Reply #22: so... how are you liking Gainesville?

[Clovis Sangrail]

I just moved there from N. California....talk about culture shock.

Some places that I like:

Wards Market:
NW 23 Ave and NW 6th St.
Closest thing to what I know a market as. Fresh produce (organic and non), herbs, bulk foods, veggie options. The people are all pretty nice and the prices quality are about the best I've found in Gainesville.
Very definitely on the Gainesville A list.

Satchels Pizza:
NE 23rd Ave and NE 18th St.
Really good pizza, pretty damned good prices. As a bonus they have a bizzare little junk shop out back.. that has live music.
(banjo music on Tuesday nights)
oh happy day
http://www.satchelspizza.com/

Upper Crust bakery:
NW 23 Ave and NW 43rd St.
In the same shopping center as Fresh Market. Good bakery. All sorts of fresh baked crossiants with different fillings. Pretty good bread too (though pricey)

Fresh Market:
meh... kinda OK but *way overpriced. I just about burst out laughing when I saw the $4 artichokes and $4 pomegranates.
(I'm used to picking pomegranates on my walk home from work and buying a few artichokes for a buck)
Don't buy sandwiches there.
They're not *insanely terrible, but it's a $2 sandwich for $5.

Wine and Cheese Place:
Forgot the name... Dorgan's or something like that. It's on the other side of that Fresh Market.
Looks like just a liquor store, but it's about all wine. I don't drink but the selection made the wife very happy. They also have a stinky cheese section in the back.

Bagels:
There's a decent bagel place across the street from Upper Crust next to the Publix. Not *great bagels, but decent.and a few yummy spreads.(I'm still looking)
They also have an espresso bar (chai, etc, etc)

Places to avoid like the plague:
Publix:
any food they make tastes like chalk... and all the produce I've seen is *sad.
We've sworn off buying *any food items with the Publix label, but they have decent prices for household stuff (and they're omnipresent)

Sonic:
Had to try it.
Terrible mistake.


Hope some of that is useful to you.