We came here on a Friday morning for the juicy and sweet pixie tangerines. They're delicious. They…read moresell also by the bushel, so we got a box of medium sized pixie tangerines to share with loved ones. They also sell these cute lunch box tins, juices and honey.

I love Friend's, the absolute freshest citrus I've found in California. The people are so nice, the…read morelemonade is outstanding as well. They've been around since I was a kid, I'm happy to see they are still plugging away. Support local produce when you can! They have Oranges, Tangerines, Grapefruits, Honey, Orange Juice & Lemonade.

Big fan of Rio Gozo…read more We joined the CSA a few seasons ago after hearing friends rave about them. I have really high standards and at first, I was a bit concerned about not directly choosing what is in my box (both content and quality) and having too much produce. My concerns faded within the first few weeks. The quality is superb - John and Elizabeth at Rio Gozo have high standards - and they grow beautiful, delicious varieties. The quantity is perfect for our family. When we've got a bit too much we just share with our friends and neighbors, or turn into rich soil amendment via compost. I love supporting local agriculture and being part of a rich community, but to be perfectly candid -- the biggest benefits to me are the time and money savings. I enjoy going to Farmers Market but I can't always get there -- and when I do, I often go overboard and spend a ton. Now I have a fridge full of fresh local organic produce in exchange for a very little amount of cash and time, and it's fun discovering new foods and varieties.

Tuesdays are "Ranchero John Day" at our house! We've been members of Rio Gozo since shortly after…read moreit started delivering to Ventura. We began by sharing a box with a friend. We soon found that we could use the entire box so committed to a year to have home delivery. The convenience of having it delivered at home has been great. It is not easy for us to make it out to the farmers markets that do have organic produce and we have been greatly disappointed by the absence of any organic produce at the Ventura Farmers Market downtown on Saturdays. Other reviews likely rave about the food itself -- so I will keep this part brief. It is fabulous. It is fresh, rich, and filled with flavor and nutrients. It is incredible to experience the different taste and texture of vegetables picked that morning. They have begun expanding by offering eggs and organic, fair trade coffee. Sometimes there are some fruits included in the haul. I look forward to them developing more organic fruit sources -- as we would love more fruit. One of our favorite aspects of Rio Gozo is that it is a calling for John and Elizabeth -- far from just an income. They truly want people to have a connection with their food source -- to know where their food comes from. And this means knowing both their farmers and the farm itself. We enjoy getting to see "Ranchero John" to talk food, farms, children and much more under the sun every week. Whenever we have a question during the week -- we hear back quickly from Elizabeth when we email. And without knowing your farmer -- how can you develop trust in the food source you are giving your family? I was concerned about lead and how it is outside the organic certification requirements. I talked with John about this and he noted that one can, of course, separately test the soil for lead. I asked if they'd done so -- and he assured me they had and that it was not a problem in their soil. If you don't trust your farmer, how can you trust your food is not lead-laden? They also want people to be able to know the farm itself. One can very happily be a CSA member, enjoy the delicious, fresh, organic produce, and no more. But if one is interested in more -- that is an option with Rio Gozo. They hold potlucks on the farm -- where you can walk around with your family (including your dog), meet other CSA members, others who coordinate with the farm (such as their egg vendor), family and friends of John and Elizabeth and more, not to mention that there is delicious, fresh, organic food. You feel as if they are truly opening their home to you. That is -- they live on the farm -- that's not all that common anymore. This is not some agri-tainment gig with caged animals taken out for a stroll for a fee. This is their home. When the gathering is around Thanksgiving, their visiting family is there to visit with you. When you need to use the restroom, it is in their home. When the sun goes down, the fires are lit outside and there is campfire music. If we want to visit the farm any other time -- we are always welcome. Recently, we were out when "Ranchero John" came by our home with the veggies. Our 3 year old was so sad to have missed him that we went to the farm the next afternoon. We did not have to make any special arrangements -- we just showed up and were welcomed. Our son loves walking around the farm -- seeing where his food comes from, pulling up a carrot fresh from the dirt, nipping off an edible flower from the arugula, getting his boots really muddy . . . . The connection our son has with the farm and farmers is such a gift to us -- from his understanding of food and its source to his sheer joy in touching and tasting at the farm. Our 9 month old daughter is just beginning to enjoy the weekly visits as well. We open up the cooler for her on the porch, she peers inside at all the veggies, and dives in. To feel that it is safe (and healthy, no less) for her to chew whatever she wishes to pick out, is such a joy for us (yes -- we watch for choking hazards). When there are flowers in the haul, we are not worried about the children touching the flowers (let alone taking a bite) for fear of pesticides that then go in their mouths when their hands inevitably enter their mouths. It's all available to them -- that's a wonderful, safe, feeling to give them. I highly recommend this CSA - it's the next best thing to your own (organic) family farm - without having to worry about Mother Nature.

After leaving Ojai, I could only think of regret. I had just eaten some very excellent strawberries…read morefrom the Sunday farmer's market and I only bought a basket. On my way out of town I saw this roadside fruit stand and hoping for lightning to strike twice I decided to pull over. I saw they had a larger variety of fruits but saw they had strawberries, not wanting to have another case of regret I bought a full flat of strawberries and headed out. They weren't the exact same but still very tasty and for the amount of fresh, strawberries-no bad ones too no less! It was just right.

I bought overpriced, and it turns out moldy strawberries. I got them home to wash, and the bottom…read moreof one basket was moldy. The rest were so mushy I had to freeze them.

Probably one of the best farmers markets I've ever been to! The produce and flowers are absolutely…read moreincredible, and the location is perfect. It's exactly what a farmers market should be; quaint, charming, and full of fresh, yummy things. I absolutely loved it!

Typically, I go to the Ojai market on the weekends, but I was visiting Ojai on the weekday and…read morenotice that they have a small market. They called this the community market. The market is open on Thursday from 3-7pm. Unlike the weekend market the number of vendors is very limited. The limited vendors could also been due to the heat the day we visited. I did spot a yummy bagel vendor-called buckaroo. Their bagels were really yummy made out of sourdough. The farmer's market is right off the main street...so very convenient when visiting. The farmer's market is in the park and there is parking lot right next to the market. A nice, relaxing vibe to go with the family- often there is music at the market.

Ojai Roots is a lovely place off the beaten path. The back garden area is so quaint and the perfect…read morecozy place to relax with a glass of wine. Inside you'll find a small market with food, drinks and goods for sale. On the day of our visit they had a BBQ truck pop up, but otherwise you can find items like prepackaged sandwiches to enjoy. We grabbed a couple of glasses of crisp, chilled white wines and relaxed in the shade of the patio. The good vibes and tasty wines made this one of our favorite stops of the day.

This seems to be a family owned quaint and cute shop with a friendly staff. So many cute things to…read morebuy! There is outside seating a very small amount of bar seating inside. They have some tastings and it was interesting that 2/3 cabs were from Santa Barbara but one was from New York. They have ready to made sandwiches and salads in their fridge with fresh juices. We got some salami and a beet hummus. Apparently the beets are from their store's backyard? They grow their own vegetables which is cool. They have plenty of outside seating with shade and a fan. A nice location for relax and snack.

I visited Rainbow Bridge Natural Foods in Ojai and while the food was great, the service was very…read moredisappointing. Three employees saw us at the register and ignored us. I had to call one over, and she asked me to walk to her instead of coming to the cashier. I ordered a hamburger with just cheese and a juice (which I repeated twice). The juice never came, and the burger arrived with lettuce and tomato. The attitude from the staff was not friendly, and even others in line noticed. Great food, but service is part of the experience. I hope they improve their customer service.

Rainbow Bridge is a healthy, hippie market in Ojai with all sorts of treats and eats. I've come…read morehere so many times, and sometimes honestly it's been a real "miss", usually with untrained or unfriendly employees. One time, my husband and I got the ready made "minestrone", which was a bowl of broken, soggy pasta noodles and broth. Ummmm, that's not minestrone... it's compost. Worst experience was when an employee shamed me for returning an (unused, unopened) item with the receipt. Like, what possibly could have been her problem other than she didn't want to be bothered by me to do her job? But, deep breath, other times it has been a "hit", and for those times I'm thankful. My most recent visit was the other day, with my daughter, as we were just in town for the day, and we wanted to pick up a few things to take with us on our roadtrip. We got a variety of things from organic fruit, to hummus and crackers, to vegan probiotic smoothies, and of course some yummy dark chocolates. The planets were aligned for us on this visit, and we were glad.

This is our little local Westridge right down the street. They have done a great job organizing the…read morestore layout. I love the flow and they really maximize the space they have to fit all the classic westridge goodies in here. The hot food bar is just as pristine as the bigger store and the produce is quality too.

This small market had everything a person would need so I can walk from the house and pick up…read moreberries and a coffee and not have to get in my car to go to the larger market in town. Gotta love not having to DRIVE! I love the little fresh coffee and pastry and muffin bar just to the left when you walk in. A small coffee is only $2.29 with creamers and honey included and it's good! There's an amazing deli and I've got to try the hot food bar with tacos and burritos and bowls and the deli sandwiches which are all under $12. Prices are cheaper at VONS but you get quality here and it's super convenient and small and cozy. Employees are happy and helpful and the place is spotless and welcoming. Well done!!

This was probably one of my favorite experiences as a result of walking into a random store. I…read morewasn't sure what to expect when I walked in but I was immediately greeted by Carolina who welcomed me to try anything in the store. I knew Ojai was famous for its olive oils, but Carolina especially embodies mastery and craftsmanship as reflected in her offerings of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. As I was the only patron in her shop at the time, I was privileged with her showing me various unique combinations of balsamic and olive oil. She certainly lives up to the Italian stereotype of having good taste. She suggested against me buying food for my mother for Mother's Day, but she understood when I insisted that my mom is a foodie (where I get it from). Carolina herself is classy and refined, yet still so open and welcoming, all of which also is reflected in her store. It is thus no surprise that her shop has been around for over a decade. I hope her shop is there when I am 100! If there was ever a place to stop in Ojai, I would recommend this place. A truly unique experience, unparalleled. I am bringing my mom and all my other loved ones here.

It's a cute little store. It was quiet since we were the only ones there. They have samples in a…read moreglass covered sampler. We were also told that we could sample anything even if it was closed, which was great. We were focused on the balsamic vinegar. We tried the Blackberry Reserved Balsamic, and it was amazing. I didn't ask, but they have like a salad recipe that it would be paired with or possibly sell salad there as well. So glad we decided to stop by. The lady who helped us was kind and friendly. Overall, we will be returning since the service and tasting was a pleasant experience.

The Farmer and the Cook -- Fresh Finds Off the Main Road…read more I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect walking in for the first time, but The Farmer and the Cook won me over pretty quickly. It's bright, clean, and has this easy organic warmth to it... the kind of place that feels like it was put together by people who actually care. Right off the main road, easy to find, and the family vibes are real. It's the kind of spot you want to linger in. If you're navigating dietary restrictions, this place is a quiet goldmine. Strong gluten free options, a genuinely vegan friendly menu, and plenty of vegetarian choices too... so everyone at the table actually gets to eat something they're excited about. That's rarer than it should be. The food? Solid. I went with the raw tacos, sopes, and huarache; all filling, all fairly priced for the area. The raw tacos especially surprised me... fresh, flavorful, and not in a "I wish this was a real taco" kind of way. These hold their own. Service was quick and most of the staff had a warm, genuine energy about them. The one small snag; the cashier seemed to be having a rough one. A little gruff, made me feel like my first visit was mildly inconvenient for them. It happens, we all have bad days, but first impressions do stick a little. Overall though, I'm absolutely coming back. There's more on that menu calling my name and an atmosphere that makes it easy to slow down for a bit. Whether you're vegan, gluten free, or just looking for something fresh and honest... this one's worth the stop.

A really difficult review to write. On the one hand, decent food, and decent environment…read more On the other hand, very dramatic and poorly managed "community" space. I was poisoned there with food that I am allergic to by a spiteful employee. Management not only never apologized, they never did anything. The results were lab tested. I went over and above to give them a chance to be civil and professional, and they came up a complete blank. So sad