Whole Foods vs Central Market

[WilGar]

CM when I have time for the spiritual quality it possesses. I will pay for this, otherwise, HEB.

Hard for me to go to Whole Foods-No tattoos, no piercings, just my gray hair and someone questioning my carbon footprint when I drive a large Tahoe vs. a Prius.

[GEM-Texas]

My take:

1. As far as selection of most items - CM is a little better. For ex. CM has better ice cream, butters, and dairy.
2. CM's restaurant is better for hot sandwiches.
3. CM has much better selections in the cheese department and the cold cuts. Whole Foods lacks artisanal or more high end European cheeses.
4. Bakeries, pretty close but CM a touch more.
5. If you just want to shop - the Alon Heb is great and does have a decent cheese selection of commercial brands.

Both stores (CM and WF) have some truly stuck up patrons parading around the place as if they were masters of the universe. WF staff on Blanco are very friendly folk.

All the SA stores pale in comparison to the Austin stores.

[TXEX06]

Originally Posted by GEM-Texas

All the SA stores pale in comparison to the Austin stores.

I never thought that at all when I lived in Austin. I lived by the Westgate CM and worked across the street from the Lamar CM. I frequented both on a weekly basis, and I did enjoy the outdoor movie series at Central Park adjacent to the Lamar CM.

Back on topic, I prefer CM for all the reasons already stated plus because of their beer selection. The brunch menu at CM is pretty solid, and I like popping open a bomber/champagne that was brought at CM to pair with it. Saves some serious cash compared to eating out at a restaurant.

[imaterry78259]

I wish HEB would put a Central Market in Stone Oak and the Dominion area.

[GEM-Texas]

I thought that HEB had dropped the CM model for more upscale Plus or specialty stores dependent on neighborhoods.

Thus, the Alon store and the Wilderness Oak store are the models for those. Both have specialty items.

The WF on Lamar - a much better take out, buffet section. Better bakery, produce and a whole lot of things. Wife likes their cosmetic section much better.

The WF here have the same old boring take out with little originality. However, the population base for getting more exotic takeout exists in downtown Austin and not here.

[dhsa]

Before CM opened around 1999 it was a regular HEB at that location, the closest grocery store to people like me living just north of downtown. When CM opened, it then became our closest grocery store.

Generally, CM is bigger and carries a wider range of products, and often has slightly better prices on the gourmet-type food.
CM does have many products priced the same as at the HEBs.

CM bakery is very good; WF is good but smaller.
WF self-serve salad bar is much bigger than CM (although nowhere near as good/big as WF salad bars in other cities). WF has had a decent olive bar a lot longer than CM. Disclaimer - I've only been to the one on Basse in the Quarry, haven't been to the newer WF.

When I was drinking a lot of fresh squeezed lemonade and grapefruit juice, WF was a little more reliable.
When Concord grapes are in season (~October), WF has them in stock about 1/3 of the time; CM is stubbornly clueless.

CM's fresh squeezed citrus juice section started out good when they first opened; prices were dirt cheap, and they used Valencia oranges for their OJ, which seasonally was exceptionally superb from May through mid-fall. Now they're pushing stuff like kiwi-beet-parsley juice at exorbitant prices. A half gallon jug of fresh lemonade cannot be found, you'd have to spend $12 for 4 half pints.

Both CM and WF involve my driving through Alamo Heights; their traffic cops seem quite zealous about generating revenue, in addition to protecting public safety.

Over the long term about 30% of my food supply comes from CM, about 5% from WF, and the rest split among several HEBs, Costco, Sams and WM. It used to be nice having Albertsons here as a decent alternative. Farm-to-Market on Austin Highway closed down shortly after CM opened; their restaurant (Silo) is still doing business there.

I consider both of them successful, good quality local/regional Texas companies. I've been buying food from them for years, some of it relatively fresh & unpasteurized, and I haven't suffered any food-borne illness incidents to speak of. Occasionally food spoilage/deterioration, but not food poisoning. (I worked in a food testing lab for many years, so have a realistic tolerance for things like that.)

[Kthnry]

One thing I really like about CM is the bulk section. You can buy a couple tablespoons of some obscure spice or herb for just a few cents instead of a big $5 bottle of something that you will probably never use again.

[Proffer]

Being somewhat cost-conscious, I have to go to CM, regular HEB, and WF to get what I need, and at the price I want. For example, for organic vegetables, the Lincoln Heights HEB carries stuff that WF or CM do not, or at much lower prices, and in much larger bunches (e.g., parsley, spinach) and/or that are much larger in size (avocados). Some CM vegetables are cheaper, some WF vegetables are cheaper. Bulk foods are a mixed bag as well. CM has much cheaper beans than WF, but much more expensive nuts than the bulk nuts at the Lincoln Heights HEB. It's worth driving the circle to hit all three places.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by Proffer

Being somewhat cost-conscious, I have to go to CM, regular HEB, and WF to get what I need, and at the price I want. For example, for organic vegetables, the Lincoln Heights HEB carries stuff that WF or CM do not, or at much lower prices, and in much larger bunches (e.g., parsley, spinach) and/or that are much larger in size (avocados). Some CM vegetables are cheaper, some WF vegetables are cheaper. Bulk foods are a mixed bag as well. CM has much cheaper beans than WF, but much more expensive nuts than the bulk nuts at the Lincoln Heights HEB. It's worth driving the circle to hit all three places.

That's good to know. We usually buy nuts at Costco, but I've never been happy with the quality. Cooking mostly vegan, we use a lot of nuts. LH is out of my way and not normally worth the drive (and I've not been impressed by their organic produce), but I'm in the area once per month and could stock up on nuts easily.

Have you been to Ali Baba on Wurzbach? They have bulk nuts and dried fruits at good prices too.

[Proffer]

Thanks Chaka. I'll check out Ali Baba for nuts. I have a memory of Costco walnuts being stale. Bulk walnuts at Lincoln Heights HEB (and probably other HEBs) are 5.99/lb versus CM 8-10/lb. Managers have told me that the different stores contract with different sellers. As for organic vegetables, a head of cauliflower is 3.00 at LH HEB, and often 5.00 at WF. Also, LH carries huge bunches of parsley, huge avocados, and organic spinach bunches that will be absent from WF and CM for weeks at a time. When WF does have spinach, it's 2.50 for a microscopic bunch that is water damaged and I can't do it.