5 star rating for what this business is and not for the sad news of their permanent closing as of December 16. See the following for excerpt from owner's posting on December 3. This is also sad news for local small organic farmers and regional artisan makers who sold their products via Roots. "Friends, Roots Zero Waste Market is Permanently closing on Dec 16, 2025. It has been an absolute honor to serve you these past 6 years. What many have perceived to be just a grocery market or cafe, has been in fact, a revolutionary experiment of how fix a broken food system, heal our earth, strengthen our regional economy, and provide space for individual and communal growth. Roots remains (until we lock the doors) the Only Full Service Zero Waste Grocery Store in the U.S. Offering organic, regionally sourced, plastic-free everyday staples, to combat the wasteful, sad, and detrimental Conventional Grocery Store Experience. Developing new operating principals, waste management standards and an unwavering commitment to community service - Roots has provided a vital example of what the future of our food system can evolve into. When we opened our doors in 2019..." read more

Love this place so much and I'm so grateful it's in our community here in Boise/Garden City area. Wish there were more like it!! I really appreciate what they're doing for the planet and their place is nice and calm, great for working remotely with a latte. read more

Roots Zero Waste Market - Grocery Near Me - Garden City, Idaho

See all

Roots is such a cool market! the food is delicious, the green juice is to die for, and they really care about our planet and making it better for EVERYONE! read more

Nice idea and great bread. However, as one of my friends called it, this is a store for "rich hippies." Two sandwiches and a small side of beet salad came to $40. The beet salad was just cubed beets tossed in oil, with two dime-sized things that I hope were nuts. It was my fourth visit. I've never felt welcome. And the owner seems to look down her nose at customers--I'd thought it was because I was wearing a mask, but apparently not. I wish I could help them improve the customer experience. **The little apothecary is not included in this review. Their staff is lovely and welcoming. The Green Goddess sandwiches are very good. Note: you will be charged for the box they put your sandwich in. "Next time, bring Tupperware," I was advised. read more

Roots Zero Waste Market - $13.80 turkey sandwich. - Grocery Near Me - Garden City, Idaho

See all

Fantastic local resource for those looking to live kindly. Awesome vegan deli options. Great vibes

i was really disappointed in my experience yesterday; i'd gone in for bulk wheat berries and was so excited to visit this store for the first time. i walked in, (it was empty, btw) and the women greeted me with a snarky attitude. she commented that she cannot fill my container with wheatberries because "we're not costco!" when i asked about ordering from her in bulk, she continued to be condescending. i am a very friendly person, and i continued to try to warm her up to me, but she seemed really hell bent on making me feel stupid. i will not be going back there for anything. what a shame a resource like this isn't eager to gain new customers. read more

The parking lot makes this spot look abandoned/closed, so I was happy to find I was able to pop in quickly before improv rehearsal at Recycled Minds. I just wanted a snack, so I went inside to see what sort of fruits or small bites I could grab. I walked in and was lost right away. I didn't see instructions on how to serve yourself granola or anything that comes in their jars. I am all for sustainability but it's sadly not common practice, so I could've used some help. I am generally socially anxious so I will only ask for help if I'm completely desperate. I walked around the small store probably five times just trying to figure out what to get. I grabbed an apple and then went for some granola that I scooped into a small waxy paper bag. I didn't see a scoop on top of the specific jar I wanted, so I used the one on the jar next to it. I looked around after to see what I was supposed to do with the scoop but didn't figure it out and just put it back on top of the previous jar it was on. When I checked out, the cashier told me I was supposed to put the scoop in a sanitization area. I had no idea and mentioned it was my first time. She mentioned some other things to me and told me how people bring in their own containers and what the protocol is for that. Ultimately it felt like the spiel I should've received upon walking into the store. It wasn't busy. There was only one other person at that time. I felt like I was being scolded, so despite the granola being very tasty, I can't say I'll go back. read more

Inside out: this place is easy to get in and out of with ample parking. The building is cute on the outside though older, inside is modern, beautiful, well organized, clean, and has a space for about anything and more you could think of. It's not just a grocery place. They have an adorable little café with delicious goods made from their own produce. They have a vast selection of spices and soaps and reusable sustainable goods. If you have a glass jars and don't know what to do with them this place will up cycle them and you can bring them to put your goods in. Just remember to weigh the jar before you add what you are buying so they can calculate at the register. They have a classroom and classes available to learn about sustainable living and other things. Service: there is not a single bad thing I can say about the service. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and willing to help. The food: They have an amazing selection of things to eat and delicious homemade soda. They have free Wi-Fi and ample seating. I would love to come down here and get a glass of soda read a book browse the Internet or work on any of the more stressful things in life in a relaxed environment. I went with a friend for a meet up and it was a lovely place to have a conversation with great music and relaxing atmosphere. This place is small local and unique I highly recommend it to anyone. read more

See all

Wanted to love this place, but just didn't meet expectations. I knew it would be pricy but holy smokes was it. I came in here seeking shampoo, conditioner and body wash as I recently got reusable shower containers and want to limit plastic bottle waste, thought I'd buy in bulk here. I decided to fill my shampoo 3/4 full and conditioner 1/2 full as I wanted to test it out for a few weeks and it was $27....the deli sandwiches start at like $12. I would come back here for specific things like bee pollen , but otherwise I just didn't find much I would buy at this time. Will try again. read more

Roots Zero Waste Market - Bee Pollen - Grocery Near Me - Garden City, Idaho

I'm very very impressed with the freshness of all of the items, not just the produce & can't get over how well priced them produce is. I left work a full bag of produce the other day for $15, all local & organic... if that were anywhere else it would have been $45 if not more! I saw one of the reviews previous to this one say something about how the store is only for "rich hippies" & I could not disagree more.... Maybe if you're ordering from the café where the food is prepared for you & every single ingredient from that sandwich you're eating is Organic/non-GMO. I guarantee if this person actually bought groceries from Roots to make that sandwich themselves they would have been pleasantly surprised by the price & would have been able to make many more than one. So in conclusion when reviewing a grocery store that has a café in it maybe base the review on the groceries, not the price of the organic, local non-GMO food that is being prepared for you. Love Roots. Big fan, I get everything in bulk here & have truly cut my grocery bill in half read more

Roots Zero Waste Market in Garden city is the first and only full service organic zero waste grocery store and Café in the US. This neighborhood store offers "healthy bulk foods, fruits and vegetables, refillable household cleaning and personal care products, as well as a full-service deli that includes freshly prepared meals." Roots is a beautifully designed store with lots of great products but my favorite thing about this business is it's wonderful produce. Produce is delivered fresh from the farm to their market three times a week to ensure freshness. Roots utilizes 180 regional organic growers and 20 local farms. Inside Roots is a business called Vervain, which is a plant based apothecary. Location: 3308 W. Chinden Blvd. Hours: Monday to Saturday: 9 AM to 7 PM Sunday: 9 AM to 5 PM Highly Recommended!!! read more

See all

I have never been in a grocery/deli/wonderful gathering place like this before now. Lea and her staff do an amazing job of sourcing and creating clean sustainable delicious products. Plus, now there's a darling consignment store inside too. I'm grateful to join Lea in her mission to save this beautiful planet...thank you! read more

Had good help figuring it all out for the first time and enjoyed a frittata with some really good salsa

We love to support local places. Especially those that have organic, natural, and local delicious foods. However every time we or our friends go in, with kids, it feels as if we are a burden or annoying. The food is good, but I wouldn't recommend going there with kids of any age. They just do not want you in there with the youngins. read more

Time to update my review. Went to grab a couple Of things this morning.. walked in like always was welcomed by a worker who said hello.. proceeded into the store and was very rudely approached by the owner asking where my mask was. I have shopped here many times within the last few months being helped by both owners, and have never had an issue with the mask situation in Boise. On top of being pregnant, he continued to be rude and clearly could care less about his customers. I will no longer support this business and the way I was treated was beyond disrespectful and rude. Shame on you for forgetting how to be a human and to treat people with kindness. You can choose to run your business in whatever way you see fit, but you can do it with dignity and respect. read more

That chickpea salad-- chef's kiss! Over two visits, we had the tempeh Reuben, vegan Shepard's pie, squash enchilada, and an apricot and almond scone, all of which were delicious! An all around great place to eat vegan. read more

Health Food Store + CAFE + Apothecary!!! #Amazing Must see if you are in Boise ID! You would think this would be in San Francisco or Brooklyn NYC! Very cool sustainably friendly grocery store with glass donated jars to use for free to buy items. Everything was very clean and there is hand sanitizer throughout the store - they also sell the sanitizer in bulk. Outside eating area, perfect for covid. Paradise for those who love recycling, vegetarian and vegans, earth, environmentally friendly. read more

See all

What a wonderful discovery for tea and absolutely beautiful produce! There is also a drink and deli area that serves delicious food and drinks! There's a great area you can sit and work with tea or coffee and the zero waste is right up my alley! I highly recommend a visit for bulk items, tea, produce, etc read more

Root Zero Waste Market Because, ya know, climate change is a thing. This eco conscious market and cafe is fantastic. It has tools to help anyone interested in living a more zero waste lifestyle. Do it for the planet I'm loving their products. Laundry detergent that can be placed in a reusable container (or a paper bag), non plastic packaged beauty/bath products, bamboo toothbrushes, reusable bags, and baby products. These products will help keep some non recycleable plastics out of the landfill. Note: When you buy something, first weigh the jar/container before filling it so you're not paying for the containers weight. The employees are very helpful and will answer any questions that you may have. The cafe The cafe is lovely. There are a lot of vegan/vegatarian options as well as food for carnivores. There are pastries and some are gluten free. There are cloth napkins and glass jars for water. If you're looking to reduce your waste or just want a vegan lunch, you're going to love Roots Zero Waste Market. read more

I love a lot about this place. The concept is delightful and important. The groceries fresh and the products high quality. The atmosphere is bright and clean. I have one small complaint. It's pricy. But i expected that. I have one huge complaint. They microwaved my food! What is the point of healthy, high vibe, vegan, organic food when you're just going to put it in the microwave? I was totally shocked to know my vegan mac'n'cheese was radiated. Do the research. I won't be ordering hot food again. Serious glitch in an otherwise lovely system. read more

This place is SO COOL. I'm not from Boise, and I'm so jealous that Boise has this gem. There is like every product you can think of, unpackaged, so you can reduce tons of plastic waste. I loved being able to buy tofu and just put it in my own Tupperware. They also have lovely seating areas in the back and outside to enjoy a coffee or latte. Wish I could shop this store every week! read more

I'm absolutely in love with this exceptional place! The concept is simple, the execution superb! With fresh veg in a perfect amount so as to reduce food waste, and ready made foods from leftover produce, this place has it right! I think the most valuable part of the store is the spices and dry goods as well as the bulk laundry and personal care section. With the ability to use jars and containers from everyday items due to self weigh scales, reusing is truly embraced and incentivized. If you're looking for a way to be more sustainable, this is an easy start, not to mention their friendliness and community focus! A must visit! read more

The turkey gumbo, frittata, and apricot scone were all delicious. The concept is unique and much needed and the customer service was excellent. Boise and every other city needs businesses like this! read more

Mask Nazis. You have lost all my business. I will buy from other zero waist store and businesses that don't tell me to get out of the store or even provide me with one to wear. read more

Roots is my favorite place in town to grab a quick, delicious and healthy lunch. The soup, muffins, salads and sandwiches never disappoint. The team at Roots is kind and helpful, and if you're new to zero waste they will walk you through the steps to introduce you without making it intimidating. Their produce (quality and diversity) is the best I've found in Boise. I can't recommend them enough! read more

This place is way nicer on the inside than it appears on the outside. While Roots may not be a one stop shop store to get all you need, they have loads of great fresh produce and bulk items. The store is very clean, well styled and pleasant to shop in. All staff are super helpful. I'm super thankful they exist. They're trying to build a new model and I'm happy to support it. I've been refilling all my dish soap and hand soap and happy to be reducing my plastic consumption. read more

A hidden gem! Great food and nice seating inside for dining in. The staff were super friendly and helpful too.

I love to visit Roots Market. Their food is so tasty and with the big open space it is easy to stay far enough away from other shoppers. It is my go to for a quick lunch and always pick up muffins for breakfast the following day. Best Gluten Free options in town. read more

I wanted to check this place out after seeing it on Yelp & honestly was expecting it to be a bit eye-roll worthy. I was actually pleasantly surprised to find some really cool products and environmentally-friendly alternatives for most everyday household products! They have everything from food, to laundry detergent, to personal grooming products, and all sorts of cool reusable containers. The employees are very friendly & extremely knowledgeable about all fo the products. One of the employees graciously showed us around the store & explained, in great detail, what products were, how to use them, and why the traditional product is not-so-great for the environment. This store is a cool concept for Boise & pretty eye-opening once you see how you *could* be living a far more sustainable lifestyle. I'd recommend anyone to check this out if you're hoping to transition to a more sustainable lifestyle, or even if you're just curious what a more sustainable lifestyle would be like. They also offer classes throughout the month about various sustainable living topics. I can't wait to stop back in to test some of the food from the cafe & try out some more sustainable beauty products! read more

See all

I love Garden City and this market is a good reason to visit this sweet, quirky little town. It is located in a unassuming, brick building that seems more like a business office, but once you get inside, it has been lovingly updated, it's light, spacious, & spotless. The first time I visited, they had just opened and were digging thier heals in. There was some product... but you tell that they were working on getting more and building the business. To this day, it is still a tiny, bit sparse, but, I imagine the reason is "NO WASTE!!!" right?? I didn't read much about this shop beforehand, and I drove by quite often to see the status of the opening and it took some time, but finally they did open and I know a lot of people were really curious about it and so was I. I didn't realize (and I'm sure others didn't realize this at first either, unless they read up on it beforehand) what exactly the"NO WASTE" bit meant. I am no stranger to recycling and being mindful of my own consumption and trying my best not to be wasteful. All in all, they ask that you bring your own bag to shop with and containers to put bulk items in. So after walking around, picking out some cool items, I realized there was no more room in my arms and hands and I couldn't get some other items I really wanted to try that day, simply because I didn't have a jar to put the bulk product in. So I felt like a total dweeb, and the owner (at least he seemed like the owner) came over to explain the deal to me, and he was nice, but I still felt like I was doing something wrong and getting a smack on the hand, having said that, the place has established it's "roots" and they encourage people to take and leave packaging so that one might have a bag or a container in the event they forgot theirs (like dweeby me did) or in the event they need an extra one, and they even have a convenience fee of .40 cents for the takeout containers in the "deli" section which is cool. On this last visit, I was impressed with the produce just as I was on my first visit. It's beautiful. It's fresh and local and responsibly grown. I like that. It was beautifly displayed as well. The variety of exotic mushrooms as awesome and the rest of the produce was wonderful as well. The price is reflected in that quality. On my visit this week, I enjoyed some lunch. I had the Ancient Grains mix, the balsamic, cold, beet salad, and the broccoli crunch. I just munched on that a bit and saved the rest for a snack later. It was nice and cold, crisp, flavorful, (could have used a smidge of salt on everything), and I also enjoyed the Greek Frittata which was very nice, pretty light, a little overcooked on the bottom, and could have used a bit more of the kalamata olives in it. The olives and the oregano is what put the Greek stamp on it and I think the amount of spice was fine, but I just LOVE Kalamata olives and that punch of bitter and acid in the middle of all of that egg is a nice touch! I also bought myself some cream which I plan to make butter with at home and I also purchased some freshly, squeezed juice. I bought the freshly pressed, green, raw juice and the freshly pressed raw pomegranate juice as well. Both were equally balanced, fresh and delicious. I drank them both at my desk when I returned to work (shame on me!) and it was worth the $3.99 per pint price tag. I plant to visit often. I think it's a wonderful concept, and it's teaching people to be more mindful of their waste, their diets and where their food comes from. I love that in the back they hang artists work too and support everything local all around. I also love that they have a small shop within their shop full of natural remedies, like tinctures and oils I think....I am not 100% certain because I ran out of time and couldn't look around more....and I don't remember the shops name, so I guess I am going to have to visit again! Darn! :-) Can't wait! read more

See all

No more going to Wholesfood, Trader Joes, or Boise Co-op. This place is a goldmine if you are looking for the freshest, local, and organic produce, homemade organic, cleaning products. And was surprised how affordable it was. read more

Love this place. Great selection of local, organic produce, dry goods, spices, cheese, etc. Also household items like cleaning and personal care supplies. read more

I've tried to support Roots. Local and sustainable is my jam. But I'm done. The food sounds great, but is actually just okay. And some items are legitimately poorly made. Despite that, I kept going back because I hope a place like Roots can make it here. But recently I had a particularly negative and strange customer service experience that made me decide that I probably need to spend money elsewhere. The fact that this experience was with the owner herself (and not just a regular employee) was the deciding factor for me. I've since learned that she has a bit of a reputation for poor treatment of her employees and her customers. Boise is small, friends. Treat your people and your customers well, regardless of your personal mood for the day. Word gets around. read more

The cafe is remarkably diverse for the size of the kitchen. Wow, and delicious. Gluten free, vegan and regular....all tastes met. By a good cook. Got the chicken enchilada and some kale salad. Such a treat. And good coffee... Thanks, Roots. read more

BEST 'chicken pot pie' I've ever eaten! Flaky, crunchy crust, perfect seasoning. Delicious

We love this place! It has knowledgeable caring owners and staff. They make Zero waste dream a functional reality.

Roots Zero Waste Market has a great little cafe with vegan and gluten free options. You can eat there or take it to go. They have fresh produce, dried goods, dairy products, and essential oils as well as many other goods. Definitely a great place for those look for organic, environmentally friendly, and sustainable food options! Check them out! read more

Love this place! They have a gorgeous selection of organic produce and a beautiful selection of mushrooms. I use quite a few of their cleaning supplies and products. They have a great cafe with vegan food that is on point. The apothecary is so much fun to look around for fun stuff to try and crazy awesome herbal remedies, if you can find a few minutes. The people who work there are knowledgeable and a joy to talk to. My only complaint is that there aren't more of these stores across the valley! read more

Our first experience was great! The owner, Zach, showed my daughter and me around the store explaining where everything was located. We returned a week later only to find that many items were outdated (and moldy) or not restocked. The young man at the deli was completely uninterested in his job (I had 3 encounters with this young man). We brought numerous jars to share and were told "we are overloaded with jars"; however there were many shelves lacking in jars to use? The food at the deli was overpriced and bland, eg, the salsa and frittatas. While I commend the idea of zero waste, this market is just not "on point" as they do not monitor what is on their shelves. I would recommend buying from farmers markets or shopping online for zero waste items. The customer service is definitely lacking:( read more

I have a picky child, and he wanted to try the mushroom quiche and vegan mashed potatoes from the cafe. He loved them! He also had fresh orange juice. I had vegan cashew Mac and cheez and coffee. Everything was great, helpful staff. Will return!! read more