I went here on the recommendation of my mother’s friend and fellow Bronxite and boy am I glad I did. I have constantly struggled with where to grocery shop which may become the topic of another entry (or perhaps a series), but Garden Gourmet satisfies a lovely place in the balance of my grocery criteria.

I’d like to comment first on the location. By car it’s just a few moments from anywhere in Riverdale or Kingsbridge. We went late enough (they’re open until 11pm) so that we got to park right out front without any drama. I could imagine, though, that during the day it might be slightly worse to negotiate Broadway’s street parking. Upon arriving one immediately notices the new, clean, and easy to read awning and the plentiful supply of produce displayed outside. I give high marks to the appearance of the inside of store as well. While the aisles can be tight (what else is new for an indie grocery store in NYC?) it is all extremely well lit, bright, and clean. There are no dark corners or mysterious places to negotiate the cart around here.

The selection of food is definitely worth seeing. While its size is decidedly not Super Stop and Shop-like, the number of different products, flavors, brands, and types squeezed into the place is impressive. I give Garden Gourmet points for stocking some more obscure brands and having a good selection of “hippie food.” The produce is quite beautiful and the bins of it displayed outside gives a nice introduction to the store. They have a huge cheese selection – random, but they seem like collectors! Finally, there is a plentiful range of ready made, grab-and-go foods. I was very happy with the ones I purchased (potato salad and a mini cheesecake, yum) and the ones I sampled in the store (homemade hummus and pesto). While they’re a slightly pricier option than making your own, I definitely recommend trying some of Garden Gourmet’s cooking.

I don’t have much criticism of this store, but just a couple of suggestions for improvement. Because of the limited space and all they try to cram into it the organization scheme of the store eludes me a bit. I’m sure by the second or third trip through I would catch on. Also I could see the place getting pretty crowded and difficult to maneuver around at busy times. As I mentioned before there is no parking lot which proves to be troublesome or not depending on the time of day.

All in all, not much to complain about! The neighborhood-y/city feel, interesting and diverse selections, and strong produce departments make this store like a Fairway without the hassle, travel time, and toll. I definitely will be going back and am glad Garden Gourmet is in the neighborhood!

Further reading: Reviews of Garden Gourmet Market on Yelp.

This was a surprising find! From the outside this looks like your average cheap pizza joint. Seriously, that awning even borders on garish. However stepping inside reveals a spacious restaurant with classic touches like checkered tablecloths that make it more than just “that pizza place.” We got excellent, fast service and free bread and garlic olive oil. Friends and I shared a large, brick oven baked, four cheese pizza. This was delicious – good sauce and nice, crispy crust. The real treat, though, was the cheese. We couldn’t tell at first what was giving the slices their tartness so we asked the waitress. She informed us that it was gorgonzola (quite unusual for pizza!) along with the more standard cheeses – fresh and regular mozzerella and (as I recall) ricotta maybe? Anyway, it gave the pizza such a unique, complex flavor. Definitely recommended, I would have this one again or try another selection from the plentiful menu.

For all of its quiet suburbaness, though, I have realized there are probably some hidden treasures here. Why get in the car or onto the train if what you need is just a (scenic) walk away? And with that I vow to explore my neighborhood, my home, which I have previously neglected.