Everyone in their right mind loves food. But when a nice meal out just isn't in the cards (or the bank), where can you turn? Chef Roger Greene shared the below list of his favorite money-saving markets that have the best ingredients for great, gourmet home cooking.
SEAFOOD:
- Sea World, 1130 W Argyle St. - For lobster, Dungeness crabs, tilapia, catfish
- L. Isaacson and Stein Fish, 800 W Fulton Market - Excellent fresh fish, very reduced prices. Just a few days ago fresh Halibut that smelled only of the sea was easily $10/pound cheaper than at the fancy fish stores further north.
PRODUCE:
- Stanley’s Fruit Market, 1558 N Elston Ave.
- Andy’s Fruit Ranch, 4733 N Kedzie
- HarvesTime, 2632 W. Lawrence Ave.
MEXICAN/SOUTH AMERICAN INGREDIENTS:
- Guanajuato, 3140 N California Ave.
- El Mercado Food Mart, 3767 N Southport Ave. - Grass-fed meat at reasonable prices, products from Argentina and South America.
MIDDLE EASTERN INGREDIENTS:
- Al Khayyam, 4738 N Kedzie - Terrific fresh pita bread, inexpensive spices.
SOUTHEAST ASIAN CUISINE:
- Tai Nam Food Market, 4925 N Broadway - Noodles, shrimp, everything you need for Vietnamese and Thai cooking.
- Sun Wah Bar-B-Que, 1134 W Argyle - Peking Duck, BBQ Pork, cheaper than buying a raw duck. Good for use in stir fry, very inexpensive.
I’m sure there are many that I have missed, but I have explored all of these and each one is a culinary adventure and a money-saver.
