The 2017 New York Food Scene

The Essence of New York’s Food Scene

The Empire State is known for its amalgamation of authentic cuisine from far-away countries and inventive dining experiences. Here are our top choices for foodservice operators defining the spaces in QSR, upscale vegan, farm-to-table, and so much more.

Au Bon Pain

Address: 60 Broad St, New York, NY 10004
Phone Number: (617) 423-2100
Website: aubonpain.com
Hours Of Operation: Varies by café
Type Of Cuisine: Café bakery offering baked goods, sandwiches, salads, soups and more

All Photos Courtesy of Au Bon Pain

At each of its 39 locations throughout the five boroughs – just as at its more than 300 units across the world – fresh produce plays an integral role at Au Bon Pain fast-casual café bakeries.

“Produce is a vital component of our concept, as Au Bon Pain is committed to fresh, handmade foods in all our cafés,” explains spokeswoman Brittany Rugg. “We always include fresh produce elements in our seasonal menus, as well as a mainstay in our ongoing offering. From whole avocados hand sliced for our sandwiches to ensuring our popular salads and Bon To Go Boxes have the freshest ingredients, produce is essential.”

As Rugg points out, “There has long been thinking that a meal is based around the ‘center of the plate,’ which typically involved meat and protein.” Consumer interest, however, is driving more demand for vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based options. “We believe the average consumer is interested and savvy about produce, and it’s become quite the norm for it to be more prominent.”

The chain works with a variety of local suppliers who work hard to get great produce year-round. Some of the larger key suppliers include Sid Wainer & Son, New Bedford, MA; J. Kings, Holtsville, NY; Hearn Kirkwood, Hanover, MD; and Midwest Foods, Chicago.

Diners love the freshness — not just of the bread, but the produce, as well. The chain’s popular specialty salads include:

Chicken Cobb Avocado — chicken, Romaine and field greens, fresh avocado, hardwood-smoked bacon, Gorgonzola, egg, tomatoes, cucumbers and avocado Greek yogurt dressing

Vegetarian Deluxe — Romaine and field greens, roasted peppers, Kalamata olives, Feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, chickpeas, red onions and balsamic vinaigrette

Chicken Caesar Asiago — chicken, Romaine, house-made croutons, asiago cheese and Caesar dressing

For seasonal and limited-time offer items, Au Bon Pain has created menu items featuring different takes on produce. For example, the cafés featured a sweet potato mash for a sandwich last winter, “and of course we embrace pumpkins for the fall season for great baked pastries like our Pumpkin Pie Bon Tart,” says Rugg.

Each year, Au Bon Pain debuts a new holiday menu that prominently features fresh produce. Among its more popular holiday items have been:

The Chicken & The Artichoke — pulled chicken, artichoke tapenade, roasted red peppers, Fontina cheese and baby spinach tossed in a lemon shallot vinaigrette on a rustic baguette

The Countryside Herb Omelet — omelet with parsley, chives and tarragon, Fontina cheese, black forest ham and arugula tossed in a lemon Dijon vinaigrette.

Badshah

Address: 60 Broad St, New York, NY 10004
Phone Number: (646) 649-2407
Website: badshahny.com
Hours Of Operation: 5 pm – 10:30 pm
Type Of Cuisine: Modern Indian

All Photos Courtesy of Badshah

Badshah, located at 788 Ninth Ave. between 52nd and 53rd streets – in the heart of New York’s famed Hell’s Kitchen — is the latest venture from Abishek Sharma, formerly of acclaimed West Village restaurant Surya and the Upper West Side’s Swagat, and former Babu Ji Executive Chef Charles Mani.

Named after the Hindi term for “King of the Village,” Badshah features inventive dishes inspired by Indian street food and signature classics updated in creative ways with spices and flavors from across Asia.

The Badshah kitchen is led by Mani, who before launching and rising to acclaim at Babu Ji, served as Chef de Partie and culinary trainer at the Sheraton Hotel in Chennai in southern India, and as a chef on the Norwegian Cruise Line. His philosophy of “tempering,” or layering and enhancing of spices and flavors, is used throughout his “street to the plate” menu, divided into Appetizers from the Roadside, Tandoor, and From the Pots, and also includes a Chef’s Tasting Menu of four different appetizers and five varied selections of curries, served with bread, rice and sauces.

Produce serves to highlight the nuanced and energetic taste combinations throughout the menu. Experienced chefs familiar with Indian cuisine know it makes good use of a wide variety of produce items. Many Indian dishes feature legumes and other vegetables, including peas, eggplant, cauliflower, lentils, zucchini, carrots, chickpeas, green peas, and spinach. Okra is often used in dry curries, either whole or sliced.

At Badshah, the newly introduced brunch menu — available Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. — features creative dishes from Mani like Sloppy Lala’s, minced lamb cooked with onion, garlic, and gram masala with fried egg on a roll with masala fries; Southern Style Mussels in toasted Indian herbs and spiced broth with garlic naan; and Mom’s Egg Burji, scrambled eggs with cumin, onions, and green peppers served with tawa parantha.

Appetizers from the Roadside are Gol Goppa, a popular street snack of crisp semolina balls served with tangy, savory chutney, and creative Quinoa Tikki with quinoa, potatoes, and black-eyed peas, with chutney of pineapple, mango and ginger. Others include Southern Style Mussels in a spiced tamarind and tomato broth with coriander, cumin, and black pepper, and crispy, pan-fried Indo-Chinese Colonel Tso Cauliflower, coated in tomato-chili sauce and topped with sesame and onion seeds and sliced scallions.

Selections From the Pots are signature Butter Chicken in a makhani gravy with a touch of fenugreek, and creamy Cheese Kofta in a curry of cashew nut sauce with cardamom, fennel, and cumin, topped with edible orchid blossom and microgreens.

Other favorites are the Chargrilled Atlantic Salmon in a sweet coconut curry sauce of fresh coconut, curry leaves, mustard seed and dried red chili, topped with microgreens and edible flowers, also available as a vegan option with Roasted Butternut Squash.

Blossom Restaurant

Address: 187 9th Ave., New York, NY 10011
Phone Number: (212) 627-1144
Website: blossomnyc.com
Hours Of Operation: Varies
Type Of Cuisine: Upscale Vegan, Kosher

All Photos Courtesy of Blossom Restaurant

The Blossom restaurant group includes two upscale vegan locations that also are kosher. The flagship Blossom Restaurant opened in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood in 2005; an expansion opened Blossom on Columbus in 2014. Founded by Ronin Seri and Pamela Blackwell, the restaurants reflect both the pair’s care about animals and animal welfare and their pursuit of tasty health-conscious dining. Veganism was less popular at the time so Seri and Blackwell created an upscale menu that could be enjoyed by not only vegans and vegetarians but all diners.

Each location offers its own dining atmosphere. The intimate Chelsea restaurant is on the ground floor of a historic townhouse. Blossom on Columbus is open and airy; with more complete bar offerings.

“We source our fruits and vegetables from New York City-based distributors that work with local farms, with a focus on organic and natural produce,” says Alex Etling, a spokesperson for Blossom. “Currently, we work with about eight or so distributors. One of our proudest partnerships is with Ace Natural, which supplies some of our produce and many of our natural and organic specialty ingredients.” Blossom shops at the Union Square Greenmarket and farmers market on Columbus Avenue when looking for fresh produce in smaller amounts to test out new dishes.

Dishes both highlight vegetables and use them to mimic the flavor and/or texture of animal products. Trumpet mushroom “scallops” are served in a porcini mushroom reduction, alongside creamy polenta and sautéed spinach. The popular Caesar salad is topped with toasted capers and shiitake bacon. One section of the menu called “In Bloom,” offers a seasonal selection of vegetable dishes, recently a roasted grape tomato bruschetta, pesto pasta with morel mushrooms, a tempura-style stuffed poblano pepper, and cauliflower risotto. Pizza toppings range from traditional tomato sauce to wild mushroom with arugula, escarole, and avocado, to Brussels sprouts with zucchini, tomatoes, and hummus. Side dishes reflect an Italian influence – garlic spinach, sautéed kale, and sautéed broccoli rabe. The brunch menu is filled with vegan counterparts to such classic dishes as eggs Florentine and Benedict (with tofu in place of eggs), French toast, and a breakfast burrito.

The Butcher’s Daughter

Address: 19 Kenmare St., New York, NY 10012
Phone Number: (212) 219-3434
Website: thebutchersdaughter.com
Hours Of Operation: Mon-Sun: 8 am – 10 pm
Type Of Cuisine: Juice Bar, Healthy

All Photos Courtesy of The Butchers Daughter

The Butcher’s Daughter describes itself with the trendy term vegetable slaughterhouse. “We treat fruits and vegetables as a butcher would meat: We chop, fillet and carve fresh produce into healthy vegetarian dishes and press them into pretty juices,” touts the website. Combine that with a desire to serve the best avocado toast in the city and an emphasis on creating drinks for the fitness-focused, and it’s not hard to see why this is a hot spot for hipsters, Millennials, and other health-conscious groups.

The Butcher’s Daughter is the brainchild of Heather Tierney, a New York designer and restaurant owner with a passion for healthy foods. Her first juice bar and restaurant opened in December 2012. In less than five years she’s added an additional location in New York and a store in Los Angeles and is looking to aggressively grow.

David Ochoa Rodriguez, the company’s co-founder, says one of the things that sets The Butcher’s Daughter apart from other juice bars is its focus on products for people involved in training or cleansing programs. Their website outlines cleansing plans that achieve various goals and shares tips for making one successful.

Some of the company’s most popular juices are those designed to help refresh or reboot the body. The No. 13 contains kale, cucumber, green apple, fennel, thyme, pineapple and blue-green algae. Others are just intended to be energizing and taste good. The No. 2 is a mixture of carrot, tangerine and Valencia orange, and the No. 10 includes passion fruit, pineapple, orange, raspberries, yuzu, and lemon.

“The food is 100 percent vegetarian, and 90 percent of the products are homemade,” says Rodriguez. “We make our own almond and other nut milks, nut butters, bacon, burgers and more.” Most of the foods are also vegan and gluten-free, and the staff can adapt many dishes to meet other dietary concerns. Patrons can also pick up a cup of coffee or tea while they’re in the store.

“We offer an amazing experience when you go to the café,” says Rodriguez. Locations have upscale décor thanks to Tierney’s interior design company. Pleasing music is piped through the speakers, and the level of customer service is high.

The Butcher’s Daughter sources its produce from a handful of local distributors. Over the years it has developed strong relationships with companies such as Weiser Family Farms, Mike’s Organic Delivery, and County Line Market. While some of their produce is organic, the focus is more on supporting local farms, says Rodriguez.

Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are responsible for a large volume of the company’s promotions. They’re also frequently hired to hand out juices at corporate and charity events, which helps them spread their name.

These charity events and practices in the restaurant go a long way toward meeting the company’s corporate social responsibility goals. Most of the paper products at The Butcher’s Daughter are made with recycled material. Their largely animal-free menu helps people concerned about animal cruelty and the impacts of meat on climate change and other environmental problems. The fruit- and the vegetable-focused menu also can help people achieve better health.

“Making fresh vegetables and fruit part of your diet will reduce a lot of the sickness that’s in this world and make the world better,” says Rodriguez. “It’s not about the business only, it’s about making an impact.”

Hanoi House

Address: 119 St. Mark’s Place, New York, NY 10009
Phone Number: (212) 995-5010
Website: hanoihousenyc.com
Hours Of Operation: 5:30 pm – 10 pm
Type Of Cuisine: Vietnamese

All Photos Courtesy of Hanoi House

Sara Leveen and Ben Lowell have teamed up on Hanoi House, a cozy East Village spot serving modern comfort Vietnamese fare.

Open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, chef John Nguyen’s menu features flame-grilled meats, vegetable dishes inspired by the street food stalls of Hanoi, and a mix of small plates, soups, and stews.

Veteran restaurateurs know that the freshness of each ingredient is crucial in Vietnamese cuisine, which means taking great care in sourcing produce. Heading the shopping list are cilantro for salads, soups, spring rolls, and widely used as the finishing touch garnish; mint, many varieties of which grow in Vietnam; basil, which is poplar in pho and on herb plates; lemongrass, for both sweet and savory dishes; green onions and scallions; garlic chives, with flat leaves and a delicate onion and garlic flavor; Perilla leaf, whose flavoring combines licorice, mint, and lemon all in one leaf; and dill, which is used in a famous Vietnamese fish dish called Cha Ca; and ginger.

Unripe fruits are considered more like vegetables in Vietnam. A green papaya or banana flower, for example, becomes the base for salads in lieu of leafy greens. Usually a bit sour, the unripe fruit pairs nicely with fish sauce, chili, garlic, dried shrimp and finely chopped peanuts.

Appetizers range from Papaya & Crispy Pig Ear Salad (Goi Du Du), with green papaya, watercress, cucumber, peanuts, crispy shallots and sweet soy dressing to Roasted Beet Crepe (Banh Xeo Cu Den) with a crispy rice crepe, roasted beets, charred jalapeño & coconut puree, pink peppercorn nuoc cham and pickled vegetables.

Vegetable dishes include Morning Glory (Rau Muong) with brown butterfish sauce, garlic, capers, and Brussels sprouts (Bap Cai It Cay) featuring charred chili nuoc cham. Produce also figures prominently in meat and seafood entrees such as Turmeric & Dill Fish (Cha Ca) with oven-roasted hamachi collar, turmeric, dill, crushed peanuts, rice vermicelli, tamarind nuoc cham; and Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac) featuring pan-seared filet mignon, roasted bone marrow, watercress, heirloom cherry tomatoes and steamed rice.

The restaurant’s brunch menu is highlighted by savory soups such as Chicken Noodle (Pho Ga), with clear and aromatic broth, poached Bo Bo chicken, rice noodles, cilantro & scallion; Vegetable Pho (Pho Chay), with mushroom and seawood broth with classic pho spices, charred Brussels sprouts, roasted beets, morning glory, rice noodles; and the Grilled Pork Noodle Bowl (Bun Cha), featuring lemongrass marinated pork, pork meatballs, crab and pork spring roll, rice vermicelli, pickled vegetables, crushed peanuts and fish sauce broth.

The Hummus & Pita Co.

Locations:
Chelsea – 585 6th Ave., New York, NY 10011
Tribeca – 79 Chambers St., New York, NY 10007
8th Ave – 616 8th Ave., New York, NY 10018
Website: HummusandPitas.com
Hours Of Operation: Mon-Sat: 11 am – 10 pm, Sun: 11 am – 9 pm
Type Of Cuisine: Vietnamese

Produce plays a major role in the menu at The Hummus & Pita Co., a new fast-casual restaurant serving up 100 percent homemade, fresh and healthy cuisine in an inviting, contemporary environment. In fact, more than 75 percent of its menu is vegetarian.

“Since our menu is primarily Mediterranean, produce plays a predominant role in the cuisine we serve,” notes David Pesso, director of business development. “Not only is our food ridiculously crave-able, but it is also very healthy.”

The concept combines authentic flavors from across the Mediterranean with a modern-American service style, The Hummus & Pita Co. brings high-quality, flavor-focused eats to those with busy lifestyles. Executive chef Jose Tapia’s menu draws its inspiration from across the Mediterranean and beyond, with nods to Greece, Israel, Morocco and the Middle East. Fresh ingredients inspire daily specials, and everything served at The Hummus & Pita Co. is made from scratch on the premises.

Hummus & Pita typically doesn’t use exotic or unusual produce, but it does make great use of almost all the mainstays. “We receive our produce fresh daily,” says Pesso. “Our menu consists of more than 30 types of produce that we use in a variety of ways — from the fresh spinach in our Spinach Hummus to the fresh parsley and plum tomatoes that we use in our tabbouleh.”

The popular Vegetarian Platter includes various hummus options (sundried tomato, spinach, roasted pepper, jalapeño) and fillers like grilled vegetable, Israeli couscous, Mediterranean rice, brown rice, corn salad, Moroccan beans, baba ganoush, tabouleh, spanish eggplant, beet salad, chickpea salad, Israeli salad, stuffed grape leaves with vegetarian, fried eggplant, carrots (spicy) and coleslaw. Toppings include lettuce, tomato, hot peppers, pickles, cucumber, red onion, olives and red cabbage.

In addition, sides include Grilled Vegetable, Mediterranean Rice, Brown Rice, Moroccan Beans, Corn Salad, Baba Ganoush, Spanish Eggplant, Beet Salad, Fried Eggplant, Chickpea Salad, Israeli Salad, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Quinoa Salad, Carrots, Coleslaw and Grilled Onions.

The concept has a single small local supplier that it has been using since day one, called Pac American. Says Pesso, “They do a great job of searching the markets for us and sourcing the best quality produce out there every day.”

Pesso says most restaurants underestimate produce because they don’t truly comprehend that “produce done right is not only healthy but incredibly delicious.” On the other hand, he is finding that “more and more customers understand that and are now demanding it. In our restaurants, produce is always in the forefront and never second fiddle.”

Loring Place

Address: 21 West 8th St., New York, NY 10011
Phone Number: (212) 388-1831
Website: loringplacenyc.com
Hours Of Operation: Varies
Type Of Cuisine: Market-Driven Farm-to-Table

All Photos Courtesy of Loring Place

Loring Place by Chef Dan Kluger, located in the heart of Greenwich Village, NY, is named after the street that Chef Kluger’s father grew up on in the Bronx. The restaurant celebrates the energy and hospitality of New York City and shines a spotlight on the nearby Union Square Greenmarket, from which Kluger has sourced many of his ingredients during the past 20+ years. Kluger brings his impeccable culinary pedigree to this first solo venture. He began his career with Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, where he cooked at the Union Square Café. Kluger then moved to Meyer’s Indian restaurant Tabla, followed by the vegetable-centric ABC Kitchen and ABC Cocina.

Chef Dan Kluger

Small- and large-plate menu items – inspired by what’s available at the greenmarket – are meant to be shared. Kluger develops dishes that pair sweet and salty, sour and bitter, texture and color. Many are cooked over the kitchen’s wood-burning grill or in its wood-fired oven and are dressed in inventive ways. The restaurant’s butternut squash “fries” are roasted,

battered and then fried, reminiscent of Japanese tempura. Roasted Japanese eggplant receives a topping of fresh herbs, pickled onion, and carrot-hazelnut Romesco sauce. Charred leeks, paired with pears, are served with walnuts, yogurt, and vinaigrette.

Like the food, the cocktails feature greenmarket produce and local spirits. The Stable is a gin-based drink with matcha (finely powdered green tea), Fuji apple and lemon. The alcohol-free Jasmine features iced tea with Concord grapes and mint.

The availability of local ingredients drives Loring Place to change its menu seasonally and feature specials that reflect what’s in the Union Square Greenmarket that day. Distributors help fill in the gaps when popular items are not in season or unavailable locally.

Olmsted

Address: 659 Vanderbilt St., Brooklyn, NY 11238
Phone Number: (718) 552-2610
Website: Olmsteadnyc.com
Hours Of Operation: Mon-Sun 5:00 – 10:30 pm
Type Of Cuisine: American

All Photos by Evan Sung

Greg Baxtrom, chef/owner of Olmsted, is one of the growing numbers of chefs taking the farm-to-table concept even further by growing his own food at the restaurant. His 52-seat neighborhood eatery has a 2,000 square foot garden that produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including asparagus, sunchokes, tomatoes, berries, figs, and herbs. They also raise quail and crawfish.

Baxtrom spent time as the chef de cuisine at Dan Barber’s iconic Blue Hill restaurant. “Everything he does has such purpose,” he says. “It’s hard to ignore that and not have it permeate into my approach now.” The garden is his attempt to replicate Barber’s commitment to working with his own locally-grown food.

Since the garden is so small, very little of what’s served at the restaurant is grown onsite. They might garnish a dish with pickled radishes or nasturtiums grown onsite, or top a BLT with some lettuce or thin slices of tomatoes. “We sort of have to stretch the ingredients so they appear in as many dishes as possible,” says Baxtrom. All of the other produce on the menu is purchased at nearby farmers markets so the cooks can still use the freshest food available.

Guests can sit in the garden for dinner and drinks. They also can enjoy the greenery growing inside the restaurant. Along one 50-foot side of the restaurant is a living wall with nasturtiums, rosemary, thyme and several other plants. Baxtrom says they intended to install the wall as soon as they opened, but they feared it would look ragged as they trimmed the lemon balm for cocktails and peppers for dinners. They went with tropical and indoor plants instead but quickly reconsidered. After all, one of the principal goals of the establishment is to grow as much of their own food as possible.

Chef Greg Baxtrom

“Now, when a customer orders a mint tea, the server’s got to reach out their hand and grab some mint from the wall,” says Baxtrom.

In launching Olmsted in May 2016, he and the staff – most of whom have worked at fine-dining restaurants in the past – wanted to have a neighborhood-focused restaurant that provided good food without the attitude of most upscale businesses. “I just wanted it to be more accessible,” he says. “Fine dining is pivoting. Diners want less theatrics but the same quality of food. We try to be a little playful and silly with the food sometimes.”

The menu changes seasonally, but dishes on a recent menu include “noodles” cut from rutabaga and topped with truffles and brown butter, trout with creamed Brussels sprouts and shaved chestnuts, tamarind-lacquered lamb with raita and mustard greens, and frozen yogurt made with lavender and honey. Cocktails get similarly creative treatment. Baxtrom describes one mixed drink that includes the juice of charred lemons, scotch infused with the discarded rinds, iced tea, and fresh-picked lemon balm.

Oso Harlem

Address: 1618 Amsterdam Ave
at 140th St. New York, NY 10031
Phone Number: (646) 858-3139
Website: osoharlem.com
Hours Of Operation: Varies
Type Of Cuisine: Mexican

All Photos by Oso Harlem

Patrons who walk into Oso Harlem will feel like they are instantly transported to a Mexico City taco shack. The space is cozy, with a bar, open kitchen, and seating for 44 people. Its raw aesthetic includes street art on the walls, concrete floors, and seating that resembles park benches. The menu offers half a dozen classic tacos, along with small plates, salads, and a few entrées.

“Growing up in Los Angeles has a lot to do with my being close to good Mexican food,” says Matt Trebek, co-owner with Nodar Mosiashvili of Oso Harlem and the son of Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. “We opened Oso Harlem a few years ago, because there was not a lot of Mexican food on the west side of Harlem. It’s a great cuisine that can be casual or dressed up.”

The restaurant’s use of fresh produce evokes classic Mexican street food. “One of our most popular dishes, especially in the summer, is our salad made with watermelon, jicama, lime, and chili salt,” says Trebek. “We serve an avocado-tomatillo pico de gallo that also has jicama. Recently we added grilled nopales with grilled pineapple to the menu, and they are delicious.” Although the restaurant menu features traditional meat and poultry dishes such as tacos al pastor, tacos barbacoa, and chicken enchiladas, vegetarians and vegans can find meatless options. Drinks are made with fresh- squeezed juices and garnished with fresh herbs.

Oso Harlem sources primarily from Baldor and a second distributor, with its produce coming primarily from upstate New York, California, Mexico, and Chile. Local farmers markets are an occasional source of produce items.

Perelandra Natural Food Center

Address: 175 Remsen St., Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone Number: (718) 855-6068
Website: Perelandranatural.com
Hours Of Operation: Mon-Sun 8 am – 10 pm
Type Of Cuisine: Organic Produce

Photos by Kimberly Mufferi

Perelandra Natural Food Center was founded in 1976 by Steven Hoose, a self-described “child of the Sixties” who was drawn to the Buddhist concept of right livelihood, or working in a profession that does no harm and preferably does something good. He spent summers working at his father’s variety store, so he knew the retail business, and he settled on a natural food store as his way to make a positive difference in the world.

Forty-one years later, “we’ve really stayed true to his vision of offering the best quality food,” says Allison Buckingham, who has co-owned the store with Roland Auer since 2010. “That’s something that really sets us apart. As Whole Foods tries to garner more mainstream shoppers, we differentiate ourselves by really focusing on quality, local and organic foods.”

The 4,000 square foot Brooklyn store is Perelandra’s only location. Everything on its shelves, from the produce to the grocery items, are organic and contain no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colors or products not found in nature. Buckingham is a licensed nutritionist and evaluates everything that comes through the store’s doors, which is another thing that makes it unique.

The produce department contains fruits, vegetables and some tie-in products such as salad dressing and fermented vegetable products. “Probably 70 percent of the produce is local in the summer,” says Buckingham. That number is quite smaller in the winter, but the store is still able to source things such as greens and cruciferous vegetables from the Finger Lakes region. Because everything has to be organic, Perelandra is somewhat limited in the types of produce it can offer. But Buckingham says they do get some exotic items such as fresh turmeric, dragon fruit, and monstera deliciosa.

The produce manager does all of the purchasing and works with five or six different distributors to acquire their food. “We have unusually high standards for the products we sell,” Buckingham says. “What we sell is really, really fresh.” The store gets deliveries six days a week, and a dedicated staff member spends most of the day refreshing the products on the shelves.

All of the department’s signage is made in-house. “We have templates we use,” says Buckingham. “As we change prices, we print and laminate them ourselves.” There’s a large produce case that houses most items. Dry items, including apples, tropical fruit, tomatoes, and avocados have their own Euro tables and shelves.

Perelandra has always had a juice bar that utilized fresh produce from the department. There’s also a kitchen that pulls vegetables from the produce department for dishes prepared daily. These departments show off the best of what produce is offering at any given point in time. Otherwise, the store doesn’t do much to promote its food. Buckingham says they don’t really need to.

“It’s pretty unusual to have exclusively certified organic produce,” she points out, and that makes the store a destination for a growing number of consumers.

“People tell me regularly that they come in here because they trust what’s on our shelves,” she adds. “As corporations dominate our food supply more and more, it feels like a really important calling to be able to offer an alternative to the corporate food culture.”

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