The Grocery

gingerbeardman

To eat, not shop 8th December 2008

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Just to be clear, I'm reviewing the eatery that is located in the back of this place. Not the shop that makes up the bigger part of the address.

The food is simply sublime, always good quality organic, tasty, varied recipes. Always cooked well. A real hidden gem.

LOVEANDKATE

UBER BREAKFASTS IN THE CAFE 31st August 2008

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I've never actually shopped for produce here but i do like the cafe at the back of the shop.

the menu is basic but you can feel the love. Its set out like you'd want a kitchen of your own to be, big wooden tables, papers and dim lighting.

One of the reasons this place gets mega brownie points is that they have a self service jug of tap water near the paper rack. [WHY do other places not follow suit. I'm always thirsty when i enter a place and the waitress never brings water over fast enough and always tries to get you to buy bottled!!!]

The breakfast here is amazing, everything is grilled including the thick doorstep toast. and poached eggs were cooked perfectly.

teas, coffes and cakes are also ace.

had a bit of attitude with the uber wanna be stereotypically shoreditch student waitress but hey, what did i expect in that neighbourhood??

I definitely go in everytime i pass and try to combine being hungry so I can indulge.

lovely girl behind till in the shop also will let you use the toilet without buying anything- BONUS!!!

neilgrayshon

Ethical? Really? 7th March 2008

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Alongside the hand harvested workers co-operative fava beans and the love spun biodegradable shopping bags, which are probably sourced from the recycled yarn of tibetian monks winter jackets lies a dirtier secret; coca cola, bacardi rum and fairy liquid don't score so highly on my ethical barometer and you might ask the same question. What are these things doing here?
A good run of earth friendly stuff is at odds with these inclusions and the dubious selection of ancient veg doesn't help to enamour one to the place.
But it is around the corner and it is trying its best.

DJONES

The Grocery 3rd November 2007

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Having just moved to Shoreditch I was thrilled to find my local supermarket was an independent organic shop. It has only been open about a year, but is in an amazing Georgian building which backs into the arches. I met the owner, a country boy from Norfolk, very down to earth. He told me they had taken a long time renovating the property to bring it back to its contempory features. Apparently it hadn't been touched for around 100 years.

The space is beautiful and filled to the brim with thousands of products ranging from extensive cheeses, some from Neal’s yard, to fresh organic produce; it also boasts a very good wine and spirits section.

The prices are very reasonable, far cheaper than other organic stores such as fresh and wild and planet organic. They have also just put a free cash machine in the front of the building.

The stores emphasis is on health and community. They believe that the two are closely linked and that large supermarkets like Tesco's are destroying this, promoting unhealthy dietary habits and destroying the infrastructure of local communities by undercutting local shops forcing them to close.

They have also included a cafe in the store which produces quite possibly some of the best food in London. They use organic and fair trade produce, and they now have many loyal local regulars. The food is fresh and interesting, with a clear Mediterranean influence. The menu changes daily and best of all they do what can only be described as the best English breakfast I have had the pleasure to dine on in many years.