I've lived in San Diego for twenty years, but in my youth, in the '80's, I lived and worked near…read moreDC's Eastern Market. I'd walk there most Sundays, buying breakfast from the man who made fried chicken and biscuits. Then I'd stop and visit with Mrs. Calomiris. I called her, "Mrs." because it wouldn't have occurred to me to call her "Maria," and "Mamma" never seemed to offer the respect I wished to convey. She was smart and funny, and entertaining to watch as she gently promoted her customers into buying her beautiful produce. But most notably, Mrs. Calomiris was kind. On more than one occasion, she held overripe tomatoes for me until she had a good basketful, then called me to pick them up. I'd blanch, peel and seed them, then make sauce. A cook herself, Mrs. Calomiris approved of this old-school approach, and so was happy to help. As she did for everyone, when I came to get my basket, she always handed me a banana or a nice apple, something for lagniappe. And once, as I stood in front of Mrs. Calomiris' stall eating an apple she'd just sold me, she asked how it was; I said it wasn't bad, but that it wasn't quite ready, and that tiny woman reached up and took the apple from my hand as I was biting into it, in order to swap it for one that I'd like more. My family is Arab, immigrants to the DC area in the late '50's, so the enthusiastic hospitality I always received from Mrs. Calomiris was familiar. Except for her accent, she might have been one of my aunts. Maria Calomiris died of cancer in 2015, working at the Market until a few weeks before her death, having seen her husband, Chris, pass, just a few years earlier. The community and the City are the worse for these losses. But even several thousand miles away, Mrs. Calomiris' memory endures.

Homemade spanikopita and baklava (it's better than Kostas' at Greek Deli, I know, blasphemous)!…read more Like it's counterpart, Capitol Hill/Paik Produce, Calomiris Fruit and Vegetables has been around forever and boasts a wide selection of fruits and veggies (and has a secret double life supplying authentic ethnic foods). This place is more veggie heavy than its counterpart up the aisle, and it is usually better stocked on the odder things (eg. parsnips, turnips and rutabagas recently), and if they're not out on display they might have some stuff stocked in the giant refrigerator behind them. It can be a little pricey here, but the quality is usually superb. I also just adore that giant old fashioned gold register they use :) They also have a wide selection of dried fruit and nuts. Right next to the picture of a praying Mary of course. Don't forget to pay tribute to the legendary Eastern Market matriarch Maria Calomiris; she will usually stick an extra piece of fruit into your bag if she recognizes you ...and maybe even if she doesn't. (I heart sweet old ladies! and she makes the baklava herself). Some of the best customer service in the District for sure! Read about her in the post! (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/23/AR2009062300775.html) Location: This is next to the flowershop in Eastern Market in the center of the South Hall.

SECRET KOREAN GROCERY! Ok, hidden in plain sight in Eastern Market. Authentic kimchee and…read morepre-marinated beef Bulgogi sold here. The kimchee is either cabbage and cucumber, and comes in small (a little bigger than a deck of cards $3) or large (the size of a day planner, approx 8.5"x5" $6) Plus, the couple who runs the place is so nice and helpful, and super quick! Sometimes the lady gives me a sample of freshly made kimchee if she's cooking in the back which is mmm :) And the bulgogi ($6/lb I believe) is amazing. Foolproof, and an easy way to pretend that you're an impressive cook. These guys are the first produce section inside when you're coming to Eastern Market from the metro. They always have beautiful displays of a good selection of fruits and veggies (prices are a little on the steeper side in general, but that's Eastern Market for you). I usually swing by here if I need a last minute lemon/garlic/parsnip/leek/etc after work, but I usually shy away from it on weekends when it's packed. Also, veggies/fruits in season are reasonably priced here and better quality than what you would find at Harris Teeter or Safeway. They also have a mini-grocery with staples and sauces. If you have no car and can't get out to H mart or Wegman's, this place has a good selection of Asian cooking sauces. Lentils were $3/bag here though, so I would stay away from other cheap staples unless absolutely necessary. Tip: Make sure to bring your reusable bag so they don't charge that new DC bag tax (they're strict at this place). Yes, you will get a banana and be expected to either hold it or bring your own bag. Location: the most Southern end of the South Hall. Also labeled as Paik's produce, and right next to Fine Sweet Shop.

We were thrilled discover we do not actually have to return to Arlington/Annandale (our old…read morestomping grounds) to pick up some delectable Korean. We had spent 30 minutes wandering the market but quickly realized what a terrible idea that is on an empty stomach. After selecting a few stalks of their crisp, red rhubarb, while at the register we began eying the large, fresh-looking to-go containers of bibimbap, including a big scoop of white rice and a wide array of sauteed and fresh vegetables - one came with tofu (my selection) and the other option with beef (my husband's choice). Each lunch portion was $6.99. Both were delicious and refreshing. The accompanying chili paste had just the right amount of heat. We both finished our entire meals (and one fresh-squeeze raspberry lemonade from another vendor outside) sitting in the shade in the small square out back. Exactly what I was looking for for Saturday lunch.

Perfect weekend shopping area! Lots of vendors to shop at. From vintage to DIYs, the selections…read moreare endless! I love coming here with my best friend to see what we can spend our money on LOL Hungry? Don't worry! Plenty of restaurants and food places to choose from.

PSA: the bountiful market you see in the photos pertains to the weekend only…read more During the week, the place is rather dead with a limited amount of vendors in the building (mostly butchers). Probably not worth your time.

Awesome local truly Mexican bodega style store that retains classic character in the ever…read moregentrifying neighborhood. Lots of choices for canned goods, fresh fruits/veggies/chiles, snacks and even homemade treats like empanadas/tamales/tortillas. Super friendly staff and owners and good prices. Highly recommend

What an awesome shop! Do not be misled by the small size of this shop, they have quite the supply…read moreof wonderful things that are difficult to find in your typical grocery store (and for a FRACTION of typical DC prices). Fresh produce, dried spices, dried chilis, grains, you name it. The staff were also very helpful, happy to help me find what I needed! This will definitely be a regular stop for me, what a gem!

This is the best Trader Joe's Customer Service in the Nation. Employees Mr. Rodney and Lilly…read moregreeted my sister and I warmly, and when we told them it was her first day in the city, they told us all the good places to go in DC! While we were leaving it started pouring rain 20 minutes before closing. As customers stood in the entryway, Employees stood with us handing out Ice Cream and Trash bags as rain ponchos with a smile on their face. Their attitude made this experience much more enjoyable and My sister and I were incredibly grateful. Shout out to Mr. Rodney, Lilly and the store manager. They are amazing and if you come to this location you should say Hi!

I've had a great experience at Trader Joe's. This location is incredibly convenient, situated right…read moreacross from the Eastern Market Metro Station, which makes it an easy stop whether you're commuting or just in the neighborhood. Even when the lines look long, they move surprisingly fast. The staff is always efficient, professional, and keeps things running smoothly. I also really appreciate the quality and pricing of their products--it's hard to beat the value. I was especially impressed by their Prosecco and cava selection. The quality for the price was a pleasant surprise and definitely worth exploring. Another big plus is the parking situation, which is much better than expected for this area. Overall, a consistently positive experience and one of my go-to grocery spots.

The Tuesday lunchtime farmers market at City Center is among my favorite DC weekday markets. The…read morediverse variety of a dozen vendors is impressive with a few new vendors every year. Here's the latest and greatest vendor list from 2023: Timber Pizza - Scrumptious wood-fired pizza with a pillowy soft crust. I can't count on how many fingers and toes I've had the pizza at different farmer's markets! While the lines can get long 12:30pm, you only have to wait for 15 minutes. Taco Dirty To Me: Crispy battered cauliflower tempura tacos, bursting with flavor! Bun'd' Up - Delicious fried tofu and mushroom in squishy soft bao buns topped with microgreens, scallions, and a nice creamy aioli sauce. Light and tasty! Urban+ade - Refreshing lemonade with less sugar than classic lemonade. The Sage & Tarragon is my favorite! Veg Heaven - Decadent sweet treats, the dark chocolate cookies and brownies are the best! While the cakes are moist, they aren't as tasty. Taco Loco - Giant burritos are amazing! There's a swarm of people waiting in line, so be prepared to wait 10-15 min before ordering and then another 5 min for your order! The mango and watermelon juice are refreshing. Hipp Sippin' - Cold-pressed juices and acai bowls made to order. Ravenhook Bakery - Great selection of freshly baked loaves of bread and baked goods. DMV Empanadas - They sell out fast! While the empanadas has a nice crispy hard shell and with so many flavors to choose from, they are a bit bland and overloaded with bland cheese. The Spinach and Cheese or the Bacon and Cheese didn't quite hit the spot, hubby like the Chicken. Al Volo Cucina: While I wasn't a big fan of the greasy eggplant parm subs. I wish they brought back the fresh juices (the watermelon and mango juices) were amazing! Wonderful market with plenty of delicious and diverse options to choose from. Lines start to form between 12:30-1pm, come early!

Went for lunch break , been a handful Of times since they…read morehave open for the season , The service at the booths I have came across has been A1. The ambiance of the farmers market it's nice & Lively , I decided to stop by Fat Kale , to try their items for the first time . I ended up getting the chicken curry , delicious ! Check it out for yourself !

this Safeway is a full sized grocery store in the middle of the city, which is amazing. there are…read moreother large grocery stores close by but this one is closest to sw. it has everything that a suburban grocery store has. it also has lots of security. there's always security guards in the front and in the isles. unfortunately, the fresh food quality isn't always there even though there's lots of variety and quantity. sometimes the fruit is not super fresh. the meats section is small and not the freshest. I can only speculate but I think because not everyone who shops here buys lots of fresh fruit and big packs of steaks, that stuff goes bad quickly and they don't stock it in abundance as a result, maybe because not everyone who shops here can afford that stuff. not sure. The frozen food section has lots of variety. Even has that Halo ice cream if you want a sweet treat but not the calories. They have a great baking section, spices, Asian foods, Hispanic foods. big cheese section and dairy. their eggs are crazy pricy though. they even have a large discount section. like a whole section with discounted products like cereal, beauty products and health products. This is a union store. what does that mean? I'll tell you. the employees are union employees. they are not like regular employees. I once had to ask the service desk for a cake I wanted to buy. the deli employees refused to get it for me, even though they work right there behind the counter. they were like, "no, I can't give you that cake." I'm like," just hand me the cake. I have money. I want to buy the cake." and they were like, "no I'm not going to give you the cake. I can't." This is because (as it was explained to me) the deli employees are not allowed to touch the cake as per their union contracts. which I get, you organized and negotiated a sweet contract, so you don't have to do the work or another department. but dude, just hand me the cake. you're not going to break your back by giving me a cake. so that's it. This grocery store is ok. not as bad as the reviews make it seem, but it definitely has some character, and characters in it. SW DC, show you right!

As a visitor to the area looking for take home food to combat the pricey restaurant food, this was…read morea good option near our location. The rotisserie chicken was juicy and hot. The premade potato salads were also good. The deli counter has a large assortment of salads and casseroles, the ones we tried also good. We also did the chicken pieces and sushi. These were also prepared well and tasted good. The service was interesting. It appeared that the workers didn't want to be there, and answering questions was not a part of their job. We rolled with it, no big deal. The grocery store itself was well stocked. I was not accosted at the door. I did not see any disturbances. I was able to use the self checkout each time without any issues. Our family arrived around 5 pm or later each day we were there.

This larger Aldi location with a nicer than most selection of items including wine and beer is…read morehighly approved! Good looking fresh produce, nice variety of "fancy" items at low prices. Only concern, there were no cashiers on duty as customers started lining up to check out. They eventually did show up and moved us along as well as they could. Service was friendly, security officers at least gave the illusion of a safe store and parking lot.

Aldi is a wonderful help to the community…read more However, customer service is lacking like they really really don't care about their job or customers! That's to bad! Everyone doing well or so so or bad likes a deal. But we don't like being ignored or treated like our $$ doesn't matter:( I have paused going:( I can go anywhere thank god to shop! But i choose Aldi here & there

Great selection, friendly folks running the stalls and good prices. Love buying a coffee and…read moreroaming the selection of in season fruits and vegetables. Also, always a nice selection of baked goods and fresh flowers.

Of all the farmers markets nearby on a Saturday morning, my partner and I decided on Half Street…read more It's dog friendly and open later than most farm markets (9am-1:30pm) which were two major reasons that led us here. It's right by the Nationals stadium, as well as really great food places like Andy's pizza, sweet green, cava, Rasa, and Atlas brewery. You can truly make a whole trip and afternoon out of it. The market itself has a really nice variety, with some vendors that give out samples. Expect to find fresh local produce, homemade candles, flowers, micro greens, handmade pasta, teas made from tea masters, wild caught fish, uncured meats, raw local honey, and delicious eats on the go like empanadas, sandwiches, pastries and fresh coffee. There's also live music and places to sit in the middle of the market. Be wary of the parking situation. If you're lucky you can find some parking; if not be prepared to park far. It's also right off the green line if you decide to metro instead. Highly recommend Half Street Farmer's Market!

What a pleasant experience! I was going to jazz in the garden and had stopped at a happy hour…read morebeforehand. My original plan was to get some food from near there, but what I had intended to get was totally sold out for some reason. I don't know what's going on with that place, but that's something I will revisit later. This place came up in my Yelp search and I thought the idea of sushi would be a light and refreshing meal. When I walked in I was surprised by how big it was, despite being more of a grab and go type situation. But it was cool to see that they also had bowls and plenty of desserts! The sushi trays were varying prices, mainly depending on the kind of sushi it was. I got the Tuna Lovers sushi for $11, a BBQ chicken bao for $6, and I couldn't help but grab cheesecake! It was two slices (one black sesame, one green tea) for $5. This was surprisingly high quality. It's set up almost like those markets you see in rest stops or at airports, but everything was really good! They also have dumplings and a few other items that are cooked to order, so there is more to them that meets the eye. You can either get a speedy snack or dine in. The staff are also very sweet and offered to heat my bao as soon as he realized I was going to buy it. I didn't even have to pay first. I will most definitely be back!

We lucked into finding this place looking for something quick and easy…read more Cashier was very friendly and helped answer all of our questions on the extensive menu. Pleasantly surprised at the quality of the sushi and the variety of food they offer. Sushi rolls, dumplings, rice bowls, etc. are already made for grab and go. They can also make them fresh to order. We grabbed the spicy combo platter that came with the eel and salmon. We got hungry so got the shrimp tempura roll as well. The drink selection is diverse and they're reasonable prices around $3. Busy and in a hurry, this fast casual place offers high quality and great tasting good. Very convenient to order ahead or pop in and pick something up for lunch.