Westbrook Market

Westbrook Market, Cass & 63rd, Westmont

This market, which in a former life was Brookhaven foods on Cass at 75th, is simply magnificent. The produce section might be the best in Chicagoland, which I know is saying alot. It's like a huge collection of neighborhood groceries from Devon, Argyle, North Milwaukee and more, all under one roof. The selections fairly specifically target the Mexican, Indian, Filipino, Chinese, Polish, and Italian communities.

Apart from the amusement-park-like produce section, there is a bakery tending toward Mexican and Polish, which is not up to the produce, but fine local bakeries from D'Amato's to Balkan [edit: I mean, Baltic ... Austria, Australia, whatever], to some nice Filipino stuff from Niles are represented. Vast frozen, unprocessed seafood section, good deli (largely Itlalian, Polish and Filipino/Chinese). And deep dried, canned and pickled (see Polish and some Korean) aisles. Live crabs, too.

A great, great grocery store. Best in Chicago, for my money.

PS, to give you an idea what I'm talking about, here are some things I saw on Sunday, all ready to eat:

Pea shoots, yellow chives, green chives, Vietnamese spinach, water spinach, chinese celery, lotus roots, bannana blossoms (the last two, especially great looking and lots of 'em), celery root, parsley root, epazote, dandelion greens, raw chick peas and favas in thier hulls, raw peanuts, boniato, yuca and malanga, three mango varieties, three avocado varieties, the range of Indian gourds, squashes and melons, fresh banana leaves, boniato leaves and lots of stuff I can't identify, including a long, bright purple squash that a Filipino guy held up triumphantly and shouted about to his friend from accross the store.

Nearby are many good food destinations in the well-documented Westmont/Downers/Lisle area. Just south of the store are a few promising new spots (in Falconer Plaza), including a Chinese-for-Chinese spot, a place that calls itself an "Indian Bar" (new to me); and one that describes itself as "Mexican BBQ."

To follow up a little on this place, I wanted to note a few things I noticed this weekend while I was in the burbs.

Westbrook somehow has managed to work out some reciprocity with the big "ethnic" markets of the south and west suburbs, to great advantage.

Caputo's cheese, including the fresh moz; Bobak's sausages and smoked meats; and some Di Ho stuff, too.

Also, they have in the deli a very unusual luchmeat I have not seen outside S. Florida, Cuban style ham. This ham is covered with paprika and cumin and cured in an odd way that makes it an acquired taste. I've seen pork roast done the same way in Miami delis. Can't for the life of me figure out who this product is aimed at, since it is unusual even in areas with lots of Cubans. But I point it out as more evidence of what an unusual place Westbrook is.

Did I mention that everything is ridiculously cheap, too?

I will check it out, Jeff. Does it also carry the "Fresh Market" moniker? I think the remaining old centrella or certified or whatever independent distributors have created this brand, as I have seen it at Michael's and also at a place at 63rd just west of I355 in Downers (I think). If Michael's is a good reference point, and Westbrook is also one, these places are a fabulous addition.

Re "Fresh Market." I haven't noticed this, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were part of that confederacy.

I just visited Westmont on your reco, too. The sale flyer called it "Centrella." Loved the place except that it seemed a trifle antiseptic....the butchers were behind a glass wall, which I thought was odd. They stock a good selection of beer, including Utenos a Lithuanian brand that is hard to find. (I'm Lithuanian). Also had bread imported from Lithuania, which suprised me, but I didn't purchase on the grounds that bread shouldn't be so well traveled. Marilyn

"Antiseptic" is a good criticism. What happened, I think, is that they moved into too large and bright a space. This was a large Eagle Market previously. (Whence the glassed off butcher section and other similar issues.) I assume that they did the transition on the cheap. But look at the food. I didn't even know to notice the Lithuanian angle.

The place was packed to the rafters when it was on 75th, really too small a space then. It felt like you were in a different country then.

My hope is that it will grow into its new digs.

This store is now in his last week of it's four week "going out of business sale". Not much product remains on their shelves as prices have been discounted 50%. Some selection on beer, wine & liquor left at 40% off. Going to miss this place as the deli, bakery and produce departments were terrific and prices were usually half of what Jewel normally charges for the same item.

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A new Mariano's is quickly being constructed right next door to this 63rd St. & Cass Ave. shopping center. Looks like Mariano's should open with the next six months.

Really sad to see Westbrook go. I loved this place and it was 4 blocks from my house. Plus they were the only place other than Market Day back in the late 80's that I've found full size Vienna Bagel Dogs. I bought a box of 30 just before they closed. The mini ones that you can find everywhere were good until they cut the size of the bag in half but still charge the same price.

The new Whole Foods and impending Mariano's must have knocked Westbrook out. La Familia has been a decent alternative for produce but not the same selection.