Central Market
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
12 Reviews for Central Market
The downer about this place is that it's on the other side of town. It's also the only place I can find my favorite wine, Carlos Basso.
Love the soups. And the coffees. And the wine helpers who won't ever leave me alone. And the cheese corner. God, I love cheese.
Okay, I'm going to be the oddball here and put Central Market down for a bad review, but it's based on my own experience and tribulations with the store.
My beef with stores like these (and Whole Foods) is that it is almost impossible to get any "normal" grocery shopping done here. Here's my random tale of frustration, and do take this lightly:
I fought for parking in the too-damn-small parking lot for about 5 minutes, before I gave up and parked in the far corner of the lot (I AM NOT VALETING MY CAR AT THE GROCERY STORE, THANKS). After the six mile trek to the front door (highly exaggerated) I walked into the store and was greeted with what looked like a Luby's in the middle of the store.
I wasn't there for the Luanne Platter, I wanted only two simple items that should be easily found in any store: Toilet Paper and Coca-Cola.
I aimlessly wandered the store like a lost puppy, confused as to what over half of the items that surrounded me were. On the third lap around the store and still hadn't found toilet paper, I gave up and left frustrated. I think I even cried a little.
I know this isn't the type of store for "normal" shopping, but not everyone is looking for Portuguese Eggplant and fifteen varieties of Okra. I just wanted toilet paper and soda. :(
The Central Market is /the/ mainstream gourmet supermarket in San Antonio (at least, as far as I know). If you want excellent cheese, wine, meats, fresh produce, coffee, and so-on and so-on, that's the place to go. Granted, you'll pay more for the quality, but if you love to cook great food (like my unstoppable cannelloni) then you'll be more than happy to spend a little more than normal. Then again.. you could just save up and splurge a few paychecks on some of the best food you'll find in town. I'm not saying you can't find better, but I /am/ saying this place is very convenient with everything under the same roof.
Expect the parking lot to be nearly full. You'll probably have to park towards the street, but the walk isn't nearly as far as the back of the Wal-Mart parking lot. They keep the place clean, the attendants are always attentive and courteous, and they keep the shelves well-stocked and most of the items are kept spot-on fresh. I have some issues with the occasional rock-hard bread baked there in the store, but I'm not a bread-eater anyway. I'm Ug, the caveman. I eat bugs and meat.
Their seafood and meat are always fresh and includes hard-to-find things like buffalo meat, squid tentacles (yummy!), big sea scallops, veal (cannelloni... cannelloni... *drool*), and both mundane and other weird stuff. Did I mention the fresh-made sausages? I didn't, did I? You can get some of the best sausage I've ever put in my mouth there.
And coffee. Glorious coffee. Rich, medium-dark gourmet coffee. It makes me smile. You like smiling, right? Coffee good. Ug like.
Also, they're right next to the US Post Office (same building complex).
This is the kind of place I like to go to for fun. It's definitely an improved version of Whole Foods, but the concept is pretty much the same: healthy, delicious food and lots of organic body products, medicines, etc. There is a wide selection of to-go stuff, sushi, soups, entrees, and they also have a little cafe/coffee shop deal near the entrance. The variety of tea, coffee, grains, etc by the bulk is astounding. They also have loads of bottled iced teas, mineral waters, wines, and pretty much... well, anything. Excellent frozen food and cookware section, too. I really can't say enough about this place; it really is a foodie's paradise. It may be pricey, but that's what you get for the high quality items to be found there.
If you are looking for those spices you can't find anywhere and foods that you don't see at the regular HEB, then this is your place. It's a bit out of the way but once in a while it's worth it. They have bulk foods and candy, they have an amazing cheese selection and my favorite their butcher. They have BISON! Healthiest meat out there for you (they even say it's better for you than chicken!!). They also have veal and seafood (some even fresh fresh). Thier bakery is excellent as well.. flatbreads galore, fresh baked bagels, semolina breads and desserts to go out of your way for. Amazing cakes and mini cakes.
Well I love this place but the biggest draw back is that it's a place you can spend a lot quickly. It's a bit pricier but worth the Gouda Pear Tortelinis I foudn there and ohter exotics!
Since my recent abduction from San Francisco....I feared I had seen the last of my upscale fresh food markets. I dreamed of chef salads and spring rolls...UNTIL!!! I stumbled into the new lunch haven known as HEB Central Market. This place wasn't just as good as the local Whole Foods or the snazzy bay area snob knobs....
IT WAS BETTER!!!!...the food bar wraps around in several directions.... tons of salads, sushi, sandwiches, hot plates and more. The selection is hands down better than any market I have seen. But, I had to take away one star because it is WAAAAAAAAYYYY over priced!
Ahhhhhhhhh home sweet home!
Did I mention they have FREE VALET PARKING!!!
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When i was going to school in San Antonio, Central Market was a staple of my eating there. Sure, i bought most of my groceries at HEB, but came here to buy things at least two or three times a week. One of my favorite things to do was walk in with out thought of what to cook for dinner, walk around and check out what looked good, then put together a meal on the spot to take home and cook.
My roommates and i used to come here on the weekends and basically get an entire meal for free based completely on samples. They don't do samples like this in other parts of the country.
After i graduated last may i got a job at a start up aerospace company in Silicon Valley. I new the Bay Area was a food mecca and thought that central market was only a glimpse of what was to come in my new, northern california grocery store heaven. Turned out i was sadly mistaken. Sure there are 5 or 6 really cool grocery stores within two miles of my apartment in Palo Alto, but they are all very small and have very high prices. They lack the huge selection in produce, meat, seafood, baked goods, and dry goods. Not to mention my favorite candies, salsas, marinades, and cult teas and sodas. There is no one stop shop for all things food like central market. If you think prices are expensive there, you have no idea what im dealing with up here.
Its like whole foods, but cheaper, and without the vegetarian elitism and pretension (although people will still tell you its pretentious).
I can now say that not only is Central Market the best grocery store in San Antonio, or even Texas, but it is the best grocery store of any i have ever been to.
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Central Market is HEB's answer to the upscale grocery store. Located right next to Incarnate Word, Central Market is conveniently located in one of San Antonio's most expensive neighborhoods, Alamo Heights. However, with the prime location comes prime prices... Central Market is not cheap. It is on par with, if not more expensive than Whole Foods Market.
This place is a 'foodie-heaven'. All types of exotic fruits and vegetables as well as hundreds of choices in terms of prepared food tempt your every sense... and they all are yelling at you to spend spend spend! The quality of the stuff you get is top notch, and there are some unique items that you wouldn't find at your normal HEB; however, with the extravagant pricing, it is best to save trips for only when you feel like indulging yourself.
Remember, this place is not for your normal everyday needs. Most of the time, they won't have what you need, and if they do it'll probably be marked up at least 50% over what you would get at Walmart, Sams or Costco.
I like their Salads, stir fry and veggie items at deli bar. Fresh and tasty.
A grocery store that specializes in a wide selection of processed foods and freshly cooked "to-go" foods If you haven't been, you should check it out. They also offer a wide selection of veggies. There is a good chance you might like it.
Unfortunately for my tastes, I like a lot of unprocessed foods so Sun Harvest and/or De Zavala HEB are just fine for me with a much lower price tag.
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...Like Whole Foods, but better.
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the best grocery store/supermarket whatever you call it in the united states. (i mean i haven't been to all of them, but a lot!) and i come from syracuse where they have wegman's. which is second best. makes me want to live in san antonio. my relatives find it odd that i want to go there every time i visit like it's a tourist attraction. like it's the alamo. which they make me see every time i visit. hmm.
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