I stopped by Market Bar and tried the Lavender Matcha for $10, and it was absolutely delicious!…read more The matcha was smooth, refreshing, and had a wonderful lavender flavor that made it feel extra special. The manager I believed welcomed me BACK. I said "Oh thank you", but in my head I was thinking this was my first time back in months, lol. I must have a twin, lol. Ok, back to the review. The staff was very friendly and attentive, which made the experience even better. There's also plenty of seating in a quaint, charming little market setting, making it a great spot to sit, relax, and enjoy your drink. Definitely a hidden gem--I'll be back to try more flavors! 5 stars!

We were having fun. We forgot we were in Houston. It seemed like we were in a tropical country…read morefar away. For a few minutes, I thought I was on vacation. Lots of fun, until we saw some idiot's dog licking grapes. The people working that market really didn't seem to care. Gross. Watch out for pick pockets.

I can't get enough of sprouts. It's always such a laid back shopping experience. We're huge fans of…read morethe ready to eat food options, so far everything we've had has been shockingly tasty. You really can't go wrong with the variety.

Great variety of groceries and awesome staff. Mygelle and Madison were very attentiveread more

I enjoyed stopping by and walking through all the stalls on a Saturday last month! A friend and I…read morewanted to see what all the buzz was at the parking lot after driving by. It was not a particularly busy day for the farmers market but we had a nice time strolling along and seeing the variety of produce, handmade pasta, baked goods, and other items for sale! We stopped by one booth for a sample which had packaged Indian curries that can be easily boiled as a meal for one. At $10 we found them rather steep, but quite tasty! There was also a dumpling booth that seemed quite popular. This is a nice farmers market perfect for a relaxed stroll on a Saturday! Very family-friendly and a nice mix of local Houston finds.

One of Houston's best farmers markets! Urban Harvest runs every Saturday from 8am-12pm in a parking…read morelot near St. Luke's United Methodist church and Randall field. There's tons of free parking just around the corner in the large onsite parking garage. The market itself is well attended by farmers, bakers, butchers, artisans, plant enthusiasts, and the community. I've been to this market several times now and am constantly impressed with the wide variety of options. Some local favorites include the fresh farmer's produce, sourdough bread vendors, fresh flower vendors, vegan options (shout out to Prophecy Foods with amazing vegan cheeses), and the ready to eat bites like Dumpling Haus. All of the vendors take credit cards which is convenient in case you forgot to bring cash. There's often live music and a few small tables to sit and sample your bounty and just enjoy the fresh air. While you are not going to find the cheapest bargain here, it feels good to help support small businesses, take part in a community activity, and score some healthy foods for you and your family. Definitely worth a visit!

It's a good feeling to support farmers; most of the fruits and vegetables are organic. I would…read morerecommend becoming a member and then you get a discount. I would not go there expecting to save money.

Alternative grocery stores and I have a complicated relationship. They often want me to believe…read morethat wilted vegetables with trust-issues are "more wholesome" than crisp, vibrant ones. So I arrived here armed with skepticism... and low expectations. But: surprise! Inside, the groceries look like they've actually slept well. Excellent cheeses, proud-looking meats and fish, frozen and fresh goods that feel properly curated -- a genuinely high-quality selection of vittles (yes, that's the word). There's also a second room full of charming nonprofit knick-knacks and refill stations for fancy soaps and detergents -- the kind that make you feel morally superior just by smelling them. Why not five stars? Personal chemistry. Something about the vibe still whispers, "We recycle more earnestly than you do." And maybe they're right -- but I don't need my groceries judging me. Still: great products, thoughtful assortment, friendly humans. A solid four stars -- even from someone who rarely bonds with co-ops.

While spending the afternoon at the Houston Indoor Flea Market we wanted a snack while we shopped,…read moreso we decided to stop in at Fruteria Tropical. The line at this kiosk was long and we quickly found out why that was the case. The fruit here was incredibly fresh and the staff here filled our bowls with a ton of fruit. The cost for our fruit was fairly inexpensive and we enjoyed our midday snack before stuffing our faces at one of the tacquerias on the grounds.

Great Asian market off I10 and Campbell. Super friendly and well organized…read more Was looking for some specially veggies cannot find in traditional markets and was happy to find here.

I like coming to this 99 Ranch location because it's conveniently surrounded by so many other…read morestores. It's close to Costco and H-Mart, and near H-Mart you'll also find Paris Baguette and Tous Les Jours. There's an 85°C nearby as well and with Costco right next door, you could easily spend half a day hopping between all these places. On weekends, traffic can be pretty crazy and parking isn't easy since everyone shops then. However, if you come on a weekday especially outside of lunchtime--it's much easier to find a parking spot. Inside 99 Ranch, there's a food court with options like San dong noodles, dim sum, stir-fry dishes, and Chinese barbecue. On the other side of the plaza, there are also several restaurants, including Korean spots and Vietnamese crawfish places. As for the store itself, there are always clearance items near the Kung Fu Tea area, which we usually check out before heading in to shop for fruits, produce, vegetables--pretty much everything. I found my favorite Japanese soy milk but this was banana flavored. Way too sweet for me and it was $4/carton. It's a large store and they offer a loyalty program. If it's your first time visiting 99 Ranch, you could easily spend an hour just roaming the aisles. There's so much to see--it almost feels like a little field trip every time we go.

Central Market is such a fun grocery store and easily one of the best places in Houston for finding…read moreinteresting, unusual products. I feel like every time I go, I discover something new that I didn't even know existed. The selection is incredible, the store feels very upscale, and the staff is always extremely friendly and helpful. That said, Houston desperately needs another two or three Central Markets because this one is almost always a madhouse. The parking lot is crowded, the store is crowded, and the sandwich line at lunch can be ridiculous. The layout is also basically a maze designed to make you walk past every department before you find what you're looking for. Somehow, though, wandering through the maze is part of the fun. I do wish the Central Market app worked more like the regular H-E-B app. You can search for an item and see what section it's in, but it doesn't give you a useful store map showing where that section actually is. In a store this complicated, that would be incredibly helpful. It's definitely expensive, and if you fall in love with some small niche product, I wouldn't necessarily count on it being there forever. But overall, I really enjoy shopping here. Even when I only need a couple of things, I inevitably end up wandering around just to see what interesting new products I can find.

I've been here several times each time to get different things and have a different experience…read moreeverytime always great This is like the ultimate grocery store especially if you wanna prepare a specialized meal. I love the floral section and the olive bar. Also, the sandwich, soup and salad are phenomenal. They have many dry spices and seasonings to take home and you can get just as much though as little as you need. I really enjoy the store. They have alot of samples on the weekend and it's a cooking class (scheduled) upstairs They have an extensive wine and champagne selection. Everyone is very knowledgeable and helpful a lot this place so much highly recommended.

I went to Phoenicia Specialty foods for the first time ever and realized I have wasted the last 8…read moreyears since I moved to Houston having never been here before, because wow! I mean my pocket book is probably better for it because I want to buy the whole store but honestly I've been missing out. The place is cute and welcoming from the corner sign on the building to the moment you step in- bright, inviting, great displays so you know where to go. You can't get lost in here with the signage, but you can't definitely get lost in the aisles with all the great, unique choices. The ready food display has so many Mediterranean treats, some I've had before some I've never heard of and everything I tried was amazing. We got the cabbage rolls and Armenian veggie dolmas. Great flavor, both specific items I haven't had before. Nice citrus, spiced flavor to these. I'd say they're have to try items. Not only found jarred tomato paste, which I've been on the hunt for but they had choices in this category and that's another first for me. Will have to go back and try the others. Also got the cured Serrano ham -amazing. And I thought the prices were going to be insane having a spot right in the middle of the city and nope- pleasantly surprised for my goodies, great prices even less than some of the other stores I frequent in the suburbs. I'll be back again and again and again until I try the whole store lol. Definitely give them a try, you won't regret it

My niece and I checked out Phoenicia's for lunch, which was surprisingly delicious…read more My niece has simplistic tastes, so she opted for the chicken burger, which I tried of course. Perfectly seasoned, crispy exterior. The sweet potato fries were equally delicious. I got the Hill Country salad. Same tender but crispy chicken on a bed of greens with berries. So good. Definitely bookmarked as a return option.

I met sal one day and he told me to check out his place and luckily I had an absolute pleasure to…read morevisit Granel! Every single person that worked there made sure I knew how to do everything, ensured I had the most help I really loved it. On top of that the price for a pound of seasoning is so good! I didn't know there were so many spices to choose from, I got spirulina and hibiscus flowers as well. They have pure vanilla and cinnamon for bakers and all the seasonings you could imagine for the chefs and cooks it was truly a dream. P.S I'll be back when I run out of seasoning.

Still very pleased with this place. The quality is unmatched and the service is superior! I will…read morealways buy spices from here!!