Church Fruit Farm

Large selection of fresh fruit and vegetables with really good prices. However, it’s very crowded after 6PM and on weekends. Also by the end of the day, things can be a bit «picked over». It’s best to go as early in the day as possible.

This market and the one across the street from it have the same owners. The fruits and vegetables are not good quality. I live within walking distance and I will NEVER purchase my veggies there! The prices are good because the produce isn’t. I am very very shocked at the previous reviews!

Good selection of American and Caribbean produce and other foods (including frozen, and dried fish) but realistically, nothing really earth-​shaking for a large produce store in a heavily Caribbean neighborhood. They have more non-​produce items (dairy, dry goods, frozen foods) than Great Vegetable across the street, but the variety and condition of the produce is overall pretty much the same at both stores. Prices at both are virtually, and usually exactly, the same. For the most part, they’re pretty good, but more or less «you get what you pay for» — the really cheap stuff is on the older & more beat-​up side. Most but not all the employees are pretty friendly, but the managers are a bit on the surly side. Prices & produce quality being equal, I personally prefer Great Vegetable, but I do heavily comparison-​shop between them, and shop at both regularly.

Wide variety of fruits and vegetables… reasonable prices. Very good quality… assortment of spices… breads…Can foods… milk…eggs…

Good
Mix of
Vegetables
And fruit for cheap
Prices. They will even take credit cards.

Great fruit and vegetable selection and open later than most markets in the neighborhood. Nice staff and affordable prices for most items.

There’s a yam section. Divided into types. Nobody has variety when it comes to yams. Yet here’s a whole section of them.
Greater NY is full of decent fruit and veggie-​focused shops, but this is a notch better due to volume, variety and its reflection of the local demographics. It’s a part of Brooklyn highly influenced by African and West Indian immigrants, coupled with influxes of different Asian and Latino cultures. The result is a somewhat frenzied mix of traditional and unique. Note also this isn’t a Whole Foods/D&D type of exotic. It’s cheap, ripe and organized chaos. Jay-​Z thinks he’s hood, but if here were in a fight, I’d put money on the Aunty from Trinidad, diving for her desired plantains.
While other veggie stands have downsized for the winter, I’m writing this mid-​Jan. and CFF is brimming with Scotch Bonnet peppers from Jamaica and Serranos from Mexico, avocados bigger than softballs, and scores of bins piled high with fresh veggies. I had given up on basil, for example, and they have giant bags of it. The sidewalk is packed with people, mostly Caribbean ladies, loading up to cook their weekend feasts. Inside there are even more bins, plus dried goods and other offerings.
As an example, there’s a section for dried spices where I’d never even heard of half the offerings… dehydrated barks from a certain tree, the husk of an exotic seed and «happy herbs» that are completely foreign to 99.99% of American cooks, but are probably the secret ingredient in some Haitian grandma’s chicken stew (and questionably legal). There’s another section with an array of dried beans and rice varieties where I wouldn’t know where to start. I vowed that next time I go, it will be with pen and pad in hand. There’s too much exotic stuff to bring home with no knowledge, but if I write down some names, I can do some research.
If you like to cook and find that specific ingredients are a whole new way to learn about a culture, then this place is worth a journey. It’s right by the B/​Q and also easy to visit via the B35 bus on Church. At the very least you might learn how to impress a Haitian grandma, or charm someone with dishes made from a variety of yams. Everyone loves a good yam.