As my local (and sadly one of very few in the East End) fresh fruit and vegetable shop Ahmed's is…read moremy favourite. Always greeted with a smile and 'Hello' and his wife always compliments me on my dresses/hair ~ so nice! Certainly service with a smile. I usually pop in for the more 'exotic' vegetables/spices/herbs (no, not those type of 'exotic herbs', tut-tut!) and the odd packet of noodles or chilli sauce. I love their more exotic and Asian variety of produce as let's face it, you can pretty much get apples/potatoes/etc.. anywhere but West Indian Hot Sauce or some quality spices are a wee bit harder to track down. The only reason it's not 5 stars is because sometimes their produce isn't the freshest I've seen; it's edible but if like me you don't eat a dinosaur (herbivore of course) load of fruit/veggies a day then it'd not last long in your hoose before you have to toss it. I'm all for supporting the small shop/business owners over the mega giants (Te*co to name but one) so shopping in these smaller, local and (most usually) friendlier shops is always good for the soul and your local area.

Ahmeds is exactly why we should support the local shop owner, here you get service from a kindly…read moreman who is keyed up on his shops produce. Its convenient to buy everything all in one at the supermarket, but Ahemd's brings back that feeling of community and the shop owner asking you how your dog is as you go in. The feeling is mutual and this is all about building relationships and taking things back to basics. Ahmed's is a bit different and I like to save the pounds so I am keen to go to avoid the corporate empire that is the supermarket to go to this pleasant shop. You get my vote!

Bananas please, lots of bananas…read more That was my request a week or so back when I was kitting up for a smoothie and bananas are a must for any good smoothie in my book. Was pleased with this place, a good tidy layout with lots of stock including fruit you wouldn't get in supermarkets and at roughly the same prices. Nice and fresh for the most part, I picked up a few things I didn't even the know the name of (too embarassed to ask) and got down with the smoothie making business! A great wee shop that will see me return if I am ever in the viscinity.

The Fruit and Veg Company were open before I got into work this morning. So this fruit shop was…read moreopen AT HALF EIGHT ON A SATURDAY MORNING. Crazy guys, but I like it! There's a lack of fruiters selling natural looking crops these days. I have watched some scary supermarket documentaries in my time and don't want to tell you that our unnatural quest for finding perfect looking fruit is actually doing our bodies a whole lot of harm, not to mention the amount of wastage supermarkets create in search of their perfectly formed plums. But I'm not talking for Greenpeace, I'm reviewing, so I guess what I'm trying to convey is how important independent fruit shops are to the community. The offerings in here look so much more natural, while also being impeccably clean. The watermelons look mouthwateringly juicy, and the fruit and veg in general is varied and colourful. Everything in here looks filled with nutrients and vitamins! All fruit, veg and scales are within plucking distance which is great for shorties like me who absolutely hate having to crane, swipe and tiptoe to retrieve anything! And this seems to happen to me often in fruitshops, bizarrely. This one, I am happy to report, has everything in working order and on my eye level. It's very easy to navigate. All in all, a good fruit shop which is open unfathomably early in the morning. Hell, now I have no more excuses not to get my five a day since it's enroute to work!

Not so much a fruit and veg emporium, but certainly a handy little shop for the area…read more The selection is not massive but it does stock all the basics at reasonable prices, and you're guaranteed good, efficient, personal service that you're unlikely to receive at a supermarket. JB's is the sort of local business that definitely deserves support.

One of the things I enjoy about living so close to Rutherglen's Main Street is that it is very much…read morea traditional shopping street; you can go to the butcher's for your meat, a fishmonger's for your fish, a baker's (OK, Gregg's but you can get rolls and cakes at Coull's!) and you can go to J&B's for your fresh fruit and veg! Everything here is pretty cheap compared to the local supermarkets, and even if it isn't always much cheaper, the produce is certainly of a good and consistent quality. Sometimes their peppers are a bit dodgy, but on the whole everything is pretty decent from here. The staff are also really friendly and willing to listen to their customers. A while ago I asked if they stocked sweet potatoes, which they replied: "We used to, but there wasn't much market for them, but if you want some we can order them in!" And they did :) So don't be put off it you can't find more exotic fruit and veg, if you're simply looking for some good potatoes or fresh apples and strawberries, it's definitely worth going to J&B's if you live nearby.

I'm terrible at fruit. If I was a superhero, then fruit and the dreaded 'five-a-day' would be my…read morekryptonite. But... what's that I see in a cosy wee shop just aff the main throng of Buchanan Street? Is it a bus? Is it a train? Is it a plane? No. No it's not. It's a shop. It's shop that takes fruit, chucks it into a blender with yogurt and other stuff and creates awesomness that may just save me and my plight to chalk off the FAD (five a day). I popped in the other day after supping down a coffee that roasted my eyeballs and sent me mind whirling into a fun filled frenzy of caffine fuelled insanity... nice coffee! My brain said liquids were required, my instant thought (soooo Scottish) fizzy juice, the little Canadian voice in the back of my head verbally slapped me and frog marched me into this place. The following is a shortened and bizarre take on my experience within the shop and with the product: (inside ma head): Fruit, bloody fruit, it's not fizzy, it's good for you... what's the point? (outside my head): I'll have the Pow Pow please! (inside ma head): Pow Pow... Pow Pow.... Pow Pow.... this better be nice. Kindly lady hands over said Pow Pow. I taste.... the world become full of flavour and my body full of nutrients. I have a new love. Her name is Pow Pow. She comes in small or medium sizes. Feel free to see her behind my back. Away!

This is a smashing wee juice and smoothie bar that's just opened up on Gordon Street. It also does…read morean excellent selection of healthy sandwiches, salads and snacks such as seeds and nuts, soup, and plenty of fruit. But really I'm there for the juice. The real juice fans amongst us are always in pursuit of 'green juice', which can be hard to find in your run of the mill juice bars which tend to be mostly fruit-focussed, but this place has plenty of green. For example, the 'Superfagilistic Green Juice' - avocado, apple, celery, spinach, lime, parsley and ginger. Now, that is a GREEEEN juice right there! They also have beetroot juice, which is really unusual for a juice place - it's called 'Beet it' and is made of beetroot, apple and ginger. So far, I've had the 'Skin Doctor' which was delicious - carrot, orange and paprika. I'd never have thought of putting paprika into a juice, so that's given me some good ideas. And I've also tried the 'Brazilian Beauty' - orange, pineapple and fresh mint - again, really delicious. They seem to be using fresh fruit rather than frozen as some juice bars are in the habit of doing, so it's much more nutrient packed, and also far tastier I think. They are also using minimal ice, so you're avoiding getting that watered down elelement that's becoming really common too. To make it even more of an awesome place, they have a 'make your own' option, so you can go as green or as fruity as you like. Overall, a fantastic wee place, I hope it does really well. Next time I'm passing, I'm going to be brave and go for the 'Detox Shot' - ginger, acai, green chilli, kelp powder, orange zest and spirulina.That's what I'm talking about baby!

I often find myself popping into this greengrocers on my way home along Byres Road. It's right at…read morethe bottom of the road, near the Partick Cross Junction, which means that it's very convenient for me. Demarco's has a large range of fruit and vegetables, as you would expect, and is pretty cheap too. It's not the most exciting of shops, but it does sell some extra foodstuffs - although probably not reliable enough stock to do a proper shop there. Strangely, there never seems to be anyone serving in Demarco's. Instead I usually end up hovering near the cash desk awkwardly with my selection of fruit and veg, waiting for someone to appear. Just at the point when you're wondering whether you should pop a pound down on the counter and leave, someone generally appears to take some money off you. The most exciting thing about Demarco's is the leopard print lining on the baskets that they use to keep fruit in. It gets me every time.

Have I told you how much I love greengrocers? They make me healthy and full of life, and make me…read moreforget that I usually can't really be bothered eating a lot of fruit. Citrus Green is no exception. Their rows of fruit spill out onto pavement tables. I like this too, I think it makes me feel that the shop is bountiful (I said it). The bright colours always manage to entice me in. There are some not bad deals, but it isn't the cheapest greengorcer I've been in. As well as the fruit and veg, there is also a little chiller with milk, yoghurt etc. The guys in the shop are only too happy to help, and found some corn on the cob for me when I had a case of moronicity and couldn't find it.

Allison Street is the home of the vegetable shop: there are so many to choose from. Citrus Green is…read moreone of the best: many of the others are, frankly, a bit grubby, and this one manages to have a good stock without having a smell of rotting fruit. Since they serve the Asian community, there are plenty of rare items hidden above the onions, and the ubiquitous plain yogurt is in the cold cabinet. People do drive here from all over Glasgow- expect to see Mercedes incongruously parked outside. This is the greengrocers of my choice, even now I have moved away from the immediate area.

Solly's or "A taste of Africa" to some is a grocer's and halal butchers on great western road. The…read moreshop strives on its african and carribean food sales, alot of the food i couldnt tell you what it is but if you are looking for something native to Africa and its not in the supermarket theresa good chance you can get it here. They do good jarred spicy sauces and they have good ingredients for a fry up but the shop seems a little random. They sell glass bottles of coke and diet coke that have been shipped from Africa for 99p a go. Apparently coca-cola tastes different in different countries? Decide for yourself.

Solly's specialise in imported African produce, and stock everything from exotic fruit to South…read moreAfrican washing up powder! As Adam suggests it survives on its Caribbean food sales, and for people originating from Africa I can imagine it's a Godsend since much of its stock is seldom seen in supermarkets here. It is particularly resourceful for fresh veg including yams, eggplants, long beans and okra. I went in here looking for star fruit, been desperate to try it for ages. Although it's apparently not the season for the unusual fruit delicacy, the gentleman behind the counter was very amiable and eager to help. He was a fountain of knowledge and if you fancy cooking something a bit different one night, Sollys would be a good shout as they offer some ingrediants unconventional in widespread Western culture. But as I said, it's also good for people who have moved here and crave something local from time to time.

If you're a fan of Roots and Fruits, as most west-enders are, then definately try Andersons…read more It has the homey farmers' market feel to it that Roots and Fruits used to have. Ultra cheap, and excellent produce, you won't be disappointed. The staff are always friendly and helpful, and in fact, I've only ever seen the one guy working there, and let me tell you, he knows just about everyone in the neighbourhood! It's the independant 'Mom and Pop' business that is championed in a market economy; the 'little guy' we've been trying to protect from the big bad chain stores. They own a little flower shop next door, so while you're out buying the produce for the gourmet meal you're making your significant other for your anniversary, pick up some fresh cut flowers as well! They will not allow you to buy anything which is un-ripe or unhealthy. And with service like this, you'll never want to get your veg from Tescos ever again.

Anderson's on Queen Margaret Drive has been supplying my flatmates and I with organic fruit and…read morevegetables since we mvoed into the area. For competitive prices that you can only really beat at superstores like tesco you get top-quality pleasant service and top-quality fruit and veg, along with the feel-good factor of knowing you helped a small local business. I've yet to come across anything that has tasted slightly off, or even gone off before use, from Anderson's and I will still be shopping here for my fruit and veg even if Tesco's were to open right next door to my flat - it would be well worth the short walk.