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Almanac Market - CLOSED
Categories: Food Grocery Food Specialty Food Cheese Shops Grocery, Cheese Shops [Edit]
900 N 4th StPhiladelphia, PA 19123
Neighborhood: Northern Liberties
(215) 625-6611
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
19 reviews for Almanac Market
Review Highlights
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"...and cheeses, full olive bar, amazing breakfast sandwiches..." In 3 reviews -
"I brought fresh-baked bread here, and it was delicious." In 4 reviews -
"...selection of high-quality produce, much of it locally grown..." In 8 reviews
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19 reviews in English
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Review from Monica O.
Philadelphia, PA
7/8/2011
Wahhh! They closed for good today @ 7p! :-( Nicely enough, their going away present was that everything in the store was 1/2 off.
I considered Almanac Market a NoLibs staple and a great presence in the community. John the owner was always nice and always had a smile to offer.
The store itself was a real gem and it's ashame it's coming to an end--way too soon. I mean, NOW where am I supposed to get my huge fresh croissants, local preserves and honey, and awesome homemade soups?! Yea, there may be a couple other foofy mini markets in the area but Almanac had a very special charm and quality of products and everyone there was so down to earth. I will never forget one time 2 winters ago when I was making creme brulee (you know how I LOVE creme brulee!) and needed more heavy cream. So, I ran over to the Almanac in the snow just as they were about to close and John gave me a couple small cartons of heavy cream on the house since it was about to expire and he wouldn't be able to sell it anyway. So nice :)
Almanac Market, you may be gone but you'll never be forgotten!Listed in: NoLibs Swag
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Review from Alyssa M.
12/19/2010 ROTD 1/25/2011
Almanac is my go-to spot in a pinch. The best way to describe Almanac is it's like a mini-Whole Foods with a lot more character. It's really cute and you will find most of your staples here (milk, eggs, cheese, common produce, etc).
They also have a nice artisan cheese selection as well as fresh loaves of bread and huge croissants! Additionally, you will find fresh herbs, and a lot of local products--I love the local raspberry jam they sell.
The staff is very friendly and helpful.
My only gripe is the price--most things are pretty expensive, but I guess you pay for the convenience and quality of products.Listed in: OH YOU FANCY HUH?, Imma BOSS!
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Review from Sophia S.
5/18/2011
I used to live around the corner from Almanac and was a frequent visitor--though I have to admit, it was largely because they were the only show in my corner of no libs.
They are GREAT for bread, cheese, grass-fed meats (try the griggstown farm turkey burgers with shallots and other delicious things already blended in. mmmmmm).
But, if you want organic veggies, you can get better prices and greater variety at the reading terminal or even the italian market.
Same for some of their other 'health food' items. -
Review from Samantha D.
Washington, DC
3/6/2011
Almanac speaks to the small business liberal in me. I love living near a corner market with local produce, fresh bread, and lots of cheeses that they will cut up in front of you.
The part that isn't great about this place is how pricey it is. I understand that given its size and the ordering costs must be astronomical for a small little place, given the 'big box store' kind of country we're living in. -
Review from Rob W.
Philadelphia, PA
5/4/2011
They have amazing home made soups and sammys. They also have a ton of fresh ingredients for anything your looking to cook at home.
Great little market with neighborhood convenience. Fresh Breads and cheeses, full olive bar, amazing breakfast sandwiches, tons of sustainable and vegan options. You will not forget the first time you visit this little neighborhood gem. -
Review from Dawn K.
Lenola, NJ
12/4/2010
I really wanted to like this place. An Eversave deal took me there with $15 worth of credit to use. A quick glance at the prices told me that that wasn't going to go very far! I guess I'm spoiled by living within spitting distance of Wegmans where the same items sell for alot less.
Finally decided on two of the Teriyake Seitan sandwiches and a rice crispie bar made by a local bakery.
Hubby & I had high hopes for the sandwiches since the filling sort of resembled bbq seitan which we love. Well, the bread was good but the filling was awful! Dry (not saucy) & very salty. That's really all we could taste - salt. Blech. Unfortunately there's another whole sandwich left. Think we'll toss the innards & just eat the bread :/
Oh, the rice crispie bar was good. -
Review from sarah p.
Vincentown, NJ
2/18/2010
The only place where you can find raw milk besides the Reading Terminal Market!
This place has a great selection of produce, all of it looks so nice - it almost looks fake. Their cheese selection is great for such a small place. Though prices are high, it's all based on the quality of the food that they carry. All food is local and organic.
I love the daily history facts they have on the chalkboard out front. Staff is really nice and always willing to hand out suggestions.Listed in: Northern Liberties
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Review from Catherine A.
Philadelphia, PA
3/7/2011
This place is great. I don't think I'd do a lot of actual grocery shopping here unless there were no other options, since the selection is small and the prices are high, but I love to stop in for a snacky item.
I especially love the breakfast pastries they have, there is one chocolate almond danish that is so delicious! You all must try it and I promise you will love it. I've had a few sandwiches there, I usually go for something with fresh mozzarella and I'm never disappointed. The bread they use is great.
I had an incredible chicken stew over the winter. I recently discovered (or I should say, one of the lovely staff members pointed out to me) that they have a loose-leaf tea you can buy by the cup. It was pretty good!
I also really like the little pieces of cheese they cut up and sell cheaply in the back of the store. It's a good way to try some cheese you've never had, or just take home a variety to pick at with dinner. -
Review from Kim J.
Philadelphia, PA
9/25/2007
Almanac Market is great. They have a wonderful selection of high-quality produce, much of it locally grown (and they tell you where it's from). They've got fresh-baked bread. They've got Pequea Valley yogurt, made on a small family farm in Lancaster. Tons of great cheeses (like honey chevre, or fresh mozzarella for $2/pop). There's even locally made soap!
They also have lots of staples- flour, olive oil, canned tomatoes, etc. It's amazing just how much stuff is crammed into that store. Some of it is pricey, yes, but you can also get coconut milk for $1.39 a can.
My one complaint is that the refrigerated produce seems to always be too cold and wilty. Other than that, this place is great and I'm very glad it's in the neighborhood. -
Review from Katie I.
Austin, TX
3/24/2009
1. Great selection of fresh local fruits, veggies, dairy and fresh baked breads (the ricotta and brioche are the best in the city!)
2. Awesome deli selection of sandwiches and snacks
3. Wonderful, knowledgeable staff. Support NoLibs businesses!Listed in: My Haunts
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Review from Nadine K.
Philadelphia, PA
3/23/2009
Possibly my favorite place in Philadelphia, and clearly aiming to take all my money. Prices are a trifle high, but the quality of the food and the breadth of the selection are well worth the money.
The multigrain bread ($5) is the best bread I've ever eaten. The cheese counter - stocked with both local and international cheeses - is great, and the always friendly (and cute) staff will offer suggestions as well as samples. Look for $2 cheese ends in the cooler at the back of the store.
The stock is constantly expanding. What began as a charming produce shop now also stocks environmentally friendly cleaning products and sustainably caught seafood. Try the amazing shrimp, complete with roe.
Almanac is open to customer suggestions, so once you become a regular, put in your request, and they'll try to stock it. -
Review from Jon L.
PA
2/21/2007
Yes, yes, nothing wrong with the Almanac Market. If Northern Liberties is really up-in-coming, places like this will definitely help with the coming up. Just an awesome small business, with owners that take a huge amount of pride in the quality and presentation of their products.
I'm actually fairly new to olive bars. I'm new to olive tasting in general. (I always thought, what, you've got black and you've got green. Sometimes they put the red things in the middle. That's it.) But I may soon get to a point when I can no longer live without a neighborhood olive bar, so I'm glad to see little places like this sprouting up. -
Review from Susan L.
Chicago, IL
2/20/2007
Cute cute cute little market in Northern Liberties! They stock organic and "natural" products, fresh baked goods, a wide cheese selection, fresh produce, and an olive bar! They only thing they're missing is a great wine selection...They should open a wine store next door!
This is a great find, perfect to have around the corner when you run out of something, which was a big need for Northern Liberties.
Now if we could only get a (small) hardware store... -
Review from veronika p.
Philadelphia, PA
1/25/2008
I just stopped by here for the first time last weekend and I'm glad I did. Almanac is so small that if you're not looking for it, you'd probably miss it. The inside is very well decorated, and has gorgeous hardwood floors throughout. I brought fresh-baked bread here, and it was delicious. They sell croissants (I bought 2 and they were gone in about 3 minutes), brioche, and whole grain bread. There are deli items, like wraps and sandwiches. Almanac would be better if they carried more vegetarian items - they really didn't have much.
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Review from Brynn T.
Philadelphia, PA
7/6/2008
this is the best little neighborhood market. you really need to visit here when you have some spare time (i.e. are not just dashing in because you just realized your macaroni casserole needs eggs) to browse the aisles and be inspired. i really fell in love with almanac when i realized that many of the things i spend my weekends trolling the reading terminal market for are available here in one convenient stop: the amish butter, an abundant array of cheeses, some fabulous breads, soy milk, and some really fine produce. there's also a local yogurt (pequea farms or something similar) from NJ that is *to die for* - nevermind that i thought i'd never describe yogurt that way. they also recently assisted in a three-way "guac-off" between me and some good friends - both with ingredients and advice for the competition.
oh, and though i haven't yet tried them - there are some indian seasoning packets, and i think one of them was described as a goan vindaloo fish curry (or something to that effect) which is 1: my favorite place and 2: my favorite dish on this planet. cannot wait to try this.Listed in: my neighborhood
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Review from Ryan E.
Brooklyn, NY
9/4/2009 1 Check-in Here
I live on this block and this is a great spot to grab lunch, last minute items, or specialty, local, and organic groceries. The gazpacho is awesome as well as the local baked goods. We usually walk down here to get a few items for brunch, milk, an occasional sandwich, etc... It would be tough to do all of your grocery shopping here because the selection is very limited though. We usually get our staples somewhere else and then come here to pick up those last minute items or a quick meal. I hope they can someday expand and carry more items because I'd love to get everything here for convenience sake and to support my favorite local little market. This reminds me of a miniature version of Bi-Rite Market in the Mission District of San Francisco. The people who work at Almanac are also great!
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Review from Laura E.
Brooklyn, NY
One would frequent the Almanac Market on snowy days for a hot cup of savory soup or a summer night on the way the Liberty Lands park for artisanal cheeses and a loaf of bread. The staff is friendly and most often you will start friendships with those who frequent the store. It's what gives living in Northern Liberties a community feel. Local. Organic. Free Range. Delicious. One of a kind!
Listed in: Vegetarian
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Review from Tofu Robo T.
Philadelphia, PA
6/23/2010
local produce. gourmet items. a tad on the pricey side, but convenience and service with a smile make it worthwhile. what corner store do you know of that carries seitan and/or tofu? they always have yummy soup ( often vegan or vegetarian ) and they also make interesting, creative sandwiches (again, usually a vegan option too). vegan cookies and cinnamon buns too... just ignore that giant cheese filled pedestal below. omnivore friendly. get on the daily mailing list and then you will always know what's for lunch!
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Review from Lisa S.
Philadelphia, PA
1/15/2010
Almanac has the best fruit and dried fruit/wasabi/nut snacks! The pears are deeeeeelicious!!!
