grocery stores

Artfarm, Annaly Farms, Le Reine.

bring your own fish.........local produce found on most main roads at small stands and as post above the 2 local farms. fish can be found but need to check eyes for blurriness and gills for slime both indicate an old dead fish.........before i moved here i brought my fish and meat frozen in a disposable suitcase..........even with current checkon prices will still save lots of money

You can bring frozen fish, but you can't find the same local fish on the mainland! I would advise to buy from the road stand, but make sure you take snapper's advice and be on the lookout for bad fish, one tip is to make sure you buy as EARLY as possible (between 6 and 8 am) to avoid getting fish that has been in the sun for 6 hours.

watch what you buy at some roadside stands, some of it was bought at grocery stores and sold at the stands

What? Bring frozen fish in your suitcase to a Caribbean island because it's cheaper?!Umm, disagree. Please stop in at the Basic Butcher (formerly Princesse Seafood ppl). They will be down the road from you in Gallows Bay Shopping area across from Gallows Bay Hardware Store on the East End. Very nice, clean store with fresh seafood and specialty meats. They really take pride in what they serve. They also have foreign beers you can't find elsewhere. For a general grocery store I like the selection at Food Town. It's smaller and pricier than my second choice, Plaza Extra. You can get fresh lobster from the fisherman selling it right across the street from Plaza Extra "East". There is a nice coffee shop in that area as well, Starfish Patisserie. Or try Twin City Coffee in downtown Christiansted for the best coffee on St. Croix, IMHO. Have fun!

Go to sajah farm they are every good, are u can give them
A call 340-277-9394 or 340-277-6046

I wouldnt bring fish in a suitcase....thats crazy. Local veggies all over. We used to drive to 3 different markets to do grocery shopping
Early morning you can get fresh fish at markets. If you keep an eye out Schooner Bay has fresh fish but you will pay for it. Blue Water
Terrace also has fresh fish but $$$ too. That is on the East end.

i have know people who came to visit bring coolers of meat and fish with them on their visits from the keys

Fresh fish isn't easy to find on island. You would think it would be everywhere but.....no. In terms of farmers markets, there are a few but very expensive. Groceries....you will have to travel mid island to find a store. We lives on the East end and can tell you first hand.

After four months on the east end, here's my current grocery/market reviews:

Farmer's Markets:

- I'm actually finding the prices at Art Farm are less than what I paid for local veggies in the stores in Austin (Whole Foods, Central Market). I left there with a huge bag of veggies last week for $40 and I was very happy.

- There's also a local farmer or two on Saturday mornings at the intersection heading from the East End into C'Sted (by Cheeseburgers). I've bought a lot of local fruits from them, as well as herbs in pots and tomatoes.

- My BF does the Farmer's Market shopping in town on Saturday mornings. He goes REALLY early for the best selection - and it varies. He's brought home a lot of good things though.

Fish:

- I second Basic Butcher in Gallows Bay. Really nice pieces of fish, very fresh - often pricey though!

- Blue Water Terrace has a great deli you should just go to, not only for fresh fish and wine, but also for the prepared foods in the counter. I'm a fan.

- I saw the fresh lobsters for sale across from Plaza Extra east yesterday - alive, still kicking and HUGE! 🙂

Basic Grocery Stores:

- CostULess I'm finding isn't bad for stuff you can buy in bulk. And if you time it right they'll have organic milk (Horizon) that's still fresh and good. I've also bought pork and chicken breasts there too with good results. They can have interesting wines there too - the selection varies with whatever they get in.

- Schooner Bay has a lot of items you can't always find - gourmet items, USA "comfort foods" - they can be expensive though. Good potatoes and mushrooms you can't find many other places. Their wine selection and prices are comparable to the States for the wines I buy regularly. They do have a limited selection of good fish and a deli there if you like sliced sandwich meats and cheeses.

- In Mid-Island, Plaza Extra has lots of stuff, can be really confusing, and make sure you check prices and expiration dates. I'm finding I'm going there less and less. KMart is just for cleaning supplies and general household items when they have them.

- Have not gone to Food Town yet - heading there next!

BE VERY CAREFUL regarding dates and expirations- the two or three larger concerns routinely keep stuff on the shelves for months past their expiration dates....

@DaChief - yep. And if it doesn't have an expiration date, if I can't tell it's fresh/reasonably fresh...I don't buy it.

I did this in the states too btw - even stores there try that stuff...not as much as here sometimes but still...I'm a big label reader!

Yes, and they often cover over the expiration date with their price tag! I once wanted creme fraiche which is quite rare here....and it was at least 2 months past the sell-by date. YUK. Where's the licensing dude????

Went into Schooner Bay today and they're installing a large open reach-in cooler of some sort in front. I didn't ask what it was for as they were busy - chilled cheeses perhaps?

I, for one, am very impressed with the changes Schooner Bay has made recently. The owners clearly care about having a good business.

I've noticed that they've been organizing the housewares as well - new items?

The reorganization of the wine is great too, and as I mention above, their prices are very competitive with what I pay in Texas for the same bottles.

Also the kids sacking groceries in the afternoon make me smile - I always give them an extra dollar or two as a tip.

I have to cast a vote for Foodtown. Yes, they are a bit more expensive than some of the other, larger stores on island. But they more than make up for that with quality stuff, friendly service and a quick in-and-out experience. We recently decided to try Pueblo to see if their prices were worth making a switch. I can honestly say, no, they aren't. At least for the food we eat (nothing processed or canned, and only fresh), Pueblo's prices were no lower than Foodtown. And quite frankly, Pueblo gives me the heebie-jeebies. It's dirty, run down, and--at least the Golden Rock location--is full of people hanging around in the parking lot and near the doors. Not pleasant to run that gauntlet, especially at night.

If I had to pick a larger place than Foodtown, it would be Plaza for sure.

Bernie

I, for one, am very impressed with the changes Schooner Bay has made recently. The owners clearly care about having a good business.

Um, no.

Schooner Bay is turning into the old Gallows Bay hardware store. The managers the Armstrongs kicked out of GBH are now turning a half-way decent (albeit overpriced) GROCERY store, into the housewares isle at WalMart. Their booze is still cheap, tho. I'll give 'em that.