Food Resources
In a supermarket, no one knows your name. Not so super. The “know your food, know your farmer” mantra is lovely, but I’d like to suggest it is a two-way street. It’s not just that you should know the name of the person feeding you, but he or she should know your name too.
So besides a farmer’s market, where can you shop for healthful, local foods in Chicago that is warm and personal…where they will soon know your name? Here are places I go. They are owned by actual people. These owners are present in the shops, working hard to ring you up, stock shelves, keep in touch with you on facebook and hand-cut a piece of meat for you. They absolutely deserve your business!
The Butcher & Larder owned by Rob Levitt — 1026 N. Milwaukee
custom butchered meats from healthful, sustainable farms; homemade sausages and pates; two lunch sandwiches every day; encouraging suggestions for how to cook the lesser-known cuts so the whole animal is honored and used
Green Grocer Chicago owned by Cassie Green and Gary Stephens — 1402 W. Grand
neighborhood grocery store that carries lots of local produce, packaged goods, cheeses, meats, beer, wine and liquor; also offers their own CSA
Provenance Food & Wine owned by Tracy Kellner — 2528 N. California | 2312 W. Leland
neighborhood grocery offering local packaged goods, cheeses, meats, wine, liquor and some beer; very knowledgable about wine offerings