After giving you a sneak peek inside the eastside debut of Westside Market last month, we can now report that the uptown import* finally opened on Third Avenue today, and it’s giving away a horn-o-plenty of free samples.
If your idea of a supermarket is the musty ol’ Fine Fare on Avenue C, you’re in for some culture shock here: this location of Westside, open 24 hours, carries an array of trendy, health-minded products (the fact that they were an early adopter of Popchips should tell you everything). But even if there’s an abundance of gluten-free this and organic that, it at least doesn’t go way overboard on kale chips — and it’s not above an entire display of Jelly Bellys.
If you’re wondering why you’d go here instead of the nearby Food Emporium when that store made a change just for you (Food Emporium! Food Emporium!), the place’s strength lies in three areas: a cheese section to rival the nearby East Village Cheese Shop and probably the most insane olive and hummus sections we’ve ever seen (the owners, the Zoitas family, are Greek, after all). There’s also the prepared food made from the personal recipes of Ms. Zoitas, who was keeping a watchful eye over everything today. And a choose-your-own lobster tank. (There is not, however, a Coinstar machine that’s always out of order.)
When we stopped by this afternoon, workers were offering up bites from the hot food section as well as pizza slices from the brick oven, so get down there pronto and get in on the free nibbles. There are cheese cubes for days.
Or, if you’re not that desperate for nourishment, take a virtual tour via our slideshow.
*Yes, we know there’s a Westside Market on West 14th but it’s on the north side of 14th, so we’re considering it uptown.
