Central Market

Very clean and organized place. Came here since I was in area and heard of their dollar rose days, was not disappointed. They had a lovely assortment of rose colors to choose from and all were fresh and look great. The store is kind of structured like a maze and has a few “shortcuts” to be able to move more quickly through the store, but overall very structured. They have an in house cafe/cafeteria/bakery set up as well, and everything looked fresh and the bakery section smelled amazing. Tried their “cozy cup latte” and their “pumpkin patch chai” from their cafe. Baristas were sweet and helped pick out the drinks, service was quick, and drinks tasted great and were made with high quality. Overall, was really pleased with the quality of products offered here, the customer service is superior, and workers are very helpful and sweet. Great first experience, will definitely be visiting more often.

Central Market: A Culinary Adventure Worth the Premium Central Market is truly a destination that elevates grocery shopping from a chore into a delightful culinary adventure. The store is laid out in a fascinating, winding route—much like an IKEA showroom—which encourages exploration and ensures you discover every specialty section. The journey begins in the vibrant Produce and Fruit section, where quality is clearly the top priority. It's always a treat to find ample free samples available on many days, giving you a taste of seasonal offerings. Moving into the interior, Central Market boasts one of the most comprehensive seafood and meat selections available anywhere, perfect for serious cooks or those looking for a special-occasion cut. Specialty and Prepared Foods The store excels in its specialty departments. The wine selection is vast, complemented by a thoughtful array of craft and rare beers that are often hard to source elsewhere. The bulk area is a treasure trove, featuring a wide variety of high-quality nuts, candies, spices, and freshly roasted coffee, all sold by the pound. Don't skip the cheese counter or the bakery; they offer an impressive selection of artisanal cheeses and some of the best fresh-baked bread imaginable. The final stretch of the route leads to the restaurant and prepared meal section, which offers a tremendous variety of main dishes and sides, conveniently sold by weight. This area alone makes it an ideal stop for a quick lunch or dinner when you don't have time to cook. Logistics and Value While you certainly pay a little extra for this premium experience and the quality you receive, it undeniably makes grocery shopping fun. The one consistent challenge is the parking lot: it is large, but almost always completely full, so be prepared to hunt for a spot! Overall, Central Market provides a unique, high-quality, and enjoyable shopping environment that is well worth the occasional splurge.

Central Market could use pressure washing and a clean up of the dirty outdoor tables and eating area. Since they have closed the inside cafe eating area due to holiday food pick up, I sat outside after my workout and was simply disgusted. If you’re in the food business, the cleanliness of the establishment matters. I know HEB can do better.

Amazing store with lots to find, they have very wast selection especially the international collection. This pst week they had the German passport event running and it was amazing. They also have a very busy and very fresh sandwich corner and all the sandwiches on the menu are just amazing.

Clean, well organized, variety of goods to choose from, good prices, exclusive in Texas, can’t think of something more special than this! Makes my grocery run fun than ever! They even have fresh truffle and huge collection of mushrooms by which I’m impressed.

We came here for one thing and we got that one thing, a delicious and filling sandwich. Endless options and menu chef selections! Customizable from the bread, sauces, protein, veggies, and heat options. Pass the salad or pickle bar grab something from the many options available or even getting a drink with multiple options to choose from the fountain or drink display

**Central Market Cafe** I didn’t grocery shop, only used the CAFE. It’s a maze, kind of reminds me of IKEA. The coffee was amazing, ordering was quick and easy. I ordered an iced vanilla latte. Staff were polite and baked goods smelled delicious.

Absolutely love everything about Central Market! Visiting during weekend lunchtime always feels like an adventure—there’s so much to explore. The food is consistently fresh, the staff is friendly, and the store is always clean and well-maintained. The cafeteria seating area could benefit from a bit more attention during peak hours, but with the constant flow of guests, it’s understandable and still well-managed overall. From the expansive salad bar and comforting soup options to the cozy coffee shop, sushi bar, vibrant floral selections, and a wide variety of freshly cooked meals—there’s something for everyone. Our favorite, though, is the incredible sandwich bar, offering delicious choices for all ages. The overall atmosphere is warm and inviting. I just wish there were more locations nearby! The only downside we’ve experienced is the sandwich line on weekends—it can get quite long, sometimes taking up to 30 minutes despite having plenty of staff. Hopefully, they’ll find a way to improve the flow, but even with the wait, it’s well worth it.

This is one of the best grocery stores in the USA, no doubt about it! I hear people in the northeast raving about Wegmans, but Wegmans nowhere comes close to Central Market. With the trend towards emphasis on local and ingredient driven food and cooking, Central Market is where you need to go for grocery shopping. Amazing produce, lots locally sourced, as well as exotic fruits and vegetables you would not find anywhere else - I mean, last time I was there I even saw wasabi rhizome and yuzu! The seafood and butcher section is insane, and the quality is top notch. They have a dry age locker and some of the best steaks I I have ever cooked has been beef from Central Market. You can also tell the people who curate the products here are legit - for wine and beer lovers, the selection and curation is out of this world. Some of my favorite wine producers that I used to always have to order, are represented in the store. And it's wild when some of my old local beer spots in Brooklyn/NYC/Upstate New York have their cans on the shelf. Their floral section is first class as well, and always so fresh, diverse, and gorgeous. I have even taken cooking classes here (which I highly recommend!!) - the instructors are so nice, and it's a great deal because they give you Central Market coupons for use after the class too. If I had to name the top 5 reasons why I love Houston, Central Market would be on that list!

Reviewing the sandwiches for my own future reference. I've had the Cuban Press, California Connection, and the Central Market Cheesesteak. I really liked the Cuban, the California Connection was solid, the Central Market Cheesesteak was alright.

This time shopped for flowers. They gave a great collection of fresh flowers in all possible colors and variety and if your lucky, you can get a bouquet made too. They are easy to access and have a friendly staff who will help with suggestions. The flowers I had purchased last time lived very well into a good 3 weeks with minimal maintenance, am hoping the ones I got this time will too. Central Market is otherwise a great stop for any daily need, something like an upscale super Target. I never leave the place without a box of their salads. A must stop if you are in the area.

So this is where all the good produce is! They also have delicious quick take and go meals and lunches. My favs are the rotisserie chicken, sourdough bread and chicken tamales. Grab some canned tomatillo sauce, bake and that's an delicious super easy dinner. The bagged lunches are $5 and perfect for the kiddos. They get a sandwich, condiments, grapes and carrots all in a easy carry bag- I definitely avoid weekends, too busy. The bakery is top notch too btw.

This place could be pretty crowded but it's huge. People from different nationalities come over here maybe because of the variety of stuff from different countries they have in their inventory. The sandwich place has a long line but the workers are fast and efficient. If you have never been here you need to try. They got everything.

This place was a whole fun upscale experience. The produce section is huge, with an array of delicious regular and exotic selections. There were samples to savor or sip throughout the store. Tons of freshly baked breads, olives, cheeses, etc. The person serving the samples from items made in Cadiz, Spain was an excellent representative for the store and the products proudly served/sold. We ended up purchasing several items from his display. Likewise for the person serving the ice cream toppings. We ended up buying a variety of flavors. There's even a deli area where you can build your own sandwich or select a signature sandwich. These sandwiches are a must. I tried the Sweet Basil Tango...so scrumptious! What a fun place to buy groceries!

Foodie Finds at Central Market. Great place to shop for delicious fresh fruits, crisp vegetables, bakery goods, a large selection of international cheeses and more. You Want It, We Knead It. Love their fresh hot tortillas. Perfect for fajitas or quesadillas. Their cranberry walnut bread and rosemary breads are great for sandwiches. Your Fish is Our Command. The sockeye salmon, cod and redfish are so fresh. Grab some herbs and lemon to grill with the fish. So delicious. Chef Prepared. Check out their freshly prepared selection of salads, sushi, and vegetables. Love their Brussels sprouts and chicken salads. Sign up for their ads, the Weekly savor, to get updates on the most delicious deals and special bonus coupons. Love the buy one, get one specials and foodie freebies. Like buy a pound of marinated chicken breast and get salad, hummus and salad dressing.

We came in looking for one specific item. Our grandbaby loves banana pudding, this is not gourmet enough 'cause they don't sell it here. This place has lots of cool stuff, even had a case where mushrooms were growing and lots of coffee bean offerings according to my spouse....it was too crowded on a Friday afternoon for me. I'll pick an off hour to do my shopping here.

While this is obviously the best grocery store in houston, they get a lot of things wrong. I have come to a place wherein I believe it is purposeful. I spent nearly $200 for a Thanksgiving meal that was TERRIBLE. The turkey was ok, and the pumpkin pie was ok, but everything else was sub-par, and most needed a lot more treatment than the instructions said. After cooking the green bean casserole for nearly 3x as long as they said, the green beans were still raw. They gave them zero treatment, and then said 25 minutes at 325F would make them food. NOPE. Why is texas such a dump, in general? The standards here are extremely low.

This place is on serious steroids! If they don't have something here, you probably won't find it anywhere. The deli looks amazing (and the lines long - even at 11!), the produce section is huge (!), they have "raw" meal kits where you can put everything together at home so it's freshly prepared... They have it all!

I like Central Market and wish it was closer to me since their prices are more reasonable than say a Whole Foods Market. They have a nice selection of premium products, and their produce department is excellent. It's not exactly a one stop shop experience though compared to my regular HEB or even Whole Foods. Their Central Market brand is somewhat similar to WFM's 365 brand but they don't seem to have as much variety. They have a much bigger selection of prepared food than both HEB and WFM but most is cold and served deli style rather than cafeteria hot plate style. I just prefer serving myself although I understand it's more hygienic to have a server. They have plenty of parking although traffic can be busy on Westheimer.

Usually good, but I am very, very disappointed with the meat department. I asked for a half pound of beef shank to make soup, and when I got home, I found out that he gave me half fat. (Look at the photo) I am very upset at the butcher working today, Sep 3rd. Tip for others who go to the meat section: I would double-check the cut they give you. What a waste of time.

We love shopping at Central Market but for the life of me I cannot understand why the bathrooms there are always disgusting. My hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaraunt has cleaner restrooms than CM. It bothers me that the employees have to use the also. Shame.

Price at the sandwich shop is always different. Why is that? It should be the same because I always get the same thing. I hate Indiscriminate pricing. But the sandwiches are good.

Central Market is such a gem for the city. While it is too pricy for me to grocery shop there weekly their sandwich, salad, soup, and cold foods service stations are exceptional. The store has a wonderful layout though always packed, but I won't stop returning. Check out their events and cooking classes as well.

Come here if you want fresh fruits and vegetables ,specialty pastas from Italy and a bakery with bread selection that rifles a boulangerie in France . Their huge selection of individual trays of spices (such as curry, cinnamon , basil , oregano) that you can spoon into small or large provided bags are the things that draw me back. Italian water or local , a nice selection of wine and wonderful pre-made food bar , olive bar and even a sushi bar made Central Market a one stop market.

Let me emphasize that I really really really........ REEAAALLLLLYYYYY like this grocery store! Walking in here is a food shoppers paradise with the different brands of groceries, fresh meats and seafoods, prepackaged meals, wine selection, olive bar, cooking oil selection, you name it. You'll start with the produce of vegetables and fruits, work your way to the bakery with the fresh bread and pastries, then you come to the wine selection, then there's multiple paths that lead you to the butcher or maybe it's the frozen food section; maybe you'll be in the italian section with the pastas and olive oils; or perhaps that area where you're looking for asian spices and flavors. Yes it is pricy as in Whole Foods pricy but I find this store way better than Whole Foods. Favorites are the fresh baguettes and cookies, wine selection, olive/mushroom bar, and their selection of olive oils. It's a must stop whenever I'm in this area!

My first cooking class and it was a wonderful experience. My friend went and took a kolache class here and highly recommended the classes at this central market. They happened to be having this dim sum class and I really enjoy dim sum so I thought it would be fun to learn to make it. Went with two friends and walked up to the kitchen and checked in with one of the chefs. We were able to all sit together at the same table which was very nice. It's a nice large space in which to cook and prepare food. They literally have every kitchen tool that you could need. The class was structured very well and we were given the recipes for all of the items we were going to cook. The main chef did and excellent job explaining everything and also giving back stories on something's as well. We were given two pours of wine to go with our food and would be given instruction on each individual item each time, we prepared and they assisted us in cooking. Our food came out great! Some of my dumplings burned a bit but we're still great! I will be going to more of these classes in the future, it's a really fun thing to do with friends, family, and even as a date idea.

Seems like tons of food down here But u really need to look through thoughtfully If u don't have the patience then u can skip it The way it has been originated was ok Not super easy or clear to find The service is mediocre not like Whole Foods The atmosphere is ok but not super delightful

Just purchased a pack of Freshly made Italian Meat Balls on Saturday evening. When I cooked them lots of fat was evident , very bland no flavor , lacked seasoning and fresh herbs. Very disappointing. I had to add my own seasonings to make them edible I will not purchase again! It was too much $$ for tasteless meat balls!

My friend was making food for us and bought a bag rice from central market. We opened the bag and there were weevils. Most of the time, Central Market is great but this was straight gross. I would not buy rice from Central Market. At all. Never again unless I want a lovely infestation of bugs.

Central Market is one of my FAVORITE grocers. It's built akin to a labyrinth that hosts a maze of colors - from a kingdom of produce to the meat market.. the wine world to the olive oil outer lands.. bastion of bread to the cheese citadel... it has EVERYTHING! & MORE! If you're a foodie, this is the grocery store to go to. Owned by HEB, it still holds somewhat fair prices to others of its category (Whole Foods). Enjoy your visit!

This is an excellent grocery store. I went on a Saturday morning and it was a little crowded, but I was still able to easily find parking. There is a vast selection of high-quality produce. They even offer cooking classes. The bakery has so many types of freshly baked breads and desserts. There is a nice chocolate bar as well.

Everything about CM is exceptional. Food. Flowers. Gifts. Service. It is all top notch. I've never seen an ugly apple or messy display. They find interesting food from all around the world and make it available all in one place. My favorite display is the mushrooms. They always have interesting mushrooms that look freshly picked. I'm not sure where else I can find lions mane mushrooms or fresh chanterelles. I do not recommend buying king oyster mushrooms here as the prices are exorbitant compared to Hmart or really any Asian grocery store. I think central market has the best seafood. Their scallops always seem much larger and their fish super fresh. However, all this freshness and service comes at a huge up charge. If you're a bargain hunter, look elsewhere. There can be deals but you'll be hunting for a long time. The seasonal displays are also gorgeous. I like being able to buy pumpkins in the fall and fresh cut wreathes in December. The store just feels festive during the holidays as well. Central market will also go out of their way to make catering meals a wonderful experience for you. I've purchased many tea sandwich platters over the years. It has saved me a great deal of time. They also have hot foods and prepackaged sandwiches that are delicious. I also recommend getting a smoothie too! They're pretty tasty and you can add protein and vitamins if you want. My one huge gripe with this store is the layout. It just doesn't make any sense. It is a difficult to navigate store if it is your first time. Also don't come on the weekends, the parking lot becomes a nightmare.

If there was an Olympics for grocery stores, Central Market would be the Usain Bolt. I ended up here on accident, mistakingly thinking it was a giant Whole Foods, and now, years later Central Market has become a very expensive habit. Their super powers: sammies, florals (best sunflowers I've ever purchased), the Gluten free aisle, more mushroom & produce variety than any other grocer, amazing last minute holiday goodies that taste straight from the bakery, & like Farrah mentioned- cooking classes.

Love shopping here as usual! Not gonna lie, it's super pricey but I got to try new things. Got several peppers and a variety of mushrooms. The white strawberries were sweet and soft. I found myself wandering down the aisles for new beverages, chips, chocolates, etc. Almost like a treasure hunt!

If you enjoy coffee, I recommend stopping by their cafe for a quick beverage before shopping! I had their seasonal "Flapjack Latte" which had a fantastic taste of espresso shots with oat milk and cinnamon! The service was quick and you get to enjoy the rest of your time browsing through one of the best Central Markets in Houston! Their layout with a touch of natural lighting makes you want to be lost in the market for hours!

Whats not to like? If you don't like crowds go early or later like 7:30/8pm. This is legit the best grocery store in Houston when you want a little razzle dazzle without WF prices

Love central market. Fresh produce, meats, and seafood. So much variety of ethnic groceries. I love their tea and spice selections. They no longer have 100% kona coffee which is disappointed.

I've said it once abs I'll say it a million times over, Central Market is the greatest of all time. The customer service here cannot be matched. Floor members are so helpful in making recommendations and really know their products. Weekly savors and ads around the store will point you to seasonal specialties. This is the freshest and largest selection of produce I've found at any grocery in Houston. My favorite is picking out snacks in the bull section, notably the variety of dried fruits, nuts and candies ( try the giant puffed corn). Excellent meals to go, sandwich, salad and soup stations. To come here it to love it. Spend time browsing aisle for specialty treats from all over Texas and the Country.

This is my favorite grocery store! I enjoy browsing the aisles and seeing the variety of products they have. Their staff is knowledgeable and able to help you locate an item quickly and they usually walk over and help you find it. I prefer to buy veggies here because it has a clean welcoming presentation. Also, I love the floral section. It's very inviting!

I am rating the bakery only. I can't speak for their "fancy" desserts but their muffins, quick breads and pies are not up to the standard of the rest of the store. I am always disappointed. Dry and not much flavor. A shame because the rest of the store is fabulous. (yeast breads are fine(

Really nice grocery store. It's owned by HEB -- this is where you find premium products, sort of like their version of Whole Foods. It's a large store with a fantastic selection. Every department was bursting at the seams with awesome products. Huge cheese selection. Giant olive bar. Awesome bakery (bought a prosciutto black pepper ficelle and some pão de queijo). Large area with specialty wines, craft beer, spirits, etc. Beautiful seafood and meat, of course (with the requisite price tag). The produce section was lovely -- a lot to choose from, all great quality. They have a large mushroom area, including morels for sale (nothing that I can afford). Overall, the prices are on the higher side. However, I don't feel like they are unfairly inflated. The store is spotless, full of unique, quality products (I didn't even mention their prepared foods areas), and staffed by many well-trained employees. Btw, there are some items which are very affordable and priced the same as other grocery stores. They also recently sent out coupons for $10 off (with a $20 minimum purchase) plus free olive oil and an herb bunch. Smart. Personally, I wouldn't be able to do all my shopping here -- it'd be too expensive for me. But an occasional trip to pick up a few things I can't find elsewhere -- totally reasonable. I have to point out that their service was great. The employees were very helpful. Wondered out loud to my boyfriend about the cost of figs while an employee was stacking them -- he immediately told me. Asked an employee sorting the herbs whether they were eligible for a coupon offer -- he answered my question and even specified all the herbs (they weren't labeled). I guess I'm not used to grocery store employees putting forth more than minimal effort. Overall, a really nice store and worth a visit, for sure.

This overpriced, exotic supermarket/foodie heaven is one of our go-to places when we're in Houston. Now that we're back here to work again, it's a nice place to come and look at all the different brands of food that one has never heard of. The place is just full of every type of food that you'd like to sample but never have the time or finances for. There's just too much of everything. Nevertheless, their ready to eat food is quite delicious. HEB has managed to keep Central Market up to date and keep up with ready to eat meals and take away food. When I go there, I go for what I want to eat and then get out. If I stay and look around, I'd be there for hours!

Hands down my FAVE grocery store! Central market has items from cultures that represent almost ever continent on the globe. This is especially pleasing considering Houston is the most culturally diverse city in the nation. Sometimes you may want to cook an authentic meal and often times the regular grocery stores won't have what you need. Central market has almost everything. I also love the wide array of fresh organic produce from all around the world but also the local items as well. They have huge ovens to bake fresh bread and desserts daily that are worth a field trip, you can watch the employees at work! They have a huge salad / sandwich bar and another bar/ cafe where you can order certain pre made food by the pound or plate to eat there or take home and add to diner or a meal prep later. They also always have a good selection of live flowers for me weekly swap out of fresh flowers at home! What's not to love?!

Been going here for years. It's a nice place to go to. Nice atmosphere. However the meat / butcher shop has dramatically fell off the map as far as quality. I keep trying and it's always bad. The last thing was filet mignon (normal not grass fed) at $34.99 a pound if I remember correctly. Horrible flavor. My guests didn't like it. So gamey And somewhat chewy which is weird for filet. The veal cutlets - like rubber. The ribeye (the cheaper ones for $24 a pound believe) Chewye and average flavor. The supermarket down the street was even better for Half the price. The lamb medallions also rubber. I still go but don't buy my meat there anymore

Try the spring specials at Central Market's coffee bar! They are delicious. I have to recommend the Flapjack Latte

This is the greatest grocery store in all of the Houston area. Its really a crime that there is only one of them. When I lived in Virginia, we had Wegman's. This is a slightly smaller version of a Wegman's. You can find lots of specialty items (brown or black mustard seed to make my own spicy mustard. Yup!) Want artisan cheeses and one of the few places that makes excellent bread. Yup. Amazing flower dept? Yup. Prepared food and a cafe to eat it in? Yup. I drove down from Summerwood just to shop here on occasion. All it's missing is a bed in the corner and I could live here....

We always enjoy shopping here. Very friendly and consistently large selection of common goods as well as higher end brands. A large option of prepared food so also worth checking out. I would recommend to others and will certainly return. As always we love the hatch green chile and stop in everybyear

I was there day before Thanksgiving. for turkey and trimmings. Bible disappointed. I used to nearly live there. They did have the usual salads, the cornbread stuffing was gross, only way to get cranberry sauce was to nuy it in bulk on the shelf, enough for 6 families rather than I person. it was enormously expensive. I'll find another place to go. everything was tasteless

This is like Whole Foods but with more choices, more products to buy, and more people shopping. I feel like you could buy almost everything you need here although there is always something (like regular canola oil for example) that is not available (not fancy enough I suppose). For that sort of thing you could go to the regular H-E-B. I went late at 9 pm and they close at 10. The thing I noticed was that there vegetables and baked goods weren't picked clean by earlier customers. There were still great looking vegetables and fresh tortillas at that hour, unlike the regular H-E-B where all that is left when you go late at night are some dingy cabbages and the commercially made tortillas. I suspect at the regular H-E-B all the smart people (ie moms, aunts, and grandmothers) who know about what a good price is go early in the day, get the best goods, and leave the rest to the less bright folks. This is not the case at Central Market. There is still good stuff late and tons of other people in the same predicament - ie need food and it should look good - are there. Ambiance is nice. It does not feel as utilitarian as the regular H-E-B. There is something for painting the ceilings black or another dark color. The only bad thing is service. They won't bag your purchases for you. Well they didn't bag mine. Perhaps I looked to scruffy to shop there. So, this is the place to go when it is late-ish and you have to get something nutritious and good quality (because the good stuff has already been nicked early in the day at the regular H-E-B) and you want to see other people in the same situation. Regular H-E-B is probably better early in the day but this place is better at night. And it is in the posh part of town.

This place reminds me of Trader Joe's... fancy and expensive. My husband and I came in looking for some coffee. We were overwhelmed by the selection. There were probably 100+ options. So many, we didn't know what to pick. Plus, they were all so expensive... $9.99+/lb. We left without getting any and went to Target to get good ol' Dunkin' Donuts ground coffee instead. I mean, the vast selection of options of anything was remarkable. I mean, there had to be 25 kinds of apples alone! (See pic). I personally don't know how people can shop fully here bc it's so expensive but it would be a good spot to run in and grab a couple things.

Central Market on Westheimer in Houston is the top of the line greatest supermarket in the world. When I go there I get excited because they have anything you want and the freshest. I always go to the seafood section for the best salmon and shrimp and scallops. Then I go to produce. Very fresh and there are employees making sure everything is fresh and looking good. Before I finish I go to the deli section and get a fresh custom made salad. I LOVE CENTRAL MARKET!!!!!!!!

came to pick up some hard to find vegan foods. This place is huge . The customer service is noticeable by it's absence. The store itself is clean, well organised with signs point to the various departments.helpful in a store this size. It is priced comparable to a whole foods. This has most any ethnic food you might want . A huge bakery area., is huge, with choices from sourdough, pastries, bewt tortillas in town. . There are ample c cashiers, and parking a cafe' . Olive bar chocolate bazaar, great beer and wine selection. Produce is large laid out well. Banana selection in shelves marked 1-3 days etc....

This place has a nice balcony to eat on the food is good options are good. It's just a bit too pricey.

I went to the coffee counter. they still advertise egg nog lattes I order and pay for one. then I'm told they aren't making them anymore. I tell the young woman to take the sign down she says 'we're trying '. (huh?). I was told to go to the front to get my refund. I had to ask someone else exactly where that was

Your customer service needs help, massively. Train them, hold employees accountable, create a positive work environment. Something! Anything. This is the third time I've experienced poor customer/partner interaction. This morning at 9:15am I was barked at by the fish monger "WHAT DO YOU NEED?" when I walked up to the counter. The young woman who checked me out couldn't have been bothered to do her job much less say thank you as I did to her. No eye contact, no smile, no NOTHING. Its as if I was bothering her. It's morning, this is the first shift --If this is her attitude now I can't imagine what it is around 1pm. Before the holidays two young ladies at the check out had a full blown inappropriate conversation about how much their job sucked in front of me and my brother --again, couldn't be bothered to be pleasant after we said hello, just blank stares. For the amount of money spent at this grocery store, one would assume customer service would be a top priority. Woops! Not so. Listen, I understand that right now it's difficult to find talented employees, but given the upcoming potential recession (let's hope its a soft landing) and eventual job cuts, one would think those employees would do well to do WELL. I hope that when those cuts come--those people who felt that they didn't need to do their job, get shown the door.

My new favorite is a made to order sandwich I recently purchased from Central Market grocery deli...a grilled salmon filet with grilled onions, sun-dried tomato pesto, grilled portobello mushrooms, fresh tomatoes and spicy pickles on toasted dark rye bread. My husband got the same except on ciabatta bread. It was sooo delicious! First of all, I didn't know or realize that they made custom made sandwiches. I just so happened to see it as I was grocery shopping for a specialty item (I usually don't shop at this particular store). It was lunch time, so I figured why not. The quality and variety of the ingredients offered were far superior than anything I'm used to seeing at a grocery store.

Cannot make a trip to Houston without visiting Central Market. This place has everything you could think of and is very clean. The employees are always so helpful.

To me, this place is a fancy cafeteria with all the gourmet foods rather than a grocery store where I would go to buy milk and cereal. The chefs here can cook! Roasted Brussel sprouts, steamed broccolini, not to mention the hearty sandwiches are all so delicious, and prices are reasonable. I love love love the rye bread sandwiches with savory roast beef, Swiss cheese, portabello mushrooms, broccolini......OMG so yummy!! As a big fan of King Cakes, I gotta give Central Market's King Cake a try, which I did! Happy Mardi Gras y'all! Yet, this King Cake did not do an excellent job and made me sad. The cinnamon bread was so dry and nearly tasteless while the cream cheese filling was like completely missing! This hollow ring of stale bread covered with an avalanche of colored sugar sprinkles didn't taste like King Cake at all; I appreciated the sugar rush after a long day at work though! Honesty, Central Market's parent company, HEB, has done a much better job in making King Cakes with buttery croissant bread; price wise, $10.99 versus $6.99 so what would you say?! HEB's King Cake absolutely wins hands down! I would have given Central Market five (5) stars if its King Cake didn't fail me Lol