less expensive shopping options in evanston

I am new to the area, living in Evanston. our shopping is pretty standard every week - about half of what we spend is on fruits and vegetables (nothing exotic, mostly bagged leafy vegetiables, apples, pinnaples, melons, berries) as well as basic kid friendly staples.


frankly, I do most of the shopping at Jewel Osco, as there is one down the street from me. having seen another thread on JO, it strikes me that it is expensive.

anybody have any recomendations as to where I can get simple fruits and vegetables for less money? and/or, basic family staples (but not in bulk)

thanks

globetrotter wrote:anybody have any recomendations as to where I can get simple fruits and vegetables for less money? and/or, basic family staples (but not in bulk)

For produce, is Marketplace on Oakton too far? Good produce, good prices, but you'd have to drive to Skokie. I'm also in Evanston, but it's the winter go-to place for veggies to me and many neighbors.

Similar place, but smaller, a little closer, with a little more Hispanic orientation (as opposed to the Eastern European orientation of Marketplace) is Rogers Park Fruit Market.

Closer still is Food4Less, a division of Kroger, a more traditional supermarket with prices that definitely beat Jewel or Dominick's.

Marketplace on Oakton
4817 Oakton St (just past Skokie Blvd.)
Skokie, IL
Phone: (847) 677-1094

Rogers Park Fruit Market
7401 N Clark St (a couple of blocks south of Howard)
Chicago, IL
Phone: (773) 262-3663

Food 4 Less
2400 Main St (in the large shopping center just east of McCormick)
Evanston, IL
Phone: (847) 492-1904

Looks like Tom beat me to the punch with some good recommendations. A few that I thought of that are a little further away, but still reachable from Evanston:

Devon Market
1440 W Devon Ave
Chicago, IL 60660
(773) 338-2572

H-Mart
801 Civic Center Dr. (Oakton & Waukegan)
Niles, IL 60714
847-581-1212

Lincolnwood Produce
7175 N Lincoln Ave
Lincolnwood, IL
(847) 329-0600

Have to say, I went to Food For Less today and was pretty disappointed - the produce prices had skyrocketed ($2.50/lb for red bell peppers) and the meat value cuts were only reasonable if you bought them in cow-size portions.

In the summer, don't forget the Evanston Farmer's Market on Saturdays downtown (location varies depending on construction) or the Sunday Skokie Farmer's market near the Skokie Library on Oakton.

I don't go to either of these places, (I shop at many of the places that have been suggested) but they're much closer and some neighbors like them:

Dempster Produce, barely in Skokie:
3462 Dempster St.

Bill's Finer Foods
1800 Dempster - my neighbor likes the combos of meat & ground beef.

As ubiquitous as produce markets are, it's surprising that we have so few in the Evanston city limits.

I second H-mart.

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... ight=hmart

Bill's Finer Foods usually has rather poor produce, but has a great butcher and the value for their meat usually beats anyone in town.

For real value on produce, follow the above addresses to Devon or Lincolnwood.

Unscientifically, I find the Dominicks on Dempster and Dodge cheaper than Jewel. And I agree about Food for Less, unless you're buying in bulk I don't see too much difference. I don't belong to any of those 'Clubs' (I'm not sure they'll let me in) so I can't compare them.

As a resident of Rogers Park, I've hit many of the suggestions above. However, I would skip Food 4 Less for fresh produce and meat. When they first opened, produce and meat seemd reasonable and fresh. However, the last few times I've been there, I have been discouraged by the quality, prices and availability, especially of items on special. (I know, I know...I shouldn't be surprised at this.) We regularly get our produce from Devon Market, Rogers Park Fruit Market, Marketplace on Oakton and Lincolnwood Produce.

A great little store in Rogers Park that often gets overlooked is the Morse Avenue Market. They are my local anti-Dominick's. The market sells fresh produce at very good prices (including fresh herbs). Although the selection is not as broad as RP fruit market, the prices are better and the produce is fresher. They also have a very good meat department. I bought a sirloin roast from there last week that was very tender and flavorful. They usually have fresh oxtail also. The selection of staples, canned goods and coffee etc. is not that great and tends to be mostly ethnic in nature (mexican, jamaican, balkan). However, the bread selection is the best in the area.

Morse Fruit & Meat Market
1430 W Morse Ave
Chicago, IL 60626-3480
(773) 973-3765

thank you all very much. I have passed by Bill's, now I have to go in, and try the others.

Dempster Produce, barely in Skokie:
3462 Dempster St.

I can't place this store at all. Are you 100% sure this is the correct address? I'm thinking this address is where a CVS drugstore is now - IIRC, there was a fruit & veg store that was there at one time, but it closed several years ago after a fire, and never reopened.

That was the address I pulled on Mapquest; I'm thinking of the one that's just past McCormick...it has been a while...

The place with the fire was also called Greenwood Produce. It's got the CVS in its place now.

You may be thinking of Village Market Place, at 4034 Dempster, a little farther west, on the north side of the street. Great produce, good prices, good deli, and a good selection of unusual eastern European products. (Can't beat Lincolnwood Produce's selection or prices though.)

Go even further west into Morton Grove to Richwell Market at 6120 Dempster(used to be Diho) for a great asian market - a small produce slection includes stuff like lotus root and they have live crab, fish and turtles!