Chicago area grocery stores (Niles, Mark: to buy, subsidized, prices)

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by Drover

IMO Mariano's is the best of the "normal" (not "Whole Foods" type) chains. Very good customer service, good prices on good quality produce, best in-house generic brands (Great Value and Roundy's -- the cereal being a notable exception). Prices on other items are a bit hit-and-miss but if you just want to do a one-stop shop instead of bouncing around getting the cheapest this at one store and the cheapest that at another... Mariano's is our go-to place. But that would be different if there were a Woodman's closer to the city. If you live near North Aurora, northwest Carpentersville, or Kenosha, then you're in luck.

If you're going to do a power produce buy, Fresh Farms on Touhy in Niles has the best produce selection by far, but the prices are all over the place. There's one on Devon too but it's a lot smaller. The various Caputo's come pretty close in produce selection.

I get the impression that Mariano's has replaced Dominick's, for the most part, in the Chicago area?

It's somewhat possible to have a "normal" shopping experience ( re: prices) at Whole Foods, but you have to be careful about what brands you buy. If you buy the "365" brand, then you're pretty close to notmal grocery store prices. The meat counters/cookie/cereal/snack areas are where the price differences show up, and where they earn their "Whole Paycheck" nickname..

[Drover]

Originally Posted by MassVt

I get the impression that Mariano's has replaced Dominick's, for the most part, in the Chicago area?

It's somewhat possible to have a "normal" shopping experience ( re: prices) at Whole Foods, but you have to be careful about what brands you buy. If you buy the "365" brand, then you're pretty close to notmal grocery store prices. The meat counters/cookie/cereal/snack areas are where the price differences show up, and where they earn their "Whole Paycheck" nickname..

Not quite. Mariano's (parent company = Roundy's) has been in the Chicago market for a few years now. They only have 15 or so full-service stores in the area and a handful of pharmacy-only locations, versus Dominick's 70-some locations. They bought a handful of Dominick's stores, Jewel bought a few, and a few others got bought up here and there by other small players. But most Dominick's stores have just plain shuttered.

Does anyone remember the Eagle grocery chain back in the day?

[pete6032]

I have Meijer nearby, anyone used them before? How are they price wise? I usually just go to Jewel.

[picardlx]

Walgreens

[jdiddy]

Mariano's has made such an impact, it's become an acceptable topic of conversation with anyone in the Chicagoland area. I swear I've had more conversations about grocery stores in the past 2 years due to Marianos than I had in the prior 30.

However, it could be that when people are around me they think "quick, find something to talk about so we don't have to chat about Mariano's again."

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by pete6032

What is your favorite grocery store for:

1. Quality fresh fruit and vegetables

2. Best bargains on basics like milk, bread, pasta, pretzels, lunchmeat, etc.

CarolinabredChicagoan moved away, so I'll have to step up and recommend HarvevsTime Foods in Lincoln Square (though I guess technically it's a sibling of Edgewater Produce). Not great for organics, but the fresh produce is far better than your typical big chain, they have a lot of specialty items like Boar's Head meats and Prosciutto, and the prices are very low.

[Midwest Revival]

1. Food for Less and Fairplay..

2. Aldi

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

CarolinabredChicagoan moved away, so I'll have to step up and recommend HarvevsTime Foods in Lincoln Square (though I guess technically it's a sibling of Edgewater Produce). Not great for organics, but the fresh produce is far better than your typical big chain, they have a lot of specialty items like Boar's Head meats and Prosciutto, and the prices are very low.

I agree for produce and some good ethnic items, Harvest Time and Edgewater Produce are awesome and Stanley's too. We do the rest of our shopping with a mix of Jewel, Mariano's and Costco. Dominick's had become so bad and overpriced I can't think of the last time we shopped there.

We buy most of our meat from Holzkopf's Meat Market | Chicago's Premier Full Service Butcher in Edgewater. Seafood when I have time is Issacson & Stein Fish Company | Fresh Fish | Fresh Seafood | Fish Market | Chicago Fish Market.

[pete6032]

Anywhere to get fresh fruit/vegetables at a decent price downtown? This would save a trip to the grocery store after work. I see the French Market but I haven't compared their prices.

[carrie1148]

1. Whole Foods
2. Trader Joes

I do not buy processed crap though, so consider the source.