Hart’s Local Grocers

Let me start off by saying, I am in love with Hart’s Local Grocers. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Wegman’s. As a vegetarian with a soy and dairy intolerance Wegman’s is a difficult place to find foods that fit my diet, and when I do find them, the cost is pretty high. Every time I go into Hart’s I find something new that I can eat. Most of the «specialty» items that they have that fit my diet are even cheaper than Wegman’s. I don’t buy a lot of toiletries or paper goods at Hart’s because it is more affordable elsewhere, but when it comes to a selection of healthy, preservative free organic foods, Hart’s is the best in the area. It’s like taking a farmer’s market and making it into a store front. I highly recommend Hart’s to anyone who is looking for something new, fresh and healthy to add to their diets. The staff their is helpful and friendly as well. It is an all around fantastic shopping experience.

We arrived early for a movie at The Little this past weekend and this gave me the opportunity to check out Hart’s. Having read mixed reviews I wasn’t sure what to expect.
First impressions: the space is much bigger than I thought it would be and the shelves were stocked and varied. The store itself is very handsome.
This is the place for local cheese, produce and meat. They even had the beer I had been searching out.
Yes it’s pricey. Being a small business in the middle of downtown I get it. I had to giggle at the eggs that were from a producer in my little home town in the Finger Lakes for six bucks a dozen.
I could not pass up the multicolored organic carrots. They were stunning as was all the produce. Gorgeous spinach and they even sliced open varieties of oranges to display the fruit.
If I lived nearby this store would be a godsend. And what I loved most about it, it wasn’t Wegmans.

Oh my Good God. I am so glad that this store and its bakery are not super close to where I live. The discovery of its fudge brownies chock full of chocolate chips and walnuts is one of my best. I can actually ignore the caloric consumption eating this. Would be magical with a scoop of ice cream on top but can never manage getting it home intact. And btw side note… they have a round crusty roll that is perfection as well. Nice work Hart’s.

Today they have a steak sandwich on special that’s delicious.
Just a tip: You can make substitutions to the Signature Breakfast Sandwich. Try it with their house made Sage Breakfast Sausage sub’d for the pancetta. It’s the tops.

Hart’s is outstanding in every way. It’s my go-​to grocer in terms of products carried and customer service. And the fact that they’re in the city proper means they serve a population who hasn’t had options like this in awhile, from downtown workers to residents of city neighborhoods.
Grocery: They carry a wide variety vegan staples like milk cheese, meat, condiments like sour cream and creamcheese; a bunch of frozen or boxed ready to eat meals; and a ton of vegan desserts. They’re the only place to find the Daiya gouda flavor, and the only people to carry DFMavens vegan icecream (try it, you won’t regret it!). It’s like walking into a paradise full of safe food every time I come here. Also, the produce is of good variety, always fresh, and a lot of items are sourced locally, which is a huge plus (love the local apple cider they sell). They serve Boar’s Head brand deli meats, which are way better than the Wegmans store brand options. And their meat counter looks to be well-​stocked as well.
Service: Top-​notch. Their cashiers are always friendly and funny. Their Purchasing department is extremely responsive to product requests — I said «it would be cool to see Daiya mac and cheese» to their manager and it was on the shelves a week later!
Prepared Foods: Their tea and coffee is great! I love that they carry desserts for omnivores and they also carry vegan options. I haven’t had any of their hot foods yet but I like that they have vegan options as well as the usual meat fare for omnivores.
Basically, Hart’s is perfect!

Hart’s is the best grocery store in town to buy local. They carry a ton of local vendors and products (Fuego coffee, Eat Me Ice Cream, etc). Their breakfast sandwich is by far the best in town! All of their sausage is made in house and is ridiculous good. In addition, their customer service is wonderful — they treat you like family. I hardly go in their without having an employee strike up a conversation with me. I know Rochester has Wegmans — but Hart’s is worth checking out. You may not do all your shopping there — but they have enough specials and local items that make a weekly visit worth it!

I’m old enough to know that Rochester used to have many grocery stores downtown, but young enough to have completely missed going to them while they were still in business. (A brief moment of silence for the Midtown Wegmans, if you will.) Since I missed out on this vital piece of history, taking advantage of Hart’s is not only convenient for me, but pays tribute to our ancestors. Before Hart’s opened up in the East End, the name had almost completely faded away, lingering in places like the Hart Theatre at the JCC. Needless to say, Hart’s is a welcome addition to the neighborhood and a sorely needed staple.
I had the chance to become intimately familiar with Hart’s over the summer, when it was the pickup location for my CSA box. Before that, I’d been in a few times, but only to grab one or two things. It’s still super convenient to stop here after work if you need that one last ingredient for something, or if you just want an extra item for your pantry. I have done this many times, and it’s much easier to do when you’re not lugging around a box of produce in one hand. Consider the prepared foods section the next time you’re not sure of what to do for dinner, or even if you just want to pick up lunch one day. Many of the good lunch places downtown are closed on the weekends, but Hart’s isn’t, and for that I’m eternally grateful. Everyone knows how hard it is to get a sandwich downtown after 2:00 p.m., after all. Next time your meeting gets out late and you’re desperate for lunch, zip over to Hart’s post haste for something that’s actually open.
Hart’s is known around town for focusing on local products, including (but not limited to) F. Oliver’s, Stuart’s Spices, Pittsford Dairy, and Eat Me Ice Cream, among others. It’s beyond convenient to have all these products under one roof. At one time, there was a dedicated shelf for local products, but now the products are mixed in with their respective peers. Having these items available is a huge help for people who want to buy local but might not know where to start. Plus, every time I’ve been in, there have been numerous tastings waiting for me. It’s a nice gesture to have the producers of the local goods available to tell me why I should focus on their product, and then let me be the judge myself. Also, sign up for the free rewards card to earn points on all those local purchases. Who doesn’t like earning points on shopping?
Beware, as many people have mentioned, about the price gouging. Yes, prices here are higher than Tops and Wegmans, and if you truly want to do a full grocery run, you’ll need to budget in for the price increases. Not a huge deal when picking up one or two things, but definitely something to consider.
On the whole, I’m really happy that Hart’s decided to move in, and I’ll continue to support them as best I can. It’s a risk to open a grocery store downtown, but the environment is changing and people want different things than they did 20 years ago. Hart’s is doing a good job in paying tribute to the past and advocating for the future.

I was a bit skeptical about Hart’s when it first opened — seemed overpriced without much of a selection. Over the past couple of years however, it’s totally won me over. I love love love being able to hop over there without going all the way to the Pittsford wegmans. The service is excellent and all the people who work there seem to take pride in the place. It’s great being able to buy Pittsford Dairy eggnog and First Light Creamery goat cheese without traveling far. The butcher shop is excellent! I’ve used their homemade italian sausage in baked ziti several times and each time it’s the highlight of the dish. The bakery is also outstanding — the croissants are just about my favorite in Rochester (along with Flour City) and the bread pudding is great. Don’t miss the breakfast sandwiches or prepared foods, either. Hart’s, you’re definitely legit. So glad to have you downtown!

I am so glad hart’s is located where it is, and is what it is. An amazing place to buy local fresh foods in the middle of Rochester, where no Wegmans would dare to go. Everything I buy here is amazing, and their hot food bar has plenty of options to suit the pickiest lunch date or anyone with special dietary restrictions, medical or self imposed. Their breakfast sandwich is by far my favorite in the city of Rochester, I’d say the world but that title goes to devil’s teeth in sf.
Just, go. And be amazed.

My boyfriend works near Hart’s and goes here all of the time. He loves their breakfast sammies and their prepared stuff. I like the cool local stuff, the harder to find stuff (especially goat milk products), and the different brands.
The people that work there are mostly nice — I’ve only had one woman that was kind of standoffish. Other than that, people are super helpful.
I have two issues with Hart’s: 1. I have the loyalty card, and I signed up to have receipts e-​mailed to me – I’ve never received a single receipt, despite my e-​mail address being correct. 2. It is expensive, like more expensive than Wegmans. Maybe I’d like it more if I lived closer, but as it is, I’d prefer to go to Weggies.
However, if you’re in the city or are looking for new, interesting things to try, Hart’s is your place!

Hart’s makes me hate shopping with children less, and that’s a major accomplishment. I get veggies, essentials and more! I can get specialty desserts and food items all in one place that Wegmans does not offer. I feel like I have a store now that is more inline with my tastes without having to pay a babysitter. They can come with!

Hart’s is cool. I like that they have a lot of local products. Another thing I really think sets them apart are their vendor events. Once a month or so, they have a lot of vendors come in and provide samples of their products. This is great because 1) fun event with free food and 2) you get to try before you buy. A lot of their products run a bit on the pricier side and some are worth it, but you would want to know before you buy, right?
Departments that I really think are worth checking out: the cheese case, the dairy case, and the ice cream case, and the local products showcase in the front of the store. All these areas have some cool products that really aren’t easily found elsewhere.
Skip: bread. If you want just plain, fresh baguettes, loaves, etc. just go to Wegmans. Also while their grill area has some really promising looking menu items, I can’t order from there again because one time I got a breakfast sandwich that SO greasy.
Overall, I have to echo the sentiment that many others have already shared that I would not shop here regularly, but it is an inviting store and I will continue to stop in once in a while for the different variety of items.

A «downtown» grocery that is only functional for people who work downtown and live in the suburbs or live in the high-​rent apartments/​condos nearby. The grocery itself is clean and very well laid out, it’s certainly aesthetically appealing. Unfortunately, despite being the closest grocery store to my apartment by a fair distance, I almost never go because the prices are so unreasonably high (twice as much as Wegmans in most cases). The local/​special foods they have are almost always available at Wegmans or are things that I can’t ever imagine affording. The staff is also wonderful and always very helpful.
Bottom line — great layout, great products, great staff, horrendous pricing

I love Hart’s. A lot. It’s great that it is easy to get to, and that they deliver (not going to lie, since I have no car and live in the South Wedge, delivery might be the best thing since sliced bread come winter). They’ve sponsored all kinds of cool things I’ve been to in Rochester (see: the Tweed Ride), and generally seem to be out there doing cool and fun things (see: killing it at the genesee center for the arts chilli cook-​off last year).
There are many things I appreciate about them, especially their convenience and the variety in organic or local products. The beer selection is often well curated (though, admittedly a little IPA heavy the last time I was in: P), and the meat section is one of my favs in town (I got a lot of compliments this summer for the sausages I brought to cook-​outs).
If I have one complaint, however, it’s that a few staples are a bit pricey /​unnecessary. I was in a bit of a bind for some white sugar one day, and the prices were too steep. I made a second stop at Abundance on my way home and saved some $$$ by buying sugar from the bulk section.
Pro-​tip: if you’re a student they give a 10% discount on Mondays.
Pro-​tip #2: become a member. if you lose your card (like I did, promptly) they can look it up at the cash — who doesn’t like points that get you swag?).

Okay for years I have seen cooks make and enjoy dishes like Jumbalaya, Paella, and other dishes made with spicy sausages. All made with pork something oddly enough my body rejects, so yes it looks great and wow it smells amaizing, but nope I can’t have it. Until now! Zweigle’s Hots sold at Hart’s Local Grocers is a spectacular find! Not only the hots but different beverages, breads and pastas. They may give Wegman’s a run for its money… Nah! But truthfully the chicken chorizo sausage at Hart’s is the absolute for those who can’t or don’t eat pork!
I know my barbecue just got kicked up a notch!
Enjoy!

One of the highlights of this place is ample seating area in the front of the store. Plop down in front of the bank of windows and feel some momentary relaxation with a sandwich and book in hand.
This place was my oasis when I stumbled in at lunch time on the verge of passing out from a sugar low. I like their made-​to-​order counter, but the selections confuse me. If you want something simple, like a deli-​style turkey and cheese, they refer you to the pre-​made sandwiches in case, but the selections were virtually gone by the time I arrived at 12:30pm, not even half way through the lunch rush. They should replenish the packaged sandwiches more often, or stock some additional ones at the counter. Better yet, why not offer a few cold varieties on the made-​to-​order menu? The Greek chicken pita was huge and delicious, but if I needed something quick to go, I would’ve had more limited options.
The staff members that I interacted with were all really kind and efficient.

Hart’s is a solid choice for both breakfast, lunch, and grocery shopping. Living smack in the middle of downtown, Hart’s is especially convenient for me. They have a good selection of produce and other general groceries!
When I’ve had lunch there I’ve had their BBQ carnitas sandwich is awesome! My coworker has been there everyday this week for breakfast sandwiches so apparently they are also darn good.
Hart’s is a full on grocer, which has been sadly missing since another store closed downtown.

I am writing an updated review on this after checking out the Hart’s Farmers Market Festival Event. This event educated me more about the specialties of the different kinds of foods’ Hart’s delivers. This was a community wide event, where you actually get to see the faces behind a lot of the products served at this store. Hart’s putting on an awesome event like this kicked notched it another STAR in my book. Walking in from the entrance, you will see endless samples of food from different vendor’s. Not only do you try out the food, you also get a history of the amount of work that goes into making the completed product. I can see why it can be more expensive to get specialty made foods now, because they do not get enough state revenue to fund there production. Some key highlighted vendors included:
Iroquois White Corn Project: A real Iroquois Native American showing me how to make these awesome tasting corn cookies. I had no idea you can make cookies out of corn. I killed my veggie and dessert group in one bite.
VonBrake Spices: Jennifer Brake did an awesome presentation on different home grown spices made organically. There is a lot of work involved producing products organically, especially something as simple as spices. Jennifer made it look effortless, and the end product tasted great.
Mountain Rise Granola: Vegan Granola bars ROCK! I had the chocolate one, and the Original Vegan. All made with fresh organic grains. Both were not dry, but flavorful and crunchy.
Allens Hill Farm: FAMOUS for there Apple Cider Molasses. I could of eaten a WHOLE JAR of that. It’s all natural with no added sugars or syrups. Again, random flavorful items you will find shopping at Hart’s.
The Piggery: which is Ithaca’s ONLY farm to table butcher shop/​and wholesaler. There salami tastes amazing, and fresh. All made from local farmers. I could see how getting something like this would be special because Brad Marshall travels long distance to reach the market here in Rochester.
Coffee Connection: Clearly locally brewed and made in the SouthWedge neighborhood. I needed a cup of there freshly brewed Guatemalan coffee by the end of this event. I learned from Marcella Richer the rising cost of coffee beans, and how local markets loose out to national chains because of it. Hart’s does a great job of supporting the local coffee brewers in the area.
Eat Me Ice-​Cream: I love when they roll up the Eat Me Ice Cream Cart into the store. Catelyn Augustine highlighted the famous Goat Cheese Ice-​Cream at her cart today. It was so rich and creamy, I could never taste any goat in it. Plus with her platinum gold pants, Catelyn took ice-​cream to a whole other Eat Me experience.
Forge Hot Sauce: The dynamic duo of Scott Stahl and Mike Fratangelo really elevated hot sauce to a whole new level. The Verde sauce has a subtle heat from the jalapeño and Poblano peppers. Tasted like liquified grilled peppers, and onions into a convenient bottle. This team surly turned up the HEAT at this event.
Overall: Produced by the Upstate Farm Fresh Community, Specialty Products, Community Support, Organic, Vegan Granola Bars, Apple Cider Molasses, Salami, Hot Sauce, and Eat Me Ice-Cream…I will be back.

Hart’s is the closest thing to a Whole Foods in Rochester and for me, it was love at first site.
The produce is great. Everything looked fresh and I was impressed by the awesome looking coconuts. Their cheese station is unique. I now have a new favorite called Cotswold. It’s similar to cheddar but smoother and infused with chopped onions and chives.
They have a vendor day once a month, which provides their customers to taste test a variety of products at no charge. I HIGHLY recommend checking this out.
The employees are incredibly friendly and knowledgable. I can’t wait to visit again.

Hart’s is very much a neighborhood supermarket. The location is convenient for people who work/​live downtown. The spacious parking lot (located between 2 Vine and Hart’s) makes it even easier to run in for a quick pick up. One of the entrances to the parking lot is right off the Inner Loop «East Ave» ramp.
This store is well planned in terms of their target audience. Locally produced/​grown, organic, and «ethnic» (Indian, Thai, Korean, Chinese, Mexican, etc) products make up most of the selection. I appreciate that the organic and traditional versions of products are in the same area. It makes it easier to compare prices/​brands.
Their prepared food is still evolving. The things I have tried (chicken cacciatore, fried chicken, mac and cheese) were all very delicious. However, they are still trying to nail down what sells so don’t get too attached to a particular dish as it may not be featured again anytime soon (I miss you, chicken cacciatore).
I also like that most (if not all) the meat is cut in store. All the meat come from local farms. Their cheese area is a quick way to spend too much money. You can sample most of the cheese that is sold by weight — just ask an employee.
Speaking of employees, all of Hart’s employees I have encountered are friendly, happy and helpful.
Their prices do run about 10−20% higher than Wegmans. I am happy to pay this difference as I live in the area and abhor the East Ave Wegmans parking lot. Can you really put a price on not having your car dented by an idiot driver who doesn’t know how to check their mirrors? (I can. My deductible is $ 500).
For my weekly shopping, I will still go to Wegmans/​Trader Joe’s. For the daily things I like to forget, «I don’t feel like cooking dinner and want to pick up something» nights or «I really want some Lapsang Souchong cheese*» cravings, Hart’s is my choice.
*Lapsang Souchong cheese is a real thing. It is so good. You must try it.