I am new to philly and live in the fairmount area and I was wondering if anyone could tell me where the closest non whole foods grocery store is? Whole foods is convenient and all but a bit pricey for my budget...

Unfortunately, there isn't a large grocery store near Fairmount. I shop a lot at Trader Joe's, at 22nd and Market, and buy produce and meats mainly at the Reading terminal market or the italian market.

When I need to buy bulk goods - paper towels, cases of soda, etc - I typically go to the superfresh on south & 11th, or to the shoprite on Oregon ave.

Welcome to the area!

Re: the prices at WF. A lot of staple-type products you buy there are the same price or cheaper than a similar product at "less expensive" stores if you buy the 365 Brand. Canned foods especially fall into this category.

Produce and meat can be obtained for MUCH cheaper at Reading Terminal Market (12th and Arch, open seven days a week, with $3 validated parking for 2 hours in the garage on 12th) or in the Italian Market (along 9th street, just north of Washington, with difficult on-street parking). Both are fabulous Philly experiences that you should know about, now that you're here. There are several Asian markets on Washington near the Italian Market where you can get things you'd never think would be there for really cheap. I got fancy French cookies there for $1.75, and they were almost $4 at WF. If you want really fresh fish, they're swimming in tanks in these stores.

There are lots of farmers' markets around Philly this time of year, so depending on where and when you work, you might find one you can visit outside the neighborhood, but there's one on Thursday afternoon/evenings on the west side of Eastern State Penitentiary.

For other "real" grocery stores (but not necessarily cheaper than WF):
Trader Joe's is at 22nd and Market
SuperFresh at 10th and South (with the other WF across the street from it) and on Delaware Ave by Home Depot
Great Scot at 18th and Spruce
FreshGrocer at 40th and Walnut

That should be enough to get you started. Happy eating!

For cold cuts, you can also go to Garden Fresh Deli at the corner of 24th and Fairmount. It isn't Reading Terminal or the Italian Market, but, it is convenient, fresh and delicious!

Do you have a car? Of course if you don't have a car, don't bother reading below, haha...

There are better supermarkets in South Philly.

I have a system...This is what I do:

I hit Trader Joe's on 22nd & Market for their usual good stuff you can't get at supermarkets and is too $$ at Whole Foods (exotic cheeses, pineapple/peach salsa, organic tortilla chips, fresh herbs, frozen pasta meals, Bul Gol Ki, etc).

Then I go hit the BJs on 24th & Oregon for the bulk stuff (cases of water, propel or vitamin water, TP, paper towels, cleaning products).

Then two blocks away on 22/21st & Oregon, there's a nice Acme with a great deli where I do my normal grocery shopping.

To get to BJs & Acme, take 676 West >> 76EAST >> Passyunk/Oregon Ave exit and it pretty much dumps you off right in front of BJs at 24th & Oregon, from there Acme is two blocks away. In the same mall as BJs, there's also a Petsmart, if you have pets, and a Home Depot. I like this area because it's right off the expressway and you're there and back in a flash.

There's also a really nice Super Fresh on Columbus blvd, take 676 EAST >> 95 SOUTH >> Columbus Blvd exit, make right at light, follow down about a mile and it's in a shopping mall on your left. There's also an Old Navy, Home Depot and Walmart in this mall.

All of the places I mention have a free parking lot.

Also, if you don't mind a drive over the bridge, Wegman's in Cherry Hill is fantastic.

There's a great smaller grocery store off of Fairmount between 24th and 25th in the shopping center in the base of that building next to Little Pete's a pharmacy and a Wachovia. There prices tend to be a little better than The grocery store at 23rd and Fairmount and they have a much better and larger general food selection. If you have a car, I would say hitting Wegmans in Cherry Hill would be easier than South Philly. I think it's off of route 70, about a 10-15 minute drive.

I second this. We always stop at Wegman's on our way back from the beach and buy huge quantities of food for a much better selection and much better prices than I've seen in Philly proper.

And even if you don't have a car, there's Philly Car Share, which has a bunch of pods in our neighborhood.

Has anyone done this? Is it worthwhile? Do you get what you want? I had bad experiences with it before - especially the interface of the site you order from. That would be easiest.

I do the following:

Every other week we go to the Acme at 22 and Oregon, as it is an easy-on, easy-off I-76. We also hit Petco while there. Maybe even Chilis.

Week in and out we do the following neighborhood stops...

- Garden Fresh for cold cuts, veggies, bakery bread, herbs
- Klein's in the Philadelphian for meat (steaks, chicken breast, pork chops that are best to eat same day but very well priced - has anyone tried the fish here?) and sandwich bread and frozen foods.
- CVS or Rite Aid for candy, cleaning products and OTC's.

But no thread is complete without some anger, so I guess I have to bring up my disdain for the SuperFresh on Columbus. Traffic is horrible down there! They have empty shelves! Nothing is on sale! But Famous Dave's is nearby, and that pulled pork BBQ sandwich is magnificient. So you make that tradeoff if you are me.

I only go to Whole Foods if I need a cake or some cheeses. The traffic is brutal in that lot (designed no doubt by a sadist).

PS - how about that dog shooting that kid? In the back, no less!

the closest super market is at 2900 block of 29th street. that makes it 10 blocks or so north of girard at strawberry plaza. soon there eill be one at cecil b and broad but the one on 29th is closer.

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