Foodmaster Supermarket
Bunker Hill Mall
50 Austin St
Charlestown, MA 02129 (617) 660-1372
- Nearest Transit:
Community College (Orange)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
13 Reviews for Foodmaster Supermarket
Four stars because they play the best music ever (Talking Heads in a grocery store...what!) and they also play the Red Sox games sometimes. The prices are good, the lines are never long and it's right near my apt. One gripe is their natural foods section is pretty lame but what can you do...
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I don't see how this grocery store could be someone's one and only considering the terminally expired produce section. It's more like a quick fix until a trip to Whole Foods. They have a decent non-produce organic section, but I still can't get over how long it takes me to search even for one still salvageable zucchini in a small bin of zucchinis that are a month past their prime. I buy veggies here in conditions that I wouldn't accept at any other store, pretty much only out of desperation and the convenience of the store location. Though, I have, on occasion, bought some nice flowers from here and they did last a reasonable amount of time. Their cheese offerings are not very inspiring, think worse than what's available at Shaws.
The place is clean enough, but customer service is almost non-existent and the cashiers don't even pretend they're happy to be there. Admittedly, I've never tried approaching the manager about the store's offerings, which other Yelpers have reported as successful. The fact there's often a police man standing by the customer service desk freaks me out a little.
I must be missing something; I'm not seeing the carpet or the beer/wine selection mentioned in other reviews.
I like the foodmaster, despite the creepy all-over industrial carpeting. It has a weird smell to it, but what else does it smell of? BARGAINS! It's a totally great place to the get basic necessities, many of which can be cheaper than going to Shaw's or Star Market.
I usually only go here if I need specific items if I am cooking something, like lasagna or quiche, and it has what I need. They have things they make themselves (like bread, baked goods, chocolate bars) that hold up to the bigger supermarket qualities, and it's very much a small grocery store sort of environment.
The service isn't great, but it isn't horrible. I like the Johnny Foodmastah.
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Easy parking, only a few people (I was definitely the hottest!!), and helpful but somewhat brash check out lady.
I applaud Foodmaster for employing senior citizens, and I am especially thankful that the octogenarian who rang up my purchases asked if I had the discount card, and then said, "Good, cause you'll need it." Thanks, Grammy for looking out for me!
The only two things I couldn't find were watercress and okra. How the hell am I supposed to make a fried okra salad if I don't have okra?? Whatever.
So, moral of this story: If you want to feel young, hot, and like you're saving a butt load of money, go to Food master. Just don't expect any frills.
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(Note: This review, like most on this page, is for the Somerville Foodmaster. Someone accidentally changed the address to the Charlestown one. This should get fixed soon.)
Foodmaster belongs to a dying breed. It's a small, friendly, neighborhood grocery store. Not a huge supermarket, but just big enough to have pretty much anything you'll want. It is a chain, but a local chain. And the employees are generally nice and helpful; some of them actually seem happy to be there and to help you. Plus, the prices are significantly lower than Starmarket/Shaw's, though usually not as low as Market Basket.
The bakery section is one of its strengths. They have fresh baked breads at the prices of factory manufactured ones. Another strength is that they'll deliver, another feature that makes it feel like an old-time grocery store. There's rarely a long wait at the checkout line. The only real downside is a relatively limited selection; but with the possible exception of produce, the selection is certainly adequate. I've rarely wanted something they didn't have.
I've often gone to Market Basket instead of Foodmaster, because I'm cheap and Market Basket is the cheapest place around. But Foodmaster is certainly a more pleasant shopping experience, and I hope we don't lose this market in this age of huge, impersonal supermarkets.
Edit, 4/30/07: Okay, I have to add new praise for this place. They really want to make their customers happy. A couple months ago, I sent them an email mentioning a couple products I wish they carried. I didn't really expect anything to come of it. But within ten minutes, I got an email back *from the owner*, saying they'd be happy to stock one of them, and the other was having production problems. Then a couple days ago, I mentioned to an employee that they hadn't had a certain product for a while, and asked if he knew if they'd have it in soon. It turned out he was a manager, and he replied that he'd order it and they'd have it in on Thursday. When I was in the checkout line, the person in front of me made the same comment about another product, and they're ordering that, too. I love this place! (Can you imagine this happening at Shaw's?)
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Johnny's is where we go when we're too lazy to walk to the MB, but it serves its purpose well. The people are all really pleasant and lines hardly even exist except for weekend afternoons. Prices on some items can be comparable to Market Basket - my fancy shmancy organic cereal is cheaper at J's than at MB. Baking is done on premises, which is nice, as is the fact that they sell wine and beer. Produce is meh, definitely not its strong point and product selection can be very hit or miss (no malt vinegar? no tomatillos?) but they carry the basics.
After reading some of the reviews here, I was a bit apprehensive about going to Foodmaster. But it's right around the corner from me and doesnt look too bad from the outside (looks very small, but whatever).
The floors are carpeted, but CLEAN. so, i dont care about that.
As previous reviewers have stated, it does have that neighborhood grocery feel to it.
It seemed cleaned, food was properly dated, good deals on some products...
It's great for an in between grocery store.
I love Foodmaster. My partner refuses to shop there because it is a little small, and yes, a little dingy. But the quality of their produce and groceries is at least as good as Star Market / Shaws while SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper. Hooray for frugality!
PLUS - I live in Cambridge. Trying to find a place that sells good beer at decent prices without driving 3 miles is a never-ending quest for me. Foodmaster is where I go. Cheaper than my local liquor store, and I only have to make one stop for my groceries and booze. Of course, for wine I always go to Trader Joe's, but that's a hike.
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When you walk in, this does not look like a New England supermarket.
New England supermarkets usually have widish isles, clean floors and are generally pleasant.
This place is more like one of those supermarkets you run into in New York City. Dingy floors, not kept up well, just generally kind of disgusting. (If I lived in NYC I might never buy food, cause those stores gross me out too much)
To many people in the area this place is known as the Beastmaster, and it is an appropriate nickname.
As far as inventory goes, they seem to have all the categories, just less to choose from. Their prices are fairly standard.
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I have to give Foodmaster props simply because I live a block and a half away, and when I NEED something, it's usually got it. Sure, the selection at Whole Foods or Shaw's is better, but those places are far away. And typically, I'm not making anything I need really special ingredients for. So really, it gets the job done.
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It's a typical neighborhood grocery store. Compared to the "big" stores it's pretty pathetic, but it seems to usually have what I'm looking for, just not 4 other brands to choose from.
It is dirty, and you really have to watch out for expired foodstuffs on the shelves.
I have a love/hate relationship with Johnnie. I can't stay away, but I'm kind of grossed out that I shop here at least twice a week.
Yes, carpeting in a grocery store is gross. And the vegetables are often on the edge of turning bad. I'm scared of the deeply discounted meat. And I've never seen anyone buying the fish.
But if you need regular groceries, like the stuff you can't buy at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, this place is THE BEST. If you need a particular packaged or processed food, they will have it. In every price comparison I've ever done, they are significantly cheaper than Shaws. And there is never, ever, ever a line at the register. The people who work there are always the same and they are all pleasant. And they sell beer and wine! Their selection of wine isn't extensive, but there is enough inexpensive, decent tasting stuff to choose from. My solution to the produce situation is to decide when I'm there what to buy based on what looks fresh and tasty -- kind of like when you go to a farmer's market. My solution to the meat/fish situation is to buy it at Whole Foods.
I can often get in and out of the store in under 5 minutes. Compare that to Shaw's at Porter Square!! You can't even park there in under 5 minutes.
And they'll have random super sales on stuff all the time. None of that silly discount card thing that Shaw's does.
The best part about Johnnie's is the spontaneously discounted deli meats.
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