The Fresh Market

I don’t normally go to Fresh Market because it is pricey, but I have always been impressed with their quality. I decided to stop by Fresh Market to pick up a few items instead of going to Kroger (practically next door) or driving all the way to Short Pump to go to Trader Joe’s. I found more than I was expecting to purchase — when I went to check out, I thought the cashier was rude for not even acknowledging me or even saying «hi». She (I believe her name was Susan) did not even look up at me until it was time to pay, at which she asked me if I swiped my card already. I told her I don’t even know how much I’m being charged. She said it’s on the screen and proceeded to point behind her — I guess they moved their screens but it definitely wasn’t easy to see (I even had to squint from the card reader to see how much the total was). I swiped my card and she still didn’t say thank you or anything. Why work in a retail job if you are not going to treat your paying customers with respect. The only saving grace was the young gentleman who bagged my groceries — he asked me how my day was and wished me well after paying.

I love Fresh Market overall. The atmosphere with the music playing in the background lack of major crowds and overall relaxed feel makes this a place to come again and again. This one tends to stand out as it has ample room, very good management and probably the highest quality produce in the Richmond Area. If you have to go to a Fresh Market check this one out.

LOVE this store! Go Fresh Market!!! It’s clean, it’s pretty and a fun, unique place to shop. Wish Richmond had MORE places like this!!!

So my room mate goes up there to get food. I request a simple turkey wrap, I am at home working. They do not have any so she asks they make one. The sign near the sandwiches says they make them upon request. When she asked the employee acted like it was a huge imposition to make a simple wrap. Really? Why? You know what was on my wrap, turkey, cheese, honey mustard, and maybe a veg, how the hell is that hard? I have also encountered this issue myself where they would not make the wrap I asked for which pissed me off. If you are not going to make a wrap on request them please remove your custom sandwich sign. She texts me the issue and I call to speak to the manager to complain. In the end the wraps were made but my room mate was told they do not do wraps on request bc they are too difficult. Really? I took a poll on Facebook and my friends 7 year old child can make a wrap so what’s the problem fresh market? No mass for me at this location!

This review is for steaks only. I will never buy another steak from TFM. I purchased their grass fed ribeye and asked the butcher to pick out 3 nice steaks because we had company coming. They were terrible and loaded with fat. The last time I bought steaks I got the NYStrips and they were tough. My husband said I cannot buy steaks anymore. So disappointed because I buy a lot of food there every week. I am going to butcher of Bön Air in the future!

I was very impressed by this places selection. The bakery is amazing!

My recent trip to FM was to the fish counter to pick up some mussels for dinner. Mussels are kept behind the glass counter and the fishmonger must hand you a bag. I made the mistake of not checking the tag for freshness. I assumed I would be getting a fresh high quality product. I was wrong.
After cooking the mussels, I removed the lid from the pot, only to be nearly knocked over the smell of ammonia. Definitely this bag was off. So I pulled the tag and saw the harvest date of these mussels was over two weeks old.
Shame on me for not double checking the tag on the bag. But for what I am paying, I would hope the FM fishmonger would keep better tabs on what they have in the case.
PS: they do not seem to stock Cackalacky Sauce anymore. Bummer.

I don’t normally review grocery store /​department store type places, but I find myself going to The Fresh Market and leaving pleased every time. For those who haven’t been here, The Fresh Market is a grocery store that has some of the normal things you’d find at any grocery store along with seasonal, local, natural, and otherwise novelty items.
Things that I like about Fresh Market:
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— The baked goods are pretty good. They have a fresh muffin section that has items like corn muffins, blueberry muffins, and the like. The corn muffins are delicious and my fiancée has went back for more chocolate chip muffins. Today we tried a cheese and herb focaccia bread and it was also good! The apple cinnamon donut holes were good too! I haven’t tried the cookies or cakes but they look pretty good.
— Seasonal Items: At Halloween they had some interesting Halloween candy items and a different spread of candy than they normally do. Now they have Christmas and Thanksgiving items. And to clarify, it’s not just holiday foods, it’s also trinkets, gift items, and other novelties. I think part of the appeal is you can come here every other week and the store looks completely different.
— Snack items you can’t find most places: Things like Unique Pretzel Shells and Organic Sunny Bears to name a couple.
— The variety of items: Sometimes when you go to a store you know a couple things that you need, but end up finding some neat things you had no intention of getting. I’ve ended up with items from their aisles that caught my interest like soups and frozen burritos.
— The sliced deli meat and ground meats: We’ve gotten some deli meats here and some ground turkey that were pretty good. Can’t really speak for some of the steaks and other items.
Things I don’t like about Fresh Market:
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— Identical items are occasionally cheaper at other stores. Fresh Market does have some «normal» grocery items like Tostitos Corn Chips in addition to their line of chips and different varieties, and items like Tostitos are a bit more expensive than say, Kroger. Not dollars different of course, but things like 20 cents can add up.
— The flavor variety of individual items can vary quite a bit. If you have a methodical grocery list with specific flavors you may run into some issues.
Things I don’t have clear opinions on yet:
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— The fresh dinner foods and lunches. They, like most other grocery stores, have «build a lunch» and a la carte items you can purchase pre-​made and then eat them. I haven’t tried them yet, but the panini sandwiches, chicken, and wraps look good.
Overall
— — — -
I really like Fresh Market. The availability of their items and layout of the store changes seemingly frequently, so if you have a definitive shopping list of items you must get, you might not be able to get by with just here alone. That said, the seasonal items and variety is actually what appeals to me because every time you go there the experience is a little different.
I’m a fan.

Kind of like Whole Foods, but with more mood lighting.

i just had some sushi i bought 2 hours ago and it was horrible: spoiled fishy tasting! I ended up dousing it wiht wasabi to mask the bad fish taste.,… now I realize I should have thrown it away. I’m afraid I’m going to get sick. Yuck.
I eat sushi at least once a week and know ‘better’ sushi can be had from a restaurant where it is made to order, but I have ALWAYS gotten fresh sushi from Ukrops/​Martins.
I’m really disappointed. And grossed out.

I’d like to like this place. I really would. However, it’s not a 1^st choice in any category.
Their meat department — at least according to their employees, which is the only metric available — does not offer any hormone/​antibiotic-​free beef or pork options.
Their coffee section has some nice items and steep prices.
Their cheese section is OK, but not enough to draw me in on its own.
Other reviewers have compared it to Whole Foods, which is IMO a canard. Very little comparability, on the bull****-additive-free front. I’ll drive to Short Pump.

Extremely delicious cupcakes. Reasonably priced and an excellent selection of spices, wines and exotic butters. The butcher counter is fabulous but you do need to get a number sometimes because it does get busy. However, it is completely worth it.

when i lived in north carolina, back in the early 90’s, i used to shop at the fresh market constantly. i was beside myself when they opened up a location in richmond. it’s a nice place, but honestly, i can get virtually everything they sell elsewhere, at trader joes, or whole foods. but, i still go there every few months to see if they have anything i can’t live without. customer service is good, and they do have quality fruits and vegetables. looking forward to visiting their new store in carytown, whenever that is…

IMO their food looks better than it really tastes. Not a whole not of selection. Customer service at the registers is different from the counter. Tom Lennard’s is not that far away…

The meat selection is superb! I never buy steaks from anywhere else. The staff is always friendly and helpful. The veggies are always fresh and the cheeses are never-​ending! They also have hands-​down the best sushi that you can buy from a grocery store.

I’m a huge Fresh Market fan and I’ll drive across town to hit this one. Luckily, I have a client in that neighborhood so I can conveniently stop in once or twice a week.
As a single person, I love the flexibility of being able to buy one pork chop or one chicken breast at the butcher counter, and I’m addicted to the Tira Misu at the bakery counter. The packaged and hot deli foods are great for a quick work lunch or take home, and they have a great selection of fresh flowers and potted plants, so I often pick up stuff for myself or for gifts.
I can buy crème fraîche, Belgian beer, or German spaetzle all in one store so what’s not to love?

I always enjoy stopping in the Fresh Market to pick up a few goodies for a night of drinks, snacks, and a satisfying movie. The selection of dry goods and refrigerated items is beautifully edited, while the prepared foods feature quality ingredients and display evidence of seasoned palates in the kitchen. I particularly enjoy the jalapeño pimento cheese (a Southern indulgence), and always sample a bit while considering the silky duck pâté and the savory, delightful blue cheese stuffed olives (the best I have found sold in markets). Though some of the packaged snacks and condiments have been marked up, the vast selection of bulk treats (including stellar wasabi peanuts whose heat sweeps over your tongue), coffees and teas, novelty chocolates, and tasty frozen entertaining options, along with the bountiful fresh meat choices (packaged and prepared to your specification by actual butchers) may persuade you to turn the occasional blind eye. Expect a lengthy wait at the meat counters, where your eyes will caress the roasts and sausages until hunger overtakes you, but you will sail through the checkout in a flash. A lovely, welcome addition to Richmond’s grocery store options.

Not a huge fan. Most of the stuff you can find here is available cheaper at other local stores and markets. Yes I’ll admit they have a nice meat selection, but don’t be fooled by the constantly pumped and sprayed gasses keeping that meat so bright and red.
The staff is friendly and available. I feel like this place is designed for 40 – 55 year old Suburban women who think that paying more and shopping in places likes this automatically takes that extra 10 lbs off. Wrong!!!
Other suggestions instead:
Ukrop’s
Belmont Butchery
Tan A Market
Strawberry St. Market