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