Heather J.
Yelp
Unlike Western Market up the street, which also sells a variety of organic, holistic, and natural products, Natural Food Patch feels like an exclusive health food store for the brand of vegan who secretly sneers at anyone who puts milk in their tea or doesn't mind if the chicken isn't free range. I got that impression on a few visits when I was searching for various items.
They carry a vast quantity of vitamins, as it's a staple of their business, including those supplements rarely found in mainstream stores. If you need gurana or powdered cowslips in a gluten-free, soluble form, Natural Food Patch is probably your store. You are going to pay for the variety of unusual options though. I'm surprised by some of the markups on simple things, like essential minerals and vitamins (I'm talking B-12, not rarefied selenium or milk of magnesia). Definitely price shop for an expectation of what these things cost to make sure you're paying what you want.
However, for those with allergies, food restrictions, and dietary choices, this store is probably a godsend. As the only thing I seem to be allergic to is one of my three cats, I don't rely on wheat- or peanut-free products nearly so much. My results are mixed.
The interior space is maximized to the point of being a Ferndale souk or bazaar, with narrow, crooked aisles, little room to maneuver, and inability for most people to complete a full turn without the threat of knocking into something. Locating objects on the heavy laden shelves can be a bit tricky. I always feel like I need to be extremely careful to avoid dropping or breaking something; with my luck, it'd be very expensive glass bottle of vitamins.
As noted by a good many Yelpers, the produce looks terrible. They could do much better, and I am habitually surprised by how roughed up, bruised, and past-due many of the veggies and fruits look. Run up the street to Western Market for the same price and infinitely better quality, as well as on-site parking.
Parking is at a strict premium, limited largely to the street or the connector Breckenridge lot behind the Rust Belt Market. Access from the rear is pretty easy, but not so much fun if you have five to ten bags to carry.