I used to use this grocer when I lived in Kingstanding because they have a great selection of fruit…read moreand veg and the prices are absolutely fantastic. It's a large shop with plenty of space inside, the produce is kept on wide clean shelves and always looks fresh and attractive. Baskets and bags are plentiful and it's up to you to help yourself to what you need, there is a set of hanging scales in the shop for you to check the approximate weight of your purchase so it's easy to keep track of your bill. The fruit is laid out on one side of the shop and the veg is on the other side, separating these two sections are a few shelves of tinned items and other groceries. The main onus is, however, on the fruit and veg. There are a good selection of apple and pear varieties, the Granny Smith apples are deliciously crisp and flavoursome from here. There are fresh, ripe bananas in here and they are lovely and much cheaper than those in Asda up the road. You can buy a whole melon, or half a one wrapped in clingfilm. I like that the halves are half the price of a full melon, because another grocer I use cheekily charges almost as much for the half melon! These are extremely fresh and juicy, I love the watermelon slices although should really buy a full one as I am always up and down to this grocer for more and more melon! You can also buy grapes, strawberries, kiwi fruits, nectarines, clementines etc because this grocer stocks produce that is in season he manages to keep the prices down. The veg are equally good, the baking potatoes are excellent and always come out fluffy and delicious after cooking. The baby new potatoes are lovely too, especially with a knob of butter melted over them. I make my own vegetable soup so buy a lot of leeks, carrots, onions and tomatoes from here and have never had bad vegetable. The leeks in particular are great and always seem cleaner with less grit than I find in other local grocers. There are also parsnips, swede, salad veggies (or are they fruit???), beetroots and loads more to choose from - the only thing I wish they would stock that they don't are butternut squash because I always have to go to Asda for these! You can also buy flowers from this grocer, bunches from £2.99 up to more elaborate displays priced at up to £10. They also sell some beautiful house plants which are reasonably priced and very healthy, I have bought several plants from here which are still going strong a few years later. Staff are really nice and friendly, it's not the sort of shop where you are going to have a chat with the staff but they are helpful and cheerful as they are serving. If I can't find something in the shop, which is rare as the shop is so straightforward, I don't hesitate to ask and the staff know straight away what I'm talking about and can advise me on if they stock it and where it is.

That's is my health food local shop! Since I have moved to Sutton, I just have to pop to Grape Tree…read moreevery each week. What I like this shop is that I can find my favourite and health snacks anytime. For the size each package, the price is reasonably good and I can find great deals in almonds, coconut flakes and dried fruit in general. Coconut oil is one of the essential ingredients in my daily cooking and I was quite happy to find a 500ml bottle of raw and virgin coconut oil for only £8 there. As it is a quality one, I think it`s a great deal. If you become a regular costumer, there is a loyalty card that can be very useful if you spend more than £10 in the shop. I do. And i challenge anyone not doing the same. Grape Tree is excellent first step for starting a health food education and make your kids get into good snacks. There are so products with sugar, anyway, but they are by far better than any pack of crisp kids usually eat.

I'd say Grape Tree is pretty similair to Holland and Barrat but major difference is there is a lot…read moremore food choice here. You can get a few suppements but Grape Tree is more of a mix between the old fashioned white barrel and scope places with a lots more pre bagged nuts, berries, flours etc. My favourite discovery is the Festival Mix, sultanas, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, small chocolate chunks and hazelnuts covered in chocolate with gold dust, the packet is £1.69p for 400g, absolute bargain and perfect in porridge to make luxuary fruit choc nut. Grape Tree includes alot of baking products such as large quantities of different coloured glace cherries and angelica.

Marks and Spencer Foodhall is a veritable temple to all that is yummy. M&S as a retailer has…read moretraditionally focused on clothing, home goods, and luxury food items at its stores. It wasn't until relatively recently in its over 130 year history that food became of special concern. While most of their retail stores dedicate a space to food under the simply food banner, or through their cafes, the M&S Foodhall is their concept solely dedicated as a supermarket. Competition in the grocery market is very tight in the UK. While Asda, Tesco, Aldi, and Lidl fight it out in the discount arena, M&S faces these down market pressures while also fending off Waitrose et al. Foodhall offers a unique value proposition normally only found from German food retailers, in that nearly all products on the shelf are under the M&S private label. In fact, beer and wines are pretty much the only non M&S items you'll find on the shelf. This M&S Foodhall serves with a substantial square footage, typical of its suburban location. The car park is large and free for the first three hours, and is a convenient drive to New Oscott for anyone in the Sutton Coldfield/Erdington area. It offers everything you would expect from a food retailer such as fresh produce, packaged goods, special items (like an entire gluten-free section), and an enormous amount of refrigerated/frozen foods. Most produce I purchase at other grocery stores will last 2-3 days before it starts to spoil. M&S's fruits and veg are not only of a very high quality, but they typically keep for a good week. The tomatoes in particular, are some of the best I have found from a chain food retailer in the UK. Their refrigerated and frozen foods are a big focus at this location, and provide an excellent value for those nights when you don't want to cook for yourself. The items are in a refrigerated cold case (ready to be cooked in an oven) and run the gamut of cuisine types, such as Italian, British, and pan-Asian. Most are also on rotating specials each week. For example, recently the Foodhall offered a £10 meal deal special, which included one of their Italian entrees (Pizza, lasagna, pasta, etc), two sides (salad, olives, focaccia, frites, or garlic bread), and a bottle of Italian wine (Montepulciano d'abruzzo a standout). The vegetable lasagna was large enough for three meals, and the sides of garlic bread and salad provided four portions each. The wine MSRP was £7, making this meal deal a real steal. Another example is their running special of three sides for £5, which can easily become two meals. While M&S has traditionally held an upmarket image, these special provide outstanding value and taste that cannot be found from other supermarkets in the area. If you are a fan of fresh foods that are worth every penny, this M&S Foodhall is definitely worth a look.

If you haven't heard of Simply Fresh at this point, it's probably because there are only two…read morelocations in Birmingham proper, and a handful in the whole of the West Midlands. The upstart chain, founded outside of Coventry, is only six years old with dozens of stores to date. They have an established partnership with Costcutter that will help open a target 300 stores within five years. While high streets are littered with convenience stores operated by Tesco and Sainsbury's et al, Simply Fresh offers a unique approach by custom tailoring each store to its local demographic. My local branch is in Boldmere, and offers fresh, organic produce from local farmers in addition to a wide variety of convenience items. Over the past six months the Boldmere store has been upping their game, rotating out the shelves to include more high end items, especially in the snack section. If you need a quick bite to eat while out shopping, there is also a Subway in the back of the store. The local and fresh ethos extends even to their beer selection. Bottles from Sadler's Brewhouse and Hobson's Brewery feature regularly for the price of 3 for £6. While it's not as smart looking as the upmarket locations in London, the Boldmere store is easy to maneuver through and looks good enough. The staff are exceedingly friendly and know their customers well. Due to the holidays in Dec/Jan, there was a two month period where I had not even set foot in the store. Despite this, the night staff remembered me and noticed that I purchased a different cider than what I normally would buy. The prices here are not as competitive as the big chains, but the store does run specials regularly. If you live in the south end of Brum, there is another branch in Cotteridge a few steps from the Kings Norton train station. If you are in the Sutton Coldfield/Erdington area, I suggest checking out Simply Fresh for convenience items and fresh produce from a locally run store that knows their customer base well.

Excellent produce and service, highly recommended for meat, game, eggs and here is also a veg shop…read morewith farm produce on site, fantastic!

The quality of the meat from Alan Foster's is excellent. Their ready meals are equally good and I…read morecan recommend them wholeheartedly. Recently, I had a beef hotpot with dumplings - beautiful! It tasted home made although I think theirs is better than I could have made myself. Their lamb pasties are also delicious, as are their pork pies. In normal times, I love their hot pork sandwiches but I think these are currently suspended due to the covid outbreak. They also sell a nice fruit pie, and a range of interesting cheeses.

We walk past The Deli around once a week when grocery shopping and finally decided to pop in for a…read moreglass of wine over the weekend. Based on the atmosphere and quality of wine, I love this little spot. It is so cosy. We were the only customers in the store and received superb service. The owner runs this location and a few other shops, plus hosts food tents at festivals during Christmas. She came over to our table and made some wine recommendations and gave us a bowl of crisps on the house. My partner, Seth S., and I both ordered the Pinot Noir from Romania. It was delightfully full-bodied and smooth. The lighting is dimmed just enough to encourage good conversation and a comfortable atmosphere. There are two main rooms for seating, each with groupings of chairs or booths around bistro style tables. The art and decor feel like a brasserie. I would highly recommend The Deli for a delicious glass of wine (or 3) and great conversation with friends.

Breakfast Review:…read more One of the best Full English breakfasts in the Midlands! Its a wonderful deli, on the High Street in Boldmere, with outdoor seating - which is superb when the sun comes out! The breakfasts are awesome. Superb sausages, great bacon, exceptional bread, (the deli sells some of the best bread in Birmingham). 2 succulent sausage, 2 bacon, fried egg, 2 half tomatoes, mushrooms. toast, quality butter. Its one of the best in Birmingham, (I rate it joint 2nd). The staff are great, headed by Pip the owner and her team of assistants, (including sons). The only real problem with this place is that I always spend a fortune on their amazing cheeses, breads, cakes and pate's. Try it. You will thank me!