groceries
I am lucky to live in what is probably the best grocery city in the United States. I know this is a bold statement but Austin Texas is home to Whole Foods Market and Central Market (owned by H.E.B.). While I don't believe Austin competes in the "farm-stand" or "farmer's market" segment as well as a lot of the east and west coast communities do (we're getting better), as far as grocery stores go, I haven't seen a city with greater riches.
Whole Food Market just opened its "flagship" store in central Austin (read my friend's great review) which is long overdue since the business was born and raised here. It is an 85,000 square foot spectacle and one of two WFMs in Austin (rumor has it that WFM is planning another store just like the new one to replace its current north Austin store).
Whole Foods Market is nationwide and the largest natural food market in the world so I am guessing most readers have heard of it. Central Market on the other hand (also homegrown in Austin) is owned by H.E.B., central Texas' largest grocery store and only operates in Texas (H.E.B. didn't open Central Market stores elsewhere in Texas until only the last few years and there are two locations in Austin). Central Market is set-up like a big, isle-winding farmer's market (with a roof and walls) with foods galore and has been a local favorite and an amazement to tourists for years.
I won't get into the "Central Market is this and Whole Foods Market is that" dialog but the other day while hanging out at Central Market south (known as CM Westgate), I ran into a chef friend of mine and while we were talking, the subject of the two stores came up. Our take on the difference was rendered down to this: Whole Foods Market wants to cook for you whereas Central Market is for cooks.
Even with the creation of the greatest WFM ever (HA!), IMHO, Central Market still offers a superior selection of fresh produce, fish, meat, groceries, wine, and beer. These offerings (except meat and fish) in the new WFM don't seem much different than what was found in the former store, so, what does WFM use all that new space for? Well, it has "made to order" foods galore. It houses a sushi bar, a full-service deli, an espresso bar, a gelato counter, an Asian noodle counter, a "watch and wait" coffee roasting station, a wine & antipasto bar (yes, you can order a glass of wine and drink it while shopping), and much more. It is almost like being in the best darn shopping mall food-court in the world.
Whole Foods also has stricter food standards than CM, not allowing its guests to make the choice on purchasing items with say........hydrongenated oils in them.
All in all, they are different and unique and serve to enrich the food community in Austin and at the same time, through competition, they improve the offerings of Austin's "traditional" supermarkets.
Having them here doesn't suck for me! Happy food shopping!
Whole Food Market just opened its "flagship" store in central Austin (read my friend's great review) which is long overdue since the business was born and raised here. It is an 85,000 square foot spectacle and one of two WFMs in Austin (rumor has it that WFM is planning another store just like the new one to replace its current north Austin store).
Whole Foods Market is nationwide and the largest natural food market in the world so I am guessing most readers have heard of it. Central Market on the other hand (also homegrown in Austin) is owned by H.E.B., central Texas' largest grocery store and only operates in Texas (H.E.B. didn't open Central Market stores elsewhere in Texas until only the last few years and there are two locations in Austin). Central Market is set-up like a big, isle-winding farmer's market (with a roof and walls) with foods galore and has been a local favorite and an amazement to tourists for years.
I won't get into the "Central Market is this and Whole Foods Market is that" dialog but the other day while hanging out at Central Market south (known as CM Westgate), I ran into a chef friend of mine and while we were talking, the subject of the two stores came up. Our take on the difference was rendered down to this: Whole Foods Market wants to cook for you whereas Central Market is for cooks.
Even with the creation of the greatest WFM ever (HA!), IMHO, Central Market still offers a superior selection of fresh produce, fish, meat, groceries, wine, and beer. These offerings (except meat and fish) in the new WFM don't seem much different than what was found in the former store, so, what does WFM use all that new space for? Well, it has "made to order" foods galore. It houses a sushi bar, a full-service deli, an espresso bar, a gelato counter, an Asian noodle counter, a "watch and wait" coffee roasting station, a wine & antipasto bar (yes, you can order a glass of wine and drink it while shopping), and much more. It is almost like being in the best darn shopping mall food-court in the world.
Whole Foods also has stricter food standards than CM, not allowing its guests to make the choice on purchasing items with say........hydrongenated oils in them.
All in all, they are different and unique and serve to enrich the food community in Austin and at the same time, through competition, they improve the offerings of Austin's "traditional" supermarkets.
Having them here doesn't suck for me! Happy food shopping!
Labels: *talk*
1 Comments:
Man...Texas has it all! I miss it!
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