Photo courtesy of Scott Warman via Unsplash.
From specialty shops to ethnic cuisines, sometimes a boutique grocer can offer more than an H-E-B or Whole Foods. With a distinctive charm, these spots may not have the extensive size or selection of a big box store, but offer novel items and robust family histories that make stopping by worthwhile.
Gipson Grocery
1701 Shaw Street, Dallas, TX 75212
Established in 1956, Gipson Grocery is the one of the oldest Black-owned grocery stores in the United States. For about 65 years, the grocery only sold food. However, after Phillip Gipson’s uncle died, he and his wife, Jonnie, needed to shift their strategy to stay profitable, so they moved their insurance business under the same roof.
Gipson Grocery also recently opened a sandwich shop and a patio for visitors to relax. As a long-standing community pillar, Gipson regularly gives back to its customers through food drives, toy drives, and a community refrigerator with free milk, eggs, juice, and vegetables. Customers also receive complimentary auto, home, and life insurance advice.
Kuby’s
6601 Snider Plaza, Dallas, TX 75205
Photo courtesy of Kuby’s Sausage House, Inc. via Facebook
Way back in 1728, Friedrich Kuby opened a German neighborhood meat market in Kaiserslautern, about an hour southwest of Frankfurt. That market thrived for over two centuries, inspiring Friedrich’s descendant Karl to set up shop in the U.S. As the name suggests, Kuby’s Sausage House initially focused only on sausage but has since expanded to other options.
Yes, meats are still the highlight here, but visitors can also pick up fresh bread, pastries and European grocery essentials. If you’re stopping by for lunch, you can’t go wrong with the Wurst teller — handmade, freshly prepared sausage with German potato salad and gourmet sauerkraut.
El Rancho Supermercado
16775 Addison Road, Addison, TX 75001
As “El Rey de Los Precios Bajos,” you’ll always find a good deal at El Rancho. Serving customers since 1988, it’s one of the oldest Hispanic supermarkets in Dallas.
You’ll find all the staples here, plus a wide collection of items traditional in Latin American culture. Grab a satisfying fruit water when the sweltering Dallas summer heat becomes unbearable, and enjoy dozens of homemade family recipes from the Cocina, such as tacos, flautas, and carnitas. Don’t forget to pick up a Pan de Muerto or Rosca de Reyes during the holidays.
Jimmy’s Food Store
4901 Bryan Street, Dallas, TX 75206
Photo courtesy of Jimmy’s Food Store via Facebook
The DiCarlo family has been a source of authentic Italian dishes since 1966, when Jimmy’s Food Store offered a variety of tasty options. The current owners, brothers Mike and Paul DiCarlo, reopened the store after a 2004 fire and now serve only Italian cuisine and wine.
Pick up some pasta, sausage, oils, and herbs to create your own magic at home. If you’d prefer to grab something to go, Jimmy’s Meatball Sub and Prosciutto Panino are both incredible. And do not walk out that door without ordering a fresh cannoli — or maybe order a few, just to be safe.
Lovers Seafood Market
5200 West Lover’s Lane, Dallas, TX 75209
Seafood lovers will find plenty to heart at Lovers Seafood, which houses a gorgeous restaurant in addition to its market. Choice selections like halibut, scallops, redfish, and sea bass are available daily, and the raw bar is for indulging in delicacies such as oysters, crab legs, and a tuna tartare tower.
Beyond the fresh fish and shellfish varieties, Lovers offers a nice collection of dips and sauces, Wagyu beef, and special chef-prepared options.
Sara’s Market & Bakery
750 S Sherman Street, Richardson, TX 75081
Photo courtesy of Sara’s Market & Bakery via Facebook
With a focus on Mediterranean and Indo-European items, Sara’s Market & Bakery is a feast for your taste buds and nostrils. Sara’s uses a traditional Lebanese brick oven to bake its four varieties of pita, offering a taste of the Mediterranean without having to hop on a trans-Atlantic flight.
Starting as a modest pita shop decades ago, Sara’s has evolved into a complete market. Jams, hummus, dolmas, and more line the shelves, and an impressive Halal butcher shop provides locally raised goat and lamb. You’ll also see plenty of fresh produce, including the best figs on the market. Add a few herbs and spices to your basket to create the alluring flavors of Europe from the comfort of your home.
Georgia’s Farmers Market
916 E 15th Street, Plano, TX, 75074
Georgia’s has been a mainstay of downtown Plano for a quarter-century and then some, with Cameron Satterthwaite taking the business over from his grandparents in 2018. The market works with farmers nationwide to deliver organic produce to visitors. It’s a must-visit for anyone checking out the arts and foodie events that regularly go on in the area.
While the fruits and vegetables are among the best across DFW, you’ll also find a collection of stunning flowers in the spring and fall and firewood to stay warm in the winter. More adventurous eaters can take home a jar of pickled quail eggs or special jams.
Pickletopia
4812 Bryant Street, Suite 102, Dallas, TX 75204
Photo courtesy of Michael Ragan via Facebook
If you can’t get enough pickles, Pickletopia is your oasis (or utopia, but that seemed too obvious). There are two main items to pick up here: pickles and other pickled food. But oh, what a variety there is.
Pickletopia sports seven different types of pickles, from sour pickles to horseradish pickle slices. The market also sells things like pickled onion sticks, giardiniera, and spicy carrot slices, with the most unusual offering being the quite tasty pickled mushrooms.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
