This market needs a major renovation. Small crowded aisles, and I find the customers to be surly and disgruntled.

The absolute best and high quality fresh produce market I know of. They sell to restaurants and have a long historic of being the go to place for great vegetables. Everything I've bought there as been the best of whatever it was like potatoes or butternut squash. read more

Fresh fruits and friendly staff! This is such a culinary delight for anyone visiting the Berkeley area. I was visiting family in Albany to co host a Hawaiian themed Baby Luau. I was able to get all the fruits we needed: pineapple from Hawaii, melons, citrus, and I even couldn't resist buying a few juicy peaches. Now living in Hawaii, I do miss certain fruits that California produces. From vine ripened tomatoes to delicious figs, if you love fruits and healthy food, this market is for you. read more

Wide assortment of good fresh produce. Takes some patience with parking, moving around in the store at busy times, but worth it and staff are all long term and knowledgeable. read more

I love fruit stands! This place has a great variety and decent prices. It can get crowded so best to go at an off peak hour.

This place is great! I come here to grab local, organic, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Many items are locally sourced so that means they're fresh and tasty. Some items maybe a little pricier than the normal supermarket, but the food is worth it! They even have samples of various fruits on the weekend. Fresh juices are also delicious! If you buy alcohol, check which checkout line you are in. Some lines don't allow the purchase of alcohol, and this is a strict rule (some customers have gotten mad). Parking can get crazy on the weekends. read more

I used to have my own strong opinions about Monterey Market and preferred Berkeley Bowl. The prices at Monterey were a little bit higher, the inside was a little cramped, and sometimes the customer attitude was very..."North Berkeley", shall I say. But I later realized that Monterey Market has the absolute freshest produce of any store around. The ingredients here tend to be much longer lasting and more flavorful than if I were to buy them elsewhere. Thus, it's become my first choice for if I need fresh fruits and vegetables. Packaged goods and items might still be better elsewhere in terms of selection and price, but they've also got a decent selection here for most staples as well. Best is probably their 'shroom section with plenty to choose from and paper bags to package them and keep them fresher for longer! read more

I love this store. I went here with my mom when I was a little girl and I have fond memories. The store is quite small, but their selection of produce is tops! I stay away from anything in a box, can, or bag. They don't have the largest selection of fresh fruits and veggies, but what they have is of fantastic quality. I remember telling my dad about this "discovery of mine." And he was the one who reminded me that I used to go there with my mom and sister as a little kid. He said, "You guys always complained that the floor was dirty." This was odd because I remember thinking that as I walked through with my husband. I thought that the floor was dirty and it could use a session with a broom. I suddenly understood why I saw people in other stores with brooms, who swept up messes while we were shopping. It prevents you from stepping on or slipping on a squished grape or plum. It's good to see that things haven't really changed. They have great produce of great quality at good prices. And while the floor was still dirty, that squished grape or plum wasn't going to end up in my cart. I just had to remember to look down and step over it. Easy peasy because I've been doing this for years. read more

Good produce but I think I will continue to stan Berkeley Bowl which also has good produce but also other products and is (marginally) less chaotic. The aisles here are narrower and they seem to restock during the really busy periods (sunday afternoon) which seems a little nuts? Like berkeley bowl, this is a great spot if you're looking for a specific mushroom or pepper. read more

We recently moved to Northbrae and it seemed necessary to check out Monterey Market. I went on a weekday the week of Christmas and the line to get in wrapped around the corner. When we were finally let in, I was underwhelmed. The market is much smaller than Berkeley Bowl, where we usually shop. As a result, the selection is more limited and the prices are higher. Also, the aisles are super narrow and not conducive at all to social distancing. We picked out the cheapest veggies they had (including items from the bargain rack) and left. I'd rather drive the extra distance and go to Berkeley Bowl. read more

FABULOUS open produce market in the heart of Berkeley. They have everything you could hope for, in at least 10 varieties. Foodies beware - you will go nuts. I walked along aisle after aisle, aghast. A lady stopped me and said, "first time?" Yes. And as a visitor, I could only buy a few things. But if I lived here, I would LIVE HERE. Next time I visit, I will stay ion an Air bnb so that I can shop here and cook. And never leave. Seriously, whether you are a resident, visitor, or passer-through - this market is worth a visit. In addition to the beautiful produce, they have gourmet food items galore, bulk items, wine and more. A must stop on any visit to this area. read more

My favorite produce market anywhere! The mushroom selection alone is worth a trip. I only wish they were located closer to home. Lucky you if you are nearby. Go!!! read more

STAY AWAY TILL AFTER CORONA! We got Corona Virus here. We had no other contact, none. We live alone in a cottage. It was our ONLY outing. The isles are ONLY 3 FEET WIDE. Other customers don't even try to socially distance. They rush you and lean past you. Every register is open, instead of every other register. The employees do not wear masks. No one was sterilizing check out isles. The fresh orange juice employee put the exposed orange crates on the filthy floor. The skins of those oranges touched the floor, then entered the juice machine. I called to let them know but they were not at all receptive. I usually love this place but WOW.... read more

Such a great spot for fresh vegetables, fruits, and options for other necessities. Feels independently owned and so farm to table fresh. I mean, very healthy options and staff are helpful to finding what I wanted. Some fruits and vegetables were more exotic and priced as such, but there were other options for cheaper that was more reasonably priced. I liked it. read more

Today I shopped at Monterey Market, which I rarely do. I have returned a few times over the past several years, but in general I prefer Berkeley Bowl West and am willing to drive the extra distance. It was convenient today, on my way home from Three Stone Hearth, and I was curious about whether they had cherries. I fouund parking in the lot and went in. The cherries were about $10/ pound, more than I wanted to spend. But they had several other items that interested me, so I bought strawberries, blackberries, pixies (which are now called mandarins rather than tangerines, but I think are the same thing) and several other items. I was surprised and saddened to see a sign at the checkout stand stating that a receipt should be shown when exiting the store to cut down on shoplifting. While I don't have an attachment to the store, I was sad to realize it was such a big problem for a family owned business. When I left, the man at the entrance/exit looked at my receipt, though he didn't look at my purchases as they do at Costco. If this is as big a problem at Berkeley Bowl they haven't made it public. read more

The quintessential East Bay grocery, well, fresh fruit and veg shopping Mecca. Never mind the Bowl, Monterey Market is where it is at. And if you miss the rugby scrum or mosh pits of your youth, just stop by a peak shopping hours for a elbow to elbow to neck crowding that will satisfy your need for social interaction at close quarters. But seriously- this is one of the best stores in the world. read more

Oh my goodness blessed to my socks with this walk-to market!! Last night I found barlotti and butter beans, the freshest greens and beans EVUH, red currants, unsweetened coconut chips (for my coconut custard pie), and pinoles that didnt make me dum poor after the purchase! Gotta love the store for the cheffies!!!! PS park near Ada. Madness in absentio there. read more

Monterey Market - Amazing, fresh flowers - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Berkeley, California

The variety and quality of the produce here was absolutely amazing. All the fruits and vegetables looked so good and so fresh. And the value was awesome. I have rarely seen strawberries for about $1 a basket. I had never seen so many different types of apples, or so many mushrooms even in one place. It was produce heaven, as someone said before. I was only in the area for two days, but I just had to buy some stuff to snack on. Bought 4 apples, 3 peaches and one basket. It was also so delicious that I scarfed it in the first day. The fruit was nice and sweet, at the perfect ripeness for eating. Man, why don't they have places like this in Hawaii? read more

Monterey Market - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Incredible selection at this market...all fresh with new stock beng added throughout the day. On-site parking is a real plus making the process very accessible. read more

Good selection of fruits and veggies. I come here for the locally grown vegetables. They last longer and tastes better.

Large selection of fresh produce! Unfortunately not everything is fresh. I got grapes full of mold! The rude cashier reminded me they were on sale and I got what I paid for.. Parking is a struggle. It's hard to get help in the store if you need to talk to someone. Cashier was aggressive and rude. Narrow and overcrowded aisles. Not the cleanest store.. I will not return read more

From reading these reviews, I thought this market had a bit of produce but was a general mismanaged hell hole. No! This place has every possible produce imaginable and many I had never seen before like unshelled cacao and French plums among others. It's crowded because it is amazing! From aisles upon aisles of fresh produce to the choice of fresh bread, it is a true culinary delight and should not be missed. Some of these reviewers are spoiled rotten from living in the Bay Area. I bought produce and bread that will last a single person a week or two and it cost me less than $30. They have a person who checks everyone's receipt upon exit. It is organized chaos. I loved this place. read more

Great provider of exotic fruits and other groceries the lines can be long and the aisles narrow but overall a nice gem of a grocery market tucked in the hills read more

Great market with fresh options. Easy shopping experience. Convenient parking lot. I like the open access.

If you go to Monterey Market, make sure to watch the checkers and carefully review your receipt at the end. I've been a longtime customer (over 30 years...) and today while I was bagging my groceries off to the side, the checker (Mei) blatantly cheated me. There were two consecutive entries for non-organic limes (not cheap at $.39 each), one with the quantity of 18, the second for the quantity of 12. I had FOUR limes in my cart. You don't accidentally mistake four limes for 30! I pointed out the error and she pretended it was a slip of the finger. No. TWO line items clearly for the wrong number was NOT an error. Outrageous!! That's an overcharge of over $10. Not cool at all. I don't see how she could have personally benefitted from this overcharge, so I wonder if it is the store policy of Monterey Market to slip in a few "errors" while the customers are distracted. Very very very disappointing. read more

This market is neatly organized. The kiwis from here tasted excellent.

This is a great place to get groceries! It's deceivingly small but actually jam-packed with so many treasures. I had a fun time looking at their selection of fruits and vegetables and trying the samples of different kinds of oranges. The mushroom section had a great variety and I was impressed with all the different types of mustards carried. The section dedicated to acme breads was a nice surprise and definitely one I would like to come back to. read more

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Hands down best place for produce in the Bay. I don't really know what else to say beyond that. They have everything I want, and so many items I just can't kind else where (ie. galangal and Thai basil). The neighborhood is awesome too. It has an old school feel, so you have to go to a separate business for each aspect of your groceries (butcher, deli, seafood market, bakery, produce market, etc.). read more

This is one of the bay areas really special places and I am so lucky to live nearby Amazing variety of food ,quite reasonable prices , always new and unique food and a very committed group of shoppers. Usually appropriately crowded. Unfortunately too much theft lead to everyone having their receipts checked when you leave- unfortunate because a store like this should not have to cope with that. But it's a good simple solution. Hunan scale store. Fantastic new options for cooking and eating- read more

One of my fave places to shop - on the planet!! (5/5 green stars) When I moved to the Bay Area I was lucky enough to stumble upon Monterey Market. It's really a wonderland of fruit and veggies for anyone who's not used to having such a wide selection. I usually encourage all new-comers to go there - and then pester them from time to time to ask if they've gone yet. Now I know that Berkeley Bowl is a larger store (and I love the Bowl too) but Monterey Market has such a great concentration of amazing produce that it seems to have a larger selection. And for some things, like mushrooms or pesticide-free oranges, does. Even for items that have fewer varieties available, they'll usually stock a local and organic option if possible. It has much less floor space devoted to freezers and packaged snacks compared to most other stores, and that encourages better shopping habits for me! Good bulk section too, that's often overlooked. Final thing - their prices are good (see pics for a few examples) and that's a good thing if you want to support sustainable farming but are on a budget. Doing away with the more expensive processed food, I can buy a huge bag of fruit and veggies to last almost 2 weeks for about $35. I'm giving them 5/5 "green stars" for social and environmental impact. I thought it would be as easy as pie to write a "green star" review of Monterey market - and in a way it still is - but I did come across some controversy in the past. Basically, Bill Fujimoto stepped down as the manager in 2009 amid some disagreements that were not revealed. There was some concern among locals over whether they would maintain their ethos. Having shopped there since 2001 my opinion as an outsider is that it's as good, if not better than ever. They still clearly favor local produce that's sustainably farmed (organic, pesticide-free, etc.) - much of which comes from local farms that are well-known for their sustainable practices. As mentioned above they don't stock a lot of frozen and processed food (that' a good thing!) and the staples that they do stock are from responsible companies. To take a few examples, coffee from Ritual, Bicycle and (my fave) Counter Culture, kitchen supplies from If You Care, bread from Acme, organic or grass-fed cheese, etc. I can't comment on wages paid to staff but many of them stick around for years and seem to be pretty happy these days; they run the store very efficiently and seem to have a good time in the process. If you're avoiding waste in your life, Monterey Market is a good place to come - aside from standard bulk items (flour, sugar, etc.) you can also stock up on things like good local dried beans and nuts in (or out of) their shells. If you really need a bag but want to avoid plastic, they have small paper bags beside the mushrooms - my favorite section :) Interested in writing green star reviews? If so, contact me or check out greenstarsproject. read more

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If you're looking for some of the freshest and most unique produce ever, then come to Monterey Market! I have watched this place evolve from when I was a little girl living nearby and they have survived and stay in business because they sell only the freshest items possible! You can likewise find quality organically here as well which you won't be sorry you bought! If you like mushrooms, they have an entire isle dedicated to various mushrooms not available at places like Safeway or Wholefoods! read more

More sane than Berkeley bowl. Mostly a locals market. But great varieties of produce, stuff makes you epicurious... Buddhas hands? Kumquat that looks like watermelons for Barbie. This is not a place for folks who get overwhelmed by choices. Ten kinds of apples 15 different mushrooms, squash, tomatoes, lettuce, fruit from other planets! Really helpful and friendly staff. Neighborly patrons some equally bewildered by the extra terrestrial veg choices others willing to lend a hand to a deer in headlights newbie. When asked a nice lady who saw my distress, where to find the ginger, I was asked, "what are you cooking?" I said I'm making TomYum soup. "Ah you may want to try galangal instead." Huh? So this lady left her cart and walked me over to where the galangal was along with the lemon grass I needed and without looking spun around and pulled a bag of Kaffer lime leaves of a rack. You will likely need these too. She patiently waited as I retrieved the recipe off my phone, smiled sweetly when my expression changed from lost to thank you. Meantime a guy who actually worked there and overheard the conversation brought me a small bag of shiitake mushrooms and handed me a clump of cilantro. He said nothing just smiled at me looked at the lady and nodded. She nodded back and poof they disappeared into the narrow busy isles of this food paradise. Parking can be a challenge... narrow isles and eclectic not modern decor . This place is about priding fresh and great food. Not about a shopping experience will food samples all over with plastic bag in hair wearing food promoters armed with Dixie cups and tooth picks ready to ply you with free samples, there is no room for that. I love it! read more

Monterey Market - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Monterey Market is tops. Before we get into that, just note that parking is terrible. You will likely have to wait to get a spot in the lot and possibly circle around a few times. Best bet is to park on the street if you can. OK, just accept that. It just is. Produce here is just perfect, man. Fresh, gorgeous, seasonal, abundant, priced appropriately. They are great on MOST other items, too - dairy, coffee, etc. They don't have a ton of meat or fish, but whatever. The store is a nice size so you can get in and out pretty quickly. Lines can be long but they move fast and the folks who work there get you through it just fine. Anyway, it's my favorite shop - can't recommended it enough. Enjoy. read more

Always plenty of organic produce and great selection of everything. Helpful people and fun to shop there.

One of my favorite places to shop for groceries. Great quality, great selection. No complaints!

Best fruit/veg selection in town!! Or possibly anywhere in the world, my goodness!! Everything you could ever imagine. Both organic and not, all fantastic quality & taste & price. read more

Our go to place for some specialty items, they have a good selection of herbs and cheese, we love their local selection of italian cookies. Mostly we started coming here to get white truffles when in season rather than traveling all the way to the Ferry Building :) read more

There's a lot of selections of fresh fruit and vegetables. Many of them are exotic where you can only find in specialty market, but they have most of them such as rambutan, yuzu, lotus root, and porcini mushrooms. It is a gourmet heaven! Their freshly squeezed orange juice is so sweet. Only con would be a bit crowded and because it is a open produce market it smells a little bit. read more

One of my favorite markets ever! Best and beautiful fruits from everywhere!! Hard to find items can be found here. They carry Rancho Gordo beans, which make me very happy. Checkers are efficient-not terribly friendly but hard because of covid barriers. Good selection of pasta as well. read more

Great produce and available most days. Farmers market quality at a lower price point They also participate in Chinook with coupons for additional savings Also have fruits and vegetables from areas not so close to Bay Area that are hard to find locally Great selection of organic items. Also spices, herbs and condiments and dairy products and some frozen items read more