Stanley's Fruit and Vegetables: The Place for Produce in Chicago

If you're looking for a great produce market that sells produce at a reasonable price and has great selection, you can't beat Stanley's. Stanley's Fruit & Vegetables is located on the corner of North Avenue in Elston Ave in Chicago's North Side. The exact address is 1558 North Elston Avenue if you're mapping it out.

Stanley's is at an easy-to-find location and has great parking facilities. If you're coming from the Kennedy Expressway you get off at North Avenue and head east about two blocks until you get to Elston Avenue and make a right; then you're right there. If you're coming from downtown, you can take Halsted Street to North Avenue, make a left and go for about ¾ of a mile and then turn left. They have great store hours as they're open until 10pm seven nights a week. I've gone there many times intending to only spend about $10 or $15 and can come away with a decent basket full of produce.

One thing I like about shopping there is that I can get herbs and spices there pre-packaged and for dirt-cheap prices. As a person who likes to cook this is one reason I keep coming back here. For example, I love cooking with basil, so whenever I need basil I can go to Stanley's and get a pack of basil for about $1.00. It's a nice sized package also, and it's fresh when I buy it. I've also seen fresh chives, oregano, tarragon, rosemary, sage, dill, and more at very reasonable costs. If you want organic herbs and spices you'll need to go to another store, but for what I use it for this suits me just fine.

Another thing I like about going here is that there is a healthy balance of organic and regular produce. If I want to buy something organic I'm not paying twice as much for it here. They clearly distinguish which products are organic and which ones are not. If I want organic produce this is probably the first place I'd shop at because of their prices and selection. If I want to try something organic, this is probably the first place I'd shop at also.

Recently, Stanley's has expanded the market to offer a deli counter including cheeses and meats. I haven't ordered any of this merchandise as of yet but it looks very appetizing. I would recommend that you try the deli pickles they have for sale for 99 cents a piece (at least that was the price the last time I got one not too long ago). There is a barrel near the deli section where it's just these big dill pickles that you have to grab with tongs in order to get. You get a nearby bag, place it in, and they'll ring it up for the low cost of 99 cents. I recommend it for slicing and putting on sandwiches or eating whole as a good daytime snack.

Stanley's also has a dairy section with eggs, cheeses, yogurts, and milk. It also has bottles where you can get your own olive oil. There are two or three different kinds if I'm not mistaken and you can get them in three different sizes. Stanley's also offers an assortment of snacks and other fare that's not produce-related but great if you're looking for a quick snack. It's rarely super-crowded in there but it's not uncommon to see a good number of people in there especially if there's a good sale on a particular item(s).

The one thing I will warn you about Stanley's is that sometimes the produce is on sale because the produce is on its way out the door. Be sure to watch out for fruit that is over-ripened or has slight mold on it as that has been my experience a few times. Like anything, look over what you're purchasing before you purchase it, but some of their fruit occasionally passes its shelf-life and really needs to be tossed out instead of sold at a lower price; but that's just my opinion. Overall I'm happy with my shopping experience there and would definitely recommend it to natives and visitors alike.