The Durham Co-op market is one of my favorite places to grab a quick but healthy meal. I love that there are always several vegetable options plus a really fresh and full salad bar. I don't do my regular grocery shopping here, as many staples for us are pricier here than at other grocery stores, however their produce is generally fresh and not too pricey. I do really like that they have a good variety of dairy alternatives, including vegan ice cream from The Parlour. I'm not sure we'll renew our "owner" membership this next year, as we don't end up shopping here often enough to make it at all worth the fee. read more

They don't do much well here, but service is the exception. If you want a larger variety of local options go to any other grocery store, even the farmers market has more options for local produce or meat. Prices, as you might expect, are higher than the chain stores. What you get for the price is a warm and fuzzy feeling like you donated to a local group supporting a living wage, not much else. read more

The lunch hot bar is abysmal these days. New cook? They've been shucking the same four dishes for weeks. They're really not that good to keep recycling. Salad bar is old and sad. Will stop going there, but disappointed to lose this lunch spot bc it's so much more low-key than Whole Foods. read more

I've been awaiting opening day since the summer, so yes, I'm pretty excited! The bulk section is great, as is the hot bar. There's also a wide variety of prepared foods from Weaver Street Market and Mediterranean Deli in Chapel Hill. With that being said, the variety produce section, in my personal opinion, pales in comparison, and the items stocked are very particular. In other words, the co-op isn't a one-stop shop; however, for most of your grocery needs, it's worth checking out! P.S. They also stock some local teas! The holy basil by Waterdog Farms is absolutely delicious! read more

I've been a member of the co-op for the last two years, and this community space continues to get better and better. You can pick up local, fresh produce; earth-friendly household products; and delectable treats in the deli. I'm a big fan of the vegan breakfast sandwich that is both filling and affordable. The $3 dinners on Thursdays are a ridiculously good deal (be prepared for the line!). The staff are helpful and kind. If you're looking for a new wine or cheese, you can learn from the experts. You can find a nice variety of sandwiches and smoothies as well as premade sides from Weaver Street. Plenty of parking and indoor/outdoor seating! read more

No comment except the Covid rules not enforced on those that know the staff. Others are asked to leave.

I was rudely told to leave because I was not wearing a mask. I have been vaccinated and Governor lifted the mask law. Whole Foods is a better choice for me. read more

Favorites so far include the Vegan Gerard sammie on their delicious focaccia bread, always hot and brewed counter culture coffee and Meatless Mondays hot food bar. Sooooo good! They also feature baked goods from Gugulhupf, so glad I can finally access some of their goodies, as I generally avoid that dangerous stretch of 15-501 by bike. read more

Durham Co-op Market - Vegan Gerard on foccacia - Grocery Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

LOVE! Great selection of local foods. Prices are heard to beat. Staff could be better but it's never an issue. This is our new grocery store. read more

I like this place. Great sandwiches, themed meals and love the patio. Friendly staff, too. Would be nice to see more plant-based grocery options. read more

I always try to be extra understanding of and polite to people in customer-facing jobs. The general public is f'ing nuts, the pay for servers, cashiers, receptionists, etc is low, and the constant exposure to entitled twits can be soul-sucking. I've been shopping at Durham Co-op since it opened, and even though I've moved 25 minutes away, I or my husband still go 2-4 times a month to stock up on meat, beer, and other specialty and local items. The service has always been barely just this side of outright rude, but in recent years, I've gotten the impression that I am flat-out inconveniencing the staff by buying stuff, either interrupting their conversations and phone calls, or just by existing. Today, as I was struggling to quickly bag up my pile of groceries and go back and forth to deal with the credit card prompts, the cashier argued with me about which bags I should be using, and then scolded me for holding up the line (of one woman, who had been standing there for all of 30 seconds), while she just stood there, not helping. I am just done. I had to circle the parking lot to even find a legal spot; although all the Co-op parking was full, it was clearly not being used by customers, so that's an extra frustration I won't have to deal with. Weaver Street has most of the same products, and I'm happy to drive an extra 10 minutes to not get yelled at for bagging my food wrong. read more

I wanted to like the Durham Co-Op. Truth be told, I'll probably go back. It's convenient, and it has that SJW vibe that I tend to enjoy and appreciate in the face of any otherwise corporate humdrum day. But the Co-Op, for my purposes (hot bar, bakery, and coffee), has been disappointing. After living in Carrboro for a while, I came to know Weaver Street as a mainstay for meeting and what not. I didn't expect Durham Co-Op to be Weaver Street. That takes time. But what I did expect right away was for a market hot bar to provide okay quick eats. Instead, the breakfast dishes I've tried have been just weird, and way too particular for the setting, imho. The last straw was an Egg and Cheese Biscuit (a real Southern standard that I've have at least 300 times over the years). What I got from the Co-Op was something else. The biscuit had some sort of sweet, cinnamon tinge to it. And the egg--that poor egg--was dense and cut into a perfectly rectangular shape with some sort of cheesy bit baked on top. It was dense and mealy, and I was confused. But that's the gist of the hot bar experience for me. Not to mention that when I was getting coffee I saw they were selling wrapped slices of Banana Nut Bread for 3 bucks when you can get a whole loaf for 6 there. I think the Durham Co-Op as grab-n-go spot could be improved by leaving well enough alone or at least giving some heads up that what you're buying is going to be "different." When someone picks up an aluminum wrapped egg and cheese biscuit, in the South no less, they have firm yet very, very simple, expectations. read more

Hate so much to do this, but the baked goods container is overrun with fruit flies and the whole area looks like it's never been cleaned. Why can't I find their score on the health department site? They need a serious fumigation. read more

The staff is wonderful and the local produce is great. I'm pregnant and the cashier wouldn't let me carry out a watermelon by myself.. I can handle a watermelon but it was sweet he was paying attention and cared, so I let him. The vegan/vegetarian options are great and the in store made sandwiches are awesome. Especially the mock chicken salad with the mango jelly stuff. Mmm!! I find myself going here just for specific things though and find it too costly to do all of my shopping which is why I give this place 4/5 stars. read more

I really love the idea of the weekly $3 meals, but they are really hit or miss. I often see rotten or un fresh produce for sale; it's no Weaver Street Market. read more

I'm writing this review after my second trip to the Durham Co-op, and it's highly unlikely that there will be a third trip. The first time I visited the Co-op, I was sick and looking for soup. This place is high, period. So I left and went to Food Lion down the street. Today I was looking for a local tonic syrup to make cocktails with, so I stopped in because I knew they carried it. I was really impressed with the beer/wine/cider selection, and had decided that I would get the tonic and soda water that I needed, but that I'd also come back another day to grab some interesting bottles of wine. What turned me completely off was the "service" at the register. The cashier was on the phone the entire time, complaining about her job. She never once greeted anybody who came through her line, nor did she say thank you, have a nice day, come back again, nothing. If that's the case, they should just set up self-checkout like other stores. I found it wholly unprofessional and rude. This place is already weird enough as it is. I'll take my business and pleasant attitude elsewhere. They get two stars for the wine selection. read more

Great selections. Easy parking. Beautiful produce. Cheerful employees. Delicious hot bar (OMG $3 Thursdays!) Lots of locally grown or produced foods. Not owned by Amazon. The list goes on and on! read more

Kind of Like Harmony Farms or Standard Foods. They have a good selection. I don't know much about their mission and values but overall very cool store! I found lots of unique products especially in the herbal section which you usually only find at farmers markets. Service was friendly but products costed about a $1 more than other stores. read more

Do not expect a fine dining experience, but do expect very good food. The building is basic, clean and the staff is friendly. The food was great. We had the Club; turkey, marinated peppers, cheese, and flavored aioli, all on a sourdough bread. The bread was fresh and soft, but with the slightly dense chewy texture of a sourdough. Light on the classic aroma, but still very good. The turkey was a pre-made style, but still good and fresh. The freshness and crispness of the lettuce and tomato, the light tang of the marinated peppers, and the aioli were wonderful and played well to get her. Simple, fresh, flavorful, unpretentious, "real people", free wifi; it all makes for a calm and friendly atmosphere and food worth a visit. Have not tried the rest of the market, yet. Hope to on another stop. They have a section showcasing local and NC breweries, and a great many wines I have never heard of. Definitely worth coming back for. read more

It's slowly becoming one of favorite local co-ops. The staff is very friendly. The everyday low prices are awesome. And the cafe section is good for lunch. The entire place just feels welcoming and supporting local producers is always a good deed. I would recommend this co-op to all read more

Excellent local small-to-medium sized food market. Options include a wide range of fresh veggies and fruit, shelf items, baked goods, alcohol, cheeses, toiletries. Sandwiches are delicious and good options of boxed to-go foods too. On the expensive side but quality is worth it. Hot food bar is less consistently good and can use attention at times. But folks are very friendly, seem invested in the space, and it shows, making it welcoming and an enjoyable space to hang out. Both indoor and outdoor areas are a good size. read more

This place is great for all your healthy choices and the prices are better than Whole Foods.

This place is right down the street from my house and a nice place to pick up some fresh bread or a quick trip for some veggies. It's smaller than I had expected and somewhat limited on their options. I'm not one to buy only organic food but it's a good place for the type of people it caters to. Just a little pricey since the food is so high quality. Definitely not a one stop shop though. read more

My first time here... It's awesome! It's a mini whole foods like place. The store itself is freezing cold, but what they have to offer makes up for it. The bakery off to the left of the store has a wide variety of pastries and breads to choose from. I was impressed. There are tables to sit down and work at, but I can assure you that will never be me. The music was a little loud and with that 60 something temperature, how can one work peacefully and comfortably? There are tables outside under a canapé type thing, but the location of the store, not sure if I would feel safe hanging out there. Next time I'll slip in and slip out. You should check it out if you're in the area! read more

Good selection of food items. I've been here 4 times and the service varied greatly. Twice, the workers were very helpful and twice I encountered the opposite (at the service bar and the cash register). The service bar person avoided making eye contact for almost 10 minutes with me to avoid having to acknowledge me. There was no one else waiting at the time so their behavior was inexcusable. The person at the register did not provide a receipt even after I requested one. Now the other two times I went, I received excellent service from the staff. The Co-op needs to hire more workers like those who understand that customers need to be treated well if they want them to return. read more

Just say no to chicken wraps that are stuffed full of Parmesan and breadcrumbs (with two chunks of chicken and a little lettuce). Inedible.

This is a business that really puts their money where there mouth is! The Co Op stocks tons of local products (which are amazing), has a discount for EBT since nearby neighborhoods would be in a food desert otherwise, sponsored memberships for low income shoppers, gives a glass bottle return refund for dairy products, and does amazing $3 dinners every Thursday. $3 Dinners are wonderful in both portion size and quality- it's one of the best deals in town. I also love the vegetarian version of the deli's Morehead sandwich- it's fig jam-goat cheese-tofurky-greens heaven. The staff are friendly, funny, and helpful. It may not have the variety of brands of your local mega mart or Whole Foods, but everything I've purchased has been high quality. read more

I don't usually write reviews but this place was the worst! I am all for helping out small local businesses but next time I'll go to Whole Foods or event Walmart. The prices here are insanely high, which I can over look for healthy local foods normally.... BUT then there's the cashiers, and the reason I'm rating this place a one star. I was checking out after my first time here and made a simple mistake on writing down one wrong number on my bulk food label, the cashier rang up the item I had wrote down which I then noticed was way over priced compared to what I was actually buying. I kindly spoke up to have the item corrected which then turned into this HUGE ordeal that involved every single employee that was up front. The women ringing me out called me out for writing the wrong number (whatever mistakes happen) but then proceeded to make fun of me and ask everyone around what was written on the bag and made me feel 2 feet tall for asking her to correct the ring up. I will never come here again because of that. I worked in customer service for 10 years and that is not how you treat customers. When a customer makes a mistake, you fix it, move on and apologize for not noticing the discrepancy yourself, you don't judge and pick on the customers LOUDLY. That's poor customer service and a poor way to keep brining in business. I'll spend my money elsewhere. read more

A perfect alternative to Whole Foods. WF is walking distance while the Co-op will involve about a 8-minute drive from me; they're both pretty convenient, but only one of them is over-crowded and makes me feel cranky. In comparison, the Co-op is smaller than WF, sure. But it still services all the same categories of food, with the same focus on quality local, health-conscious, and organic products. The produce section is a bit narrow, but if all you need are the basics, you'll find them here. The meat section was my favorite, featuring a lot of local Firsthand Foods cuts. The chicken breasts we bought (from a different farm; I'm forgetting the name) were phenomenal -- they turned out tender and juicy. The aisle of self-service nuts, grains, seeds, granola, etc. was as impressive as WF. The cheese section is fairly small and average, but does include several local selections. The hot bar is also pretty small, but features a few entrees and salad options (and the day we went, a delectable-smelling pineapple cobbler). They've even got a quiet lawn full of picnic tables that several people were utilizing last weekend, lending a touch of Weaver Street Market flavor. As a Watts-Hillandale resident, I'm thrilled to have this option near our neighborhood, and look forward to supporting it, and the local purveyors it stocks! read more

We love the Co-op! They have great produce deals and sell all our local favs, as well as specialty grocery items that are helpful, especially if you have specific dietary needs. I also love their great selection of supplements and herbals and their natural beauty options! read more

I want to like the co-op. However, I've bought old produce, cheese and food from here because I wasn't paying attention. The service is poor often. The Thursday dinners are cheap though very hit or miss in terms of it being good. I wish this place is better run because I'd love to support it. read more

It's ok. I was expecting a lot more local produce, but was happy with the variety of bulk goods including spices. They had all the brands I'm used to, and the prices were about the same as Earth Fare. Apparently, they have a nice deli/hot bar, but I didn't get a chance to peruse it since their carts don't hold children, and my son was acting up and enjoying his freedom. Unfortunately, for that reason alone, I cannot shop there, since I do all the household shopping, and I always have my two-year-old with me. Earth Fare is closer to me, has kid-friendly carts, and their prices are about the same. I'll just have to go to the farmer's market on Saturday to get local produce instead of at my leisure. read more

The co-op is more than just a supermarket, it's a community. On the supermarket side, it achieves the highest quality I've ever seen in the coop when it comes to diversity of product, freshness of produce, killer wine and beer section, Prepared foods, and Staples. There especially strong in organic and GMO free foods Some of the prices are high, inevitable given the lower volumes that it has to contend with, but the price to quality ratio is outstanding for a co-op of this size. The special events are definitely not to miss - like The oyster feast. Anyone shopping at Whole Foods should try The co-op. It's just better for Durham, just a goo go your body, and no worse for your wallet! read more

Most of the store is pretty nice. However, for at least a month now, the hot bar and dining area have been overrun with flies. Like, just glancing around, you will see dozens of flies. It's disgusting and bewildering. Maybe it's time to try something other than homeopathic fly traps. read more

I was excited to find a local co-op my community. My daughter and I ventured out on a Saturday morning looking for breakfast. Although our hearts were set on eggs which they did not have, I settled for the French toast. The cashier convinced me that a $6 all-you-can-eat was a much better deal than the weight price. After taking one but I wish I want my the way to price. I think they were trying to find a little egg and milk you can put on bread to consider it French toast. Their coffee selection was dark or dark. I enjoy light coffee in the morning. Has the lady behind the counter if the syrup with 100% maple syrup and she said it was syrup. Asking to pick it up put it out revealed it was not maple syrup but that sugary syrup that I can't eat. One positive thing I could say is everyone was friendly enough and the produce looked fresh and appealing. I've had lunch here before and our was a better experience. Sorry for the low rating but it was earned. read more

Durham Co-op Market - This is what French toast looks like when you don't soak it on egg and milk mix. - Grocery Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Absolutely love this place... So many vegan options which can be hard to find in this area outside of Whole Foods. They have a deli sandwich counter that has awesome vegan/veggie options. If you are there earlier enough for breakfast they have really good pre-made vegan breakfast sandwiches on their hot bar. read more

Neat place - my husband enjoys shopping here. I give 4 stars because I've been really disappointed with the "brunch" and food counter. It took 10 minutes for my bagel to be made (just cream cheese and veges) - and the hot bar of breakfast food left much to be desired. Not many items and the grits were awful. I would recommend them not calling it "brunch", because I think it gives false expectations. read more