Northern Virginia-Where to eat and shop for food?

[Tela T]

My husband and I will finally! be relocating back to the Southeast - Northern Virginia (to work in Arlington). So, I'm curious as to where the good places to find food staples are - granted we've been spoiled by living in Northern California for the last 7 years. Where are the good farmer's markets, organic u-pick farms, small producers of cheese, meats, etc. Those "don't miss" places, that the locals know about - or the chefs/cooks would use to eat/cook.

[monavano]

See the thread in the DelMarVa forum. You will NOT be dissappointed with the markets here!

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=85351

Also note near you!

Courthouse Farmers Market

Saturday 8 a.m. to noon

Arlington County Parking Lot

N. Courthouse Rd. and N. 14th St.

Arlington

Del Ray Farmers Market

Saturday mornings

Oxford & Mount Vernon

Alexandria, VA

Clarendon Farmers Market

Wednesday afternoons

3-7 p.m.

at the Clarendon Metro Stop, literally

As far as grocery stores go, there are the usual suspects such as Safeway etc...

For "gourmet markets", we have area Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Wegman's, Sutton Place Gourmet.

We have a nice little treasure in Eastern Market. There, you can get meats, organic meats and produce, pastas, cheeses...etc. AND, and...breakfast at Market Lunch with a hand fulll of Murky Coffee latte from up the block! There is a farmers market outside all year 'round, but don't count on it carrying local in season items, for example...corn in March??

For cheeses, you'll be very happy to know that DC has a "Cowgirl Creamery" from CA! Also beloved Cheesetique in the Del Ray section of Alexandria (btw...do you know where you'll be living?)

For pick your own farms, see this thread (and do become a member, you'll get ALL the 4-1-1 on the local food scene)

http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?showt...l=pick+your+own

Edited June 28, 2006 by monavano (log)

[foodgeek]

Yeah, this belongs in the delmarva board.

I'm in Arlington too. The Courthouse market is sat 8am-noon and is great!

Clarendon is wed 3-7pm and is good.

Ballston farmers market is Friday 11am-3pm and while weak on fruits and veggies has several bakers (one is good), a sausage producer, a great goat cheese vendor, good coffee form Honduras, a sauce and rub guy, etc...

Good wine/cheese store: Arrowine.

There are Asian groceries nearby at Eden Center, a vietnamese shoppign area just outsode of arlington.

French Bakery: Randolphs (near the next suggestion)

Lebanese Taverna market is good.

Great Italian market w/ny pizza and philly hoagies: The Italian Store.

That should do for now.

[Busboy]

My too-brief experiences in Northern California lead me to believe that you will be a bit let down by the markets here. I am fiercely partisan to this region, but if the Santa Cruz market -- and even the Portland, Oregon Market -- are indicative of the general quality, they're still ahead of us out there. They have the dang climate on their side. That being said, there are many excellent and dedicated growers out this way and you will not go hungry.

And, unless you actually lived in Chinatown, it is unlikely that you have had better access to excellent Asian food -- prepared and markets -- than you will in Northern Virginia. It's everywhere and it's world class.

We don't make as much cheese here as they do out West, but there are many up-and-comers selling at the markets, and there are some excellent shops. Jill at Cheesetique in Del Ray (Alexandria) and Aldo at Arrowine (Alexandria) are legendary cheesemongers.

And, of course, we do have the best crabs in the world, and a lot of great fish shops.

Welcome back east. When do you arrive?

[Pontormo]

See the thread in the DelMarVa forum. You will NOT be dissappointed with the markets here!

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=85351

←

I've just updated that thread for your benefit.

[Tela T]

End of September at the latest - but we'll be out in August hunting a place to live... And thanks for all the advice on DelmarVa board - I'm so used to going the Southeast board I must have overlooked it...

Welcome back east. When do you arrive?

←

[Busboy]

The markets are at there best in August and the fall -- your timing is great.