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Categories: Grocery, Fruits & Veggies, Meat Shops [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Square, RavenswoodRockwell (Brown)
Mon-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Since moving to Chicago nine month ago I have tried to find good produce at my local grocery store without any luck. I now know I am an idiot for not going to HarvesTime sooner! This place it awesome. Not only do they have an extensive selection of fruits and vegetables, but everything is fresh and displayed beautifully. Added bonus is the wonderful meat selection, cheese selections and other items that you can't find at the chain grocery stores. The prices are also very reasonable.
While I won't be able to do all of my grocery shopping here (they don't have a good selection of other staple items like paper towels, etc.) I will come here for all of my fruits, vegetables and meat. I am VERY happy I found this store.
Of course I'm going to review it; I have to continue in my tradition of reviewing every grocery store I've ever shopped in!
Anyhoo, my opinion of HarvesTime is that it's pretty good.
Pros:
-Nice, healthy, fresh, and plentiful produce
-Low prices
-Good selection of fresh pastries from the Greek bakery across the street.
-Accepts credit/debit
-The clerks hustle - one even helped me unload my groceries onto the belt!
Cons:
-Not much selection in the deli; there's only one kind of roast beef.
-Many deli items missing prices. It's like being on a game show where you have to guess the lowest priced cheese. And all you win is cheese.
-A few key produce items missing (no shallots. Boo.)
Still, did a week's worth of shopping here for 30 bucks. In the end, that's a win.
It is all the good things people have said about it. I was in the area and needed to pick up a few groceries. Am I glad I stopped!! It is clean, cheerful, well stocked, and full of wondrous and inexpensive food. AND.... it is across the street from Hellas Bakery and Nhu Lan ... What else does a soul need?
Just an FYI, they take Visa and MasterCard, but not Discover. They also sell the cutest recycled bags for 99 cents. I like to buy these kind of bags and use them for gift bags instead of the more expensive paper gift bag. Environmentally better and cool too!
Impressive variety of global merchandise at great prices, an impressive produce selection that's routinely rotated and faced, sold without frills. Fine by me!
Harvestime is my favorite straightforward grocery store. If you spend $50 at Jewel or Dominick's, you'll likely leave HarvesTime paying $25 or $30 for the same merchandise. Clearly, at HarvesTime you aren't paying for corporate hugs or colorful graphics that can sometimes overwhelm at the big chains. Who needs it?
Perhaps folks with "Ugly American" Syndrome should just shop elsewhere, for your sanity and as a courtesy to the kind HarvesTime staff. Not everyone speaks English, and as best as I can tell that isn't a problem. I've found the employees quite helpful, even when we didn't speak the same language.
While most produce, frozen or perishable goods are better priced than any other grocery store I've visited in Chicago, many cleaning and household items are not. If budget is a concern, you might consider purchasing food items at Harvestime and finding your name-brand cleaning supplies elsewhere.
MEAT-LOVING GRINGOS LIKE ME: Many Hispanic grocery stores sell barbacoa--sort of a Mexican BBQ without drowning it in sauce--on the weekends only. HarvesTime's barbacoa is quite good and you can use the mean in just about anything. It's tasty, affordable, and especially good when feeding large groups.
HarvesTime reminds me of a psychotic seven-year-old girl. Allow me to explain with a quick story.
When I was in high school, my best friend's sister's moods (the aforementioned psychotic seven-year-old girl) oscillated between sweetness and Hannibal Lecter-esque behavior. One minute she was presenting cute little pictures, hugs, and thoughtful compliments to everyone in her vicinity.
The next minute? Hiding somewhere in an apartment complex at dusk with a kitchen knife. I swear.
OK, so HarvesTime reminds me of Sybil Jr. One day it's all fresh produce, meat, and bread, strange foreign treats (cookies, cured meats, cheeses, and condiments), and excellent customer service. The next? Rotten veggies, old meat, and the rudest crap you'll ever put up with from someone wearing a name tag. I honestly can't figure this place out sometimes. But, to be fair, they've never jumped out of a bush brandishing a chef's knife.
Hey, it's cheap and it's convenient to my place. When you go on a good day, you feel like you just robbed a bank. But those other days always make me dread even popping in for a thing or two.
WOW---lots of noticeable changes in the past few weeks. For starters, they installed a number system behind the meat counter. This ensures that you're actually waited on----in proper order. NICE! Also, I've noticed that they have offered samplings in different departments lately---also, very nice! Last, but definitely not least, the employees have been unusually friendly & polite. Much needed improvements!
In addition to the customer service improvments, they still do offer the best produce I've ever purchased. Everything is always fresh, and the prices are extremely reasonable. I hope they continue with the much needed changes...
REVERSE RACISM! Want to experience it? Quite simple; come into Harvest Time Foods! Listen, I didn't… Read more »
This is a mind-bendingly good place to shop. I estimate that it costs about 60% of what I would be paying at Jewel for far superior deli and produce. 1 lb of domestic feta for $2.99?! Sign me up. There are always fresh veggies to choose from and the produce is top notch. They generally don't have fruit if it is not in season. Right now, the plums have been out of this world. Before that it was excellent oranges. And it looks like the apples are getting pretty rocking.
I can walk to and from Jewel. I choose to take a fifteen minute bus ride on the Lawrence bus to and from Harvest Time because it is vastly superior.
Best grocery in the city. Same owners as Edgwater Produce (they share the same plastic bags), but the selection at HarvesTime is far superior. The previous 143 reviews about covered it. Great selection. Fantastic prices. There were only a couple of items (boxed items, like the Red Inca Quinoa) that I found priced a little bit higher than some of the competition, but those items were few and far between.
I came here with a friend of mine from culinary school and we spent a good hour perusing and discussing and sharing recipes for this and that. HarvesTime carries everything, and then some. (We both giggled with delight when we found bucatini on the shelves, a delicious, hard to find, pasta.)
It's a bit of a pain to get to (especially with all the construction at Lawrence and Western), but well worth it.
When I'm too lazy to drive out to Portage Park for A & G, HarvesTime is my go-to grocery store. The produce here is amazing: everything is fresh, there are all kinds of fruits and veggies you've never seen before, and it's all cheaper than Jewel/Dominick's.
The deli is pretty good - delicious feta for $2.99 a pound? Yes please. The bakery doesn't have a huge selection, but at least the bread is fresh and wasn't shipped here from Florida or China or wherever that $1-a-loaf stuff at Jewel comes from. They sell Al-Khayyam pita, which saves me driving out to Albany Park.
As others have mentioned, their guacamole is ridiculous. It is so good. I eat it with a spoon. They also make good rice pudding, and some other random prepared things - salsa, tzatziki sauce, etc.
The parking lot can be kind of a pain, but there's plenty of street parking.
For $35 dollars at Strack and Van Til (which is still cheap as hell but mentioned for the purposes of illustration) I got a 30 pack of Miller High Life, a pint of cream, some shredded cheese and some cat food.
For $35 Harvest Time I got 2 lemons, a quart of greek yogurt, 5 heads of garlic, 2 lbs of spinach, 2 8 packs of Vienna Beef hot dogs, 3 bunches of green onions, a 3lb bag of onions, 2 huge zucchinis, hot dog buns, 2 cucumbers, a bag of radishes, an avocado, a can of chipotle chiles, a watermelon, 2 green peppers, 2lbs of fresh green beans, a pint of sour cream, 2lbs of cherries, a package of mushrooms, a container of lard (baking, c'mon), a quart of buttermilk, a whole chicken and a pint of milk. It was like 8 bags of food, I hearts Harvest Time.
Things I passed up - a great selection of cheese, homemade and European sausages, a clean and well stocked meat counter (mmm...hi Ox Tails!!!) some exciting Asian products, a very explorable freezer section, 8 million kinds of hot sauce, gorgeous Balkan breads, exotic produce...this place has it going on!!!!
,
Yeah, so unless you style yourself after Donald Trump and enjoy wasting money (in which case, I hope an army of angry citizens appears on your doorstep with torches and pitchforks, you deserve it if you think you're Trump, if only for the bad toupee you are probably wearing) there really isn't any freaking reason not to shop here.
Bonus points for having parking and being conveniently located by Nhu Lan so you can get a cheap ass bahn mi after your shopping trip.
Just can't stop raving about this place, especially as a "recessionista':
Cost for the following:
-1 head of broccoli
-1 bag of carrots
-bunch green onions
-pint of half-and-half
-4 loose yellow onions
-pint of sour cream
-2 baking potatoes
..............$4.25 total!!!!
Of course, if you are making that perfect meal, this is the spot to find your produce, veggies and greens, and some avocados for your guac, or the hummous/pita/olive middle-eastern appetizers, and the Labriola breads. The Portuguese rolls and three cheese bread made on the premises are perfect, too.
Between a former life in Andersonville, and the most recent one in Lincoln Square, I have been a fan… Read more »
I have seriously been blessed with kick ass family owned grocery stores close to home. In West Town it was Farmers Pride, and now HarvesTime seems to surpass even their awesomeness. I moved down the block from HTF this week and needed to get some water bottles/fresh fruit to tide me over until Peapod delivers (don't judge -- I need 10,000 things and Mama just doesn't feel like lugging one more damn bag into my new place). Umm... Peapod won't be coming back. I'm sure I looked like a moron, but I almost skipped as I walked through HTF.
First of all it's huge. I'm used to my independent markets being tiny and cramped, but HTF is airy and light. Their meats and deli department are expansive and I can't wait to throw some of their steaks on the grill. It has all the great ethnic standbys that you can't get at Jewel (Goya Maria cookies!) but I also saw Life cereal on sale for $2.50. The best part, however, was the produce. I'm an L.A. native, and to say I'm underwhelmed by Chicago fruit/veggie options is an understatement. Then I saw the peaches larger then my fist. And the bright red strawberries. And the sheer variety of everything. Hooray for HTF. I will know ye well.
Blamo! You brilliant yelpers set me in the right direction once again! This is a _great_ local food store. Nice produce, good selection, great prices. This is the spot.
One teeny-tiny complaint: they don't accept Discover Card. (They do, however accept Visa/MC).
HarvesTime has an great selection of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs that are second only to farmers markets in terms of quality and taste and damn near impossible to beat in price. Their selection of frozen food is somewhat lacking and household goods are a bit more expensive than you could buy them for at Jewel or Dominicks, but that doesn't bother me in the least. HarvesTime fills their niche to a T.
By far my favorite part of the store is that I can stop here on the way home from work, pick up the ingredients I want for the next few days and be in and out, home cooking withing ten minutes - no ridiculous lines, no exorbitant prices, no grocery store as an amusement park atmosphere. It's exactly what every neighborhood needs.
I'm walking distance to HT and boy I'm going to miss it as I'm more than likely going to be moving soon. Oh the memories. I remember when HT was half it's size. I can't describe the joy upon that first day of shopping after it expanded. I heart HT because:
- I never have to wait very long in line
- Decent prices on produce and it's pretty fresh too, many not be food stylist perfect but good enough for me
- Has some of the best homemade guacamole
- They sell some of the best brands of hummus
- Bulgarian sheep feta (I have diary issues but I can sometimes tolerate this as it's fairly low in lactose)
- Decent meat, I have had ground chuck, liver, turkey, pre-made kabobs, and never had any issues. I'm curious about the frozen rabbits I see there. I'd buy one but I have no idea what I'd do with it.
- Cheap Wholley brand seafood, (in the white frozen bins) the perch is excellent
- Nice section of nuts and dried fruits. The dried kiwi is crazy delicious!
- Nice selection of foreign chocolate bars . . . oh beware impulse buys near the cashier.
The only bad thing about HT is that the cleaning and paper products and American foods are crazy expensive. Go figure.
The NorthCenter Jewel just doesn't cut it. The Lincoln Square Dominick's is...ewww...stinky!
I visited HarvesTime Foods on the recommendation of a friend's hairstylist (odd, I know, since the guy does hair and you never want that even remotely close to your food, but he's also Puerto Rican and so I trusted his judgement in produce and meats).
This little Mercado has excellent, fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition to owning the store, HarvesTime also owns a small food distribution company, so they are able to bring in the biggest, freshest fruits and veggies in season on their own trucks and pallets.
If you stop in, stop in early on the weekend (before it's all sold out!) and run by the prepared-food section of the meat counter...
What next? Ask for beef barbacoa (bar-ba-coe-ah)...it's deliciously spiced and falling right off the bone.
Now what? Behind you, in the vegetable section grab a couple-a jalapenos, red onion, a few tomatoes and some fresh cilantro.
Ok...and now? Across from the barbacoa you'll find some tortillas...grab a stack of small corn ones.
Still with you! Ok then, grab a block of cheddar (or whatever cheese you prefer) and maybe a lil' sour cream to top it all off and head to the registers.
Now, you have a great, quick lil' meal of soft corn tacos with fresh pico, tender barbacoa beef, cheese and sour cream! Enjoy!
Oh and...pssssst! Don't leave your local Mercado before you grab one of the Crispy Mint and Dark Chocolate Equal Exchange bars from the check-out line...you will thank me! ;-)
SNAPSHOT TIME:
Check out my last receipt from HarvesTime and compare this against your last quick trip to Jewel or Dominick's. You will see the difference:
+ 1 LTR COKE - $1.25 (That wasn't me ;-)
+ 2.56 LBS CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS - $2.80
+ 2.18 LBS CHICKEN BREASTS - $3.26 (yes, I said breasts..hee hee)
+ 1 CAN BLACK BEANS - $1.39
+ 1.32 LBS SMALL NEW POTATOES - $1.17
+ 2 BUSHELS KALE - $1.78
+ 1 BUNCH GREEN ONIONS - $0.33
+ 1.11 LBS RED POTATOES - $0.77
+ 1.15 LBS DANJOU PEARS - $1.48
+ 1.02 LBS PLUMB TOMATOS - $1.32
+ 0.81 LBS BRUSSEL SPROUTS - $1.60
+ 5 CLOVES GARLIC - $0.50
+ 1 BUNCH CELERY - $1.21
+ 0.64 LBS (3) NECTARINES - $0.83
+ 1 BUNCH BLACK GRAPES - $4.38
+ 1 GRAPEFRUIT - $0.83
+ 5 LEMONS - $2.00
GRAND TOTAL...(drum roll please?)...$27.64!!! You will be AMAZED every time you walk out the door of this place loaded down with groceries!
Okay, I will totally admit that it is a complete and utter shame that I lived in Lincoln Square for over 3 years and hadn't been to the produce mart that is so close to me it's ridiculous. Shame on me for not being better about buying and eating my fruits and veggies like a big girl.
But, I have to say that I feel like it was so hyped up by my fellow Lincoln Squarians that I was a bit let down when I actually made it there. That's not to say that it wasn't a good grocery store overall and I was able to buy a lot for less than $40, but still....I have to say I still feel a bit let down.
I heard that the produce section was extensive, but it seemed pretty run of the mill to me. Granted, the prices were so much lower than Jewel or Dominicks, but the variety was more or less the same (with maybe a mango thrown in there for S&Gs).
But totally for serious, their guacamole is outstanding and half the price of Whole Food's guac. Get some o' that around nowish.
I might have been expecting too much and I do have a problem with being let down by hyped up things, so mayhaps I shall return to this review and update it soon, but my initial reaction to the produce section, again, was that I was a bit disappointed.
Whoa, over a 100 reviews for HarvesTime? The same store I used to go to years ago has now become quite popular. Good for them! I revisited the store recently and checked out the goods.
Produce - an excellent selection of well-stocked fruits and veggies. Much more varied here than at a typical supermercado. I saw two (count 'em two) types of dandelion greens, rapini, super cheap garlic (10 cents each), and everything else looked fresh.
Cheese - they carry my all time favorite Bulgarian sheep's milk cheese. Very creamy and tangy, I prefer this to Greek feta (sorry, Greeks...Bulgaria FTW!). This is the best cheese for feta cheese sandwiches. Which brings me to the bread section...
Bread - this is probably the best bread section I've seen in any grocery store. The majority of the bread is locally made. Pita (regular and whole wheat) from Al Khayyam. Rye, pumpernickel, oat, and more from Val's Bakery. Italian bread, baguettes, and more from Labriola. Corn tortillas from El Milagro. Several varieties of European bread from other local bakeries, and they all looked amazing.
Meat - this place is such a sausage fest. Seriously, do we really need all this sausage? Of course we do. And not only that, they have several varieties of smoked and dried meat, and whole slabs of beautiful smoked pork belly. Head over to the butcher section and you'll find cuts of meat that you may not see at Jewel or Dominick's. I also noticed that they have fried pizza puffs at the prepared food section. I'm sold!
The rest of the store reflects the diversity of the neighborhood, with specific aisles for Hispanic, European, Middle Eastern, and Asian products. And they even have a boojie organic section, too, awww. You know, for the folks living across the street from the store. Hope you guys appreciate it! The only thing missing is the booze section. Where's the wine and beer to go with dinner? Oh, well.
A magical land of freshness.
This mercado is so much more than just Mexican specialties--it's got plenty of American, Polish, Russian, Mediterranean, and other foods, too. Plus, it's WAY bigger than it looks from the outside. When you enter, you walk through a produce section that rivals (and surpasses) most big-chain places--on selection, price, and freshness. The white-coated guys behind the meat counter are insanely helpful and will give you whatever you want from an eyepopping selection of meaty goodness. The deli counter adjacent also offers an unbelievable variety--seriously, there's FOUR KINDS of feta.
The rest of the store is similarly awesome; highlights for me include the coffee/tea aisle (all sorts of tasty brews from all over the globe), Polish section (you want it pickled? they got it), frozen section (ooh, frozen falafel!), and candy racks at the front (I'm a sucker for unusual European sweets). Plus, if I could give this place an extra star for having a parking lot, I would.
The place is a bit crowded, but it's what you would expect from a value supermarket in the middle of the city. Good selection of fruits and vegetables, not as big as Stanley's, but I found everything I needed. I give the produce a A-/B+ grade, not the polished/waxed fruit that you see at Whole Foods, but not rotten and definitely at a fraction of the price of Whole Foods. There is also an extensive selections of meats / cheeses / dairy and desserts. The place is clean, there is a decent size parking lot and there were no lines at the check out.
Three bags of gorgeous produce, deli meats, fresh cheese, and random ethnic snacks: under $30.
I am totally in love. I'm on the market for a condo right now, and this grocery store is factoring heavily into my decision.
The produce is to die for: fresh, varied, well-stocked, and super cheap. They always have a great selection of exotic items even out of season and always for prices you would NEVER see anywhere else.
Cheese: again, fresh, cheap, and totally unexpected. Try the fresh mozzarella balls or the European cheeses (esp. the feta). While you're at the deli counter, buy the fresh olives. It's like the Whole Foods olive bar at a quarter of the price.
Ethnic food selection: If you're cooking Mediterranean/Middle Eastern, Mexican, or Indian (and don't want to drive to Devon), this is your go-to spot for the fun and unusual ingredients. I've actually seen things on the shelves that intrigued me and then searched the internet for recipes to use them in. They also have fresh breads and tortillas from local ethnic bakeries.
Don't come expecting a gourmet atmosphere. Honestly, it's pretty strange, but you'll fall in love with the quirks.
This place cracks me up because they have some pretty weird crap, but damn, the prices are excellent. They have giant bunches of basil for dirt cheap! BASIL! In GIANT BUNCHES!
My other faves are all the weird Euro-snacks, particularly the odd banana shaped and flavored Croatian candy bar. 1 bunch of those, please. I wish I didn't live so far away because you can bet I'd be back here cramming my basket with all sorts of worthless and frivolous snackcrap. That's how I roll.
Their frozen section is a little weird and small, and their checkers are a little slow, but I know I'll be back.
I had heard quite a bit about Harvest Time, but since it is not exactly convenient (the way, say, Jewel is), I put off going for a long time.
And then, last week, that changed. And it changed my life.
I came away with three FULL bags of groceries, all fresh produce and deli items (1/2 lb domestic feta, anyone?) for...$26. Yes. $26.
Here I will attemt to list all of the wonderful, delicious things I purchased for a mere $26: zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, large head romaine lettuce, fresh green beans, fresh pea pods, 1/2 lb feta, 1/2 lb pepper mill turkey breast, 1/2 lb Vermont cheddar, 1/2 lb pitted kalamata olives, 10 loaves of naan, fresh garlic, 1 lb strawberries, and gum.
I give 4 (very enthusiastic) rather than 5 because their shelved items (pastas, cereals, etc) were not nearly as special or as insanely cheap as their produce and deli. However, they do sell my favorite salad dressing for half the price of Jewel, and they also carry a Mexican yogurt I really like.
I got home from this store and immediately made naan pizza, complete with tomato sauce, red and green pepper, black and kalamata olives, fresh mozzarella, crumbled feta, and fresh garlic. It was the best thing I've ever put in my mouth.
This store will make you want to cook.
HarvesTime changed my life. A quick look at this week's specials reveals why:
Fresh Zucchini .49 c lb.
Romaine hearts $1.49 3pk
Green Peppers .69 c lb.
Sweet Kiwi 10 for $1.00
Juicy Limes 10 for $1.00
Fresh Spinach .89c bunch
Baby Carrots .98 c 1lb bag
Sweet Pineapples 2 for $3.00
Chicken Drumsticks .69 c lb
Boneless Pork Chops $1.69 lb.
Bottom round steak $2.29lb.
Unbelievable! The cost absolutely does not reflect the quality of products here. Everything - especially the produce, cheeses and herbs - is FRESH. If you're constantly craving Middle Eastern/Mediterranean/Indian food like me, this is also a convenient neighborhood spot to pick up specialty spices and ingredients not always found at Jewel.
Oh, fiddlesticks. I was so let down today when I went to HarvesTime after looking it up on Yelp last night. I just moved back to Chicago; specifically to Ravenswood, so I am in need of a new fruteria. When I lived in the city 4 years ago, I frequented Stanley's on Elston (LOVE LOVE LOVE), but alas, they expanded, and once they did, the cat was out of the bag and you could hardly find a parking space!
Back to HarvesTime. I have to agree with Meredith...although the prices in general -of course- far and away beat those of any Jewel or Dominick's (on produce), I found the store to have too small of a produce section! I would say it was about 40% produce and 60% overpriced grocery items such as napkins, fabric softener, cereal, etc.
If you do make the trip, you can't beat the weekly deals. This week, one of the specials was 20 limes for $1! Amazing! For now, I will continue my search for a stellar neighborhood produce mart. On a side note, if anyone knows what restaurant is/was pumping out those delicious smells nearby, msg me asap! I want to go there!
I am so glad we moved near here. The produce is beautiful and cheap, and there's so many interesting foods in the aisles, also. Oh, and I almost forgot: the deli and meat prices are almost HALF of what you get at Jewel.
I love HarvesTime Foods!
I just signed a new lease, and I'm not ashamed to admit that the proximity to Harvesttime was a big selling point in my decision. Harvesttime is that rare city grocery store where quality and affordability magically collide. Their fresh food is just the cat's pajamas, with a sprawling meat and deli counter, and a produce section that never seems to run low like at the Jewel. They have a diverse selection of ethnic foods, and every time I go there I find a new treat to try.
This grocery store is AMAZING!!
I moved a few blocks away just under a year ago, and this store has been SO wonderful to have so close by. I'm big on produce, and this is the best place to go. They always have a fantastic selection of fruit, and even berries (when out of season) are still cheaper than they would be at jewel. The vegetable selection is great and everything always looks fresh. I honestly can't look at other stores' produce sections the same way. You can literally buy a week's worth of produce for 3 people for under $20.
The meat , deli and cheese section is great too, although in some cases, you kind of have to butcher the meat yourself. Sometimes when I get chicken breast, I have to cut out the fat and sometimes bones. But, it's like $2 a pound, so it's worth it.
If you need other non-produce staples (bread or cereal or baking items, etc), then this isn't the best deal. But it does usually have everything that I need, and for less money than I would spend anywhere else.
After reading so many positive reviews, I had to check this place out.
I love this store. Growing up, my parents never shopped at Dominicks or Jewel, unless it was absolutely necessary. We would make the trek from our Edgewater home, all the way to the Rogers Park Mexican markets.
I went to HarvesTime Foods today with my mother and it definitely reminded me of my childhood. If you are looking for fancy, this is not your store.
This is what I purchased for $38.89
-5 packages of El Milagro tortillas
-5 lb red potatoes
-5 29oz cans of pinto beans
-1 Cedar Falafel Mix
- 1 V & V supremo queso fresco
-1 Athenos Humus tub
-1 Avocado
-2 64oz containers of apple juice
-3.28 lbs of plum tomatoes
-4 huge chicken breasts
-1 white onion
-1 Silk Soy Milk
-1 poblano pepper
-33 oz of veg oil
-Can of Goya corn
-1 package of La Chona chorizo
- Tofu
- Two dozens of eggs
What are you waiting for? Go there NOW.
I live down the street and go here a few times a week. I have always had great service and the produce is amazing, especially for the price! I've never experienced any of the issues some of the poor reviews are mentioning. Sometimes the fresh herbs can be a little picked over, but that's to be expected when they're offered for 1/4 of the price that Jewel sells them!
I came here looking for rice pudding (mentioned by four other reviewers) but I wasn't that impressed. It is just about the perfect level of sweetness, but thick as paste and overwhelmed by rice flavor. And no raisins either. Just a little thinner and sweeter, and it would probably be good. As it is, a C. Still, it's not a bad deal at $1.19 per 8-oz container or $1.99 for a 16-oz.
I bought a few other items since I was here, including a 29-ounce can of chick peas for $1 and a really good red-pepper hummus that I've never seen before--Sabra. It actually has bits of roasted red pepper on top and may be the best store-bought hummus that I've ever had.
The store is dirty and kind of run-down. It's more spacious than, but not nearly as pleasant as, Morse Fresh Market. If I lived in the neighborhood, I probably wouldn't shop here except for the standout items like the Sabra hummus.
Final note: if you are entering from the parking-lot side, watch out! They have inexplicably placed a pole perfectly centered just inside the automatic double doors. This pole is crotch-high, so if you are not careful, it might bash you in the nards. I happen to have cat-like agility, so no harm done...but beware!
i'm officially finished with large scale corporate food stores. today i went to harvestime because i am addicted to nhu lan-the vietnamese banh mi sandwich bakery next door. wow. it's a unique & inexpensive combination of eastern euro/mexican/asian grocery with fantastic produce, rare affordable cheeses, sausages/salami meats, seeds/nuts & other unusual goodies. a huge shout out to super cheap unbelievable fresh pita. omg !!! plus all the wonderful flavors of the sabra hummus. the best on the market.
big big fan.
People have been telling me to go here for awhile, and I just stopped by this weekend for some fruit.
I WAS IS AWE. Seriously. I bought a ton of produce and some warm baked bread... a pound of cheese, and a few other items... for $14 dollars. I would have spent twice as much at jewel. Not to mention the quality of the produce was great.
There was one of their staff stocking the grapes, and picking out mushy or bad grapes... BEFORE they went on the shelf.
This is my new favorite place.
I totally get why all the HarvesTime love out there.
Charming little grocery, but the produce section is large and has a great selection. I was only able to try (so far today) the strawberries and an apple I bought last night - and yum. Fresh and flavorful. Considering I bought a pound of these delish strawberries for $2.00 and the apple for $.20 - I have high hopes for the asparagus waiting for me.
And what's with the crazy amazing specials? I mean, a dozen large eggs for $.99? A jumbo box of Corn Pops for $3? 1/2 lb of domestic feta for $1.25?
Not convenient to my house, but it is on the way home from work. I will be stopping here more often fo sho.
I hemmed and hawwed about writing a review for HarvesTime, because, well, its like a secret garden full of inexpensive fresh produce, meats and breads. Not that I am selfish... but something this good shouldn't be spoiled by the masses.
When I used to live closer to Stanelys, he was my go to guy for produce - but the quality wasn't great, and the prices started to slowly creep up. So now living much farther north, thanks to the great old yelp search function, I found HarvestTime. Their produce selections are plentiful and fresh. Most of the produce that I have purchased lasts much longer than a few days.
The other bonus is that HarvesTime has a meats, cheese, and olive section. Granted you are going to see cuts you might not find at Jewel, the quality is great and the price is even better. And pitted kalmatta olives for under $3 a LB - yessssss!
While you're here don't forget to check out the plentiful stock of ethnic foods!
I'm literally moving to this neighborhood in part because of this grocery store.
I'm not kidding. It played a role in my decision. Best. Freakin'. Grocery. Store. Ev. Ver.
Oh this place is fantastic! I have been frequenting Cermak Produce recently, and no complaints there except for their meat selection.....it seemed to be higher priced and lower in quality compared to my good ol' friend Pete (Pete's Fresh Market) on the other side of town.
So, I checked out Yelp to find another Pete-esque place in the Albany Park/Ravenswood area. Just as I made my decision to head over to HarvesTime Foods, Joe S. comes strolling by with his pup Roxy, and gets me even MORE excited about going to HarvesTime. (Thanks Joe S., for sending me your review as well--you were right, it's great!)
Now...when it comes to produce, nothing gets me more excited than some good tomatoes! I've learned, if they have good...no, great tomatoes; then the rest of their produce will be great as well! I swear, try it. It really works. Judge a produce store by their tomatoes.
Anyways, everything is nice 'n fresh!!! Fantastic place to go, and ample parking too (street, and parking lot). My only complaint: as I was pondering about which dried fruit to buy, my cart went wheelin' away and almost wacked somebody. My fault for not paying attention, but what's with the down-sloping floor?!
Ugh, now I just realized I forgot to buy me some dried figs. Oh well, another excuse to go back :)
If you're looking for relatively cheap produce, they've got it. However, I wasn't overly impressed by the prices or selection. I'm used to Valli Produce out in the 'burbs and HarvesTime definitely doesn't compare.
The best place to buy fresh produce, meats, cheeses and anything ethnic!! You can't beat the prices.
There's been times when I'm about to cook something and the recipe calls for a different type of herb or vegetable that I know Jewel doesn't carry, but HarvestTime will. The only problem with this place is that it doesn't carry low fat cheeses, yogurts, etc. It's all full fat. So I still have to make an extra trip to Jewel or Trader Joe's.
Holy shit I have never been more excited about produce. No more mealy mango's or bogus bananas from Jewel or Dominick's. The produce at HarvesTime is always very fresh and is much cheaper than the big chain stores. The store is very clean and the displays of produce looks like something out of a magazine.
Another thing not to be missed is the meat counter, quality cuts at reasonable prices. Many ethnic foods are well represented at HarvesTime. As you would expect it does get crowded on the weekends, but there is a parking lot across the street. This will not be a place to do all of your grocery shopping, but what you do pick up here will be delicious and money well spent. For the foodie, walking into HarvesTime is like walking into Toys R Us when you were a kid.
Neighborhood: Edgewater
Category: Fruits & Veggies
Neighborhood: Uptown
Category: Grocery
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Meat Shops
Chicago, IL
Category: Grocery
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park
Category: Grocery
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