New to DC area

[creaton]

I just moved to the DC area from Ohio and need help finding some food stores with a good selection of cheeses/oils/vinegars/meats etc. My local Shoppersfoodwarehouse just isn't cutting it. Any recommendations? I'm also looking for some farmersmarket kinda places to buy good produce. I noticed some posts about Wegmans.

This is the most exciting part of moving for me...exploring the new food stores/restaurants.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Mark Sommelier]

OK. Where are you?

[babka]

there's a good thread on shopping, with a roundup on the second or third page.

[JPW]

I know I promised babka that I would update that list, but I've been swamped recently.

The web site I linked, http://www.eatwashington.com/ is much more extensive than my list.

It might be easier for all if you could specify location and particular ingredients. My weekly food shopping can consist of up to 5 different stores around Silver Spring (Trader Joe's, Snider's, Safeway, Whole Paycheck, Takoma Park Farmers' Market). Add one more if I'm making a booze run.

Welcome to the DC forum.

PS - On a recent trip up Colesville Road to my local Home Despot, I noticed a new strip mall going about 1/2 mile North of 4 Corners. Ot will be anchored by a Trader Joe's -- no more driving to Bethesda for me!!!!

[FunJohnny]

If you're in the District: Eastern Market on the weekends (particularly at this time of year) is a good bet. Outside fresh local/almost local produce and inside meat/poultry/cheese/fish/fresh pasta/charcuterie/etc. There's an eponymous Metro stop (Orange/Blue line) 1/2 block away.

[oliveDC]

Welcome to the area! If you happen to be down in Penn Quarter/Chinatown on Thursdays, stop by the smallish FreshFarm market on 8th St. NW between D and E streets. (If you metro, hop off at Gallery Place.) The market's open from 3-7pm, I think through the fall.

Went yesterday myself and made dinner out of some delicious, tender okra, plump heirloom tomatoes, swiss chard, fresh, creamy mozzarella and a loaf of seven-grain bread. Other goodies included apple and pear butter, ricotta cheese, plums, apples, melons and flowers.

It's a producer-only market so all the produce is local and some is organic.

Happy food hunting!

[frogprince]

dc's little little miniscule non-existent litte italy can be sized down all the way to:

litteri's, a deli-ish/wine store with lots of pantry foods. its on morse street, northeast, by the intersection of florida, 6th and new york.

and dc's finest purveyor of spanish (and portugeuse) delectables is a & h seafood (yes this is their "specialty") in bethesda on.... bethesda ave. maybe. carless and dependent on metro and my walking power has only served to increase my terrible sense of street names and places. though i can tell you how to get there from timbuktu (its outside of chevy chase).

[mighty quinn]

and if you're in nova, Mediterranean Cafe in the Landmark section of Alexandria has wonderful fresh- baked pita bread and all sorts of goodies. it's located in a stripmall on south pickett street just off of duke.

[creaton]

Thanks for all the links and advice.. I can see that I have many places to explore.

I'm living in the college park area right now doing the grad school thing at UMCP, so I think I'll check out this Takohma Park Farmer's Market.

Thanks and have a flavourful day!