The Whole Foods in London Thread

YEAH!!!!! I have been to Whole Foods in London!!! DH, kiddo, and I had a day trip to London just to go there, Neal's Yard Dairy, and the new Mexican restaurant in Covent Garden. Crazy? Yes, but we had a great day (except for the wee fact Sammy would NOT sleep on the train the whole way home!!!).

Two thumbs up to Whole Foods! We only bought stuff that would keep relatively well on a long train journey home but we got the tuna that was on sale, yummy bagels, some tomatoes and figs, Italian lemon soda, a few beers, natural children's toothpaste, some brownies, mixed nut butter (the grind-it-yourself type), a few kiddie snacks, loads of olives for DH, and some other bits and bobs. I was also seriously scoping out the gluten-free products as we are waiting for Sammy's blood tests for coeliac disease.

Normally we would have gone insane in the lovely cheese room but as we'd already been to Neal's, we'd already had our cheese-fix. Off-topic, but Neal's is FANTASTIC and if you're a cheese lover, you MUST go there!

I did find the decor in the upstairs seating/eating area a bit too clean and modern. It would be nice to have one area that was more cozy.

I see they are now starting delivery, too!

Yaye!!! That sounds quite similar to my Whole Foods shopping list!! It's a shame when you're traveling and can't buy any things that need to be kept cold, isn't it? And, yes, Neal's Yard is fabulous for cheese!

It's a shame when you're traveling and can't buy any things that need to be kept cold, isn't it?

My mother, who lives in New Mexico and often goes shopping 75 miles from home, swears by the insulated bags that are designed to keep hot things hot and cold things, well, cold.  They really do work. I think I've seen them at Tesco, even...

My mother, who lives in New Mexico and often goes shopping 75 miles from home, swears by the insulated bags that are designed to keep hot things hot and cold things, well, cold.  They really do work. I think I've seen them at Tesco, even...

Yes, but if I go to Whole Foods, it means spending the night in a hotel, then travelling back home again by train the next day ... so those bags would have to be miracle bags to keep my stuff cold for over 24 hours.   

Yes, but if I go to Whole Foods, it means spending the night in a hotel, then travelling back home again by train the next day ... so those bags would have to be miracle bags to keep my stuff cold for over 24 hours.   

Hmmmm, yes, that would be a bit of a problem. 

Yes, but if I go to Whole Foods, it means spending the night in a hotel, then travelling back home again by train the next day ... so those bags would have to be miracle bags to keep my stuff cold for over 24 hours.   

Lightweight. 

Lightweight. 

 

Hey, I live really far away and have already been to Whole Foods twice! That's more than a lot of Londoners!

True. True.

 

I haven't been there, but I'm planning to go this week!  A friend of mine said she went and when they rang up her vine of 5 tomatoes, they told her it cost 5 GBP, when she said that was crazy, they asked her how much she thought they should be, and then they charged her that.  I think they are still trying to get their pricing in line.  From what I've heard they pretty much have just taken the $ and made it in GBP.

Anyone tried their home delivery?  Is it expensive?

Anyone tried their home delivery?  Is it expensive?

It probably is to Wales. 

I had a brief visit yesterday, mostly to have dinner with a friend in their upstairs eating area.  I was staggered when my (OK fairly large) salad-by-weight came to over £17.  For that price I want the staff member of my choice to feed it to me.

I will probably stick to my twin towers of Borough Market and Lidl, but if anyone has any suggestions for particular good buys, please keep posting them.  It looked like the bulk jumbo oats would be cheaper than than the £1.59 bag I buy at Holland and Barrett.

I had a brief visit yesterday, mostly to have dinner with a friend in their upstairs eating area.  I was staggered when my (OK fairly large) salad-by-weight came to over £17.  For that price I want the staff member of my choice to feed it to me.

DH & I noticed that the fresh food bar is SERIOUSLY overpriced.  I don't quite understand why.

Having said that, I found a lot of bargains on other stuff that I can't find anywhere else.  Hopefully they'll get through the growing pains of being in a different country and learn to align the prices a bit better.

Speaking of good burritos, I had one in the restaurant at Whole Foods-it was fantastic!! They have meats, veg options and the ever important black and pinto beans!! 

Definitely worth a visit, as Whole Foods is now my favorite place in London....meat burritos cost £5.70 and veg £5.20.  Their top floor is filled with restaurants, and its like a mall food court but 100 times better.

And all organic (I assume) and very very fresh!