Central Market
Categories: Florists, Meat Shops, Grocery, Beer, Wine & Spirits, Cooking Schools, Health Markets [Edit]
5750 E Lovers LnDallas, TX 75206 (214) 234-7000
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
46 Reviews for Central Market
I bet this is one of the best, most comprehensive grocery stores in America.
The deli is wonderful. The wine section is unparalleled, even featuring a subsection devoted solely to Wine Spectator picks, which saves me from having to depend on my own undereducated taste in wine. They have boiled peanuts. I'll repeat that. They have boiled peanuts.
The layout of the store is a little bewildering; a little maze-like, it seems to require you to navigate the store's sections sequentially. Other than that, a pleasure to shop here.
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Although, I will probably never buy a full load of groceries here... I still love walking around and enjoying the free samples. LOL!
I love walking around the aisles with the jelly beans, dried fruits, and coffee beans. Mmmm the caffeine smell is wonderful here. They have a lot of organic stuff.. expensive stuff... and hot cheetos are too ghetto for them. I saw an organic icecream bar there for $13! Just ONE! That better be the best damn organic icecream ever!
Their alcohol selection is pretty impressive though. You'll find beers that are not usually sold at your local grocery mart.
Anyway..
Ladies, come here to check out the hot fellas. But beware if they come as a pair.
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Central Market = Life.
This market is what keeps me sane while temporary living in Dallas. When I've had a long day and I don't feel like slaving away in the kitchen, I wander around the chef prepared food counter designing the perfect meal. Here are some of my favorites:
Pepper salmon with raspberry sauce + Creamed spinach + fresh raspberries & blackberries
Buttermilk Pecan Chicken + Mac n' Cheese (or) Sweet Mashed Potatoes
Honey Garlic Flank Steak + Roasted Rosemary potatoes + Carrot - Snap Pea Sauté
I also LOVE the veggie lasagna and the chicken enchiladas with green tomatillo sauce.
The artichoke dip (located at the dip bar) is great with FoodShouldTasteGood brand multigrain chips.
I LOVE the men that work the cheese section... they always suggest something perfect! There is this wonderful truffle cheese that blows my mind every time I get it.
They carry one of my favorite Napa wines, St. Supery. Tom Thumb also sells this wine (and for a few dollars cheaper), but I don't think they use as much care with their products. I've had a few bottles of bad St. Supery from Tom Thumb - the bottles from Central Market are always fantastic.
ONE MORE RECOMMENDATION:
The BUTTERSCOTCH BROWNIE is the bomb.
I love this place. Can you tell?
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This place has been reviewed plenty so it's easy to get a feel for the place. In short, I LOVE what they have and am irked by what they don't have. I know space comes at a premium, but sometimes I just need salt or sugar- I don't need fair trade, mined by monks salt or sugar that's harvested by organic elephants and I don't feel better paying twice the amount for products that I can find in Tom Thumb.
No, seabass is not supposed to be $30/pound- for that price, I'll let one of Dallas' finer restaurants prepare it for me.
The upside is that if you know your prices and shop smart, Central Market has its share of unique, high-quality products. Their beer, wine and coffee selections are pretty comprehensive and their staff knows their products. If you're wondering about the flavor and or ripeness of a fruit, a produce worker will usually be happy to prep you a small sample. Again, the key is to go in with your head; if you don't, you'll find yourself leaving with $500 worth of organically scented candles made from fair trade paraffin that was obtained by non-genetically engineered bees of an endangered rain forest species.
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This is a place I really can't get into. Mind you, their selection of dried fruit is out of this world, but it comes at a price (e.g., $15 for a pound of dried strawberries). They have some good things but I really think Dallas needs a regular HEB (the closest one is in Waxahachie). Their regular produce (non organic) is equivocal to what you can find at Kroger for (mostly) a less expensive price and it's sometimes easier to get through Kroger than the maze of CM. Their HEB brand organic milk is usually the least expensive, has a great flavor and lasts so much longer than regular milk (really the only reason I buy it). However, it's becoming more frequent that they're out of the milk I buy so I've been going to Kroger and buying their brand of the organic milk (which is almost always in stock).
Overall, it's a neat idea and it obviously appeals to a lot of people in this area, but I need a real HEB, not the hoity toity version!
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If you haven't been to Central Market yet to do your grocery shopping, I recommend you check out the selection first. Then, I suggest you order something fresh from their deli. My favorite dinner concoction is made from one of their slices of chipotle honey glazed pork loin and a handful of their grilled brussels sprouts. Their honey glazed steak flanks are exceptional too and go great with their almond-crusted green beans and mashed potatoes. Don't forget to check out the dessert aisle to complete your meal!
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I live right next to this store and I love it. They have just about anything and everything you could need or want. They have an incredibly varied selection on all items from fresh produce, fish/meats, cheese, beer/wine, nuts, candy and pretty much everything else. They also have a section for prepared meals-to-go that is very good. When you go be prepared to spend some time and money here because there is so much stuff that you will want.
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Okay...I didn't do a review of Central Market because everyone already covered every thing. However, last night I wanted to make something in the way of an Irish sandwich.
So I went to the bakery and got some Rosemary Bread (yes, I know that's not Irish Soda Bread...but ewww to that). Then I went to the deli and said "I know I want corned beef and that Irish cheddar that you have listed on the case. What else do I want?" Next thing you know I'm a freaking expert of cheeses and meats! He suggested several things and told me not to put any mayo or mustard on the bread. I asked about maybe butter and he was all "The Rosemary Bread will be enough."
I had the most amazing sandwich known to man! It consisted of the aforementioned bread, corned beef (not the New York one, but the other one), Dubliner Cheddar (hard), and some sort of hard ham that was kinda on the dry side but worked amazing with all the other stuff. It was so good that I took my daughter's away from her and ate it too.
We had it with Ginger Beer and potato cakes. Best meal EVAH! Thanks Central Market Deli Man. I love you. XOXO
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this is where i go to buy my specialty items...whether you need purple pervuvian potatoes, italian anchovies, valrhona chocolate, or meyer lemons...they've got it. i usually hit the bulk bin section (spices/dried herbs, cereals, grains...), the fresh herbs, and whatever is on the weekly specials. they also have a dedicated person in the wine/beer section...great resource for recommendations.
eventhough i don't live in dallas anymore, i still stop by when i'm in the area to pick up their house-made andouille sausages...a must for my jambalaya.
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OK. OK. I know what you're thinking ... All chain grocery stores are alike, but I have to tell you how wrong you are on this one!
I have shopped at both the Dallas and Plano Central Market locations, and the Dallas location is by far the best! I went in recently looking for tea leaves, and I found the tea guru - an employee who knows so much about tea that he teaches a class at a local tea shop. Not only did he make a great tea recommendation, but he also told me how one particular blend was made. Getting the product you're looking for plus an education is a big bonus for me! I'll totally go back for all my specialty food needs!
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There's a misconception about Central Market. Some people think that everything in CM is overpriced and can be found cheaper at Tom Thumb, Kroger, or Whole Foods. Yes, there are some items that can be found cheaper elsewhere. However, I've noticed that there are several items I buy weekly that can always be found cheaper at CM. The most outrageous example is my favorite ceral ever, Kashi GoLean Crunch, which Kroger and Tom Thumb sell for $4.29-$4.99. Central Market? $2.49.
Ok, so now that we cleared that up, we can all recognize that Central Market is a fantastic supermarket. but the real prize is their sandwich counter. You can choosse from their list of 12-15 Central Market created sandwiches or you can create one of your own. Those making the sandwiches are incredibly friendly and will always make it exactly as you want. They don't pull any Subway bullshit; if you want extra meat or extra cheese, you'll get it. Every sandwich I've had here has been great, but their crowned jewel, and my current obsession, is their turkey and brie sandwich with a few key alterations.
Here's what you need to do: order the hot turkey and brie sandwich, but ask for it on the round italian bread. This is way better than the bread the sandwich traditionall comes on. Next, nix the mustard and ask for extra cranberry. Then sit back and watch as they create the most spectacular sandwich of all time: turkey, brie, arugula, walnuts, cranberry - all toasted to perfection.
You can thank me later.
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I am very conflicted by Central Market. At some levels, I like it very much. But mostly I don't. If you want to get everything in one place and be pretty assured of the quality then it works OK. However, I like to shop in a kind of best of breed fashion. So, I will try to buy things in season. I will go to speciality shops even if it requires extra effort and time. Sadly, of course, I am not as "carbon conscious" as I should be by doing that.
So does CM have the best of anything? Not in my book, but to keep up with the variety you do have to go to a lot of places:
Bread - Breadhaus in Grapevine
Produce (in season) - Farmers' Markets - be careful at the Dallas Farmers' Market though
Produce general - Whole Foods Preson/Forest
Meat - Hirsch's in Plano
Seafood - TJ's at Preston/Forest
Cheese - Sigel's in Addison
Alcoholic beverages, everyday - Costco
Alcoholic beverages special - Sigels or Pogos
General stuff - Costco
For all around second place finishes in the categories, CM is pretty good. So it's a matter of preference. I am an old school European and like to go to multiple places to buy stuff. I like to go to the store every day.
I really dislike the labyrinth at CM though!
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Central Market is the best overall grocery store hands down. As a vegetarian in Dallas, TX Central Market was an oasis in the land of big trucks and cattle.
It sickens me to go into other neighboring grocery stores (except Whole Foods) and when I'm in Dallas (I lived there for two years) I find myself driving out of the way just to go there to get staples in my diet because other stores do not have them.
Their fruit and vegetables are unsurpassed. You can find most everything you've encountered in your far away land cook books. Going to Central Market is an experience, not just simple grocery shopping. They bake their own breads and make their own tortillas, both of which are outstanding. They also have an amazing cheese section, which includes Haloumi, my new love.. They have a great olive bar and I agree that their sandwiches are something special. Any place that gives you the option of pesto (not the wanna-be mayonnaise pesto, but the real deal) gets my business any day.
Oh, and their wine and beer selection definitely goes above and beyond. Last I looked they had about four Sicilian reds, which proves their advanced palate!
At one point they even had Jamie Oliver (The Naked Chef) perform a cooking show at their Dallas location. We were one of the drawing winner and got to see him in a huge tent they set up next to Central Market...how cool is that?
Before I moved back to California, I bought a Central Market shirt that states "Friends don't let friends eat junk." With an attitude like that you know you're getting the goods!
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I'm an expat from california. I say expat because Texas really is a different country. I had heard that dallas was a bastion of food, and since I'm living in what I was told was a pretty trendy community, I figured that my albertsons would carry things like tandoori masala, french butter, pate, good avocados, etc. So you can imagine how disappointed I was when certain things required special trips to whole foods and little gourmet food shops.
Then came the discovery of Central Market which can easily complete with a draegers. What really impressed me was the price for high quality beef. I know that Texas is cattle country, but I got some seriously fantastic aged ribeye for $14 a pound, and I'm talking some marbled tender juicy flavourful goodness. The half bottle selection for wine was amazing, and better than anything you'll find in CA except at wine stores. Also, the produce ( which is a big thing for us californians) beat any other dallas grocery store I've been to including whole foods; granted the prices were high, but the quality was great.
My only complaint (-1 star) , is that given the excellent selection of cheeses and charcuterie I would have expected a better selection of pate. I know this makes me sound like even more of a california effete foodie snob, but I like the terrine style as opposed to only the mouse, and I would have liked to see some fois gras, but they only had cruelty free pate which is good for the duck, but something I definitely miss
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If there was such a thing as a perfect market, this would be the closest thing to it. I love grocery shopping because everything is affordable. When you walk up to Central Market it's like a BBQ, both entrances have grills with meat and sausage samples. You walk in and it's like an Ikea, even if you're looking to buy specific item, you're forced to walk along the "route". Along the way there are more free samples than at Costco. Pretty much there is such great selection in all products and you can find almost everything you want. For example, at a normal supermarket (like Albertson's) you'll find like 4 types of oranges, but at Central Market you'll find like 12 different types of oranges. Also my brother was looking for Duke's Mayonnaise. Lo and behold, they had it here. They also have fresh cooked meals. The only thing about this market is the prices, it's very expensive, but it's the price you pay what what you want. This place is AWESOME!!!!
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My daughter and I go to CM at least twice a week. We don't buy much, but it's like traveling via delicacies. We home school, and at age six, she definitely is more cultured than I was, thanks to CM. They not only have a variety of foods, fresh, frozen, and prepared, but will give you an impromptu class on what ever you quiz them on, at any given moment. We have gone there for a snack, and gotten a full meal, because they are always having some kind of special event. We happened one night upon a launch party for 10 Items or Less sitcom on TBS. We met some of the cast, took pictures with them, and participated in the games they had set up. They screened the show, and had an out of this world buffet and bar. We stayed for two hours! Then there was the Mardi Gras parade in-store, complete with beads, and a band!
Anytime you want to taste something, most times you can just ask. I wouldn't go as far as asking them to open something, but if you don't like it, they are very accommodating. This is our favorite store in Dallas, and we tell everyone.
I am starting a blog, chronicling our times at CM, we have a great experience each time we go!
BTW,I am thinking of hosting my meet-up there if I start charging member fees. they have great meeting rooms upstairs, and a screening room with TVs.
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This place is a supermarket on steroids. Seriously. And their grilled asparagus tastes like steak.
Basically, Central Market is food heaven. Especially if you like healthy, fresh and organic foods.
They have an amazing selection of prepared meals, including grilled chicken, sushi, sandwiches, quesadillas, salads, desserts ... and pretty much anything else you can think of. Their grilled veggies reduce me to cravings on a regular basis. That's not to mention their selection of every other kind of food imaginable.
As others have mentioned, this really isn't the place for a quick food run (unless you're looking to pick up a pre-cooked dinner). You have to allocate a nice chunk of time (AND MONEY) if you're headed here.
This is also not the place for deals ... I rarely make it out of here without spending $100. But, you definitely get quality goods for the money, and an amazing selection of gourmet treats. Especially impressive is their variety of cheese, nuts, meats, olives and breads. You can easily spend hours in here.
Parking can be kinda crappy, and it's almost always crowded-but worth the sacrifice!
(One additional tip-if you stop by on a weekend, you can indulge in a mini brunch with all the available free samples!)
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Great store for hard to find gourmet ingredients, and it has one of the tastiest seafood departments in town - fresh, fresh, fresh - and then they wrap all selections on ice for your trip home! The produce selection is extensive - only complaint is that they do not carry enough local produce and often get trapped in the "a tomato from Holland is better than a tomato from Texas" attitude whereas I would rather buy local whenever possible. The bakery is better than Whole Foods - I especially like the country French loaves - perfect contrast of crunchy crust to chewier inside. Their cheese section is extensive as well, though I like my local WF's better. Avoid weekend prime shopping times if possible. It can get so crowded that it is impossible to move your cart through the bottlenecks at the bakery and cheese counters. Happy eating!
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My favorite store of all time..other than home depot and the auto parts store..
It has everything you could want..great selection..I always thought it was over priced as well, but when you go for regular stuff the prices are the same..yes they have high end stuff too but they do carry the same reg products at fair prices...I love to just wander and see all the stuff they have..I do pick up some random stuff to try ..I love it.,., MEATS are fresh, great seafood
Central Market really is the best grocery store ever. Fact.
Growing up, I always had a weird fascination with HEB grocery stores. We had Tom Thumb and Albertson's in Dallas and every year, as my family made the trek in Aunt Karen's beat up old van, relaxing on the fold out pillow couch we called the "Yo," down the glorious I-35 to Corpus Christi, I would get overly excited about going to the HEB. Why? I have no idea. It was different. It was big. And frankly, I distinctly remember them having bigger cooler grocery carts.
When I moved to Austin for college I discovered HEB's experiment - Central Market. An oddly laid out, mixed organic, fresh, local and normal grocery store. A store with an insanely inspiring produce department, ridiculously good coffee, and more this-is-good-for-you feeling than anywhere I'd been before. I can spend days in the Wine Department poking over the little Central Market-written blurb tags on all the bottles.
On a recent trip to Dallas, I took my mother to Central Market to pick out wine for a gift and for my dinner with friends that night. I also walked out with a couple pounds of coffee. My mother was in heaven... she said, "I had no idea this many kinds of apples existed."
The Central Market at Lover's has just as much good-for-you feeling as the originals in Austin and is worth the drive across town, no matter where you live.
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Central Market is my sanctuary.
Just being there calms me and fills me with joy. I can wander the aisles for over an hour, even if I had just been there the week before, browsing. While the Lovers Lane locations pales in comparison to the Austin 38th street original, that's ok. It still warrants 5 stars.
I'll concede that the gourmet to-go selection isn't the best around, but the produce, meat, fish, dry goods, snacks, floral, bins, cheese, cold cut, dips, olives, and desserts section can't be beat for their breadth certainly, and often their quality.
It's worth noting that average items at CM aren't more expensive than other stores-- a bag of white rice at CM should be priced exactly as one at HEB.
A great money-saver is the bulk spice rack-- rather than investing in a full jar of something that will likely molder in my cabinet forever after, I can buy just a tablespoon or so to satisfy an individual recipe. I'm out maybe $.20, and no spices going stale to feel guilty about.
The cooking classes can be great too. A given class is only as good as the instructor, and CM draws some excellent people, local and national.
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I am specifically yelping about the Cafe On the Run. I love this idea....my girlfriend and I ate here last night. What I love about this idea is you can create your own plate and then heat it up right there and eat. We chose the Honey Garlic Flank Steak, Grape and Walnut w Blue Cheese Salad, Vegetarian Chili, and some Cherry Tomato Penne. Quite a healthy and delicous meal. The drink selections are great. EVERYTHING IS GREAT! YUM.....I also hada chance to sample the asian cole slaw(AWSOME) and the Cantonese Chicken Noodle Salad(GREAT). This is probably one of the best features of Central Market is they let you taste everything. This place is heaven.
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Central Market is great, I wish there was one in Boston. It's like my one stop shop for basically any grocery need. They have a fantastic selection of wines and surprisingly their wine connoisseur actually knew what he was talking about. The cheese selection is only beaten by Sigel's in Addison. The biggest thing lacking from this place is their smoked salmon. They are missing the BEST smoked salmon, Belly lox. I have to go to a local deli to buy some. If Central Market carried it, I would buy it out weekly.
Anyways, bottom line is Central Market is awesome.
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Central Market is my favorite place. Not just my favorite grocery store, not just my favorite place to eat, but my favorite place to be...like in life. I could go on and on about each section and what makes it wonderful, but I'll just touch on a few of my favorites.
The Bakery: The cakes are delicious. The cupcakes taste even better than they look. They look like regular, grocery store cupcakes, but they taste like heaven, especially the chocolate. The mini-desserts could bring world peace. The creme brulee is some of the best I've had, and nothing there is bad. The mascarpone cream cheese torte is delicious and light, and the carrot cake is wonderful and has the perfect frosting. My favorite thing is the pot de creme (baked chocolate custard, individual size).
Cafe On the Run: They have turkey legs and fresh tamales in 12-packs, among other things. I miss Central Market more than anything in Dallas, including my own mother.
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CM is Wonderful!! I practically live next door, so I constantly stop by their "Cafe on the Run" which is AMAZING and pick up a "Dinner for Two." This is blend of your typical deli section of the grocery store and Eatzi's. It is highly addictive and easy to spend a fortune. They also have prepared sauces, salsas, yummy dips (UM, hello LOVE DIP!!!), and their olive bar. If you are ever in Austin, eat in their cafe- they have great sandwiches, spaghetti & meatballs, veggie lasagna- all of it made deliciously with fresh herbs and produce.
My favorite dinner for two's:
Breaded Chicken Cutlet, Tomato Mozzarella Salad, Israeli Coucous with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Parmesan Focaccia Bread
Mushroom Lasagna (HOLY HELL this is good), Caesar Salad, Parmesan Focaccia Bread
Puerco Guisado, Lemon Basmati Rice, Romaine Salad w/ Corn Pico & Spicy Ranch & Fresh Tortillas
Not to mention that this grocery store is the only place I can find certain things like: Fresh herbs, Terra chips, Sweet Leaf Tea, Fischer Raspberry Chipotle sauce, & handmade sausages. They have exotic fruits & vegetables, a wide variety of high quality meat & seafood & their floral dept is also excellent. I love this place! The only con is that you do have to make 2 trips to the grocery store (like to get your staples- paper towels, toilet paper, etc, but really you are going to the grocery store to be able to eat...we just do Central Market every so often).
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God, I wish Tyler had a place like this. I could spend hours here. In fact, I went just to purchase some wine and came close to spending an hour here.
The wine lady was awesome! I didn't get her name, but she is tall with short hair, and glasses. She is super friendly and was more than happy to help me find bottles in my price range. The last time I went here, she gave me a few suggestions and they all turned out fantastic. Look for her. You won't be disappointed.
I love this store. I agree with a previous poster...Central Market is soooooooo much better than Whole Foods. This place is amazing.
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Whole Foods meets Ikea meets Treasure Island meets a maze.
This is more of a place for a shopping 'experience' than a quick "I need a dozen eggs" trip.
Go only when you have some time, and try to hit it up on non-peak hours. Even though the staff is more than willing to help you when it is crowded, you can basically convince one to shop for you when it is not.
Don't miss the cheese section and also the mile-long olive bar.
OHHHH Central Market... as soon as gay marriage is legal I will then begin a movement for the legalization of woman- (or man) and establishment unions. Then I will marry Central Market. I love grocery stores in general. I think of them as Museums of Food. I like to just wander the aisles looking at boxes and packages and cans. Central Market is the epitome of Food Museum. So many unusual things, neat things, and I don't leave with a guilty conscience when buying something less-than-perfect-organic-natural-etc like at Whole Foods. Also, their staff is always nice. Nice! Once, my cashier told me that if I answered a questionnaire in the lobby then I could get a free loaf of bread. Then, she waited patiently with my purchases while I questionnaired and breaded and then when I returned she told me how to sign up for internet coupons. Amazing!
They have the best smelling bulk foods section with all of the coffee beans and you can purchase anything from Organic Fair Trade Bird Environment Protected Shade Grown coffee beans all the way down to a can of Maxwell House. Good lord, this place is a Utopia.
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If you haven't been here, you don't understand. As foodies, we all love grocery stores and can browse a good one for hours. Central Market is the mecca for foodies in Dallas. It's Farmer's Market, meets import, meets Whole Foods.
Get lunch from the Cafe on the Run and enjoy the live bands they ususally have playing on the patio.
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Central Market is a great alternative to whole foods and they have a fantastic selection of everything - you name it they have it. I live in the bay area, and would recommend this market to anyone. I was shopping (like a fool) on Christmas eve, the produce looked really fresh (compared to whole foods - not so happy) and they had a good selection of bread. I was impressed with the wine selection (great prices) and I always love thier gourmet cheese section.
I got in and out in 20 minutes - yes, the lines were long, but i managed to find a quick out! the staff is so friendly and helpful.
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This place makes Whole Foods look like a dump. I'm not sure I've seen another grocery store where you pick up a $500 bottle of wine to go with your organic produce.
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Very good market, excellent for the veggies for sure.
I love the eggplants and the spinach.
On the other hand not a good place to buy fruits.
Expensive and not worthy.
For fruits I always go to Farmer's Market and buy in bulk.
10lb oranges for $6
Huge Watermelon (maybe 30lbs???) for $10
etc.
Fish is very good
Steaks are awesome
Organic and air chilled Chicken is so tasty when cooked, it is unbelievable.
Meat is great, I love cooking at home, and like most of the products of the Central Market.
Bread is a downer.
Way too rich.
And does not stay fresh for more than 2 days.
Location is great (the one on Coit).
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I can't wait until I move to Austin to be able to shop at Central Market all the time. We visited the Dallas location on a recent visit, and absolutely loved the place. Great selection of gourmet food, great wine selection (a must if you're from San Francisco). Not sure if the Austin locations are like Dallas, but the only negative was that this place was yuppie central. I got a good laugh out of some Dad pointing out a $500 bottle of wine to his 5 year old kid. Way to start 'em young!
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Wow....again...another place my brother has introduced me to that I have cravings for every now and again!! Great market!! I am probably one of the most frequent Whole Foods shoppers on earth but this place is Whole Foods on crack times 10!! The best meat, produce and prepared food place I have seen!!
P.S. I know Dallas natives and Cowboys fans hate Eagles of all sorts but I was so happy when I was browsing an isle right next to a great one....Don Henley!! He even gave me a smile!! All I wanted to do was dance after that!!
Moving from San Francisco to Dallas was a huge culture shock. Central Market made my transition smooth. They have the best produce, meat, bakery around. It's a whole experience. You walk in the front doors, and the layout is like an adventure. You go through each department, picking out staples like onions and peppers, and stop to see that they have 20 types of onions, 10 shades of peppers. The staff is helpful, the seafood department is so well stocked. Talk to the people behind the counters, they'll tell you what just came in, how much to buy and when they think you're overdoing it.
The wine department has sommiliers to help you plan your menu, the cheese department (HUGE) has people there that can expertly pair your cheese with whatever you're serving.
There is also a sandwich bar (great meatloaf, served with carmelized onions of fresh Challah bread), a salad bar, and an entree area, where you can buy by the pound things like grilled shrimp, flank steak with roasted garlic, cole slaw, chicken salad with almonds and apricots, or mac and cheese.
As the reviewer below said, "If heaven was a grocery store, this would be it."
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The only thing I do not love about this place is that shopping here often means two trips to the grocery store. One for things like toilet paper and stuff that you might buy from a target and then all of the wonderfully healthy things that Central Market sells. That is why the HEB in Austin that is half central market and half regular HEB is the best thing ever.
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The mother of all groceries, this place has it all. It has a sushi bar, isles dedicated to foods from afar,etc.. I mean everything you could possibly imagine. Except pickled watermelon rinds, but they have everything else. A must see and shop. But don't bring all of your money, cause you'd spend it all in one trip on all of the wondrous things you'll see.
This may possibly be my favorite place in Dallas. They have an awesome meat and seafood selection. Also, there is a great beer and wine selection. They have just about any vegetable you can think of along with a huge cheese selection if you are into that kind of thing.
If you work nearby they have a ton of things to choose for lunch. You could probably eat their all year and never eat the same thing twice.
I am a Central Market big fan. Great sandwiches, salad bar, soups, sushi, prepared meals, fruits, gelato, etc. My co-workers and I go there for lunch every week. Great grocery store too. I like Central Market more than Whole Foods.
Best supermarket in town. If you want it, they have it. Lots of produce, cheeses, fresh baked breads, organic groceries, great meats. You have to see it to believe it. All of my out of town friends get a tour of it when they come to town and they love it!