Blue Hill Co-Op

Prices are high, but totally worth it for the bulk foodstuffs (maple syrup! balsamic!), bulk quality whole spices, the coffee, and most of the produce. Definitely worth buying your produce here if you don’t have the luxury to travel around to different farms for your weekly shopping. And I’m a sucker for their fancy candy bars and THE BEST chocolate milk I’ve ever tasted, sold in bottles near the register.

Combines an organic food market with a small café. They have been in business in the same location for many years, and are an expression of the middle-​class counterculture that moved into this peninsula starting in the 1970s. Good fresh, local produce (that could be arranged more appealingly) and local artisanal bread, plus the usual co-​op grocery fare, plus some over the counter natural pharmacy items. Café serves breakfast; lunch sandwiches and fare also; good coffee. Portions not generous, but café prices are reasonable. It’s an old building with a funky, crowded, homemade look and feel, kind of like an old farm house. They could use a larger, newer, cleaner building; after many years of use, the place is looking worn, and in summer the parking lot is sometimes difficult to get into. But they have a loyal local following, as well they should. The younger staff is friendly, the older ones matter-​of-​fact. Summer folks on the go as well as local professionals find the café pleasant (if sometimes crowded) for breakfast and lunch. Although the area has several farmers’ markets, especially during the growing season, it’s the most reliable place for organic produce on the peninsula, unless you grow your own.

I was so glad to find the Blue Hill Co-​op while in Maine! Having already procured basic groceries to stock our vacation fridge, we were able to supplement our coffers with local yogurt, organic veggies, and Hillary’s Veggie Burgers (which we had never tried before but are in love with! Where can I find them in Cleveland?!). It made our eating-​in experiences all the more enjoyable!
The prices do seem a bit high, but I was not at all surprised since they are clearly offering products that one cannot find elsewhere in the vicinity.
On our way out of town we stopped in to see if there was something for breakfast and I am sure glad that we did! Egg sandwiches made-​to-​order and a plethora of gluten-​free pastries! It made my day!
Next time we are in town we will certainly be stopping by again!

The pros: They have a nice selection of (somewhat pricy) natural foods. Their spice selection is great.
The cons (my experience): I would always go to the café to pick up a coffee and a brownie. One day I had already paid and was on my way to work when I found a piece of raw chicken in my brownie.
I returned the next day and told the lady at the deli what I had found, and said they might want to do things differently in the food prep area since raw meat was obviously being handled next to the preparation of baked goods. She looked at me poker-​faced and acted like there was something wrong with me.

This is an interesting place. They have everything you need for a health conscience feast. You will pay out the door for it though.
The bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich with tomato was delightful. The bread was flavorful and held everything together. The bacon were nice slabs on the medium– thick side. We have the best tomatoes from NJ, and these rivaled them. So juicy and tasted like organic matter. Not something that has had all of the flavor frozen out of it. I inhaled the sandwich.
My g/​f and I were picnicing in Acadia that day so we stocked up on provisions. The curried chicken sandwich was even more amazing than the breakfast sandwich. I have never had one with curry powder mixed in and it livened up what normally is a good sandwich into something better.
We also picked up a block of cheese and Applegate soprassata.
I may have been over charged, even with re-​adding the steep prices something was a little askew.
Friendly staff that are very helpful with suggestions.

After indulging in a rather generous lunch, The L. and I decided to pick up some light bites for a stay home dinner during our vacation. The Blue Hill Co-​op immediately caught our attention as the place to procure our bits and pieces as they have an amazing selection of local food stuffs. And the business, established in 1974, is owned by the community with over 1200 people who share in its profits making it even better as it directly supports local business. And even betterer? They frown upon artificial, chemical and GMOs so one can shop there with confidence knowing the shelves have been vetted.
Located on the bend in the road in a free standing older building with a front porch full of charm, the Co-​op had much to offer. We settled on some local cheeses (2 blues and a goat), a local freshly made Borea French baguette and some organic albeit not local red table wine to go with some olives and such that we already had back at the house. I love stinky cheese and they had quite a diverse and varied selection, it was hard to pick just two (a Blue Ledge Middlebury and Great Hill Blue [made with raw unhomogenized milk]). And thankfully they offered small wedges perfect for sharing and eating in one sitting.
The Co-​op also had plenty of other offerings from bulk bins to frozen to pret a manger and would have been a great resource for us had we not been staying so far away. I would have loved to come in for breakfast and tried their other freshly baked goodies bigger than the tiny brownie bite we tried (!). I am always interested in items I cannot get elsewhere (meaning back in NY) and I found some lovely fragrant Holly Farms handmade vegetable based hemp soap to bring back to use as a freshener in one of my dresser drawers.
It was nice to be a part of this community driven business if even for a mere blip in time. It epitomizes to me what Maine is all about-​fresh food shared with loved ones.

My family and I have been vacationing in Maine every other year for the past 10 and my mom was in desperate need of Soldier Beans. Where I’m from in Philadelphia, I guess we just don’t have them. After trying a couple of farmers stands, one recommended the Co-​Op. He even called to see if they had them and yes they did! My mom and I took the trip.
Found the place easily enough, and it was filled with fresh produce, prepared foods, organic everything, and Soldier Beans! As a bonus, they even had Hubbard Squash which my mom was in search of. No Fiddleheads, but they were out of season. 2 out of 3 isn’t bad, though!
13lbs of Soldier Beans and 12lbs of Hubbard Squash coming home to Philadelphia makes my mom very happy so it makes me happy, too.
Prices are a little high, but we’re not members of the Co-​Op which would get you a discount I suppose. If I lived nearby, I’d be a member.

My fave placeto grabs coffee on the go. Of course perfect place for yummy health food options ;)

While their Banh Mi sandwiches (made on Wednesday only) aren’t exactly «traditional,» they are probably the best sandwich I have ever had. They are served in pita bread, have tofu, tofu & bacon and lamb versions, and cost $ 6.95. I always look forward to when I have to be in Blue Hill on a Wednesday.

Fresh fresh fresh!
Seasonally produce, meats and grocery.
Well done.