What do you love or hate about Seattle-area grocery stores. (prices, supermarket)

[fastsix]

Originally Posted by Ira500

In a lot of the places with cards, you just need to punch in your phone number if you don't have physical possession of the card.

If you're like me (paranoid?) and don't like giving out your phone number. All you really need is the number off the card. I have them in an encrypted password program on my phone. Not just grocery store cards, but frequent flyer cards, library cards, insurance cards etc. Assuming you trust the encryption, you could put pretty much anything in there.

I actually have several of the cards also scanned in as images. I thought I'd just scan the barcode straight off the phone's screen, but it didn't work (tried at Safeway and REI). There is a an iPhone app that claims to do this, or at least it has the most success with direct scanning of a barcode off the phone, but they also collect marketing data from your usage of the app...so only use it if you don't care about that.

[Chilkoot]

We made an offer on a condo in the northwest area of Belltown that was accepted. Now waiting on lender approval for this short sale. We are looking at different aspects of urban living.

We would like to not own a car but wonder how far out of the downtown/Belltown area do you need to travel to get decent prices on grocery items? We enjoy shopping at the Westlake Whole Foods when we visit but can’t imagine shopping at those prices when living there. Any suggestions on a grocery store that is accessible by public transportation from this area of Belltown? How far is the closest Costco?

[MafHoney]

I have yet to go to a QFC, but only because there's a Safeway and Met. Market right across from me. Though I have yet to go to the Met. Market either, but I know it's super tiny. I will go to Safeway if I'm in a pinch and forgot to get something for a recipe, or need Starbucks. Otherwise, eh. It reminds me of Albertsons, and I always avoided going there when I lived in Florida. It wasn't 'dirty', but it just seemed that way. And the produce at this one is pretty lame.

I do most of my shopping at Ballard Market. It's got the best produce section I've seen pretty much anywhere, and I love being able to buy spices, pasta, nuts, etc in the amounts I need, and not jumbo cans that will go bad before I use it, or take up space in my cabinets. Price wise I can't really compare, since everything out here is expensive. But it's worth the trip from Queen Anne across the bridge to shop there once a week and stock up.

I do really really miss Publix supermarkets though. Is it odd that's the one thing I miss about Florida? lol I loved the buy one get one free deals every week, everything is super bright, and always clean. And the bakery and deli were amazing.

[Woof]

Originally Posted by Chilkoot

...We would like to not own a car but wonder how far out of the downtown/Belltown area do you need to travel to get decent prices on grocery items? We enjoy shopping at the Westlake Whole Foods when we visit but can’t imagine shopping at those prices when living there. Any suggestions on a grocery store that is accessible by public transportation from this area of Belltown? How far is the closest Costco?

Well, until someone more up-to-date comes along to inform you, I think it would be easy enough to go north on Aurora to get to Fred Meyer, and up to Capitol Hill to get at QFC, which is slightly more expensive.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by Chilkoot

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We would like to not own a car but wonder how far out of the downtown/Belltown area do you need to travel to get decent prices on grocery items? We enjoy shopping at the Westlake Whole Foods when we visit but can’t imagine shopping at those prices when living there. Any suggestions on a grocery store that is accessible by public transportation from this area of Belltown? How far is the closest Costco?

Just remember, you also have Pike Place Market-- they would have the produces and a milk shop. You have several grocery stores nearby close to Lower Queen Anne: Metropolitan, QFC (both on Mercer Street, which is on the other side of Seattle Center from where you live) and Safeway, I believe one block south of Mercer Street.

The closest Costco is one just south of DT... address: 4401 4th Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98134.

[sequoias]

I love Grocery Outlet, Fred Meyers, Winco Foods and Trader Joes because of reasonable prices and lots of different food selections. Winco foods is kinda far away from the city center, though.

I hate Safeway, QFC and Albertsons because of the annoying discount price cards. The prices of the food are considerably expensive in general.

[KittenSparkles]

I love Central Market - love the huge produce area, great meat selection, Asian food section, bulk spices/flours/grains, etc, awesome deli, great bakery -- overall atmosphere is great as is the selection.

Trader Joe's has a certain number of products that I only buy there due to price - some cheeses, and other items.

[Hemlock140]

We also use Trader Joe's for some things, living right between two at Issaquah and Redmond. Most of our grocery shopping is at Costco, once a month, then a few things that my wife finds in the sale ads at Safeway, Fred Meyer or QFC. Because it's close, if we run out of something and need it in a hurry Safeway just because it's only one mile away. Unfortunately there is no Central Market nearby, but we always stop at the one in Poulsbo when passing by, the quality and selection justifies the price there. We also stop once every week or two at Uwajimaya in Bellevue, they have things not available elsewhere at decent prices and really good produce. In the summer, though, all of our produce comes from the Issaquah Farmer's Market, the freshly picked Yakima Valley vegetables and fruits are great and at good prices. The one in Redmond is priced a lot higher.

Generally the major supermarkets are overpriced except for the "loss leaders" so we stick to them. Walmart has good prices on name brand items but their house brand stuff and produce are awful, and the nearest is 45 minutes away anyway.

[Chilkoot]

Thanks, the variety is going to be wonderful.

[tickyul]

The perfumed-yuppie set are for the most part gullible grocery shoppers......organic this.......free range that. This makes grocers have a lightbulb moment...."Hey, if the Perfumed-Yuppies will fall for insane prices, why not everyone else?".

Then you see more and more overpriced junk in a store that used to mainly cater to the working-class barfbag......DARN.