IMHO Such a…read morebeautiful produce market! We had just finished having breakfast at The Cook House and my friend needed to buy a bunch of green onions, so across the street we go! The first thing I noticed before entering the market, was the freezer compartment chock full of Marianne's Ice Cream! Unfortunately, we didn't have a cooler in our trunk to keep any frozen goods cold, so we had to forgo buying Marianne's. The market is bright, clean, and full of beautiful produce and other staples. Cashier was friendly.

I've been to Sunnyside Produce many times over the years and honestly I would've been happy to…read moreleave a positive review in the past, but it never felt necessary until now. This recent visit was disappointing enough that I feel it needs to be shared. Customer service was noticeably lacking. When we got to the front of the line and realized we forgot something, the woman at the register rolled her eyes and let out an audible sigh, even though no one else was in line. It felt unnecessarily rude. Throughout the store, employees were unhelpful and unapproachable. We tried to ask a question to a young tall man who clearly worked there, but he completely ignored us and just kept walking. Later, we asked a Hispanic man working in the back for help, and instead of answering, he gave us an annoyed look and walked away. It was uncomfortable and made us feel like we were a bother just for asking. To top it off, one of the two avocados we bought was completely rotten inside. The store itself didn't feel clean. Shelves had layers of dust, and we wandered around without a single person offering to help. Prices were shockingly high, especially considering the poor experience. Nob Hill is just down the road and offers better service, better prices, and a cleaner environment. I usually don't leave reviews unless something is exceptionally good or clearly disappointing. Unfortunately, this was the latter. I hope they get their act together, because this used to be a decent spot. But right now, I can't recommend it to anyone.

OMG! I just bought their strawberries down at a grocery in Long Beach. THE BEST STRAWBERRIES IVE…read moreHAD IN A LOOOONG TIME! They are sweet juicy deep red and so lovely to eat. I will buy you whenever I see them available!

Hands down the busiest merchant today at the Clement Street Farmers Market in San Francisco…read more Such a bounty from Watsonville, Fennel, Celery, Carrots, Squash, and tons of Greens!

I guess I'm going to be reviewing all of my favorites first…read more... How do I love thee Santa Cruz Local Foods, let me count the ways... first off I love the CSA model but am allergic to too many common foods to be able to be in one without either inconveniencing them or sacrificing a lot of the items in my basket. This is completely flexible and lets me decide from week to week exactly what I want. They will even deliver to my door by bicycle if I want, though since they've added a delivery location within walking distance I no longer use that. I used it before they added that location, though, and thought it was great. If you do a pickup, either bring your own bags or remember to bring back their sturdy waxed boxes next week so they can reuse them. They'll also take back egg cartons and milk bottles, etc. (Mark anything with a deposit on it so you get credited.) Prices are often a little above going to the farmers market, which seems perfectly reasonable to me because of the convenience. We go to the farmers market too; I just love being able to order heavy staple items like potatoes, Claravale milk, brown rice, onions, and winter squash through here. (Hopefully not all at once; I AM walking with it, though I've had a few occasions where I waddled home with several shopping bags full, milk bottles clinking, and a half flat of something.) The selection is a little more limited than most of the local farmers markets but it's no-brainer local (they clearly mark anything that's not local), and they will leave something off your order (and not charge you for it) if it's not up to their standards, which I really appreciate. It's also rare for them to leave something off an order and always for good reasons like bad weather that made a crop unexpectedly not work out. They generally have extra things that you can buy a la carte at their Mission pickup, too, which is very handy for picking up an extra bunch of greens or pound of potatoes or something. Oh, and bulk local olive oil? Yes, please! Also I love their orange-yolked eggs, and just wait until strawberry season... I often get strawberries from all of their farmers and have a strawberry-off and it's hard to choose which I like best. Last year they had wonderful obscure varieties of citrus like rangpur limes; I'm very excitedly waiting for this year's selection. They usually have some special somethings that I can't find at the local stores or farmers market. The avocados I get through them are always wonderful no matter which farmer I pick, too. They also usually carry ice cream and sorbet from places like Mission Hill Creamery and Scream Sorbet (I am addicted to the nut sorbets, personally.) The raw almond milk is also great; I get it every now and then though I also drink the super-delicious Claravale because it is delicious in its own right. If they don't include the ingredients on the website they'll find them for me when I ask. Because of celiac disease and multiple food allergies, I have to be super careful with what I eat so this is very helpful. Also, the people who run it are SUPER friendly and incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about their food.

We recently signed up via the Groupon offer that they did. Loved loved loved the sampler box that…read morethey gave us - enough to ask if they would do such a box every week. They did! They now have an Abundance box, which is a pre-made box of veggies. We are looking forward to buying that every week and supplementing with other locally sourced offerings. Things we like: - Like a CSA, but far more convenient. We have no commitment; order each week. - You can order pre-made boxes or a la carte. Think of it like an online Farmers Market (but more convenient) - They have more than veggies. - Convenient pick-up locations, including one in Los Gatos. We are fans! Looking forward to the next box.

Waiting for my churros to be made outside in the parking lot, I stumbled upon this Mexican…read moresupermarket and I am glad I did. It is an ideal location not only for native Santa Cruz residents but another option besides Safeway Trader Joe's etc. the prices here are fair. I noticed quite a few college aged customers likely due to its proximity to UCSC. Not only Mexican ethnic items but this place has everything you need. One stop shop. Very clean probably the most cleanliness grocery I've been to in a while . No smell in the meat carnecia area at all . All aisles fully stocked , very safe area ,close to downtown . No sketchy people asking for change or anything like that . Snacks Cereals , beverages , ice for your ice chest for the beach , grab it here on your way and close to the freeways.

A house divided by eating habits. For the SO this place is great for meat. The guys behind the meat…read morecounter are friendly and their prepared meat is great in a pinch. They also have queso fresco. As the vegan there are snack and some beverage options in addition to veggies and fruits. Churro vendor is there on weekends for those who don't want to make it at home or go out of town for a sugar carb rush. Parking is small in their lot but there is plenty on side street surrounding the store.

We live in Bonny Doon, and have patronized this market and those on the West Side, the Sunday…read moremarket on the east side, and in Felton. The downtown market, while a long drive from us in Bonny Doon, is our favorite, by far. My primary objective at farmers' markets is the produce; vendors of meat and fish are convenience, and there are good ones both in Felton and Downtown. I rarely buy prepared food at markets. The downtown market is our favorite for the quality and greater variety of the produce. Parking can be a PITA, but I can usually find a spot within two blocks, often closer. I don't patronize markets for "the scene," or because it's cute, only for stuff to cook -- produce and raw meat and fish. All those folks wandering around, not watching where they're going, getting in the way when I'm dragging 20 lb of food around are a nuisance! :)

This is located downtown Santa Cruz on a Weds.. Zig zag 2 blocks. Quite a crowd. Found parking two…read moreblocks away in residential. Where I parked, I found broken glass. I guess, park at your own risk. The selection is the usual. Interesting, they had ice cream and yogurt bars. Good thing, it was a hot day. There were fruit samples and bakery items. Eateries. Kids running around.

My husband and I came to the Scotts Valley Farmer's Market for the first time last weekend. It was…read moresmall, but so lovely! It had amazing produce vendors with beautiful fresh spreads, including the best plums I've ever had! The ambiance was lovely with the backdrop of the mountains and a band playing Irish music (I think they were called Mountain Lark). There were food vendors, including pastries, pizza, and salami. It was a wonderful way to spend a morning and we will be back. Bonus, if you have kids, there is an area for them to run around and play and plenty of seating.

Awesome pastries, coffee, cookies and crepes. We went to have breakfast as we were staying at a…read morenearby hotel. It was pricey but every thing was yummy!

Very nice proprietors. The farm is kid-friendly with chickens, goose, goats, and bunnies. The…read morestrawberry fields are spacious with lavenders and other flowers framing them. No overwhelming crowds and parking is along the road. We spent about an hour and half picking berries and wandering around.

I was worried they wouldn't be open on a Wednesday for Strawberry picking even when Yelp said it…read morewould be. I tried calling, but wasn't able to get a hold of anyone. Thankfully they were open because it was a bit of a drive to get here! The farm owner was friendly and helpful. The strawberries were also very delicious and large compared to the ones I picked from Brentwood. I'd definitely return in the future.

After trying several CSAs and not getting any love from the waiting list for other CSAs with drop…read morepoints in my neighborhood - I nearly gave up til I discovered Mariquita. Andy & Julia offer a traditional CSA process of drop offs and have established bi-weekly "Mystery Box" nights at different meeting points around the city of San Francisco. For the Mystery Box - you never know what you'll get - but you'll definitely get far above your $25 worth! You can also sign up for updates from the "Ladybug Buying Club" - notices about veggies and fruit that are available in bulk for pickup at Mystery Box locations. Recently, I have brought home a giant Musquee de Provence pumpkin for $6, a flat of organic fall strawberries for $24, 25# of Braeburn apples for $26 and over the summer - basil for $1 for a generous bunch (I got 12!). Mariquita also hosts "U-Pick" events for tomatoes in the fall - and at fifty cents a pound, you'll find it hard to resist going home with less than 50# of tomatoes... I personally brought home 150# of tomatoes and now have tomato sauce for the rest of the year. Mariquita always has the best produce - unlike other CSAs, it doesn't just go bad in the fridge from being picked too ripe and hanging out in a hot warehouse or truck for too many days. What are you waiting for? Sign up for the Ladybug Buying Club newsletter now!

I've been getting produce from Mariquita Farms for at least the last four years. The mystery boxes…read moreare a blast, with tons of unusual produce that test my creativity and a great value at just $25 each (going up to $30 next month--still a great value). It may be a little pricey compared to your local Asian market, but for the quality and the focus on sustainability rather than the bottom line, it's worth it to me. The farm also sends out a newsletter alerting you to what's predicted to be in the box, recipe ideas, and happenings on the farm, which is great for planning what to do with the haul (because it is a haul!) and learning about where our food is coming from.