Gourmet Food Shopping on the Upper West Side

There are many choices of gourmet shops in New York City. As a tourist or new person to the neighborhood of Manhattan's Upper West Side, the vast choices can be overwhelming on where to get good quality gourmet food. Here is my introduction to you to the world of gourmet shopping in Manhattan. You begin this neighborhood tour on the 1 train that takes you anywhere you need to go on the Upper West Side.

I am going to be your tour guide for this train tour and point out the highlights of four stores. As you go along on this tour I will point out how affordable these stores can be if you learn how to shop wisely and be on the look out for these shop's specials, reduced items and sales.

Your first stop on the train is Columbus Circle. Your tour starts at the very tip of the Upper West Side at Whole Foods. This store is located at the Time Warner Center in the Mall's basement. This is a huge store where you can choose from a great selection of fresh, frozen or canned organic gourmet food products. Whole Foods sells name brand organic items and offers their own discounted store brand alternative called 365. This store also runs weekly specials on many of these items. For your quick meal options you can choose from the following selection: taste Indian food, taste many types of desserts from their dessert bar, choose from several choices of fresh soup, eat at their big fresh salad bar, buy fresh sushi, eat a sandwich, buy homemade pizza, and there even is a craving station for fresh turkey with home style sides plus many additional food choices. This store often puts food samples out during lunchtime to give their customers a small taste before making their decision on Whole Food vast food selection. You can ask for a taste of any item from the deli before purchasing.

Second stop on this train tour is Fairway. Speaking of Organic food Fairway at 74th and Broadway has the whole second floor devoted to organic food. Fairway sells many gourmet items at in a fair way that attracts all types of people. For example, they sell expensive lox but cut the lox ends and put them in containers at reduced prices for anyone to buy. If you search their expensive and vast selection of cheese you will cheese ends among the pile that sold at a reduced cost. Also, Fairway has reasonable milk prices, and sells gourmet meat ends reduced too. Fresh vegetables are reduced in a shopping cart in the front of the store. For night owls Fairway is open until 1 am. If you're in the neighborhood at 11 pm you can get reduced priced sandwiches, bagels, gourmet breads and muffins at half price.

Third stop on the train is Zabar at 79th and Broadway. If you are looking for Kosher Style Gourmet Zabar is the place for one of this city's biggest selection. Like Fairway you also will find a great selection of cheeses. Zabar's put many of their gourmet cheeses on sale all the time. Cheese samples are also offered too. At 6 pm they reduce their sandwiches since they close earlier then Fairway does. Bakery breads and muffins also are reduced.

Last stop on this train tour is Gourmet Garage at 96th and Broadway. Similar to Whole Foods this place runs monthly specials on select gourmet items. For example, the store's quick meals, for single people, they often put on sale buy one get one free. This store doesn't reduce food at the end of the night but instead donates leftover breads and sandwiches to City Harvest.

So now bring home your shopping bags filled with gourmet food and let your family feast their eyes on all this great food you brought home at a discounted price. Now let the gourmet feast begin.