Awesome Specialty Food Stores

ChicagoRon · Feb 20, 2009

I live about 2 blocks from the Potash on Clark. I am equidistant between that and Treasure Island on Elm. I prefer TI, usually, but I go to Potash on the way home from the Gym.

If you take a trip this way over the weekend, you should also check out Dirk's fish on Clybourn. Conveniently, it's half a block away from Five Guys, if you feel like a burger and fries.

Also.. to add to the list for out of town...

Baricelli Inn in Cleveland has its own Affinange and I believe they sell their cheeses retail as well as with dinner.

freshcutgrass · Feb 21, 2009

Toronto has plenty of venues for fine food/ingredients, but there's only one foodie paradise that stands supreme....and that's Cheese Boutique. Found only in deepest, darkest Swansea.

Spatlese · Feb 21, 2009

My usual stops in Vancouver:

Oyama
Les Amis Du Fromage
Gourmet Warehouse
Moccia
Cioffi's
T&T (a chain across Canada for many things azn)

auto90403 · Feb 21, 2009

When I lived in Streeterville, my fav store was the TI on LSD. Lots of exotic stuff plus all the ordinary things at competitive prices. It felt like a real store. Not like Whole Foods which has always annoyed me with their propagandizing for organic food. And not like Fox and Obel which is just too ******* precious and phoney. Even if it had good stuff -- at sky- high prices.

So that spice shop on Wells is still around? Amazing. It was fun to wander around inside, but I never saw a single paying customer. It was like a wholesale operation that happened to have a retail presence in an expensive neighborhood. I never understood why the landlord hadn't booted them for a bar or restaurant.

johnny_flapjack · Feb 21, 2009

Detroit Area:

Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, MI. Fantastic deli. Great sandsiches, awesome bread, great mail-order website - bread or cheese of the month club, etc... They get write-ups from all over the place.

Papa Joe's has a couple of locations in metro Detroit. They have a really good wine selection and they have about the best selection of port in the area. At one of their locations you can buy a card for wine tastings while you shop.

Nino Salvaggio. Three or four locations. Nice place, giant produce section.

Westborn Market is close to my house and has some pretty good specialty stuff.

unpainted huffheinz · Feb 21, 2009

I used to basically live out of Meyer's deli and Joe The Sausage King which were on Lincoln and Western south of Lawrence. Both are long gone, and there are no replacements for their Austrian and Hungarian goods. There is some sort of shop going in the old Meyer's location, but it was still far from completion when I left.

kwilkinson · Feb 21, 2009

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

I live about 2 blocks from the Potash on Clark. I am equidistant between that and Treasure Island on Elm. I prefer TI, usually, but I go to Potash on the way home from the Gym.

If you take a trip this way over the weekend, you should also check out Dirk's fish on Clybourn. Conveniently, it's half a block away from Five Guys, if you feel like a burger and fries.
Cool, I'll probably be heading that way tomorrow, depending on whether those stores are open or not. Also, I didn't know there was a Five Guys there!!! Don't be surprised if you start seeing me around.

Originally Posted by auto90403

So that spice shop on Wells is still around? Amazing. It was fun to wander around inside, but I never saw a single paying customer. It was like a wholesale operation that happened to have a retail presence in an expensive neighborhood. I never understood why the landlord hadn't booted them for a bar or restaurant.
I don't know how long it's been since you've been, but they get pretty good traffic in and out of there now. I still think their main customers are restaurants though. Anyway, as long as they are paying the landlord, why would the landlord care whether they made money or not?

Originally Posted by unpainted huffheinz

I used to basically live out of Meyer's deli and Joe The Sausage King which were on Lincoln and Western south of Lawrence. Both are long gone, and there are no replacements for their Austrian and Hungarian goods. There is some sort of shop going in the old Meyer's location, but it was still far from completion when I left.

I'll have to try to check these out too.

indy116 · Feb 22, 2009

Don't know that Jungle Jim's would be classified as a "specialty food store" but it's an awesome store for buying food at! I don't think that all of their departments are best of breed, but they all combine for a very neat store to visit. I've made the trip to Cincy a few times just for the store. http://www.junglejims.com/ I'll have to check out Goose The Market, thanks!

kwilkinson · Feb 22, 2009

Originally Posted by indy116

Don't know that Jungle Jim's would be classified as a "specialty food store" but it's an awesome store for buying food at! I don't think that all of their departments are best of breed, but they're all great.

http://www.junglejims.com/

I'll have to check out Goose The Market, thanks!

Cool, I'll check out Jim's next time If I'm ever in Cincy.
Re: GtM-- you'll love it. It's really small, the people are really nice, and the selection is awesome. It's pricey, but it's the nicest meats I've seen in Indy, in terms of quality and selection.

indy116 · Feb 22, 2009

Sorry, looks like I edited my post right as you were replying. Jim's is down in Cincinnati. I wish it were in Indy!

CunningSmeagol · Feb 22, 2009

Boston area that haven't been mentioned:

http://www.davesfreshpasta.com/

Cambridge Wine and Cheese, corner or Washington and Beacon streets, near Harvard, Inman.

pabloj · Feb 22, 2009

Originally Posted by chas

I live in NYC and as such I am lucky to have more specialty food stores than most, but the best that I have ever been to is a place in Torino (Turin), Italy called Eataly. Torino is the home of the slowfood movement and this store is basically the manifestation of that culture. If you are ever in Torino and if you take food seriously this place is a must visit.

Cheese, wine, cured meat - you name it. Gastronomic nirvana!

http://www.eatalytorino.it/eatalytor...come_eng.lasso
Don't forget fish and cooking classes!

auto90403 · Feb 22, 2009

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

I don't know how long it's been since you've been, but they get pretty good traffic in and out of there now. I still think their main customers are restaurants though. Anyway, as long as they are paying the landlord, why would the landlord care whether they made money or not?
Many commercial leases calculate monthly rent as a function of sales.

norcaltransplant · Feb 22, 2009

Originally Posted by von Rothbart

NYC:
Union Square green market
Murray Cheese
Demel with its signature Anna torte
Dean & DeLuca Soho
Citarella West Village
Balducci Chelsea
Minamoto Kitchoan Japanese pastry RockCen
Jacque Torres Chocolate DUMBO

Re: Union Square Greenmarket
The Grand Army Plaza market on Saturday mornings has 1/2-2/3rds of the vendors at Union Square but less than half the crowds. I live within walking distance of the former, and try to visit at least twice a month.

presence · Feb 22, 2009

Trader Joe's isn't polished, but it has its share of cool, unique and tasteful products. Nothing too over the top. Much of their products have a pleasant twist on the everyday ubiquitous items.

Awesome Specialty Food Stores

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