Alameda Natural Grocery — Local services in Alameda

Looking for organic and natural groceries on the island? This compact but well-stocked natural foods market has become our household's weekly shopping destination, filling the niche for health-conscious grocery shopping without requiring a trip to Whole Foods.

Store & Shopping Experience: The store's manageable size makes shopping efficient while still offering an impressive selection. Though compact, the layout makes good use of space, housing everything from pantry staples to fresh produce and household essentials. The dedicated parking lot is a major plus for quick grocery runs.

Product Selection & Quality: The produce section consistently offers fresh, organic options, and the staff is always willing to check their stock room for the freshest batch available. Beyond produce, you'll find a comprehensive selection of natural and organic products across all grocery categories, from pantry items to household supplies.

Staff & Service: What really makes shopping here a pleasure is the exceptionally helpful staff. They're knowledgeable about their products and always ready to assist with questions or special requests. Their friendly, attentive service adds a personal touch that's often missing from larger chain stores.

Value: While prices align with what you'd expect from a natural foods market (think Whole Foods territory), the quality and convenience justify the cost. You're paying for carefully sourced products and personalized service, making it a fair value for health-conscious shoppers.

Bottom Line: For island residents seeking natural and organic groceries, this market is the perfect solution. It strikes an ideal balance between comprehensive selection and intimate shopping experience, proving you don't need a massive store to meet all your natural...

Alameda Natural Grocery is the hippest place to shop for groceries in Alameda. In fact, some peeps come from the "mainland" to shop there.

As I entered the store from their parking lot, on the left was a bulletin board with information about music and children. On the right, there was a bakery display case. I couldn't resist getting a large crispy breadstick with seeds, jalapeno and cheese. I also got some  chocolate chip, molasses, and oatmeal cookies--they were so delicious I almost ate them all before getting back in my car.

They have a fresh fish and meat market where there is a butcher to make those special cuts of meat. Also, the animal products come from animals that are raised humanely. You can actually smell the fish before you buy (who wants to buy old stinky fish?) They have a wide variety of foods for vegans, and people on special diets, too. They steer away from chemically processed foods, including GMO. They have a beautiful selection of organic fruits and vegetables including the largest selection of fresh mushrooms I have seen in the East Bay.

They carry just about everything you would expect for a natural food store. Something that surprised me located above their large selection of chocolate bars was some really beautiful large woven baskets. You can see them in my photos.

I love coming...

Small, quality, organic grocery store. Good selection of meats. The marketplace has a tiny sushi bar, bakery, & deli. The deli includes premade salads, Mac n cheese, & 3 types of sandwich, also premade (with the exception of the chicken bon oui). They don’t make any fresh chicken salad sandwiches after they sell out of the premade ones. However, they do make the chicken bon oui. I’m not sure what takes so long to prepare the chicken bon oui sandwich. 4 customers received fresh tossed salads before I got 2 chicken sandwiches. The chicken is already chopped into cubes, and simply scooped out of a container. The only other ingredient on the sandwich is an overly oily coleslaw, so adding those 2 ingredients in a bread roll seems like a fairly swift task. I would have given the bakery rave reviews of the bread, if the slaw oil hadn’t soaked into most of it. Quite frankly, I paid way too much money and waited far too long for probably the worst sandwich of my life. Other than that, the staff...