Buffalo Whole Food & Grain Co

Reliably stocked with hard to find local products (sugar free granola is a huge find here). Fruit is good, as are their supplements; they offer a basic but high quality selection. Very good service.

Fresh produce and packaged goods are sold in this small, corner grocery store. There are some fresh fruits and vegetables outside, as well as inside. There are also bottled drinks, bags of snacks, and other things you'd find in a grocery store. The Lego farmers market van at checkout was a nice decoration. This is a good place to shop if you're looking for a quick snack or ingredients for a meal.

Nice little corner grocery store with good selection of organic and natural foods and other household necessities.

If you are blind, like rotten produce, and overpriced...well everything, to here. The poor guy in front of me tried to use his food stamps to buy the rotten produce and not only did they not accept his payment, they didn't even give the guy the rotten produce they were trying to sell. This is very sad. Mark should be ashamed.

I love this place and their produce is super fresh and tasty. The staff are super nice. For such a small space, they have everything you need to put on a really nice and healthy meal.

Great local corner market that carries homeopathic remedies. Fruit is organic and very high quality. Extremely nice staff. Many specialty items in the refrigerated case that are unusual for a small corner store.

A diminutive health food store located on a sunny corner of 19th & Castro, just across from Spike's Coffee. It's always worth a visit, as they stock some hard to find items, but you likely won't be able to do all of your grocery shopping here. The staff are really knowledgeable and helpful and can save you the time of wandering around trying to locate items.

This place is ridiculous. Bought four ingredients to make a batch of guacamole and it cost $26. I live in the neighborhood but won’t go back.

Came here once because I went to get coffee but needed a couple ingredients for dinner so I stopped by since it was just across the street. They had some of the basics in the produce section. However, produce isn't the freshest and some were already on their way to going bad. Its a small market and I didn't bother walking the aisles and just grabbed what I needed. But you need to really choose and pick the produce you want to get to pick the freshest one you can. Service was almost non-existent but it didn't matter to me since I already knew what I needed.

This is one of the best places ever that I use. It has all the essentials plus more. I always get my drinks and produce here. Just remember don't panic, it's organic!

This is a "whole foods" grocery store mart in the Castro. It has supplements, drinks, snacks. They have lots of these non-Whole Foods whole foods shops in SF. It's organic and natural. I decided on an apple juice. Maybe I don't know what these grocery stores are so much, but this is not Whole Foods itself.

You would hope that the post-COVID world would have us all be a bit kinder to one another, more patient. In some cases, that's true. Tonight at Buffalo Whole Food & Grain Company, that was not the case. The cashier at the store was one of the rudest people I have had the misfortune to deal with. And I won't again. Buffalo is in my neighborhood, & I didn't want to travel across town to store I work at, so I popped in to get a few things, including some fruit. I was talking with the cashier, about the cost of cherries specifically. Everybody knows cherries this season can be quite expensive. I asked if he would weigh them so I'd know how much they cost. He refused. I asked him why. He said "Are you going to buy them?" I told him I might, but I need to know how much they cost. He repeated "Are you going to buy them?" I said, "How can I buy them if I don't know how much they cost?" I asked if I could speak to the manager, and he said HE was the manager. No way is that guy the manager, & I don't know why he didn't want to sell me the cherries. I left not buying anything. I went to Sam's 17th & Noe & bought a pound of cherries for $3.50--great deal, thank you Sam! When the real manager reads this, this cashier was a young guy, possibly Middle Eastern, working closing shift Sunday June 20th around 7:30 PM. He must be a member of the Bsisso family because only family would let some one get away with that rudeness. He was wearing a light-colored round cotton cap like Gilligan on Gilligan's Island. He needs training in customer service because his behavior cost you a $20+ sale. If I behaved like that toward a customer, I would be reprimanded if not fired. Maybe he really is the manager. If he is, that's sad. I'm never going back there. Other stores carry the same products minus the rude attitude.

Amazing store and experience! I initially went in to buy something to drink but came out with a whole bunch of great organic goodies. One thing that surprised me was the friendly staff! They showed me the fridge that had fresh hummus, and let me tell you, it's the best I've ever had. Thank you Buffalo for a great experience!

So grateful to have Buffalo so close to my house! It's supremely convenient to pick up all sorts of grocery items like fresh produce and fruit, milk, eggs, cheese, drinks, they have some fake meat products, dry goods like pasta, bread, crackers, condiments, tea, and really anything you might need. Prices are definitely a few dollars higher than you'd pay at a large chain grocery but that is absolutely to be expected. They have some local products as well which is nice. The other fantastic thing is they're basically always open - their hours are 7am-9pm. Also super friendly staff!

I will never shop here! I ordered through an app too good to go where they are supposed to stop food waste and give you things that are still edible and good... The cashier went to the back to get my bag and straight up filled it with trash!!! That is a bold woman to smile in somebody's face and fill their bag with trash and charge me for it! If this is the type of people who work there, I'd be scared to buy anything in the store anyway. If I would've ate anything in that bag I would've been in the bathroom for days, and the one thing that didn't look decent was right it on the inside when I took a bite. Plus looking around the prices were astronomical even for a San Francisco. they should be a strained, straight up ghetto and unprofessional!

I've lived down the street from Buffalo for over a decade now, and it's finally time I give them some love. This market is a GEM. Small but mighty, they carry just about everything. From produce, to dried goods, to sweets and little things in between, somehow they make it all work. They've even got the most perfectly curated gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan goods. And if you're into supplements, there's a FABULOUS nutrition section waiting for you. Yes, the prices are a little high, but everything here is super high-quality, not to mention, all of the employees have always been super sweet. We need this especially in these crazy times. There are those places that I'm not gonna Yelp on because I don't want them to blow up, but in these times, Buffalo really deserves some praise for being so kind and consistent!

New owners in spring 2021: the Bsisso family. Their other store, Noe Hill Market two blocks away, is its own neighborhood legend,. Everything good about Buffalo is sharper than ever. For some Bsisso family history in the SF CHRONICLE, see https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/heatherknight/article/The-heart-of-our-community-S-F-neighbors-16022735.php. Here's my Yelp review of Buffalo 11 years ago; the store is even better now:

I have been a customer of Buffalo Whole Foods for about 6 years now. Their selection of produce, beverages, and vitamins are great. My main purchases have to be vitamins which are very impressive considering they carry big brand names. Staff is also very kind and helpful. Very nice store and convenient location! Thanks!

My friendly neighborhood market where I go to get my almond milk and kombucha on because I'm certainly *that* girl. The staff is so great here, and get to know their regulars...even letting me get them next time when I'm short a few cents and forgot my full wallet at home. They have a great selection of produce and health goods as well as vitamins and organic whole-foodsy type beauty products. Even though it's a small store they have a surprisingly vast selection, and it's not all healthy, they have some delicious snacks, cookies, and ice creams. Really love seeing them start to carry meats, like bacon, so I don't have to go to two stores in the morning for breakfast rations.

Fantastic little store right in the heart of Castro! They were full stocked when we walked in yesterday to pick up some groceries. Lovely fresh produce as well as all essentials available! They have a nice spice rack at the back too so we could get everything in one place. Very friendly service, we will definitely be visiting this store more !

Very nice employees. Couldn't be more helpful. Always a kind word for the family. Chris in particular makes sure that we found what we want and asks if there's anything else that they should carry. Stores like this are important to the character of the neighborhood and help push back the encroachment of the big boxes.

The best local corner grocery store around- Organic, fresh and ready to go. And the staff is super friendly and helpful!

We LOVE this corner store. They have everything you need from snacks, to groceries, to prepared food, to vitamins & supplements! Chris is amazing and the rest of the staff are incredible. Amazing selections, people, and location!

I love a place that remembers my name. It reveals so much about the character of the place. Buffalo Whole Foods and Grain Company still continues to be a darling and well stocked health food spot- full of a variety of all sorts of wondrous goods. From gluten free muffins and pasta to fresh fruit, and local hummus - it's well worth checking out, especially considering their later hours. Trust.

I went to shop here for the first time recently. It's a great convenient shop with lots of vegetables and fruits. I found THE one thing I was looking for which is Brazi Bites and that made my trip worth it! I bought an avocado and it was $3. Pretty expensive for a small avocado. Lots of variety in the store overall.

I like this place for healthy and yummy eats. They have great little sales and you can grab a quick lunch out of the foods they have. For vitamins and suppliments its has a great variety. The central location is what makes this a great place to add those much needed healthy food choices to your pantry.

I walk by here everyday and their sidewalk selection of fresh fruit always catches my eye. One day I decided I'd pick-up some strawberries and was definitely not disappointed. They were at that perfect stage of being just ripe and sweet enough. And the price was very reasonable. Once inside the store, I was pretty impressed by their variety and selection, especially considering it's a relatively small space. As a vegan, I definitely appreciate the generous selection of fake meats and sweets. The prices for the fake meats were a little on the high-side, but I imagine that stuff must have a relatively higher wholesale price when not buying in the huge quantities trader joes or whole foods engages in. I haven't investigated the vitamin wall yet but it is HUGE. I don't see how you couldn't find pretty much anything you need in that department. I also haven't had any of the local made breads other yelpers have mentioned but that will probably be next on my list. Nice employees, good foods - great to have in the neighborhood.

Buffalo Foods is an absolutely wonderful local market. It has an excellent selection of healthy and fresh foods. Their produce is of very high standards. The owner and staff are super helpful and are ever so willing to go the extra mile to assist customers. Love this store!

I love this place for their selection, customer service, nutrition knowledge and healthy cooking advice. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. I've come to rely on them for information and they are more than happy to help, give advice, or order a product that they don't already carry.

Very nice Customer service very clean good prices Nice place very quiet quality products always coming I loved to go there

This shop is as dynamic and high quality as the tiny green grapes I just bought from here are sweet and perfectly juicy. What I mean to say is that they seem to stock only the highest quality versions of all of their selections. The few complaints about this store appear to be the pricing, but you have to keep in mind the following: - this is a small corner store in the Castro - the quality is really tremendously impressive - veggies and fruits must be regularly combed over because I never go home with near rotten or already spoiled produce - the manager/owner? is insanely helpful - going out of his way on a recent visit to let me know I didn't have to buy the whole bag of grapes just because they happened to be all in 1 bag. (I did buy them all because they're those yummy tiny green grapes that are so very sweet this time of year.) He also offered to locate a homeopathic remedy I'm looking for and "have it in the store with in a day or so." That's some serious corner-shop helpfulness and I don't even live anywhere near this corner anymore! Organics, homeopathics, vegan and other specialty diet foods . . . this is a beautiful version of the modern corner shop. Now if only I can get one of these near my house in Daly City . . .

Small little food market that carries great variety of items considering it's only about 3 aisles of food. Prices are also reasonable and produce selection is uber fresh. The staff was super friendly and it feels like a place that's very entrenched in the community. Also, quite a few vegan and gluten options as others have mentioned.

Their produce seduced me right there on the sidewalk in the middle of Castro Street. How embarrassing! Apparently they have a connection in the world of heirloom tomatoes (one of my greatest weaknesses), they are the best that I've had so far this season. The produce section is small (it is a small store after all) but it is beautiful. I would imagine that it would be a little too expensive to do all your shopping there, but the fresh fruits and veggies are more than worth it.

Buffalo is a cool little market that I wish I lived closer to. Actually, I don't wish I lived closer to it, because that would mean I lived in the Castro, and I don't want to live in the Castro. It's too loud and expensive and generally not my style. So I guess I wish Buffalo was a little bit closer to where I live. As a corner store, it's really too expensive. As a specialty market, it's still too expensive, but it's laid out really nicely, and all the times I've been here, the people working have been very helpful.

Great small whole foods store in the Castro and get this .... Discount #1 spend $50.00 and you get 10% off on your purchase Discount #2 get 10% off on supplements by just flashing your GYM membership card Discount #3.... for people who are HIV positive....they give 20% off ... Now that is good business in the neighborhood....

Wonderful convenience store quality Fruit and vegetables excellence and friendly service

Yes, Buffalo changed ownership in 2010... but things have only gotten better. Mollie Stone's is great for giant things of soda, water, toilet paper, chips, and $0.99 cupcakes, but if you want the freshest real food in the Castro, this is it. What I love about this store is that the people who work here aren't just 'clerks' -- they are true grocers and specialists in what they offer. The produce guys are vegetable fanatics and can tell you where every.single.thing. in the store came from (because they have extensive phone conversations with farmers and producers each week -- I know because I've eavesdropped), and the vitamins specialist knows exactly what to recommend, and why. Everything is extremely fresh and high-quality, and the experience is personal. It's not a chain, and there is no 'chain grocery smell' to it (remember Delano's???). Anyway, love this place!!

Buffalo is precisely what you want from your corner health food, I'm sorry -- Whole Food -- store. Rob, the owner, plus the cast of characters that work there, are the nicest people you'll meet in my hood. Having lived in Europe for years, I'm used to doing the daily shopping --buy just a bit for what you need now...there will always be more tomorrow. I do this at Buffalo and it is divine. Somehow they always have precisely what I need, and when they don't, it's ordered and there faster than you can imagine. The produce is all organic, so like any other organic produce, check carefully -- it can expire quickly on you. A huge positive: everyone there is EXTREMELY knowledgeable about herbal supplements and they have a huge section devoted for this. That weird foot itch? Got it. The flu? No problem. Crazy Stalker? That's a special order, but I bet Rob could do it.

Great hours. Super friendly and helpful staff. Competitive prices. Fabulous gluten-free section. All organic produce. What else do you need?

Well, it'll do in a pinch. I must complain that I've seen things still for sale which were past their expiration date, and I've seen produce which should have been chucked or replaced 2 days ago. Good selection of supplements and if you catch them in the right mood they are very helpful, which is very good, and which gets them that 2nd star. They do stock what they can in a small space, again this is good. I don't like that most of their clerks at the counter are about as warm and fuzzy as cement. This isn't a new thing, it's been like this forever.

Misleading pricing. I like to support our local businesses, but I'm done with this store. Prices are often not accurate. Today I purchased an item marked $2.79 but was charged $5.49. When I pointed out the error, the cashier argued with me and told me that the $2.79 was for an item on the other end of shelf. So long.

Every time I go to the Castro, I stop by this market. It's really cute and it has a great selection of decently priced health foods. The bread selection is awesome and the people that work there are incredibly kind. Get the hummus!!! It's the best ever!!!

I come here sometimes early in the morning after my workout. It is one of the few places that is open at 8:30 am. For a small market, I find their selection to be pretty good. They carry raw milk which always seems to be in stock (unlike at other places). They also carry a good selection of kosher Jewish favorites. I haven't experienced any rudeness that others seem to have. They seem to be pretty quiet when I come in. To the guy who gave the place a bad review because he thought goy is a epithet. It isn't. I don't know why your friend thinks it is. It is used exactly like gentile. Sure, it can be stretched to be one, but the same way the word 'man' can be.

I come in here about once a week because I work in the neighborhood and like to shop for organic food. I am more and more disappointed by this store- you always have to check the dates since I frequently find items past the expiration date. I have bought things that tasted "off" like it's been sitting too long on the shelf. The produce selection is uninspired- they often sell produce from Mexico when you can find the same fruits in season locally at other stores. Some of their produce is also way past when it should be resonably on the shelf- like shriveled nectarines and mushy plums. I still feel better about shopping here than at Mollie Stones, but honestly I would rather walk to Birite and get quality fresh foods than shop here and that is what I do when I have the time. The staff is pretty friendly- some very friendly workers and some not as friendly.

I am so grateful that this place exists! Where else would we be able to pick up a few veggies and a loaf of bread when we're trudging up the hill from work and our fridge is totally bare? There is always a good variety of produce to choose from and it's always been of good quality. They also stock some of our favorite varieties of hummus, yogurt, ramen, fresh bread, etc. The staff is also extremely friendly...makes me look forward to stopping by!

Having clean food and great produce in a convenience store location is a treat. Yeah, some prices might be higher, but if I had to drive all the way to any other store with that quality of food when all I want is a few bananas and some tofu, for example, there would be the waste of time, gas, etc., so it all works out. I've never found the folks that work there to be unfriendly or cold, but normally pretty chatty and friendly. Or just mellow.

A nice, little corner grocery store with really nice cashiers. Lots of organic products.

Fresh reasonably priced organic produce. Really warm service. The veggies are exceptionally beautiful here.

Buffalo is located right down the street from our place, so for a number of years it's been our go-to stop for groceries. That ended today, when a male store clerk snidely called me a B*TCH because he didn't hear me say "excuse me" as I squeezed by him to exit the store -- he and a customer were basically blocking the entrance and having a conversation about cookies. I was so shocked that I turned back to call him out on it, but he retreated into the store and booked it out of sight. He went in so fast he left the other customer hanging outside the store. I didn't feel like chasing him, but the female at the cash register saw it all go down and she had a mildly perplexed look on her face. I don't know about you, but I'm not the kinda girl who's into being insulted by store clerks, especially when there's a Mollie S just a few blocks away. And isn't this neighborhood all about treating others with dignity and respect? Get it together, Buffalo - this ish is unacceptable on many levels.

I don't know why I haven't reviewed Buffalo sooner. They're in my neighborhood, they have a terrific selection of stuff, their prices are surprisingly reasonable, they're nice, and I can support a small business and local producers alike by shopping there. This morning, after a comically failed attempt to go to the Allemany farmer's market, I came home and walked over to Buffalo. They had EXACTLY what I wanted--Two Dog Farm dry-farmed tomatoes as well as lovely heirloom tomatoes ($3.99/lb. each), gorgeous if not-quiiiiite ripe organic peaches and nectarines (put 'em in a paper bag and they'll be ripe in a day or two) for $2.99/lb, Applewood Farm bacon, real (as in no gum or other crap) cream cheese, and bagels from my beloved House of Bagels. Thank you, Buffalo Whole Food & Grain Company. I'll be back again and again and again.

This is a wonderful neighborhood place. The kind of place where they know you by name. Produce is excellent and they have most everything you need. I love coming here.

Come on people! This place deserves 5 stars! I don't get why people post how great little ol Buffalo is and then only give them 4! UGH!! This little store is fantastic!!! Not sure where to begin, but here goes. Strolling by the first thing bound to catch your eye will be the produce cart out front. It's always packed with the absolute freshest and brightest looking ORGANIC produce you've ever seen! And what's great is that unlike whole foods and bi-rite and other stores ive been to that claim to be all pro-organic ALL of the produce is organic. Every Single apple this store sells is organic! if you want pesticide laden vegetables and fruits then go to whole foods! and on top of that, the produce is a phenomenal price. i've seen tomatos, kiwis, lemons and other things i get all the time cost for less than HALF what i pay at whole foods. either whole foods is ripping everyone off BIG TIME (probably) or these guys are just giving money away but i doubt that haha the next thing you'll notice is as soon as you walk through the door the nice guy who is always there at the front will greet you like you're an old friend he hasnt seen in months even if you've never been there before. i serously love this guy, i have never seen him once without a smile on his face and hes so helpful! and he knows all his regular customers by name. he must love what he does. now for the selection. you'd think a tiny store this size (seriously, the seven eleven down the street is at least double the size of this place) wouldn't have much of a selection but believe it or not i can do all of my shopping here. they have a great selection of vegetarian and vegan items. they have a bunch of different brands of freshly delivered bread, even semifreddis which i cant find anywhere which is my absolute favorite. the premade sandwiches are the bomb. they even have a big vitamin wall. every time i go in i mean to talk to the vitamin expert there, she seems super helpful and really knowledgeable about the products. she's almost like a doctor or something. i hope they pay her good! it's anice environment to be in. it doesnt have a decaying vibe like a lot of the smaller health food stores in san francisco where there's lots of expired stuff and the staff dont look very happy. everyone here is really helpful and seems like they love their jobs. thanks for being the best local market in the castro, buffalo!

The new ownership is going to run this business into the ground. I went in for milk on 12/31 and was disappointed to find milk for sale that expired on 12/27... Hoping that your shoppers won't notice the expiry date so that you can maintain profit is not a way to build a business. I will go to 7-11 for non-expired milk before coming here again... It ruins the overall experience and perception of everything in this store...not a good strategy if Trader Joe's is moving right around the corner in the old Cala Foods location....

The folks at Buffalo Whole Food treat their customers like family. But beyond great service, friendly smiles, and warm conversation, they're fully stocked. Fruits, veggies, grass fed beef, Mary's air chilled chicken, pre-made meals and munchies, cereals and chips, bagels, supplements and vitamins, and the list goes on. The quality of their products is as good or better than Whole Foods, but it usually costs less here. Plus, it's just a more pleasant place to shop. If you live in the Castro you already know all this. If you live elsewhere, it's time to make the trip! Thanks, BWF!

There are so few organic and health food stores in the Castro. Thus, I am stuck with this store all too often. Selection is quite limited. Plainly, the goods are wildly overpriced and the people are consistently unfriendly. Its not unusual to find blueberries at other stores for less than half of what this store charges. The woman with the curly hair who regularly works there is fake, awkward. A small neighborhood place should be friendly to locals and this is absolutely not that store. If you're a Castro resident, I'd suggest any other health food store in nearby neighborhoods.

Major disappointment in my experience at Buffalo Whole Food. Called in to hold 2 Challah for Shabbat last Friday. Went to pick it up and the note on the bag said, "Hold 2 Challah for this goy". Come to find out from my Jewish friends that "goy" is an offensive term for someone who is non Jewish. Way to alienate your customers! Good Job! By the way, the Challah was great!

I have a love/hate relationship with Buffalo. They have a really great selection of vitamins & supplements, but look at the price tag before you buy. It's not unusual for one bag to end up costing around $70. Other than that, their excellent selection, service and convenience to my home make up for it, so of course, I keep going back.

I work nearby, and find myself stopping in here daily for a snack, meal, or just some light grocery shopping. It's a convenient location, and they stock some great items (like rami's hummus and the vegan soups, for example). The staff is always friendly (especially James and Kevin!) and the produce is always delicious and fresh.