is Wegmans worth the hour drive from Montclair? Does anyone have a favorite butcher? Fish monger? I've looked at previous threads on this topic. Most of them are old, and few in depth.

I love New Jersey, I just need to find some better food. Thanks in advance.

[menton1]

I must say I am not a huge fan of Whole Foods. Very pretty place, but a lot of deficiencies. I remember the old Fresh Fields in Montclair, that was a much better place before it evolved into WholeFoods.

Some of the produce is good, but you need to be selective. Got some very mealy organic apples there once. Fish & meat depts are quite good but VERY expensive. The prepared foods used to be excellent, but they are now made en masse in a central kitchen that supplies all of the Wholefoods in the Northeast; the soups and prepared dishes are very ordinary now.

As far as the cheese, a good selection, but the prices are out of sight; I've compared the exact same cheeses at Jerry's in Englewood, and the prices ranged from 1/2 the price to 1/3 the price for the same cheese!!

All in all, I would say Wholefoods is a bit disappointing.