Edgewater Produce has everything you need and nothing you don’t.
As someone with crippling decision anxiety, shopping at Jewel or Mariano’s is a harrowing experience. I will spend 20 minutes staring at a dairy case, agonizing over which of the store’s ten brands of milk to buy. Edgewater Produce (EP) on the other hand has only two brands of milk. It’s an ideal grocery shopping experience: easy and stress-free, with friendly staff.
Modern big-box grocery stores seem specifically designed to piss off anyone with even a modicum of spatial awareness, from the slightly undersized aisles to the bright halogen lights and the way you have to peer around every corner before turning to avoid being smacked.
But EP is the weighted blanket of grocery stores. The lighting is soft and warm. The produce is fresh and delicious. There is always good, laid-back, vibey music playing (the kind your cool aunt would put on).
Unbidden from the whims of Big Food marketers, EP can focus on quality over quantity. This means curating products from local businesses like Metropolis Coffee, Phoenix Bean, and La Baguette Bakery. I’ve always found EP’s prices to be reasonable and often substantially more affordable than the Jewel that sits across the street.
EP also features an assortment of Latin American, specifically Mexican, foodstuffs you can’t find at your typical Chicago grocery chain. If I’m making pozole, I’m guaranteed to find the hominy I need not far from the tomatillos and guajillo chiles. Tlayudas? EP has you covered with carne asada and Oaxacan cheese. They even have epazote for making tea and veladoras for your home. I always grab a few of the store’s individually wrapped obleas at the checkout.
At the deli counter, you can get hot chicharrones and a yummy selection of made-to-order sandwiches. Nearby you’ll find the store’s selection of premade goodies: spicy tofu, salsas, and their excellent housemade guacamole. In a city full of amazing independent grocery stores (and far too many big-box stores), EP stands above the rest. And crucially, it’s the most chill.
Edgewater Produce
5515 N. Clark, 773-275-3800
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