Good markets & stands to buy fruit & vegetables in New York City?

[stutzbearcat]

Hi All,
I just moved to NY and was wondering if anyone had recommendations for places to get reasonably priced (or better yet, just cheap!) fruits and vegetables that are of decent quality.

Thanks!

[pianoman11686]

Union Square Greenmarket. Open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8AM to 6PM. West side of Union Square.

[Schadenfrau]

Which part of the city?

[User Name]

Park Ave and 14th, like about 6 or so blocks Southwest of Bellvue Hospital Center.

[milleniumcab]

I'll often use sidewalk fruit vendors. They always have good selection of fruit and vegetables. You can find them everywhere but the selection is better and the prices are much cheaper in the residential neighborhoods....

[Schadenfrau]

Park Ave and W14th, Southwest of Bellvue Hospital Center.

Huh? Park Avenue is on the east side, and beyond that, Bellevue is in the high 20s, on First Avenue. Are you sure you've got the correct information?

[User Name]

Huh? Park Avenue is on the east side, and beyond that, Bellevue is in the high 20s, on First Avenue. Are you sure you've got the correct information?

I never said how far SW of it he had to go to get there. Just giving a general idea of its location.

[Schadenfrau]

I hear that a place called Florida has some pretty fresh oranges. It's just south of New York, as well.

[Front_Porch]

Stiles on 52nd Street between 8th and 9th is an indoor market that often has less-than-gorgeous, but still very yummy, produce at great prices.

If you are willing to spend a little more on beauty, I would recommend Manhattan Fruit Exchange at the Chelsea Market, which is between Ninth and Tenth avenues around 20th Street.

Of the big stores, you're going to find the best prices at Fairway (on Broadway in the 70s) and Fairway Uptown (in Harlem on the West Side, around 125th).

Also, I second millennium cab's recommendation of the sidewalk vendors. They often have high-quality fruit.

ali r.
{downtown broker}

[Schadenfrau]

I never said how far SW of it he had to go to get there. Just giving a general idea of its location.

Well, now you've edited your post to say that the stand is six blocks south of Bellevue, which is possibly even less accurate than your initial post.

I'm still waiting to find out which neighborhoods the initial poster is looking in, because there are quite a few options.

[lofter1]

The stand on the SE corner of Broadway / Houston has good fresh fruits & veggies for OK prices.

On the SE corner of Grand / Crosby a store / stand there has more exotic fruits (along with what you'll find other places) and the prices are excellent -- far below what you'll find 3 blocks away at Gourmet Garage. For example cherries at GG are $5.99 / lb; at the stand they are $2 / lb (and while the cherries aat GG are "prettier" I find the ones from Grand Street to be much tastier).

[Punzie]

. . . (and while the cherries aat GG are "prettier" I find the ones from Grand Street to be much tastier).
^^So true...

My area (Queens/Nassau city line) has a myriad of entrepreneurs who have opened fruit stands at almost every major intersection. There are also supermarkets everywhere selling fruit. I find that the attractiveness of the fruit in all those places is not a good indicator of how good it tastes.

Thus, 'Rapunzel's Rule For Fruit-Pickers':

Don't judge fruit by how 'pretty' it looks, as much as by your own knowledge of fruit, as well as your past experiences with specific fruit vendors. (Goes for other things in life, too, but that's for another topic.;))

[Punzie]

Park Ave and W14th...
I was thrown off by this for a minute- then I realized that you actually meant East 14th Street, no? (West 14th St. is west of 5th.) In other words, you were giving street directions to Union Square, ie. Pianoman's recommendation:
Union Square Greenmarket. Open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8AM to 6PM. West side of Union Square.
My guess is that you gave street directions because you thought that Schadenfrau -- who posted right before you and wrote, "Which part of the city?" -- didn't know where the Union Square market is.

It happens that Schade is an expert on getting around Manhattan and directing people to most places there. I guess that you (UName) have figured out by now that Schade was actually asking 'Stutzbearcat' where s/he is specifically looking for produce.

Speaking of which, a message to Stutzbearcat: if you are viewing this post as a guest, please logon and let us know in which neighborhood you're looking to buy fruit and vegetables. We want to provide you with good, specific information that applies to your situation.

[stutzbearcat]

Hi all, thanks for the responses and apologies for the late reply, I have dubious internet access. I'm in the Bed-Stuy area of Brooklyn although I don't mind travelling for groceries. Thanks again!