LeVillage

I bought chocolates and some other French goods here since it was open once a month. I heard they have a regular store front in San Mateo now.

I finally got a call back from someone at Le Village. He said that if I return the item that they sent me and charged me for after I had already canceled my order, he would fully refund the purchase on my credit card. I returned the unopened package to the address he gave me. I did not trust that Le Village could handle a task as simple as returning a product and refunding my credit card so I made sure to send it back with a signature required delivery so that I would have proof that it was indeed delivered to Le Village. That was a month ago, they have still not processed my credit and guess what? I called to try to contact customer service to figure out what is going on and I can’t reach anyone in customer service. I can only leave voicemails that go unreturned.
There are far too many sources online to get amazing gourmet products, save yourself the headaches and shop anywhere other the Le Village. Quite honestly, I can’t believe that they can survive running a business in this manner. It is really shameful how irresponsible and unresponsive they are.

Now you can shop the good stuff online!

Fantastic source of duck confit, 1 pound bags of ground coriander ($ 4!!*), chocolates you never knew existed, and oh… the cheese! Did I mention the 1 pound can of vegetarian dolmas? And the olives? This is a foodie’s paradise!
Prices vary depending on what you get. If you’re in the mood for a $ 100+ container of Foie gras, they have that. But there are also fantastic deals to be had on other deliciousness.
Get on their mailing list for the open shopping days, but don’t get in my way when I’m there!
(* Because everything is going up in price, I can’t guarantee that you’ll get such a bargain now. But you should still go to see what delicacies you can find!)

I was first introduced to this wholesaler warehouse by a friend a few years back. They mostly have European goods, many from France. But, you will even find some Asian condiments and sausage from Spain. And pâté that’s made in Hayward… Which is pretty good.
I’m not familiar with many of the products, but have heard many a French speaker shopping here.
I’ve been to the warehouse for it’s open to the public shopping days, about ½ dozen times. I have bought such items as triple milled soaps, bottled honey, chocolates, fleur de sel, candies, French lemonade, pâté, and little toast crackers. I’m not familiar with many of the products, but enjoy browsing and wondering if I really need a 10+ pound bar of Valhrona chocolate. Remember, they usually sell in bulk. They also sell wines, olive and other oils, candied chestnut paste, capers, escargot, etc. The selection may vary from time to time. The last time I went, they had samples of hors d’oeuvres in pastry puff.
For those who enjoy wine, they sometimes have specials. I believe for buying by the box, where you mix and match. Or it may be fixed selection.
Tip: If you go, wear something warm. You’ll need it if you want to check out what’s in the walk in refrigerator. Lots of cheeses, yogurt, pâté, and other goodies.

This is what happens when you put Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Cost Plus World Market all together, with an emphasis on French products. For those who like to entertain, it’s a great place to buy those gourmet foods in bulk. I love their selection of baking chocolates (I found my Valhrona 100% pure cocoa powder here!), olive oils and vinegars, and french CHEESE and WINE! yum yum… They also have a nice selection of foie gras, duck confit, rilletes and pates, white and black truffles (!) in a jar, and everything else french. The freezer has some interesting wild game sausages, including rabbit, boar, and lamb, and also pre-​made and frozen escargots ready to be heated and eaten.
Funny though cuz in the midst of everything European, we also found bottles of that Vietnamese hot sauce aka Rooster sauce, soy sauces, and other Chinese spices.
Although you can probably find most of their products in specialty stores, this is a fun place to visit if you’re into gourmet cooking and like to see where the chefs around town get their good stuff.

Very French.
wine, cheese, oil, chocolate… are they any cheaper than retail stores? Some are, most products aren’t.
They do have many baking supplies: almond paste, candied fruit, chocolate chips, fondant, jams, extracts, nuts… all in bulk. Unless you are some serious baker, you probably don’t wanna end up with lifetime of supplies.
There are also various pastry decoration products, mixes. pre-​made stuff. I almost had my heart broken when I saw a box of 144 large Cannoli Shells for only $ 49.60. Just the other day, I was trying to make 12 of them which took me almost 3 hrs…
Unbelievable.

Basically, this is a place for foodies that don’t fool around.
The best yogurt I’ve ever had came from here. They have a multitude of flavors. Some of which include cantaloupe and chestnut. mmmm chestnut…
Also, the prices on their French Soaps are really good. I lost count on how many different flavored vinegars and olive oils they have. Their dried mushrooms are priced way better than any grocery store. Real French people shop here. I *heart* France.
Open for a very limited time each month… best to get on their mailing list so you know when they do their thing.

I lived in Paris for almost a decade and although I miss many things about living there, the Made in France sale makes me miss it a bit less.
It is important to go to this sale right when it starts in order not to miss out on the best treats. I usually stock up on Badoit (my favorite sparkling water), Petit Suisse, butter, cheeses, duck fat etc. There are always surprises – like restaurant sized tubs of fondant or other food trinkets.
This is not a «Sale» in the fact that it is not cheap – it is gourmet and all in one place.
«Made in France» also usually has other European products (like Italian olive oil and balsamic etc.).

Take advantage of the twice monthly opportunity to walk alongside the city’s top French chefs, shopping for the most incredible imported ingredients from France and all over the world. My shopping list:
2 kg Valhrona Cao Grande organic 70% bittersweet chocolate
1 jar sour cherries from France
1 vacuum-​sealed package of about 30 vanilla beans from Tahiti
1 lb dried blueberries
several blocks of French goat cheese
La Fermiere yogurt (nature~plain) in ceramic jars
San Giuliano Alghero 100% organic extra virgin olive oil
Vincotto vinegar aged 4 years in oak barrels from Italy
Fini balsamic vinegar from Modena
Rougie’ Block of Goose Foie Gras from France
1 lb fennel seed (whole) from the San Francisco Herb Co.
I resisted many other indulgences — too many to name in the pastry aisle, and the glorious legs of San Daniele prosciutto, fresh blocks of foie gras, and about 100 varieties of French yogurt… not to mention restaurant size containers of grilled artichokes, mushrooms, eggplant — imagine a summer outdoor party with all of these goodies!
Everyone is extremely friendly here too!

Well … I was hoping nobody would write a review about «Made in France» so we can keep it secret. It is obviously too late.
Once a month after we get their email notification, we rush to their warehouse. We try to get there on Friday before 2pm so we can avoid the looooooonnnnnnng line at the cashier.
Here are my recommendations:
— Yaourt «Mamie Nova»: they are absolutely delicious. They come in many different flavors (mango, Hazelnut, coconut, violet, caramel au beurre sale, cappuccino, 5 different types of chocolate, pear, coffee …)
— Boudin noir
— Merguez (spicy)
— confit de canard (duck)
— palet bretons
— Badoit
— escargots
— Cheeses (roquefort, pave d’affinois, goat cheese …)
— Fois gras (good selection in december)
— pâté, rillettes
— Tons of other things you won’t find at Safeway, Trader Joe, Whole food Andronico …
I give them 4 stars instead of 5 because it is indeed pricey, I don’t particularly like the warehouse atmosphere, you do have to check the expiration date of everything.

Gourmet heaven, but you have to be discerning. I *know* it’s easy to get excited and convince yourself that, of COURSE you can use that giant jar of black olive paste and that huge bag of peppadew peppers, but you can’t. In your heart, you know you can’t. You must resist. RESIST!
What you *can* use are cheeses, duck fat, French yogurt, charcuterie, spices, chocolate, jams, fleur de sel, mustards, dried fruits, oils, vinegars and wine (cases only). Be sure to check expiration dates, though.
There are also soaps, pastas, rices, truffles, dried mushrooms, beans, Badoit water, sparkling fruit juices and so much more… Choose wisely, my friend. Your credit card will thank you.
They do take Visa, Mastercard and Cash. No checks. And although some things are good deals, definitely a few dollars less than the internet… or god forbid. whole foods… it’s not cheap by any means. Go easy, at first… consider it a recon mission… then you can budget your attack next time.
It can get a little insane. be prepared for that too. A little cart gridlock, a little bumping and brushing here and there. Be kind to others. we’re all there for the same love of food.
So get on their mailing list and enjoy… and don’t hog all the cheese. Save some for me.

If you like dining at French restaurants and want to give it a stab at home without running all over the place to find ingredients, this is the place for you. Once a month (or so) Made In France (aka Village Imports) opens itself to the public for a free-​for-​all where you can grab all the pâté, canard confit, Mallot mustard, and other goodies your heart desires…
Although it comes at a price. Costco it ain’t! However, you will find good deals on some bulk items (I have enough Herbes de Provence to last me several lifetimes) and some amazing deals on great French wines. Caveat: you have to buy them by the case, but hey, who CAN’T use 12 bottles of wine?
The downside? You really have to have a need for restaurant-​quantities of French foodstuffs, or a lot of friends who’ll consume them. Also, the line can get pretty horrendous if you don’t get there bright and early, although they’ve added some more cash registeres so you don’t have to suffer the infamous Queue From Hell.

this local food importer caters mostly to restaurant in the Bay Area. They have also a website for retail customers (
) with a wide variety of goodies, from cheeses to bordeaux wines, to authentic Savons de Marseilles. About twice a year, they have a warehouse sale at a *major* discount, so get on their mailing list to get their invite.