Still looking for good produce in Forest/Oak Park

The farmer's market is a good start, but I'm looking for something that I could go to when ever I wanted. I did get a great peach praline pie there on Saturday.

Whole Foods is too dangerous. I end up with 1/2 their deli in my cart.

I'm not impressed with any of the Jewels, but at least the one on Cicero has poblano peppers.

I'm down the street from Ed's Way and there meat is good, but produce is lacking.

I miss my Treasure Island!

Thanks!

Best bets are to head north or south on harlem: At about 2600 N is Caputo's, and at about 3800 S is the Berwyn Fruit Market.

Caputo's markets itself primarily to italians, but also has a good selection of polish goods. Very nice produce usually, with a decently wide selection. On my last visit I saw an asian woman with a bag of about 3 pounds of fresh thai chiles.

Berwyn Fruit Market caters to that area's hispanic community, and is what you might expect from a large hispanic grocer.

It depends on what you're looking for, but for mangos, nopales, cilantro and other produce (not to mention above-average hot table chow: http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=4007), I like Nuevo Mundo on Roosevelt.

Hammond

Lots of produce, reasonable prices, long hours at Ultra Foods on Roosevelt west of Harlem.

I've found pretty good ingredients at Del Ray on North Ave near 15th Ave in Melrose Park as well as the one on Grand Ave and Naragansett in Chicago.

In addition to mainly Hipano-centric produce, they occasionally have rotisserie chicken on sale for $2.99 - (normally $4.99) pretty good, seasoned with paprika and garlic powder...also small bags of mesquite charcoal, great dried chiles, dried beans, rice, etc.

Heartily second Caputo's in Elmwood Park on Harlem.

Don't pass up Caputo's Cheese on 15th Ave (North of North Ave) in Melrose Park as another great place to shop. Naturally, cheeses, (fresh mozzarella and ricotta every day), proscuitto (Parma is $9.99 / lb!), olives, dried pasta, salt-packed anchovies and capers, fresh sausage, arancini (on the weekends), cheap spices and a more than a few interesting inexpensive wines. The produce section is a bit spotty, at best.