Grocery Stores

[pigboy1]

I am a huge "foodie" and prefer to experiment with the best ingredients available. I cannot find a place on this planet that compares to HEB. For the combination of quality, price, and service...they are so far and away the best grocery retailer around. Who do ya'll use and why should I use anyone else but HEB? Just cant drive past an HEB and wondering if anyone else can compare in Houston?

 

[jadedscenester]

the produce at the arboretum heb sucks. i have to do my veggie shopping elsewhere, which is really annoying.

 

[100yearHorn]

HEB does have the best food, but I am attached to Fiesta for irrational reasons. They play great music for one thing, especially at the Dunlavy (great classic rock) and San Jacinto (funk and blues) locations.

Some of them have great wine and beer selections.

The one on Bellaire @ Hillcroft is like a trip to Matamoros.

 

[Woland]

I can't help you in Houston, but up in north Texas we are getting Market Street United. It is a welcome addition considering the barren wasteland (No HEB's) we had previously. How sad is it when your choices are Tom Thumb, Albertson's, and Kroger?

 

[Mrmyke709]

Word on the street is, we may be getting a Sun Harvest at the old Albertson's at Manchaca and Slaughter. They have far better produce than HEB.
But, the Brodie Oaks store sucks as far as access goes.

 

[Smoky Brisket]

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[MGS]

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[YChang]

at least y'all have the greatness that is Trader Joe's in California.

 

[txre]

i live not far form the Unied Market Street and love it. Don't forget about Central Market ,which I believe to be a HEB store of of Coit and 190. there is another Central Market down off of Greenville.

 

[DeadHeadHorn]

Trader Joe's is great for some things, but total shite for others. For example, their wine selection is really good for bargain-basement steals (two-buck Chuck, $3 or $4 Argentine/Chilean wines), they've got a good seafood section which is also really cheap, and their pizzas are awesome (probably the best frozen pizzas I've ever had).

But their produce section is awful. It's all pre-packaged and kinda ******. I don't know why anyone would ever buy produce at TJ's when you can go to the farmers' markets and get badass, fresh produce. And their salsas are terrible. The only one that I'll even eat is the peach salsa, and that's way too sweet. I much prefer to make my own salsas anyway.

But TJ's is really cheap - cheaper than the big-box stores and the quality is a lot better too. They offer good products (many natural and organic foods) and I do about 80% of my shopping there. The rest I do at mom & pop markets and farmers' markets.

 

[SuperHero]

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[Smoky Brisket]

Trader Joes is also the only place out here to buy Tito's Vodka, if you're into supporting the motherland.

 

[Mack Tripper]

For Houston, it depends what you are looking for. As far as the combination of quality and value, HEB is good depending on what part of town you live in. I live in the Heights, and the only HEB near me is a crappy HEB Pantry. I cook a lot and usually go to a nicer Kroger, Whole Foods, Central Market, Fiesta (for certain chiles and other things for Mexican cooking), or one of the many Asian markets. Also, there are dozens of small markets catering to various other nationalities. I've seen markets with products from Brazil, Poland, Russia, Puerto Rico, Phillipines, etc.

 

[wolfTEX]

Majority of our shopping is done at Randall's. Always clean, not junkie and good value if you watch the weekly specials and clip coupons. You will save! Also the meat market and produce dept are better than HEB. ***Walmart sucks big time. UGLY PRODUCE, TOUGH BEEF!!!

 

[wild_turkey]

I currently use the HEB at Louis Henna. The food selection is fine but they are always pretty crowded. The Randall's by my house (Gattis School Rd) is pretty sweet, but the food is by far more expensive. Market Street United is probably the best grocery store I have ever shopped at, but they are only in north Texas.

 

[pulque]

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[Mack Tripper]

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[DoobieWah]

Also a foodie with a grocery store fetish.

I hit with extreme regularity:

Kroger, (best general grocery in my area unfortunately)
Sandy's - a produce market near my house,
Phoenicia - A huge Middle Eastern/Med specialty grocery.
Hong Kong Market - An even huger Asian market.
Fiesta - Hispanic/General market

...and less frequently, Whole Foods and Central Market.

As an aside, grocery stores are always on my must-visit list when I travel, and usually are my prime source of "souvenirs".

 

[taco]

that would be nice - been wondering was going to go in there