by Debora Kuan For busy New Yorkers, grocery shopping usually means dropping by D’Agostino’s after work and picking up the basics: say, chicken breast, broccoli, and a slab of chocolate mousse cake for dinner. And can you really blame them? When you have so many great restaurants within walking distance and a tiny kitchen you can barely fit two people in, it’s easy to see how food shopping and cooking could get short shrift. But when you are in the mood for lazy weekend shopping and pampering your fridge with some proper nosh, Yorkville on the Upper East Side is just the place. For the Europhile, you can’t beat Milano Gourmet on 89th and 3rd Ave, which specializes in imported Italian meats and cheeses. Try the pecorina romano ($6.99/lb) or the parmigiano reggiano ($13.99/lb) for starter’s, but if you’re looking for a softer cheese that goes great with red wine, go with the caciocavallo fresco ($9.99/lb) imported from Sicily. And of course, you’ll find great gourmet pastas here too—ravioli, tortellini, gnocchi—and all kinds of panettone.
Milano Gourmet If you’re vegan or vegetarian—or simply health-conscious—check out Elm Health on 88th and 1st Ave. You’ll find your basic organic staples here—from soy pudding to frozen rice-crust pizza—as well as a juice bar. If you’re feeling adventurous, I’d suggest giving the clean-sweep detox smoothie ($3.25/small, $5.50/large) a whirl. It’s an ambitious blend of carrot, beet, cabbage, celery, lemon, parsley, and grapefruit—so healthy, you might be able to survive the rest of the week on coffee and cigarettes; true to its name, the drink can work wonders for nasty hangovers, or any general malaise, really. Elm Health also boasts an “apothecary” (which sounds somehow more serious than a pharmacy, suggesting perhaps that the pharmacists are using mortars and pestles behind the counter). I’m particularly fond of the sea bucktorn & cucumber cleansing cream and calaguala fern shampoo, but if spreading exotic plant extracts on yourself is not your thing, have no fear: Elm Health carries your usual vitamins, toiletries, and herbal hair products too.
Elm Health For special occasions, dinner parties, or when you just feel a little more high-end, head over to Eli Zabar’s The Vinegar Factory on 91st and York. But don’t go hungry, or else you won’t be able to restrain yourself. The array of prepared foods at the VF includes calamari salad ($12.95/lb), Cajun style crawfish cakes ($4.50 each), glazed duck ($10.95/lb), Cornish hen ($9.50 each), and veal ossobuco ($16.95/lb). There’s also a huge selection of breads, cheeses, olives, baked goods, and pre-made soups you can heat up at home—matzoh ball soup, butternut squash soup, and seafood bouillabaisse are just three of some of the popular picks (prices vary). The VF also boasts an upstairs restaurant, which is open from 8 am to 4 pm on weekends, a perfect place for a laid-back brunch with family or friends. (Try the stellar lox or French toast.)
Eli Zabar's The Vinegar Factory Of course, sometimes you just want to step out of the house in your pajamas and get a carton of eggs and a PowerBar from Gristede’s. In this case, can I recommend the Gristede’s on 86th and 1st ? It’s the only grocery store I know of with a giant green pear suspended out front and a row of animatronic animals and vegetables inside that greet you when you walk in the door.
Gristede's Food shopping on the Upper East Side will never be boring again! |
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