Wendy B.
Yelp
We, in the neighboring city of Corona, have a large number of grocery stores that cater to our large Latino community. So when I heard that the Northgate Gonzales chain was planning on opening yet another store in Corona's downtown (in the near future) as part of the city's revitalization, I wondered exactly what that meant to me.
Recently both my daughter and my son had good things to say about shopping at the Riverside location. But I needed to find out for myself. So we went there several times in the past few months and it has grown on me.
This is a substantially large store, very well organized, quite clean, and very friendly. The fresh produce section is quite impressive. It has the feel of some of the magnificent Asian markets you can find in parts of Southern California, bustling with activity, with a beautiful butchery and well-stocked shelves that cater to Spanish/Latino tastes. But it was the huge, hot food section that has won my heart most recently. I am a real tough critic when it comes to buying good carnitas by-the-pound, as it tends to be overcooked, dry, and too lean. But what I found here was perfect. While I struggled language-wise to express what I wanted to the lady at the counter, with a little help from strangers I came home with an amazing chunk that melted in my mouth. You will find many hot dishes, some are self serve, others require assistance. But what caught my eye were the Family Meal Deals that include all the mandatory meal extras (salsa, tortillas, beans, rice). For the two of us, our meal rang up at $19.99. That comes with a full pound of meat, plus sides. For an additional $16, we would have gotten another pound of carnitas, enough for 4-5 they say. While not particularly in love with the sides, it is OK, a really decent deal. My carnitas cravings can now be satiated without having to worry. I am ecstatic!
All in all, I am looking forward to shopping in the new Corona store (maybe open sometime in late 2025?). Their standards really impress me, and apparently many others as well, as this one was very busy.