My Grocery, ‘Tis of Thee


1219939303Maybe it’s just a lingering patriotic buzz brought on by too much late-night Olympic and DNC coverage, but I’ve been prone to small stirrings of civic pride in visiting my new neighborhood mini-grocery—and a top-notch addition to the overall city food scene, by the way: City Feed and Supply, on Centre Street in Jamaica Plain.

With its cheery red, white, and blue trim and bounty of homegrown goods, this bigger, brighter sibling to the cult-favorite original (near the Stonybrook T) is fast establishing itself as a beacon for the hungry, the eco-conscious, the huddled vegans yearning to eat dairy-free.

Open since August 11, the 3,000-square-foot space has been drawing plenty of foot traffic off bustling Centre Street, and owner David Warner reports all is going well save for small “growing pains,” like a brief power snafu this week and a recent split with baked-goods supplier Au Soleil (not to worry—local champs Iggy’s, Carberry’s, and Fornax are still abundantly represented).

Overall, the healthy/natural/organic selection and the eat-local philosophy mirror those of the original City Feed, opened in 2000; differences include cafe seating, a breakfast menu at the sandwich counter, and an expanded lineup of just-picked produce from places like Allendale Farm in Boston and Stillman’s in New Braintree. The store is also expanding its gluten-free offerings, adding delish vegan cookies by Vermont’s Liz Lovely this past week.

As a check of my own receipts shows, freedom from mass-produced food doesn’t necessarily come cheap—$5 for two of the aforementioned cookies, $6 for butter churned by Vermont Butter & Cheese—but here’s betting the new City Feed will find no shortage of foodies willing to pledge allegiance.

P.S. Warner assures us that the first City Feed is in no danger of closing, as he’s confident J.P. can support both locations. But two’s plenty for now. “The pace is a new one every eight years,” he jokes. “That seems manageable.”

Open 6 a.m.–10 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Sunday, 672 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, 617-524-1700, cityfeedandsupply.com.