Georgie's Harvest has the best potatoes. The best. If you're cooking up a roast and want an awesome…read morevariety of veggies like potatoes, pumpkins, carrots, onions, mushrooms - this should be your first stop. I guess that is how I would describe their speciality, it's mostly root vegetables here and they're the best. They also grow their own chillis including jalapeños, habeneros and birds eyes. The husband and wife team here are so lovely and they know their stuff. If you want to know what kind of potato you need for a certain dish, they'll help you find the right one and what the best is seasonally. If you're thinking how many potato types could there possibly be, there's a lot... They also stock some pretty good herbs and condiments while you're at it. The Kenneff Tangs fiery sauces pack some punch! Always my first stop at the South Melbourne Market for produce before stocking up on greens elsewhere.

Cheaper than the nearby supermarkets and good quality. You can find almost everything you are…read morelooking for. We've done a lot of savings just by buying our stuff from here. They have many other things that you won't find at the usual places.

With the rising cost of living (read: food prices escalating so quickly) it's great to know that…read moreyou can still bag a bargain at independent grocery stores like my favourite fruit and vegetable destination, Cato. Tucked neatly behind the hustle and bustle of Chapel Street, facing the car park at Coles, means ample parking is always available so you can shop in peace. With a no-frills policy at play, don't expect a squeaky clean, clinical shopping experience like at some supermarkets. What you can expect though is a wide array of fresh produce at affordable prices all year round. For instance when most supermarkets were selling bananas at $14/kg, Cato sold bananas at $10/kg. They're also got a small selection of Asian groceries, nuts, herbs, spices and condiments available. But my all time favourite reason for shopping at Cato is they have really hot fresh chillies: a staple in my diet!

This is one huge megastore…read more Situated inside the brand new South Melbourne Central complex, South Melbourne Woolworths is the place to go if you're serious about your grocery shopping. Everything about this place points to mass consumerism. There are rows upon rows upon rows of items, the only problem is figuring out what it is that you actually need. I challenge you to come home from this Woolworths without an abundance of produce that you had no intention of buying in the first place.

I decided to try this woolies as I was sick of going to my normal ones where the fruits and vegies…read morewas always running out. Great new - there was plenty of fruits and vegies and the meat looks great too. It was not super busy where our trolleys was hitting each other. I think this will b my woolies of choice for now. :)

Conveniently located next to Woolies in Vogue Plaza, I normally go to Green Apple Fruit and Deli…read morewhen I can't find what I need at Woolies. Sad but true! Unfortunately, this store is my second choice but at times, has offered a good variety of fresh fruit and vegetables at competitive prices compared to its neighbour. However, I have to say that the service staff at Green Apple Fruit and Deli are certainly uninterested in anything but chatting among themselves. On more than one occasion I've had to wait for the cashiers to finish their chat before being served. And I'm not one to be picky about these things but when you're rushing home to cook dinner with a handful of groceries, you really want to just pay and get out of there. Besides that, I've picked out some very sad looking vegetables before and handed it to the counter staff to be thrown out- but when I was there the day after, the same sad bunches were still for sale. That being said, this store does have its perks - like super cheap seasonal fruit (while stocks lasts) and a good range of gourmet condiments. But unfortunately, playing second fiddle to its larger next door neighbour is only expected.

I always love having a stroll around Green Apple Fruit and Deli, there are so many great products…read morein this elegantly set out store, if your lucky you will find that they do put plenty of products on tasting usually on the weekends. the fruit and veg here is always nice and fresh and if your not happy the staff have no problem in replacing it for you, we all know that fruits and vegies do go off and its sometimes hard to keep control of so many fresh products, but I think that Green Apple is doing a great job in competing with their much larger rival woolworths, whenever woolies have a special on Green Apple are always on top of it and beat their price and usually offer better quality fruit and veg. for example: Strawberries: Woolies: $3.98 ea Green Apple Fruit+Deli: 2 for $5 Mangoes: Woolies: $3.98 ea Green Apple Fruit+Deli: 3 for $6 Avocados: Woolies: $2.48 ea Green Apple Fruit+Deli: 3 for $5 THAT'S FOR EXACTLY THE SAME AVOCADOS!! Bananas: Woolies: $2.48 kg Green Apple Fruit+Deli: $1.78 kg Nectarines: Woolies: $4.48 kg Green Apple Fruit+Deli: $2.78 kg That's Just some of the great savings you can find in this great store, I think that the staff at Green Apple are usually nice and polite, well they could smile abit more but at least they are polite. If your not happy you can ask for the young man who looks after the family business, he always seems to have a great smile on his face and always keen on having a chat to customers.

Fantastic fresh-as-can-be dim sum, made after you order and ready in minutes!…read moreI'll be back next time I shop to try the takeaway for home.

I might get booted out of Melbourne for saying this, but the smell of the South Melbourne Market…read moreDim Sims makes me gag. I know they're famous...but every time I walk past, I mutter expletives about having to walk through the hoards of people eating those stinking fried fart-bombs. Don't get me started on people that take them on trams... BUT this review isn't to hate-on dim sims, it's to love up food's fluffy pillows of deliciousness - dumplings and bao. Mama Tran makes a huge assortment of fresh dumplings, ready to take-home or have them steam to eat on the spot. Plenty of meat and vegetarian options, as well as the translucent crystal prawn dumplings. I love grabbing them as an interesting appetiser for at-home. If you're eating on site, make sure you grab a big steamed BBQ bun for $2.20. Delicious! I'm not a big fan of eating dumplings with the soy sauce that the stall provides, so if you like your dumpling vinegar and chilli condiments - my advice is to stock up at the Chinese grocer around the corner and then eat these bad boys at home. Also saves fighting for a chair at the communal table that services a number of neighbouring stall holders.

Toms specializes in organic meat produce, being located at the South Melbourne Market, the proud…read moreowners Tom and Jane have quickly adopted a healthy band of followers keen to increase their healthy lifestyles and reap the benefits from organic produce. Being an organic wholesaler Toms has a great range of your usual meat products everything from mince meat, steaks, beef, organic, free range chicken, lamb and pork and a huge selection of sausages that even come in gluten free. All the meat supplied by Toms is certified organic produce that has been organically grown, harvested, prepared and transported in systems that guarantee the produce is not contaminated by synthetic chemicals, fumigation or irradiation. Tom and Jane are incredibly passionate not only about selling organic food but educating the general public about it's benefits. Toms is well worth a try if visiting the South Melbourne Market if not only for the taste but for the added healthy extras too.

This place sells hard to find organic grass fed beef. Being a muslim i only eat halal meat and the…read moregentleman was more than happy to go out of his way to show me what i could eat. We are living in a world where we must start to be aware of what we are consuming so i support businesses like these who pride themselves on certified organic foods.

Beautifully presented produce store but you're paying the prices for it... Perfectly laid out & top…read morenotch produce on offer complete with bucket flower market in case it's a smell-the-roses sort've day. But the best thing about this fruit & vege market is not only that they have packaged nuts n all the current health crazed fads but they also cater to the juice nuts. Juice bar with all your offerings of fruit & vege, to take out the guess work & help the indecisive they have a menu board of juice mixes & smoothies to help you out. Otherwise make your own juice with up to 5 choices free with the exception of your greens like kale, mint, spinach & a few other items.

This little fruit market is oddly placed right next to all night dance club revolver, although…read moremaybe it that could work in their advantage - drunken partiers heading home and needing something to fill their bellies. Revolver patrons aside Surace Fresh has a very good selection of fresh fruit and vegetables at prices significantly lower than the supermarkets. It's hard not to be drawn in through the open doors with tempting tropical fruits like mangoes, peaches, strawberries and pineapple lining the walkway, Surace Fresh also has a cool area where you can pick up meats and seafood, Asian groceries and on the other side of the store dried fruits and tasty roasted nuts. It is hard to access Surace Fresh if your driving as parking on Chapel Street is a nightmare, your best bet is either walking or catching the old 79 tram all the way down.

I've just started returning to this fruit and veg grocer because I wasn't happy with the quality of…read morewhat I was getting at the supermarkets. What I love about this place is that it's very family orientated. The Fruit and Veggies are way fresher than what you get at the supermarket and sometimes even cheaper. I tend to spend about $25 weekly there and get really fresh stuff. The only downside is a lot of times they are ready to be eaten so if you're planning on getting stuff to just sit around, I would just double check the stuff before buying. The staff has on numerous occasions given my little one bananas to eat while there (free of charge might I add). They aren't about penny pinching at all and they do tend the have really good deals on stuff. The one thing that does always confuse me is that they will have some things inside and some out and they're different prices based on freshness I'm guessing. They always tend to ask where you get it from and that always tends to confuse me considering I do have a bag full of stuff.

Another overpriced health food store that I've been completely sucked in by. Chances are you'll pay…read moretwice as much doing your groceries here than at a standard supermarket. For this reason I save my visits to Gum Tree Good Food only for special occasions and moments of weakness. If only I had the budget to make this place my regular because the produce they have is just amazing. Highlights include the thinnest of pizza bases that you can take home and make your own gourmet inspired meal with. Not to mention the range of delicious dips, sauces and chutneys. There are also crusty sourdough loaves by the dozen and pre-made meals that leave Lean Cuisine et al for dead. This is the place to go to pick up nibbles that will be sure to impress.

Expensive yes. Over priced no…read more Gum Tree is an excellent gourmet grocer stocking an curated selection of vegetables, groceries, meat and alcohol. Although a small store they provide the 'necessities' for a gourmet quick meal. I found the prices to be very good for a store of this type. Yes, you are going to pay $45 a kg for meat but, prices appear to be about 10% cheaper than gourmet grocers like Broadbean, Passion Foods and Essential Ingredient. Gum Tree is a great one stop shop for the time poor local resident who can make it to South Melbourne Market, with the added bonus of Toby's Estate coffee served while you shop. All very civilised :)

I have been growing to Frederick since I moved to Richmond about eight months ago. They have tons…read moreof healthy produce in products that will never make you feel guilty about eating them. On top of that they are huge supporters of local businesses and small businesses which have a special place in my heart and to be honest is the main reason why I keep going back to this place. The workers are also very genuine and I always have a lovely chat with them when I come in to buy something.