Best grocery store on STX?

For "real" food or specialty items? And what day of the week are we talking about? LOL!

I dont think there is a best there's comprimises to all of them. I get different necessities from all of them. You have the two plaza extras. Plaza Extra west is the largest grocery store on island. They will have all your basics, plus a deli, bakery, etc. But they still will be missing stateside foo foo items and fun things. Plaze Extra center island is a slightly more compact version of West. Pueblo in golden rock is the only place i can find certain cheezes, but the store is a little dingy and not all that cheap really. Food town is my favorite but it is pricey. But they carry alot of things statesiders are useded to and is always very clean,safe, and friendly, but they are a small store compared to the other. And finally you have Schooner Market THE most expensive of the bunch and the smallest. But the only place with a salad bar and the best grocery store bakery. They also have quite a few gourmet items the foodies will like. You never know how well it will be stocked when you go in so its and adventure...actually its a pain in the ass but the stop and rob is next door and I go there when schooner is out of milk and thats all I need before I go home.

i think Food Town is best. They are very accomodating with special orders.

Produce from any grocery store isn't good and its shelf life is very short. Need to get tomatoes and lettuce from South Gate Farms

As previous posters have said food shopping is not a one stop proposition. You usually have to hit Cost U Less, Plaza Extra, Food Town and South Gate Farms . Annaly Farms has excellent beef and chicken. We buy our fish from Skov on the east end of STX.

People back stateside think you have nothing to do all day down here but go to the beach, but shopping can kill half a day. We carry a cooler in our car so perishables stay cool with all the stops.

Jim

I forgot about costuless or costumore...their produce is actually consisantly the best out of all the grocery stores. I usually stop there for the produce and try to stock up for a week or week and a half.

I try not to buy any "fresh" produce from the grocery stores. Bananas are 79 cents/lb at Pueblo and they come from Guatemala to Florida and then to San Juan and here. The tomatoes are hard as a rock and their limes are from Mexico. STX grocery produce is too expensive and comes from a long way off. I go to the La Reine farmers' market on Saturday mornings... but you've got to get there early for the best stuff. Eat better and support the local farmers!

To get every thing you want or need you have to go to at least 2 or 3 stores. I have two routines. One is to go to Plaza and then to cost u less. The second is to just go to food land. Fresh fruit is hard to find. And in the winter produce gets scarce, It takes half a day and bring a cooler.If you go west you can find some good roadside fruit and veggie stands. Very good beef at Annaly Farms near the college.

What ever happened to the great produce at the old Princess Market? That was the best ever.

The retail store has been closed for some time. I believe they still operate a wholesale business.

I agree with Betty... no one best place...depends on whats available and what Im in the mood for. When it was hummus or "foo foo" stuff (pesto, or goat cheese)- never found much at Plaza...I'd go with Schooner or Food Town. But when its bulk frozen stuff- Plaza is great. Pueblo was just when it was "normal" or simple items, altough I think things sit on their shelves a pretty long time. Many canned goods are dust covered and the dusty pasta box I bought was full of little bugs... so killed that nights appetite!

Food town was closest to us and the owner/manager guy always very nice and helpful when the in-laws were looking for karo syrup and other random cooking items. A little pricey- usually couldnt get out without spending 20 or 30 - just for this or that to add to staples already at home for one complete meal...but worth the convenience of "in and out"... if you dont consider the parking a lil nuts! lol

Just thought about this- We could NEVER find regular chicken breasts at Plaza... and we always forgot that each time we went. Just all the other parts fully stocked in the freezer section, but never boneless, skinless... I think that subject has been discussed on here before!