• Added: 3rd of November 2007
• Area: Hackney
• Category: Food and Drink

London E2 8DP
020 7729 6855

DJONES said
The Grocery
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.