stimps

I am staying in Midtown for a few weeks in June. I have the use of a kitchen and was hoping to purchase fresh veg and fruit at a market. Are there any in this vicinity? Anywhere on the island?
Thanks

ekscrunchy

The best markets are the Greenmarkets. The largest one in Manhattan is the one at Union Square, just north of 14th Street, which is open Mondays Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It would be well worth your while to go there as the offerings are far above what you will find in a local market, especially in that area. You do have a Korean neighborhood hear your location, and there is one supermarket there, Hang Reum, 25 West 32nd Street, but it is best for Asian goods. (They have some decent prepared foods; prices are not low)

There is an Amish Market at 240 East 45th Street, and a Whole Foods on 7th Avenue and 25th Street. Otherwise you will have to depend on the fairly terrible chain supermarkets. I will share with you that I also live in midtown, although in another area of the district, and I do all of my shopping for fresh foods at the farmer's markets. There are also street vendors scattered about who sell "industrial" produce for reasonable prices. But for top-quality local produce, the Greenmarket is the place to go.


http://www.grownyc.org/ourmarkets


http://www.echonyc.com/~lwollin/greenmarket.html

AnnMarie_C

We wandered through the market at Union Square a few weeks ago. It is one of those places where I wish I had a kitchen to take items back to--lucky you!

MFNYC

Definitely Union Sq, especially in June, since the variety of produce really starts picking up around then. Mondays has the least amount of vendors. Saturday is the best, but Wed, Fri are also very good. It's really a lovely market. I live there and feel good every time I walk through it. Also across the street from the market is Whole Foods, a block east on 14th street is Trader Joe's and a block west is Garden of Eden. A few more blocks further west on 9th AV, between 15th and 16th Sts, is Chelsea Market which is also one of the best food shopping stops in NYC.

BigRuss

There are also Trader Joe's on 14th and Garden of Eden markets on both 14th just west of 5th and on 23rd between 6th and 7th . . . and as I'm typing this I seen MFNYC has hit at least two of these suggestions.

BigRuss

er, I meant "I see MFNYC . . . "

Aduchamp1

Do you guys think the Greenmarkets are pricey?

ekscrunchy

If you mean can you buy asparagus at the local Food Emporium, or from the street vendor, for less than the price at the Greenmarket, then yes, they are often pricey. The price varies from vendor to vendor. Not only that, but you can buy asparagus all year round in the supermarket.

Is it the same asparagus? Usually not, although Whole Foods stocks local produce in season.

starrs

Would the Amish market on 9th be closer?
http://orderamishmarketnyc.com/FoodD...antLocations.m

The Food Emporium is nearby -
http://www.thefoodemporium.com/pages_myStore_OL.asp

I LOVE wandering the Union Square market and you should definitely go. But depending on where you are traveling from, the produce at the corner markets and/or the chain stores may be a pleasant surprise.

Just thinking about carrying a lot of produce back on the subway...

starrs

On that thought... if you haven't experienced the delight in having your groceries delivered, take advantage of it.

It was a new experience for me many years ago - after battling the kamikaze cart drivers in the tiny aisles of the A&P, gathering everything I needed to cook a southern Thanksgiving in NYC. After we paid, we just asked them to deliver it. To be honest, I didn't trust them completely and grabbed a bag I needed first. All of the groceries arrived in a timely fashion. What luxury!

ekscrunchy

My point above is that a comparison between the Greenmarkets and the other options in the area is not always a valid one because you are comparing, forgive me, applies and oranges. I can buy giant strawberries from out-of-town on the street now for about $2 per box.

At the Greenmarket, vendors were asking about $7 per pint last weekend. The price should drop as they become more available. Maybe.

I can buy beautiful young lettuces at Greenmarket for about $2 a small head, or about $5 a quarter pound. (some vendors--Windfall FArms, for example) sell organic salad greens for as much as $16 per quarter pound but I do not buy that!) So far superior to that industrial "mesclun" from the supermarket (for around $8 per pound) that it is not worth discussing in the same sentence.

Big difference in price. Also a big difference in taste.

sf7307

OMG, we wandered into the Amish Market on 9th Avenue one day, and it is fabulous! (Don't know about the fresh produce, but the market is GREAT!)

Aduchamp1

I agree the quality is much better than the supermarket. And our local supermarket was charging $6.99 a pound for orange and yellow peppers. I assume they sold it someone.

But the prices are excellent at the veggie market in Chelsea Market and the have fast turnover. And the prices and quality are very good at Fairways.

ekscrunchy

But my point was that you are not getting local produce at those two places.

I have found varying degrees of freshness at Manhattan Fruit at Chelsea Market. When I go there, usually on a Saturday, the green vegetables are often in a deplorable state. They are quite cheap for may things, I do agree. So if you need a huge bunch of chard for soup, that is a good bet. One of the items that I buy from them, oddly enough, is fresh squeezed lemon juice in the cooler towards the back. They are also very good for different types of "exotic" mushrooms, like hen of the woods and morels and others.

I love Fairway and they excell at some items such as olive oil and coffee. But their produce is the same type as in any supermarket, just with better prices. Most of it is shipped in from California, Mexico, etc, depending on season.

For people who eat seasonally and like to buy local produce, the Greenmarkets are the way to go providing that one can pay the prices. Although I do see quite a few shoppers using food stamps, too.

Having said all that, I bought a pint of blueberries (Driscoll, definitely not local) today on the street for $3. I think I saw a container half the size at Whole Foods for $5.99!

Chinatown has very good prices for fruits and vegetables, too. Again, not local. I have been buying mangoes and papayas there lately.

Prices for peppers are outrageous lately! Crazy! So I will buy them when they come out here later in the summer.

stimps

I am so impressed by everyone's generosity in sharing their knowledge and experiences. I am in NY for over two weeks and plan to try many of your suggestions-even the delivery one!!
thanks so much. I'm confident I'll eat well
Those websites are great!!
Stimps