I love grocery stores and markets. Not only because I love food, but because they're one of the most important elements of a city – they add street-level vibrancy and they reflect the culture and demography of the neighbourhoods they serve. I want this thread to be a discussion of everything grocery-related in Canadian cities, whether it's news about a new store, talking about the dynamics of food in urban environments, or just sharing some cool places to buy groceries.
Part of what got me thinking about this was my upcoming move to a new neighbourhood in Montreal. I currently live in Mile End, which has a great selection of small and medium-sized supermarkets, butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers, etc. But I'm soon moving to La Petite Patrie, which is even better in terms of food shopping. Here's a selection of what's available within a 10-minute walk of my new apartment.
I'll start with the big one: the Jean-Talon Market. It's the largest public market in Montreal, a bit touristy but still a fantastic place to buy groceries. The market itself is ringed by other food stores including several butchers, fruit shops, cheese shops, etc. Pretty much a mecca for food. And it's a six minute walk from my new place!
Next up: Milano. This is an Italian supermarket that draws people from across the city.
Sabor Latino bills itself as the largest Latin American supermarket in Canada, and I believe it, because it's fairly sizeable and Montreal has the biggest Latino population in the country. They have a good butcher counter, house-made Mexican chorizo and other types of meat, a huge selection of tortillas, and you can always find fresh chiles, tomatillos and other essentials for Latino cooking.
Best of all: this is just one of three full-service Latino supermarkets in my new neighbourhood.
IGA is one of two chain supermarkets in the area (the other being Metro). IGA is a somewhat upscale brand in Quebec and it's a good place to go for craft beer and specialty products, but for everyday fresh food it's a little expensive. This is a good example of the kind of medium-sized supermarket that is common in Montreal.
One of the things I'm most excited about is the strip of Thai and Vietnamese grocery stores right around the corner from my new place. The biggest is Marché Oriental which is a small but full-service Chinese-Vietnamese supermarket with a bakery, butcher counter and lots of fresh produce. There are also some smaller markets such as Thai Hour across the street. If you look closely there's a West African grocery store next to Marché Oriental.
Conserva is an example of a new-wave grocery store that is definitely upscale but does everything well. They have some fresh produce sourced from local farms, as well as a butcher counter and a bakery section, but the real draw is their prepared and frozen food, all of which is made in house.
Finally, the place at the corner is a fruiterie, a greengrocer that sells lots of fresh produce along with a limited supply of dry goods. It's something Montreal does really well – maybe better than any other Canadian city. Every neighbourhood has several places like this and they're usually a better bet than a supermarket for getting fruit and veg.
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