Biggest grocery store in L.A.
July 4, 2007 12:06 AM Subscribe
I love Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Wild Oats, and Farmers Market. What is the BIGGEST and best grocery store in Los Angeles County? Lots of variety needed.
Response by poster: What's better: Bristol Farms or Whole Foods?
posted by DarwinianDan at 12:44 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by DarwinianDan at 12:44 AM on July 4, 2007
Response by poster: What is Gelson's like? My grandmother used to say that she would go there in the 60s to see celebrities shopping.
posted by DarwinianDan at 12:51 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by DarwinianDan at 12:51 AM on July 4, 2007
Pavilions? Yes, it's part of the Safeway-Vons mega-chain, but I've seen some really big, really nice ones.
posted by mdonley at 1:02 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by mdonley at 1:02 AM on July 4, 2007
Response by poster: Pavilions? Cool. I've seen them from the outside but never been inside.
Specifically, which Pavilions is really big and nice?
I should have put this in the original question, but I'm looking for specific locations to visit. I know that most grocery chains have some locations that are bigger or smaller or of varying degrees of quality. What are the exact locations that are the biggest/best?
posted by DarwinianDan at 1:11 AM on July 4, 2007
Specifically, which Pavilions is really big and nice?
I should have put this in the original question, but I'm looking for specific locations to visit. I know that most grocery chains have some locations that are bigger or smaller or of varying degrees of quality. What are the exact locations that are the biggest/best?
posted by DarwinianDan at 1:11 AM on July 4, 2007
Bristol Farms has nice, high end foods, bakery, good produce and good butchers.
Whole Foods is focused on the 'organic/natural' market. Wild Oats is like a Whole Foods, but on steroids (organic, hormone & cruelty free, vegan steroids...).
IMHO, Bristol Farms is a better shopping experience. Whole Foods is selling a lifestyle...
posted by Argyle at 1:38 AM on July 4, 2007
Whole Foods is focused on the 'organic/natural' market. Wild Oats is like a Whole Foods, but on steroids (organic, hormone & cruelty free, vegan steroids...).
IMHO, Bristol Farms is a better shopping experience. Whole Foods is selling a lifestyle...
posted by Argyle at 1:38 AM on July 4, 2007
Ah, I'm down in Orange County.
Pavilions is the "top-shelf" version of Vons/Safeway. From the "our company" page on Pavilions.com:
Not Just A Supermarket, A Feast
Throughout the store you are treated to a fresher, more imaginative shopping experience...two dozen varieties of Artisan breads being hand-baked throughout each day...12 types of tomatoes, 15 varieties of apples, 14 types of melons and the purest organic fruits and vegetables...this eclectic mix of products and services is above and beyond the supermarket basics we offer, including a full-service pharmacy, making Pavilions an exciting and convenient shopping alternative to a standard supermarket...where else will you find 40 kinds of cooking oil, fresh sushi bars, 60 microbrews, Starbucks coffee shops, kosher meats, live Maine lobster, mango chutney, and thousands more items to set your imagination racing?
If I want to make one trip to one store that's got Pepsi and Cheerios as well as morels at $195 a pound, I go to Pavilions. They're all great for variety and random stuff, though pricey on things that only they stock; I imagine Gelsons provides the same experience, as will a "Ralphs Fresh Fare," which is the posh version of Ralphs.
For locations, go to the Pavilions/Gelsons/Ralphs Fresh Fare websites and see if you can find a bunch close together.
Where are you in LA? I put "90210" as the ZIP code in the Pavilions store locator and found 6 within 10 miles, on the West Side of LA and in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, and Culver City.
posted by mdonley at 1:40 AM on July 4, 2007
Pavilions is the "top-shelf" version of Vons/Safeway. From the "our company" page on Pavilions.com:
Not Just A Supermarket, A Feast
Throughout the store you are treated to a fresher, more imaginative shopping experience...two dozen varieties of Artisan breads being hand-baked throughout each day...12 types of tomatoes, 15 varieties of apples, 14 types of melons and the purest organic fruits and vegetables...this eclectic mix of products and services is above and beyond the supermarket basics we offer, including a full-service pharmacy, making Pavilions an exciting and convenient shopping alternative to a standard supermarket...where else will you find 40 kinds of cooking oil, fresh sushi bars, 60 microbrews, Starbucks coffee shops, kosher meats, live Maine lobster, mango chutney, and thousands more items to set your imagination racing?
If I want to make one trip to one store that's got Pepsi and Cheerios as well as morels at $195 a pound, I go to Pavilions. They're all great for variety and random stuff, though pricey on things that only they stock; I imagine Gelsons provides the same experience, as will a "Ralphs Fresh Fare," which is the posh version of Ralphs.
For locations, go to the Pavilions/Gelsons/Ralphs Fresh Fare websites and see if you can find a bunch close together.
Where are you in LA? I put "90210" as the ZIP code in the Pavilions store locator and found 6 within 10 miles, on the West Side of LA and in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, and Culver City.
posted by mdonley at 1:40 AM on July 4, 2007
Drat, to get to the page, go to pavilions.com, then click on "about us" (bottom footer), followed by "read more about the Pavilions story."
posted by mdonley at 1:41 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by mdonley at 1:41 AM on July 4, 2007
I've been told that the Santa Monica Whole Foods is the Mecca of grocery stores.
posted by euphorb at 3:12 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by euphorb at 3:12 AM on July 4, 2007
There is a new Whole Foods in El Segundo that is pretty massive.
posted by kitty teeth at 7:46 AM on July 4, 2007
posted by kitty teeth at 7:46 AM on July 4, 2007
The Pavilions in Cerritos (just a little North of OC) is huge, nearly the size of a WalMart. It was one of the pilot stores.
For upscale, you can't beat Gelson's in Century City. Ostrich, Duck and Quail Eggs in the cooler, and diamonds on sale at the Holidays. They just did a nice remodel with a new bakery, deli and faux Mucha murals.
posted by ScarletPumpernickel at 7:48 AM on July 4, 2007
For upscale, you can't beat Gelson's in Century City. Ostrich, Duck and Quail Eggs in the cooler, and diamonds on sale at the Holidays. They just did a nice remodel with a new bakery, deli and faux Mucha murals.
posted by ScarletPumpernickel at 7:48 AM on July 4, 2007
lax-c, near downtown, is like an asian costco (with no membership).
not at all upscale, but an amazing variety of stuff.
posted by jimw at 12:40 PM on July 4, 2007
not at all upscale, but an amazing variety of stuff.
posted by jimw at 12:40 PM on July 4, 2007
Pioneer Cash and Carry
is not large, but they have a huge selection.
posted by Methylviolet at 1:08 PM on July 4, 2007
is not large, but they have a huge selection.
posted by Methylviolet at 1:08 PM on July 4, 2007
The best grocery store in LA is Gelson's!
posted by TheClonusHorror at 6:20 PM on August 31, 2007
posted by TheClonusHorror at 6:20 PM on August 31, 2007
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Biggest. Probably not best. But if you want menudo ... Gigante.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:09 AM on July 4, 2007