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Big Apple Grocery Express
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 9 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 9 am - 9:30 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
86 reviews for Big Apple Grocery Express
Review Highlights
"And Big Apple does have a good selection of Asian food."
(in 12 reviews)
"Great ice cream and surprise."
(in 9 reviews)
"Some say the prices for produce are higher than Cala."
(in 25 reviews)
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86 reviews in English
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Review from Molly B.
San Francisco, CA
1/12/2012
This place is unassuming -- at best -- from the outside, so I never bothered to go in for a long time, but after 6 months in my neighborhood I finally got tired of shelling out for groceries at Whole Foods AKA Whole Paycheck (there aren't really any Safeways w/i walking distances assuming you're buying -- and thus carrying -- more than like 2 bags' worth of items). Plus at Whole Paycheck they have only weird organic brands (except for wine, Odwalla, and Ben&Jerry's) so I am never 100% sure what I am purchasing.
I was skeptical too (these people could stand to invest in a new sign, for sure), but yall, Big Apple is the real deal! They have everything you would need. Instead of stopping at hardware store, Safeway, liquor store, flower store, etc. I can just hit up one place. Plus they take AMEX, which is increasingly rare for mom-and-pop places on Polk.
Big Apple features:
- full liquor selection
- huge Asian food selection (not my thing necessarily, but worth mentioning)
- big section of what I will call misc household items you maybe otherwise would have to go to like Bed Bath & Beyond for (eg big trash cans, kitchen appliances)
It sort of looks like it would have the selection of like a bodega but is much closer to a full fledged grocery store. You can't get EVERYthing there (and for meat/produce it is maybe worth it to go to Whole Paycheck), but it serves the vast majority of purposes. Parking is hard to find (although if you have a car, just go to Safeway...) but it has good bus accessibility on the 1, 19, 47, 49 so you can minimize the amount of walking you have to do lugging all your groceries.
Prices seem very reasonable / comparable to other convenience stores / grocery stores, from what I could tell.Listed in: Polk Street
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Review from Mary T.
San Francisco, CA
11/18/2011
Food was fresh!
Service was awesome! They are fast and don't mind changing your burnt crusted grill
Tip: call ahead and put your name on the list -it gets pretty busy and you'd never know how long people will eat for since it's all-you-can-eat -
Review from Mayra L.
San Francisco, CA
10/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Big Apple doesn't have the greatest selection of food, but it is a better and cheaper alternative to Cala foods.
I usually don't get my produce from here, but simple stuff like pasta, top ramen, frozen food, OJ (you can tell I still live like a college Frat boy) and such I just pick up here when I'm in a pinch. -
Review from Mariya L.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012
It is a nice nearby grocery store that have great variety of canned products. Service is very friendly. You could find almost everything you need.
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Review from Jana S.
9/28/2011
Spectacular and impressive selection of fancy, gourmet creme sodas, root beers, ginger ales, etc. Labels like Virgils, Stewarts, Boylan, and even found a huckleberry soda? As well, some great Maine labels... All sell for $1.6-$1.90/ bottle.
Score for work! -
Review from Chelsea A.
San Francisco, CA
9/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Big Apple is an adequate local/neighborhood grocery store, but insufficient when it comes to having a meat/seafood section (if that's your thing). However, it has just about everything else--literally--with an awesome Asian food aisle! When I say this, it doesn't have all that you can imagine; it's mostly geared toward Southeast Asian foods, not so much Northeast or Far East. It does have a little Indian food, but not much.
Prices seem a bit cheaper than Cala Foods aka Expensive Foods and even less than Whole Paycheck, but if you want fresh produce, Whole Paycheck is your best option. The selections are pretty good too, given that Expensive Foods hardly has a good selection for anything.
I usually always get my Asian-food needs from this store since they carry more, I guess, 'unique' or uncommon Asian foods? I actually find this funny because there are A LOT of Asians in San Francisco especially this neighborhood, and it'd make sense to have an Asian food aisle in every grocery store with anything you can imagine.
I also love looking at the plants! It's not often I see stores that sells plants, so that's a really nice treat. In fact I may have bought a plant a while ago, but it didn't survive due to my lack of knowledge of how to take care a plant. I guess you don't just water and let it sit near the window for the sun come in?
Do look/inspect food well, a lot of foods have expired and I don't think they take note/inventory very often. It's as if they just leave food out until it sells.
The people who work here seem pretty nice and friendly, never had a problem with them. -
Review from Allie H.
San Francisco, CA
11/21/2011
Big Apple, I cannot figure you out. Sometimes you smell really weird; frankly, I'm afraid of anything refrigerated or fresh here, but have had luck with packaged stuff and the freezer section.
Good: They carry an awesome coconut gelato that the nearest Whole Foods, Real Foods, Cala, and Le Beau neglect. They also often have gummy candies that you can't find anywhere else (Haribo rattlesnakes, frogs, you name it, at some point it's probably stocked there). They also sell the cheapest plastic hangers I've found outside of the Mission.
Not so good: The smell. I can't get over it. And the occasional stuff way past due dates. -
Review from Melinda S.
San Francisco, CA
8/21/2011
Down the street from my house, I find myself at Big Apple a couple times a week. I wish I was lying. It's just so easy to head here when you have to buy one or two items at a time. Family-owned, the store is really well stocked and has almost everything you need. There have been a couple of times where I find myself in need of something they don't have, and end up heading to Cala or driving to Trader Joe's. I also don't tend to buy my produce here, unless I'm desperate. I think that everything generally costs the same as Cala, although don't quote me on that.
Quite honestly the proximity is the main thing that has me heading here time and time again over other stores. -
Review from Michael N.
San Francisco, CA
4/26/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Been here a couple times. I used to go by here almost every day when I would walk home from school...Sigh, good times. Me nd my friends love(d) this place.
They're a local, family owned grocery store with a wide selection of products! They also have this one tiny section where there are selections of homemade products where you could just eat cold or heat up nd eat. Some are pretty good nd others I'd pass on. I believe my favorite was their tapioca/rice pudding, i forget which one. -
Review from Katie H.
San Francisco, CA
12/13/2010
I mean, it's a really great place if you need to stock up on your Asian foodstuffs but if you're as White as me, then go to Cala.
I do however, enjoy their selection of dishware and storage containers. I bought a huge bowl presumably designed for ramen consumption that is really pretty. I don't eat ramen out of anything other then styrofoam, but it's a sweet bowl.
They also have plants. If I wasn't afraid of killing plants, I'd buy some. -
Review from jen l.
San Francisco, CA
7/19/2010
Big Apple would not be my first choice if i needed groceries or anything, even though it's the closest.
The selection is OK, they have a variety of American and Asian Spices and mixes but they have the typical stuff. Oyster sauce, soy sauce, asian style noodles etc.,
The prices are a bit ridiculous, if I wanted to buy such expensive produce I would head over to Whole foods for an organic selection for a dollar more. and if I wanted to buy cheaper produce I would hop on the 1 bus right around the corner to Chinatown.
The cashiers aren't particularly nice either. They seemed frustrated when I asked for a stock check on a couple of items.
Three stars for the average selection, prices, and cashiers. Personally, if you're in the area I would recommend Whole Foods or Cala Foods. -
Review from Bob B.
San Francisco, CA
2/1/2011
I am a big fan of the Big Apple. I will go there as opposed to Cala or Whole Foods (They are all equidistant from my house). You can usually find what you need grocery wise as well as some other items you normally can't get at a grocery store like plants (and plant stuff) and kitchen items. I find their produce formidable and they have all the staples. Some say the prices for produce are higher than Cala...I beg to differ. I think they are around the same. Although I do have to say that overall they are more pricier than Cala and rarely have sales on items.
I feel the pros do outweigh the cons, which is why I gave them 4 stars.
Pros: They have pretty much all of your staples. They have a great Asian selection. Most may not know this, but they also have an Indian Spice section that has pretty much everything you need in that department. Kitchenwares. Plants and plant supplies. Great specialty soda selection. AND...you can pretty much get in and get out with little or no wait in line. They are a local business.
Cons: Kinda pricey (Dairy is pretty outrageous). Small meat selection. Small toiletry selection (And they are up at the front by the registers, which doesn't make a lot of sense). -
Review from Benjamin B.
San Francisco, CA
8/13/2010
I'm not going to lie, I went to the store for one product and one product only: that is Cheerwine. A delicious cherry soda concoction that one cannot find outside of the deep south. Except Big Apple. Big Apple seemed to have an entire aisle devoted to specialty soft drinks, I was quite impressed.
I would have purchased a million bottles of it, had they been available (I bought all 7). The problem? Those 7 bottles cost nearly 15 bucks after tax. I was almost disgusted. This seemed to be the case with everything in the store, local, imported, or otherwise.
I'm not sure why everything was so expensive. There seemed to be sufficient business, cheaply-made products, and no staff to pay. Just the one little lady.
I definitely won't be shopping here for any big trips, but I'll clean their shelves of their cheerwine anyday. -
Review from gwynnie p.
San Francisco, CA
10/11/2007
Best thing about Big Apple: Decorative pots for plants, and a nice variety of outdoor planters too....at very reasonable prices.
Found some outdoor planters I'd been looking for for a long time (dimension and asthetic-wise), and a beautiful glazed pot for an orchid I had just bought. CHEAP. Pleasantly surprised to come across both "on accident" while trolling Polk.
Minus stars because this store smells overwhelmingly like plastic off-gassing...the way all dollar stores reek. Yuk. Go in, get your pots, go.Listed in: Gifts! Xmas, Bdays, Babies,…
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Review from Nobu K.
San Francisco, CA
11/12/2007
I like a empty, late-night, sleazy Grocery stores like this.
What a trip!
I felt like, I took psycho-mushrooms before I walked in here.
This market has something that makes me high with the mothball smell.
My pupils were wide open,
My mouth was so dried and half-opened,
My hair got afro.
I said to myself, "FXXX! What's goin'on here?"
Every single item in the store was so saturated with color.
The sliced & dated watermelons scared me as Hell. And the most funky looking ready to eat fruit salad.
Many colorfull soda drinks,
Wakame+cucumber salad,
Instant Yaki Soba,
Frozen Gyoza,
Great selection of frozen food.
There was an old lady at the frozen section, she smiled at me!
S C A R Y !
I tryed to smile back to her but I was frozen but Thank God, my gf pulled me out of there.
I think the old lady was a You-Kai.
I didn't need to take anything to get high.
My gf was a bit worried about me.
I haven't been high for 23 years but this is the 1st time in my life I got so high without ....... I just had a wine...OK... That doesn't count does it?
I think this place is not that sleazy market, location is.
I should be back, in the daytime....... -
Review from Meghan P.
2/5/2009
In my opinion, Big Apple Grocery Express is very strange. It looks somewhat low-quality from outside and in most aisles but they still carry some good products. They also have a really cute little plant section where you can buy a baby cactus or other easy-to-care-for living creature.
The best thing about this store is that you can hop right on the 1 bus around the corner if you don't feel like walking your groceries up the hill... -
Review from Chie J.
San Francisco, CA
5/12/2008
You would like to shop at Big Apple if
1. You like to buy non Organic Tomato for $1.99 /LB instead of Organic Tomato for $4.99 /LB.
2. You use Morton Salt (not sea salt) at home.
3. Eat at McDonald / Burger King / Taco Bell / Subway / Quiznos / KFC / Popeyes...etc more than once a year.
4. Do not mined eating prepackaged bread.
5. Think all the bottled water taste the same.
6. You Eat to Live. Not Live to Eat.
I bought a lemon cake at Big Apple. Took it home and cut into it and realized that the inside layer was all GREEN. It was fully covered by green mold. I was shocked and upset. I took it back to Big Apple.
Me: Excuse me... I bought this cake a few hours ago. I went home and realized it was moldy inside!!!
Guy at BA: Oh... Let me see... Oh yeah... We couldn't tell if it's moldy from outside.
Me: Why can't you put an expiration date or something to indicate the freshness then?!
Guy:......... Do you wan me to give you another one?
Me: How do I suppose to know if the one you are giving to me now is not moldy again?!
Guy: I think this one is fin...
Me: NO I don't want a new cake.
Guy: Can I see your receipt?
Me: Here!!!! (He refunded me - tax)
I was stunned how he reacted. I guess he thought moldy cake is not a big deal... -
Review from Ashley Q.
San Francisco, CA
9/9/2006
When I first moved to the area, I strolled into Big Apple just out of curiosity. Honestly, it looked a bit sketch from afar.
I was nicely surprised. The prices seemed a bit cheaper than scary Cala Foods. I left there with a surprising amount of health conscious and 'tastes so good but so bad for you' goodies. The produce is so-so, an improvement in this department would be rewarded with a fifth star. It's also a convenient place to get every day amenities.
If you haven't popped into this local grocer, you're missing out! -
Review from Lauren C.
San Francisco, CA
5/1/2008
I consider Big Apple to be the "neighborhood" version of Safeway. It doesn't sell meat or deli products but is a good source for other everyday items.
Being that the only other grocery stores around are Whole Paycheck and Real Expensive Foods, this is a good option if you want to spend less than $8 on 4 tomatoes. -
Review from Flemm F.
San Francisco, CA
12/17/2007
I once was walking by and some snooty woman said to her friend "this place is ok for paper goods but I wouldn't DARE eat anything from there"
I'm kinda contrary so now I buy lots more groceries from here (although not produce, to be honest). They have a natural food aisle, a big selection of Asian foods, and all my favorite Marie Calender's TV dinners. Prices are generally average, but sometimes there will be a ridiculous sale and you can get 45 cans of soup for a quarter or something like that. There is no meat, but that's ok....its still a good supplemental grocery store.
The non grocery items are also appealing, every time I kill a plant, I buy its replacement from here.Listed in: Polk St: 1600 Block
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Review from Shannon V.
San Francisco, CA
2/21/2007
This place looks like a maj ghetto factory from the outside. Even when I didn't live nearby, I'd ride by on the 1, coldly judging.
But inside it's wonderful! Their ice cream section is swoony, with every Ciao Bella flavor, and a million other brands of sorbet, ice cream, frozen yogurt, and gelato. Gourmet coffee too.
I haven't braved the produce yet (and why would I? Union Produce and I have entered into a commitment), but this store earned its 5th store when I found a cold Pellegrino in the fridge. -
Review from Jennifer O.
San Francisco, CA
4/4/2010
I could kick myself for not shopping this store years ago. They have a good selection of groceries including the best chicken, hands down (even better than Trader Joe's) that's plump, fresh and cheap and ready for frying.
Groceries, storage containers, plates and saucers, a huge selection of Asian food including these yummy mango pudding cups, picnic supplies, you name it.
Feels good to shop there and they have stuff you won't find elsewhere plus everyday staples like milk, vegetables, fruit and bread.Listed in: Born to Shop
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Review from Tommy T.
New York, NY
9/5/2006
Big Apple is probably one of the largest, non-chain supermarkets around in the City.
The difference between Big Apple and other independent grocery stores is pricing. Big Apple is more of a discount grocer with second rate produce at cheaper prices. I also suspect that a lot of their dry goods like cereal are more dated... not exactly expired but older than the typical selection at Safeway.
They recently renovated so the store isn't as run-down as it used to be. Although Big Apple is only a little less scary than the Cala Foods on California, it's still the better option for grocery shopping on Nob Hill. -
Review from carlos a.
1/11/2008
You know, I live down the street and have purchased a couple of things here but can't seem to bring myself to choosing it over Safeway.
The prices are slightly higher than Safeway, there's no parking (which makes it dead in the water in this neighborhood) and the place itself doesn't impress me.
That may seem like a really shallow assessment but it's true.
It's a nice local store but I don't feel like the price or small selection warrants my going here.
Sorry, big apple. I really wanted to like you. -
Review from Autumn K.
10/1/2009
I grew up on Big Apple. Back in the day they used to deliver. I don't know if this is still the case. Through college, I lived on their huge variety of chocolates and coffee and outfitted myself for Raves and underground parties in their extensive fake flower selection along with other strange accoutrements. My apartment was alive and thriving with their potted plants and they're the only place I've found my favorite salad dressing ever (Hi Honey, I'm Home...a honey mustard dressing) in SF, if not Northern California.
They have everything from the regular standards to a huge Asian foods section to fresh produce to household cleaners, tupperware, fake and living potted plants, and pretty much everything else you'd want in a mom and pop market, including old-school check out lanes and the original carts from their inception (one can only guess...).
This is the place where memories have been made for me. And food has been purchased. And candy has been consumed while shopping late-night for food. The family who owns BA is friendly and accomodating- they've ordered stuff for me before that they didn't have in stock. A neighborhood institution. Polk wouldn't be the same without them. -
Review from Quartknee K.
San Francisco, CA
5/31/2009
What a fun and funky little neighborhood grocery. I'm enthralled with the isle of Asian delights and though I'm not adventurous enough to try them, I'm surprised that Lean Cuisine makes such a huge variety of frozen meals.
It's a bit too pricey to be my main grocery store and judging by the variety of grab and go frozen meals it looks like a great place to stop by on the way home from work when you just need one or two items. -
Review from susan g.
San Francisco, CA
11/25/2006
Okay, the Big Apple Grocery is not perfect (so-so produce, no meat,
& no parking), but I give them 5 stars for trying. They know they are not
Whole Foods or Safeway, so they offer groceries that are different.
Like the other reviews, I really appreciate their huge variety of Asian
goods, Chinese, Thai, Japanese & Korean goods. They have a vast
variety of Asian noodles, sauces and snacks. I especially like the seaweed salad in their deli section. It is a premade seaweed with
edamame beans. I can't find it anywhere in this city. The Asian noodle salad is also very good.
The rest of the store is very nice. Very good gourmet and beverage
section. They have some drinks that are very hard to find.
Getting back to the produce, it is not the greatest, but I have no complaints with their basic lettuce, tomatoes or banana. At least
they only charge 59 cents per lb for a Dole banana while Whole Food
charges 99 cents a lb for the same banana. -
Review from Green Mango Y.
San Francisco, CA
3/25/2008
I go there really almost everyday.
They keep me alive. Now they carry meats and fish(sometimes), it's perfect. All the items are very reasonable price and some of them are even cheaper than Cala Market.
They have lot's of Asian stuff and organic items....
They have special discounted wines sometimes and other items.
They even have plants and kitchen items, dishes...
It works for single people like me! It's the perfect small neighborhood grocery store. I can not ask for more!
Thank you~, Big Apple Grocery Store!!!! -
Review from Juliana C.
Pacifica, CA
1/11/2010
Big Apple is someplace my family frequented for years. I miss it, and I stopped in yesterday to pick up some groceries and shop to kill time.
As in years back, the selection of home cleaning and house keeping items are excellent. Many and varied plastic and storage items. An unusually well stocked kitchen supply area. And the Asian foods aisle is, as others say, pretty amazing.
In the past I noticed issues with produce quality - not this visit. It all looked very good and, with the exception of grapes, was priced fairly.
Milk was outrageously expensive, but other staples, like good quality breads (but not gourmet), were fairly priced. So pricing is a funky mixture - they've picked a few staple items that fast-shoppers grab (milk/cereal) and upped the price, then offered excellent pricing on other items.
The last time I was there I picked up a few Ovaltines for less than Cala prices. That was a pleasant surprise.
I disagree that the store is in any way unclean. It used to be a bit dusty - but yesterday's visit showed an older store being kept very clean and clear of dust, the shelves well stocked in every section.
I LOVE Big Apple for the kitchen goods, cleaning supplies, most staples (not including milk/cereal) and Asian foods. Lighting is good, aisles are wide and the family who run the place are friendly. -
Review from Matt G.
3/19/2007
Matt needs groceries to feed the Fantastic 4 and is too lazy, to go to Chinatown or any market to get his necessities.
This place is likewise closer to the Fantastic-4's crib. They have a little bit of everything that some of the supermarkets and Asian markets have, but slightly overprice. Basically, if you are paying for convenient prices for your groceries from Big Apple. They do have a minimal sales, Matt tried to arrange a meal using the sale items. -
Review from Katie Anne N.
San Francisco, CA
3/12/2008
It's there when you need something. It has pretty much everything and anything besides meat. I won't complain about that. They do have a mini section, which I will not vouch for because the meat looks rather sad.
A little pricey but its convenient. Especially for the neighborhood without a grocery store. -
Review from Jamila C.
Portland, OR
4/23/2007
A decent selection of Asian dry goods. Plenty of sushi making ingredients--including canned Inari!
Their produce is pretty fresh and decently price. However, their general dry goods are priced a bit higher than other stores in the area. I was also disappointed that they didn't carry larger bottles of soy sauce. Shame.
But I plan to come here when I'm planning a sushi party or just craving some homemade Inari. -
Review from Yeesh K.
San Francisco, CA
11/1/2008
Granted, this isn't a fancy grocery store like whole foods, BUT when I leave this store, rarely is my bill over $30, and I usually buy a fairly decent amount of stuff. This place is convenient and has most things you'd need in a pinch.
Don't usually buy produce here, but they have most everything else except meats and cheeses. They even have a pretty good selection of house plants and a GREAT selection of Asian specialty food items, which I am constantly running out of! -
Review from Rebecca H.
San Francisco, CA
9/7/2007
Does anyone actually shop here because they want to or is it more out of necessity? It's fairly pricey, the produce selection is bad at best, and it is not open all that late. Also the beer and wine selection, while decent, is about $2-$3 more than any other grocery store in the city.
So why the three stars? They actually have a decent selection of Asian dry items which is nice because I hate dragging my ass into Chinatown. There is also quite a large selection of cooking items like pots, pans, and Tupperware which is convenient when a recipe calls for a particular cooking apparatus which is not found in your kitchen. Also, it's close to my house and I am often too lazy to venture to Trader Joe's or Whole Foods so I appreciate the convenience. -
Review from Samantha R.
San Francisco, CA
6/5/2009
The Yelp 2-star description sums it up: "Meh. I've experienced better."
Pros: Most of what you need, within walking distance. You don't need to walk up the hill to Cala, and you don't need to pay for the Whole Foods edge. They sell Barefoot wine for $5/bottle. Organized well. Their organic (pre-packaged, not fresh) and ethnic food sections are pretty big. Tons of really cool plants and planters! (My favorite part.)
Cons: It's kind of a weird store, sort of dirty and back-of-the-shelf items except at regular supermarket prices and selection. Despite the storefront's claim, it is NOT a discount center. ($5.50 for cereal? Dammit.) Closes at 9. Their produce is DEFINITELY of Chinatown quality/origin, but much pricier-- shoot, I have to pass Stockton on my way home anyway, why shouldn't I just pick up my potaters there?
It's conveniently located and generally has what I'm looking for. I've never actually spoken a word to the storekeepers, but they smile nicely... I guess. Honestly, I'd rather just walk the extra block to Cala. -
Review from Carmen B.
Seattle, WA
7/28/2008
I think Cala is dirty and sketchy and I don't want to spend twice the amount that I would at a normal store each time I make a trip to get groceries (though I do love you, Whole Foods!). I think Big Apple is a decent compromise between the two, at least for staples and non-perishables. The produce seems fine (my zucchini and cucumber were a-ok) but I would not buy any of the meat out of the tiny case at the end of one of the aisles. I tend to stay away from their breads too.
They have some neat specialty stuff here also, like an entire aisle of asian foods and quite a bit of all-natural and/or organic non-perishables. You can pick up foil baking dishes, assorted kitchenware, and gardening, school and knitting supplies. Kind weird, but ok!
This is definitely not a gourmet place, but when I need the basics, it's fine with me. The staff is pretty friendly too, which is always a plus. -
Review from Alan B.
San Francisco, CA
11/11/2007
An okay medium-sized grocery store without meat.
Nice wide isles. Affordable produce with better selection than the corner markets, and it looked cleaner and fresher too. The asian/mexican foods isle is better than most large groceries but not as good or cheap as the smaller specialty markets.
They have a good selection of kitchen supplies; I went there sure that I would find freezer paper, and I did.
There is no meat and the prices are a little higher than Safeway for a lot of things.
The pots and potting soil are cheap.
Big Apple is not very close to me, so I'll probably only be back for potting soil. -
Review from Rashmi N.
San Francisco, CA
10/2/2007
An unassuming grocery store on Polk, Big Apple has a couple cool things going for it. Number one, the large section of garden pots visible from the window - that's what actually drew me, garden junkie, in. Once I was inside I noticed that they had a pretty nice selection of organic-y type foods. Nice find! Lots of Amy's soups and such. Also, there is an aisle devoted to Asian foods and while this is not uncommon in the city it is nice to find it mixed in with a good stock of natural-type foods.
And... after a long and grueling search I found Thai Tea bags!! Yippee! You wouldn't think it would be hard to track these down but... mmm... been enjoying yummy hot Thai Tea all week :)
Though I wouldn't make a trip half way across town for this store, if you're in the neighborhood check it out! -
Review from Roy M.
San Francisco, CA
2/14/2009
This place is all kinds of wuh. It's good in places, they have a great selection in other places, they have fresh-looking produce and such, they have all kinds of plants...they even have meat. Ok.
I get most of my dry and imperishable Asian stuffs here because it's close to me. Soba sauce and noodles, decent dried ramen, Korean nori, shit ike that, you know. I've gotten the occasional nic-nac in here. I even bought a couple cacti and succulents from here. The cacti died and the succulents wilted. Whatever.
Don't get me wrong, I like coming here. I like the selection. It just reminds me of one of those stores you might see down on say, 22th Ave and Judah, dig?
On the upside, I was looking to make a bo staff one night and I was able to find a bamboo rod here. Shit. If you're looking for a bamboo rod, I don't think you'll be able to find one within miles of here. No joke. I looked. People are nice enough. I dig that. Bo knows. -
Review from Brian K.
San Francisco, CA
11/18/2007
I don't really like Big Apple. In fact, I dislike Cala too. I'm no longer near my beloved Safeways, and I'm more bitter than my hungover grandmother.
I've recently taken to having my groceries delivered from time to time, but it involves some planning ahead, which I'm not so good at. Thus, I end up resorting to Big Apple or (shudder) Cala.
I guess there's nothing particularly great or bad about this place; it's reliably vanilla. Things are slightly more expensive than other, larger groceries, and in general, I'm just indifferent to its whole presence. It's kind of a dry fart in Nob Hill's pants.
One time I went there I wandered through the potted plants area and pretended I was Alice in Wonderland wandering through gardens. It was a short-lived fantasy, as it's not a large section, but it was still kind of fun. They do have some decent selections of ice cream, and it's an easy stop for milk, eggs, and household needs.
Other than that, they usually don't have the wide selection of foods I'm looking for, and I can't get a decent standard loaf of bread. You know, just regular bread? (Wonder Bread doesn't count.)
But things are undeniably a little more expensive than other, larger grocery stores, and their shelf stocks leave something huge to be desired.
If it weren't for the fact that I can go in there and grind my own coffee beans without anyone yelling at me, this place would be getting only one yawn-y star.
*Originally I gave this place two stars, but I'm bumping it up a star. They were open till 9 on Christmas Eve, and 10 - 5 on Christmas day. The Moral: God bless Asians.
