Colasanti’s Produce & Plants

The deli and produce selection are fantastic as are the amazing prepared foods and bakery. We enjoy their high end selection and options as well as the fun atmosphere and helpful friendly staff.

High prices. Old produce and out of date bakery products on the shelf. The place seemed to have a nasty smell throughout the whole building. My friend thought it was a meat smoker of some kind. Restroom was disgusting. Heading back to Papa Joe’s in Rochester.

Ever since Colasanti’s changed ownership the prices have gone way up, the quality has gone way down, and they’ve stopped carrying things that you couldn’t find anywhere else (Orangina! Cappuccino bars!)
Now they’re too expensive for what they sell (both in quality and selection) to justify shopping here even for specialty items.
I did add a star for the meat counter, where the quality is higher yet still overpriced. ($ 8/​lb for bacon? Gourmet stores in Chicago sell it for cheaper.)
As a side note, the coupons they offer once in a blue moon aren’t good on about a third of the things they sell.

Honestly? The most over priced store in Michigan. Yeah its cool and trendy cool snobs hang out there. Their produce is not always fresh. But the mark up on the products is insane. Add $ 2 or $ 3 to everything. I just don’t understand why people shop there.

I’ve been going to Colasanti’s since the 90s. They have always had great produce and carried unusual items that you won’t find at most «chain» groceries. After Snooks bought them, they added a large meat and wine department-​both excellent. I shop there often. Ken, the owner usually greets me in the aisles and Rob, in the wine department is friendly like we’ve know each other for 40 years. The unusual plants and the parrots make a short trip to the greenhouse entertaining. This is not a typical store in today’s terms. Hint: If you go, try their own brand of applewood smoked bacon, but leave some for me!

This is between a 3.5 and a 4 star for me. It’s such a fun store to shop in.
* Great wine and beer selection
* Beautiful Bakery
* Delicious Deli
* Fantastic meat/​butcher section
* Live Music on the weekend
They basically have everything you need in regards to food. They don’t have laundry soap or paper towels, etc… you gotta run down the street to Target/​Meijer/​Walmart for that. Not too bad!
In regards to customer service, I have had some good experiences and some not so good experiences… There was a time when I was looking for a diced onion and couldn’t find one, so they offered to dice it for me… Awesome.
Then, there was time I was there today when the srevice in the deli was pretty poor. It took a long time to get turkey, ham, cheese, and a couple of salads. Everytime I asked them to slice something they rolled their eyes. It seems the only person working hard was the older lady behind the counter. For everyone involved, I hope this gets better.
The grounds are beautiful, but the parking stinks. There is a nice amount of it, but it’s small enough that people drive like crazy.
It’s fun to see the swans in the pond out front in the summer.

Every time I ventured into colasanti’s I wonder why I waited do long… what a really great store… off the beaten path but always worth the drive… great dinner inspiration, quality meats and wonderful pantry stock ups!!!

Need a killer wine selection and some plants? Stop on in! Tons of prepared food, all of very yummy delight. I come here just for the Cheesemakers Spicy Cheese dip, yum! For meats I go to The Village Butcher. It’s unique, and I like that. Cashing out can be a chore, tiny lanes, short counter, take a while. Seems like they built the place out then having spot for cashiers was an after thought.

Almost a decade ago I worked at Colasanti’s (before they even had scanners, ha) and had fun working as a cashier there for a couple of years in high school. I stop in every so often and it seems like ever since the store changed hands and they fired Chris, who managed the cashiers, things have gone down hill with their customer service/​cashiering department. I have heard the same complaint from friends and neighbors who shop at Colasanti’s and that might be something to talk to the cashiers about.

Even as a kid in neighboring South Lyon, Colasanti’s was something of an institution. It was that weird grocery store and garden center with parrots all over the place.
These days, the parrots don’t seem to have the run of the place anymore — they’re usually caged now. But otherwise, relatively little has changed, even though ownership has changed hands.
Always something of a pseudo-​gourmet store, Colasanti’s generally isn’t for the value conscious. You’re not going to find salsa on sale for $ 1.99, but you can totally find some artisanal hand-​made salsa for $ 8. Where the rub is for me, is that artisanal salsa jar will invariably have dust on it, and be close to its expiration date.
That seems to be a balance that Colasanti’s struggles with. Yes, they carry higher-​end items, but they’re commanding such a premium that they’re not selling as briskly as one would hope. Let’s say you want some relatively common HP Sauce. World Market sells it for about three bucks, and the expiration date is usually 18 months away. Colasanti’s sells it for $ 5.79, and the expiration date is sometimes only three months away. (I don’t know about you, but I don’t love it enough to go through bottles on that kind of clip.) If you need something rare or imported RIGHT NOW, by all means, go to Colasanti’s. If you like something imported, and it’s a staple in your house, you might be better off going somewhere else.
Their produce looks nice enough, but I think some of the customers mistakenly believe that Old Man Colasanti is working his farm nearby, and bringing in the veggies fresh every day. The reality is that the produce tends not to be different than what you’d find at Kroger. In fairness though, that goes for the prices, too. I’ve never had a «What are you thinking?!» moment in the produce section…
…because that’s reserved for Snook’s in the back of the store. The only theory I have, is that people like buying meat from teenage girls. I simply can’t fathom why anybody would go here for meat instead of Village Butcher in Milford. Better cuts, and prices that should make Snook’s blush. Seriously, I don’t get Snook’s at all.
On the other hand, if you like wine, holy crap, are you in for a treat. Something for every budget, and I’m reasonably sure the guy in the wine area is an actual trained sommelier. You won’t stump him. Period. You know that one wine you had a few years ago, that was kind of pink and the label might have been French, or maybe Spanish, and it had kind of a strawberry aftertaste — yeah, he knows what you’re talking about. For a public retail store in Michigan, it’s probably one of the better selections you’ll see. (For beer or any other alcohol though, go across the street to Pineridge Winery. You won’t regret it for a second.)
Other bright spots are things they actually make on-​site. Want to serve a fancypants dinner in the time it takes you to drive there and get home? Done. I can’t count the number of times I’ve wanted to make an impression with dinner, and Colasanti’s has saved me.
It’s a mixed bag, and probably not the destination that it used to be, but Colasanti’s is certainly worth a visit if you’re in the neighborhood.

Colasanti’s was the first ever market my husband took me to. I know I keep saying this -«where he took me” — but I pretty much landed in a strange country and would not even know how to get to the grocery store and back for the first few weeks. My honey used to live in Milford in a past life, and knowing how much I love foodstuffs he felt this needed to be one of the first places we would venture to. Therefore, Colasanti’s is near and dear to my heart and I will always prefer this store over others.
As we live pretty far away, we dont get to go as often as I’d like but luckily work brings us here on occasion and so do Erin’s haircuts (yes, he drives 30 minutes to go to his familiar Barber — loyalty to the max!).
The first thing that comes to mind when you walk through the doors is «wow». The athmosphere in this market is extremely cute, and there is all kinds of things to see for big and little kids alike. A super fun train runs along the ceiling perimeter of the place, and a tight-​rope biking Cat in the Hat risks his life above the checkout line. Under all the fun one can find gorgeous, fresh produce, fruits and herbs. The wine section is small, but nicely stocked. The olive bar always looks enticing, so do the soups and chillies. Somebody told me they have the best prepared lobster bisque, I will have to pick some up next time!
There are sections dedicated to crackers, jam and British fare as well as a small selection of cheese and charcuterie.
The bakery has some amazingly beautiful looking treats, though unfortunately the couple of things I tried looked better than they tasted. I cannot judge the prepared meal area, however the specialty filled ravioli are calling my name and will have to bring some home next time.
Snooks Butcher shop is located in the back of the store, and sells some beautiful meats and seafood. On the other end of the store is the greenhouse which holds a ton of (exotic) plants and flowers.
Though slightly small (especially when compared to the bigger chains like Nino’s and Westborn) I can spend quite some time wandering the store, admiring carrots and tomatoes, picking up bottles, reading them and putting them back down. Guys — you may not wanna bring your wives here if you cannot accept this type of behaviour! It is just that kinda place. Smalltown USA ‘farmers’ market at it’s best!

What a great concept– a gourmet grocery and a garden center!!! I used to live in Milford and White Lake and this was one of the places we always shopped for food and our plants. They have a nice selection of canned/​pickled items, tons of fresh produce (that I believe they grow most of it on their farm), a very nice cheese selection, great wines, boars head deli and other quality lunch meats, and a very nice bakery (breads and sweets). They always have at least two soups hot and ready. They also have a decent selection of pre made salads and meal options. I really recommend their buffalo chicken salad and their cucumber salad. Their breads are Zingerman level quality. During the day they have some very tasty hot sandwiches available. They always have pre made sandwiches as well… the corned beef is loaded with meat and the sandwiches on the foccicia are very tasty. They have a butcher, but you have to purchase your meat separately. They do have some frozen foods, but only 2 – 4 coolers worth. Always check the back of the store near the bathrooms, as they have a selection of discounted items for quick sale. Oh and the FREE gourmet coffee is back there as well. There is a cool train that runs around the ceiling… and free live music on the weekends.
Nice flowers/​florist inside as well as a mini gift shop.
I usually purchased the majority of my plants from here… from heirloom tomatoes, to corkscrew grass, strawflowers, tons and tons of coleus… a great selection from veggies to flowers. They also have great premade hanging baskets, but it is cheaper to purchase/​make your own. I love their ceramic planters… very nice! Very unique planters. They used to have parrots too. Staff is knowledgeable and their stuff is cared for. Fair prices on mulch and top soil.
Outside in the summer is an ice cream stand, in the fall they do cider and donuts… there is a mini pond where you can watch the swans.
If you are out that way, maybe for Milford memories or checking out Kensington, stop in!

This is an awesome market. They carry all kinds of great foods you don’t see at the supermarket… and it’s a great shopping experience. They have animals out front — and we can’t go to Colasanti’s without letting the kids look at all the peacocks, etc. Inside, they have a great specialty market feel… the kids love the miniature train that circles the store overhead. I think it’s fun on the weekends when they have a troubador… too fun.
They carry excellent produce, and I find their prices to be pretty darn competitive on the produce! And since the quality is way better than Kroger or Walmart, I love getting my fresh goods here. I love when they have their own apples and honey — nice touch. They also have a great deli counter with stuff you don’t find at the grocery store. A great wine and specialty beer collection. A butcher shop, and lots of meats you don’t see every day (I’m fond of the buffalo myself). I love great cheese, and they have all kinds of great cheeses that you don’t see at the supermarket. They have a very cool gift shop and floral area. And a nursery area outside for plants and trees. I really love this place. The service is great, and they are very community-​minded. I like shopping here and feel good about doing so. :)

Fresh produce, nice deli and bakery department. Some Michigan made items, nice coffees, wines and gourmet grocery section. The meats are very good, too.
The prices are a little high, but you get what you pay for.
The service is good.
Make sure to try one of their homemade soups and you must purchase a bumpy cake, yum!

Good produce, good wine and beer selection and good prepared foods. The prices are a little high on everything, though, including beers that aren’t that hard to come by.
This used to be a favorite place of mine, but the last couple times I’ve gone here, I left feeling underwhelmed. The service seems to have gone downhill — thanks to the snotty cashiers — and everything else just seems off.