(Shopped 12/28/21 TU @ 12:15pm): There was a delightful groove in my heart as I walked into this…read morelibation market!
On Day 9 of my vacation as I visited a very dear friend for the Christmas and New Year holidays, we ventured out into Hoboken for some exploration which eventually landed me at Delite Market in the city's downtown area. At a friend's recommendation, we decided to have lunch nearby at Bareburger, but apparently they didn't serve alcohol although they referred customers to this bottle shop. Was it worth the quick walk to the corner for something to drink with my meal!?
PURCHASE
Bridge Lane Wine White Merlot 12.7floz Can ($7.99): With no local craft beer available, I then looked for a red wine from the area that I normally couldn't find back in Los Angeles (no such lucky either), so this offering and another from Mattituck, New York were the only options that fit that criteria. A ring-pull tab opening, pinkish color, light citrus lemongrass aroma, low body, light lemongrass peach flavor, clean drying finish, minimal citrus aftertaste, and low astringency - refreshing but definitely not on a cold day and didn't pair well with my bison burger.
Bridge Lane Wine Sauvignon Blanc 12.7floz Can ($7.99): As with the wine above, this offering was another from Mattituck, New York that sort of fit my criteria of trying drinks from this region of the country... which I eventually paired with leftover Indian food for dinner. A ring-pull tab opening, translucent yellow color, light citrus aroma, low body, light citrus earthy flavor, crisp finish, minimal citrus aftertaste, and low astringency - not as sweet as expected, definitely not for a cold day, and didn't pair well with my Indian food. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=qCPzjA7z9h6iWXdT8jSU_g&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw
SERVICE
A lone gentleman stood behind the counter as I entered without a greeting. I easily walked the refrigerated section in search of a chilled local beer in a single bottle/can to no avail, but then found some canned wines (ugh) that sort of fit my criteria. I brought them up to the counter, easily paid, and headed back to the restaurant. Not much service provided although I really didn't need any - easy-peasy.
PARKING (Varied; N/A in this instance)
We walked, so parking wasn't an issue. I didn't notice any private lots; however, there appeared to be plenty of metered spots along the main drag of Washington St. and all surrounding streets - 'nuff said.
ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE
A small store fully stocked with liquor, mixers, and wines on a few aisle shelves and along one wall while there was a refrigerated section mainly with beer along the right and back wall, and a pay counter towards the front door. Everything was visibly labeled and carried a decent assortment of products. Decent natural lighting came through the large front windows and door while electric recessed ceiling lights filled in the rest. There were no TVs nor any background music.
ATTIRE
Temperatures were in the 40s, so I was bundled-up from head-to-toe. Otherwise, this place was totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
OVERALL
Delite Market was somewhat but not fully helpful in my quest. I was glad to have found something local albeit wine in a can which just never sat well with my traditional views of how to consume wine. They had a well-stocked refrigerated section but mainly full wine bottles, multipack beers and sodas, and single bottles/cans of your standard beers. Their prices seemed comparable and inventory generally good (extremely limited on craft beers) although I couldn't speak on anything else regarding their liquor or wine inventory, but the service was very hands-off and not inviting. However, I'm sure they served their neighborhood well. And, it was always a pleasure to support small local mom & pop businesses like this one. I found fairly good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $17.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 3.5 STARS