22nd & Irving Market
2101 Irving St
(between 22nd Ave & 23rd Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94122 (415) 681-5212
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Sun 7:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
123 reviews
San Francisco, CA
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78 Reviews for 22nd & Irving Market
This place is kind of amazing. Just about everything is natural. The produce is fresh and very high quality (unlike a couple of other markets nearby), and priced very well. I love that they have a wholesale feel to many of their products -- the spices for instance are packed in large plastic bags and sold by weight. They also have a great selection. I can and have bought everything I need here to make a mean borscht, for maybe 60% of the price it took me to do so at Safeway.
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Great selection of produce at competitive prices. I think this place has better quality produce than a chain supermarket. Today my sister and I stocked up on a load of produce for a camping trip this weekend. Apples, cuties, bananas (we pretty much emptied them out), lettuce, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic... Yum!
Note for the working professionals: this market closes rather early, so you may not make it before closing.
Since I moved out to my current apartment, I take the 71 along with the 16BX which goes right by this place when I head downtown. I'd heard that shopping at the produce stores was cheaper than going to a grocery store like Safeway, so I decided to check it out ...
I can normally buy more for less money here than if I go to Safeway which is just down the street from me. The bananas are often 10 cents cheaper along with other items. You can buy a lot of spices for cheaper here. I have a bag of chili powder which cost me say $2 and it's a huge bag! Beats paying more for less than at your usual chain store. They have other pre-bagged items like this by weigh so it's awesome if you use a lot of spices and dried herbs. Plus they have a big selection of nuts and dried fruit which make great snacks for work.
I will say the later you go in the day, especially on a weekend, there might not be milk or other dairy products you might want. They do sell organic products, but the non-organic products might be sold out if you go late in the day. At least that's what I've found out.
Everything here looks fresh and healthy so I like coming here to pick up my produce if I have time.
They do accept credit/debit cards here which I like. I remember I came here and needed something, but they didn't have it. I can't recall what it was ...
Either way, it's worth taking a trip here. If you can't find what you need, you can always go to the grocery store or hit up that other produce market with the other clever name (23rd Irving Supermarket) and see if it's there.
I best go check on my pots of beans that I bought from this store ... this lady's making chili (guess where i got it from??) beans for dinner! Mmmmmmm.
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Great choice of selection. Better than any other super market in Frisco. But like all chinese places. Horrible service.
This produce store is stocked with a surprisingly large variety of fruits, vegetables, fine quality imported items, and baked goods including SEMIFREDDI'S SUPER GARLC CROUTONS!
The only problem is they are located in the sunset and I live in the richmond.
This is my favorite produce store in the city and my favorite place to shop on Irving street. I frequent this place at least once every other week. The staff are friendly and always smiling. I also love the prices that come with the great quality of the fruits, veggies, spices, and herbs.
Now this is my favorite place to shop on Irving Street. I probably go here once or twice a week. It's so convenient and the produce is fresh. I'm so glad it's in my neighborhood. They have all kinds of veggies here that you can't always find at a major chain store so it makes for an interesting dinner if you're willing to try different things. The staff is friendly and they probably recognize me since I'm there all the time.
I would agree that they close way too early. They close at 6:30 on the dot, and I mean on the dot! I get off work late and get home around 6:25 sometimes, so I am physically running over to the store to grab some food before they lock the doors. Definitely worth my exercise to get my food here. It's the best produce store on Irving!
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What they lack in product breadth, they more than make up for with some truly excellent quality and product finds. This is the place to come to for Middle Eastern and Greek delicacies, dry goods like beans and rice, and produce. The prices are right, and the service is always friendly. If only they would keep the delicious dessert options further away from the cash register, where they are in easy reach.
Their hours are a problem - I have often shown up to find a closed store, which is a let-down after the special drive over to this part of town.
22nd & Irving Market is the most beloved grocer in this neighborhood. While some of the produce may not be from local farmers, it is always very fresh and top quality. They have several interesting exotic produce, Mediterranean and Middle East groceries. You will not find any meat in this store, except the canned seafood.
The owner (manager) is the nicest person and the staff is pretty good too. The registers do move a little slow at times, but their service makes up for this.
If you need a shopping cart, go around to the 22nd Avenue side and you will find them lined up along the store.
A 5 star neighborhood grocer!
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Even though I live in the Inner Richmond where there are plentiful produce markets, I still make the extra trip clear across town to come here.
The produce is always fresh and insanely cheap! I swear they have the best blood oranges in the city because I haven't been able to find any that are as sweet and juicy as the ones sold here. I also love the that they have Mediterranean and kosher goods in the back of the market and really really cheap and savory coffee (though, I keep forgetting the name/brand). I highly recommend getting your produce goods here, as opposed to Lucky's or Safeway, which is way over priced.
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I love this store. I come here at least once a week to buy the fuji apples and red potatoes. Great "CLEAN" produce, at great prices. Yes some of their items aren't as cheap as the other asian markets close by, but just the quality factor makes them stick out compared to the other markets.
I also get the Wheat Lavash and sometimes they have a great deal on grapes.
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The produce is fresh and of good quality, definitely better than some of the Asian markets on this side of Irving. There aren't flies buzzing around everywhere, and the store is clean!
In addition to the fresh fruits and vegetables (summer fruit--hurrah!, brussel sprouts, okra, eggplant of various sizes), you'll also find a nice selection of mediterranean breads/crackers/grains (couscous!), olives, several different kinds of feta cheese, and Byblos yogurt (great for making tzatziki).
The trucks come up from Watsonville/Castoville daily (maybe except weekends) and the produce is very fresh. What doesn't sell, or is starting to decay, bruise, etc, they bag into huge bags & sell them for 99 cents. It's a great savings for the seniors on limited budget, esp. if they're planning on using them same day. One of the few places I can find Clover-Stornetta milk and organic dairy products with Middle Eastern items all in the same place. Nick and Christopher (related by marriage) supervise and run the place. They're great to talk to and are friendly. You can get all sorts of rice, grains, some pasta, bread. The cost of the produce has gone up because of rising fuel prices. This is the best place to get the freshest produce. Even if you can find cheaper prices at the Asian stores down the block, they're not always as fresh. For Asian produce (bok choy), it's better to go to the store next door or down the block.
Wow. After shopping at so many grocery stores, 22nd & Irving still stands out as the best one. High quality foods at reasonable prices. Only a couple cents more expensive than the competing chinese markets down the street, but foods are fresher and nicer looking. Great place to buy mediterranean foods, herbs, spices, middle eastern stuff..... It's nice to have a place that doesn't sell so chinesey quality foods on Irving.
love getting my fruits and veggies at this place!! Great produce at great prices....the only thing I don't like is that they close at 6pm on the weekdays. I wish they were open a bit longer that's all cuz I can't ever make it in time after work during the week.
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Greek owned, 22nd & Irving is stocked full of fresh produce (not much is organic), some amazing deals, and hard to find Greek/Middle Eastern groceries (teas, cheeses, couscous, spreads, jams, legumes). They have more than your standard fare (look for Jerusalem artichokes, broccoli rabe, gooseberries) though you won't necessarily find every obscure vegetable you want. On the positive side, their produce is usually fresh. This is a popular market (and the lines can be long), so turnover is quick.
I've liked the following things that I've found here:
* Israeli couscous (round, larger than typical couscous, hearty in soups)
* Tarmosalata (caviar spread that's nice on toast)
* Harissa (Tunisian hot chili paste, I stir it into soups)
* Avjar (red pepper spread that I put on everything)
* Greek vanilla cookies (all their Greek cookies are good but I like the swirly ones)
They even have products from Iran and a large selection of Turkish delight. Sometimes they sell a basket of berries for $1! The herbs (cilantro, chives, tarragon, sage, etc.) go for 99 cents a bunch. I like to buy my mushrooms, chili peppers, and bell peppers here. Note, the dried fruits and nuts seem to be cheaper at TJs and the tofu is definitely cheaper at Chinese markets.
It's not a gourmet market but you can find some items I haven't found elsewhere and at fair prices. They accept food stamps. Random fact: They are closed for Greek Orthodox Easter which is usually different from our Easter (in 2008, it falls on April 27). Parking in this area is a big pain especially on weekends but you'll find Chinese people wandering around day and night.
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This is such a great produce market. It's clean, bright and always carries really fresh fruits and veggies at reasonable prices (though somewhat pricier than the surrounding Asian markets). There's a great good selection of prepacked grains, nuts and they also carry middle eastern items along with basic grocery items like milk, bread, etc.
Parking can be really tough which is typical of that area.
Return Visit = Definitely
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This place has become my favorite store in SF. It reminds me of whole foods or trader joes, except not as swanky as whole foods, and less warehousey than TJs. Every time I go in, it reminds me of being at a good fruit stand. Also cheap when compared to anything else. They also carry non standard fare, for example, dolma in a can that you can't necessarily find everywhere...
They don't carry meat...
This place always perplexes me how they survive by selling such inexpensive but very good quality vegetables! 10 for 2 dollars for lime and lemon, $1.5 for fresh coconut, 99 cents for red pummelos, the forever fresh mint leaves, abundant shallots, cherry tomatoes, persimmons, etc. It makes you wonder how you have been ripped off by all other grocery stores all this time... Okay, there are a few items which you can still find cheaper in Chinatown... This place also carries a good variety of nuts such as almonds and pecans as well as shredded coconut. A kitchen heaven for people who love to cook and eat healthy!
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Pink oranges, limes that are sweet, and apples that taste like grapes?!?
Where else can you find such a treasure trove of exotic fruits besides 22nd and Irving Market? I never really cared for fruits before and now I know the reason why. It's because all that Safeway produce is crap and all the good stuff is hidden within these family-operated businesses.
From cactus pears to the freshest ramboutans, this place doesn't get any better when you're looking for those exotic fruits which are borderline legal in the States.
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When I have free time to shop for groceries, this is my preferred grocer. Notable features include:
* beautiful, flavorful, local, seasonal fruits (unlike the insipid-tasting mass-market fruits at Safeway);
* a wide selection of dried pulses, legumes, and nuts, sold by weight;
* good bread;
* Mediterranean canned foodstuffs.
Most importantly to me, 22nd & Irving Market is *clean*, tidy, and fresh-smelling, unlike other grocers in the neighborhood which reek of pig carcasses, recycled seafood-tank water, and rotten produce trampled on the floor.
The only reason why I do not give this place 5 stars is that the cashiers don't work fast enough. (Compare to the marvelously efficient key-pressing and price-scanning at Sunset Super.) The checkout queues are always long.
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Fresh Produce and CHEAP!!! I go to 22nd & Irving Market for all my produce shopping. Forget Luckys, Safeway, and WholeFoods. This is the place to go to for the BEST produce in town.
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Not to be confused, I repeat, not to be confused with 23rd & Irving, which is inferior. Not sure how these 2 stores with such creative names can co-exist peacefully! (things settled down after the great branding wars of 1974)
Even though this is a produce/grocery store with a wonderful variety of "ethnic" specialties in both the fresh and dried goods, my favorite thing about it is the BREAD. They must be the first drop-off point for Semifreddi's. Heavenly. When the mister brings home a loaf of Odessa Rye, I am satisfecho.
I will say they don't always have the best produce, like when tomatoes are already good at the farmer's market they won't have 'em for a couple of weeks or not at all, but it is cheap cheap cheap and you can find ingredients for asian, latin and middle eastern cooking as well as americano. Plus the owner and staff are really sweet.
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22nd and irving market is awesome. the freshest fruits and veggies, pita and semifreddi's breads are inside... and also some very exotic imported mediterranean/middle eastern/european foods at kind prices. the lines are occasionally long, but it's worth the wait purchasing at such a bright, clean, freshly stocked market.
Great items at great prices. You can't beat their $.99 bagged items left on the registers that are currently closed. you can get 5 golden delicious apples for $.99 which are normally $.99 per pound! Everything it sorted nicely & neatly. They re-arrange their produce every couple of hours & replenish them as needed. Great staff which are very friendly & knowledgeable. This is not my favorite neighborhood grocery store even though I would have to walk about 10 blocks to get to it, & we all know how long Sunset district blocks are, lol.
Oh yea, they also have great exotic fruits. Everything is fresh which is a HUGE deal especially when dealing with produce. If they had a poultry or fish department I would seriously never need to go to another grocer.
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This market is the best! Very cheap prices on fresh vegetables...as in all under a dollar- some way under a dollar. I left with 3 big bags of good food for only $15!! Definately my new local market to shop at!
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I love fresh fruit & vegetables and this place has it all. Piles of fresh apricots, apples, melons, black plums, cherries, strawberries, fava beans, taro root, oranges, bananas, etc. .. and all at much lower prices than Grocery Store chains. There even have a good selection of Persian food - I didn't even know what a sangak was till I shopped here.
This is my favorite new grocery store to shop at.
Mon - Sat: 7am - 6pm / Sun: 7am - 5:30pm
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Great place to pick from an array of fresh fruits and vegetables. Going hear has helped me to avoid having to go to Safeway for most food items. Even when I go to Safeway, I usually refuse to buy and fruits or veggies there as it is way cheaper here.
Prices for fruits and veggies are great here. Additionally, it has an interesting selection of food from around the world, as you can find cookies from Greece and other places.
I used to live in the sunset, and shopped here constantly. And now that I've moved away to western addition, I still go back as often as I can to get my fresh produce fix. The prices are way cheaper than any other grocery store I've been to, and I swear their stuff tastes better (but that could be the sweet, sweet taste of money saved). They also have a good selection of high quality non-produce stuff, including all different kinds of pasta for $.99 each.
Good selection of fresh produce at reasonable prices. Beats going to Safeway any day.
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i agree that the produce here is good and cheap, but checking out is another story. long lines with only two registers open and mangers standing around just overseeing ...........the long lines.
Love this market! There's nothing better than rolling out of bed on Sunday morning, grabbing your backpack, and strolling the 10 blocks or so from your apt over to 22nd. I threw a birthday dinner party for my foodie friend (yes, verna cooks. a lot!) and probably spent at least $100 dollars less that I would have if I had gone anywhere else.
And we all know that the most creative cooks do not just go to Adronicos or something for gourmet ingredients. These are the real hot spots. :)
You'll find everything from an overwhelming selection of produce (great and fresh quality) and lots of other interesting products here. Lots of Asian and non-Asian food items. Got some great Kalamata olives for like, a buck, and some reaaaaaaaalllly good fresh mozzarella.
I can buy pickles by the truckload! $.69 /lb. LOOK OUT VLASIC there's a new king in town! My family always took pride in stuffing things in jars and eating them some time later. I make great pickles thanks to my Father's secret recipe and spice collection.
22nd and Irving is reasonable for all produce (even ORGANIC). Awesome international/Middle east/greek selection of foods. Bulk items, whole grains, legumes, dairy. NO MEAT. But! If you need a can of Octopus (Pulpo) on a rainy day, don't hesitate... They will have it!
I love my neighborhood!
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I buy my Thai Young Coconuts here. And they're usually good! I've tried buying them at other markets like May Wah on Clement, but this place has the best selection. If you're a Thai Young Coconut Juice fiend like me or you like to eat the meat or blend it into smoothies and desserts, this is the place to get them. And they're cheap. Like $1.50 each. Used to be as low as $1.00. Some good produce here. They also have ripe Papaya from Hawaii. Pricey but usually good quality.
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This is a really impressive store. Very eclectic. Sort of like a Trader Joe's, but, you know, locally run. Really, just come in and walk down all the aisles and you'll find something interesting that you didn't even know existed. For me, it was Armenian pumpkin preserves, among other things. I like to explore all the little markets in the city, but this is one that will probably draw me back for more.
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Love it love it love it!
Great market, very clean, cheap and great selection of produce.
I would give it 5 stars if it weren't for the $10 minimum to use my cc.
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I always feel at ease shopping here. The aisles are organized and clean. With parking meter ticking away, I don't have to panick about being stuck in some sort of traffic jam like crowded Sunset Super.
The produce is fresh and cheap; fruit abundant. Even if I were to look for something slightly random, like peach juice or butternut squash or nutella, they somehow have it! (It's not a giant store so I don't expect to find everything). I always get their buttermilk bread which is significantly cheaper than ones at Safeway, especially when they are on sale.
This is my FAVORITE market for produce. It's super cheap and FRESH. They carry broccoli rabe too, which i find hard to get sometimes.
I am so glad, like SOOO glad this place is right by my side and I don't have to go to places like Safeway, Albertsons, and other supermarkets. ( expect for trader Joes) All my veggie and fruit needs are met at this place. Its so friendly here. I've been going for about 11 years, and this place is one of the reasons I cant imagine moving. Where would I get my apples!?!?!?! What I love is sometimes they have goodie bags of slightly not too fresh fruits or veggies on sale for 99cents. I like to get a full bag berries and make jams mmmmm good deals.
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Not the most creative name but a great local produce store. Nick (actually I don't know if his name is really Nick. I called him Nick once on a hunch and he responded, 99% of Greek men are named Nick or George) and his brother (George?) have a great selection of fresh produce at very reasonable prices. They also have Greek and other European specialties like taramosalata, horta (the Greek vegetable not the Star Trek creature that looked like burnt pizza with which Spock had a mind meld) or fava. Greek fava is very different from the kind of beans one eats with the liver of a census taker and a nice chianti. Anyway, Mrs. G and I always refer to the store as "the Greeks'"
Not too long ago, Mrs. G and I decided to make some Tom Kha Gai. I figured that I would get the vegetables at the Greeks' and the specialty ingredients at the equally creatively named 23rd & Irving "Super"market. We got the veggies and then walked one block west to the "Super"market. Got fish sauce, coconut milk, curry paste etc. but no lemongrass. You can't make Tom Kha Gai without lemongrass! What to do? I went back to the Greeks' and asked George(?) if they had any. Sure enough they did. Which begs the question: which market is truly "super?"
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