montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 49 Shopping & Services Best Neighborhood Market Grove Market 242 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 375-9581, grovemarketgrocery.com Need to stock up on provisions for the homestead? The best mercantile around is Grove Market, according to Weekly readers, who have voted year after year for the small but mighty neighborhood store. Locals swear by the deli counter, which greets shoppers as soon as they walk in the door. It’s a great place to pick up hot dishes and meats. The rest of the store is packed with all the essentials, from canned goods and produce to fresh pies from Gizdich Ranch and Marianne’s Ice Cream, and everything in between. There’s a great selection of beers, wines and spirits, too. Everything you need to load up the wagon before you mosey on home. Best Grocery Store Elroy’s Fine Foods 15 Soledad Drive, Monterey (831) 373-3737, elroysfinefoods.com Shoppers flock to Elroy’s because it has exactly what they want, and not much else, expertly curated by those who put quality at a premium, whether fresh, organic produce, cheese and charcuterie, meats and seafood, natural wines and a small number of aisles filled with mission-driven products. Elroy’s also boasts a fine deli offering sandwiches and salads to eat there or take out, and a bar offering coffees, teas, juices, bone broth and beer and wine too. Best International Market International Market and Deli 580 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey (831) 375-9451 This cozy Lighthouse Avenue business is no Old West general store—and thank goodness for that. Popular for its halal and kosher options, the store is stacked with hard-to-find and rare spices and dried goods, like goodquality za’atar, saffron (sometimes so exotic that it’s spelled zafron), whole cardamom, freekeh, bulgar and different kinds of Turkish coffee. Whether the taste of the homeland is ready-tocook Russian pelmeni or the creamiest Lebanese labneh, customers are spoiled for choice. Best Seafood Market Sea Harvest 598 Foam St., Monterey (831) 646-0547 100 A Crossroads Blvd., Carmel (831) 626-3636, seaharvestfishmarketandrestaurant.com You could cast a line hoping to get catfish, bluegill or trout. The railroad could deliver lobster, too—although just how fresh was another matter. So why put in the effort when you could instead pull the reins toward Sea Harvest? Monterey Bay’s beloved seafood market has been around for more than 40 years, and buys fish that was just caught in the bay or nearby areas. Even better, you don’t even have to cook the fish yourself. Both Sea Harvest markets in Monterey and Carmel have a built-in restaurant, in addition to the more fine-dining experience of Sea Harvest Restaurant in Moss Landing. Best Organic Produce Market Earthbound Farm Stand 7250 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel (831) 625-6219, earthboundfarm.com Of all the modern conveniences, a farm stand with organic produce might offer shoppers the best return-on-investment. Many don’t have time—like in the olden days—to grow the majority of their own food, which is why Earthbound Farm Stand is the place to go for organic produce all year round. They offer breakfast and lunch—featuring Blue Zones-inspired options—in case you need a healthy meal before picking up your seasonal produce for the week. Best Wine Market Star Market 1275 S. Main St., Salinas (831) 422-3961, starmkt.com Saloons of the Wild West are known for whiskey, but there were options— including beer, Champagne and, yes, wine. But in that era, there weren’t many choices. Dandelion, perhaps? Lucky for Monterey County wine-drinkers of today, there’s a thoughtful and widely varied selection available at Star Market. There are affordable everyday wines, there are top-shelf options for special occasions and there are lots of local vintages, as well as imports. It’s a genuine reflection of what consumers want, in keeping with the philosophy of Star’s wine buyer, Managing Partner Victor Kong. “The main thing is, listen to your customer,” he says. “If they’re looking for something you don’t have: Let me see if I can find it. Don’t sell them what you have, give them what they want.” They want wine (good wine), and Star delivers. Best New Business of 2024 | Tipsy Putt
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