Circle Food Store

This place is amazing. I’m new to the city and have passed by it the past 3 months, and I decided to stop in today and check it out.
Wow.
This is a full grocery store, but independently owned. The produce is fresh and as local as can be, and at a very nice price. They even fix phones in here, knowing my butter fingers, this will be a godsend for me.
Fruits, veggies, meat, seafood, hot food, cold food, this place has it all. I’m impressed and will be back.
I should mention the staff seemed to be very friendly. Another plus.

If I could give no stars I most definitely would. The workers and management are extremely unprofessional and I will never support this company ever again.

This is a great place to pick up farm fresh veggies and a few things to make THAT NIGHT for dinner. I say that night because I’ve found that most of the stuff I’ve gotten here does not have a very long shelf life and its best to cook that day or the next.
The meat selection is a bit hit or miss so I definitely cook that time I get home as some of the stuff looks about a day away from expiring… but the price is right on it.
They also have a 5 for 20 deal that I enjoy taking advantage of on some of their frozen meats (which last A LOT longer) and its a lot of time named brand stuff.
I really enjoy being able to walk to the store to grab a few things for dinner. Its great having a grocery store less than 4 blocks from my house.

On May 26, 2015 at approximately 10:52am I went to this store on Claiborne in New Orleans, LA because I had an emergency need for first aid material to nurse my excessively bleeding foot. At the time I purchased liquid bandaid, peroxide and an eight pack of regular bandages. Since I was staying across the street the store was convenient to where I was staying… imagine my surprise to get to my temporary quarters on Robertson and see there was everything including an empty box of liquid bandaid ($ 3.49). At 11:54am I walked back across hoping to rectify the issue with the store only to be told «I should have known…» and they were not going to honor the failed inventory THEY PLACED ON THE SHELF! Where is their Quality Control? As a customer visiting from DC who had an emergency this was the first time in my life that I had a store basically accuse me of lying, stupidity and whose managers (Dario/​Dahilia or something) were so cowardly as to send the message through an assoc. insulted me in such a way. Being I had a few items in my purchase I did not notice the difference in weight especially since I had a full bottle of peroxide and excessive bleeding happening in my shoe… EMERGENCY. I wrote to them with a DEMAND of apology and request for a full refund for the mere EXCHANGE I was requesting.
Convenience doesn’t equate to good customer service or pride in their product… shake everything before you buy it or bring a scale with you so you can do their job for them.

We were a little concerned about where we would shop for food in New Orleans. Thankfully, Circle Foods is less than a block away. The produce is decent, prices are great and the people who work there are usually friendly and helpful.

An up to date version of one of the oldest markets in the city. As tradition they feature great specials on fruit and vegetables. They have a good old school meat department for New Orleans creole dishes. There is a lunch counter that has a great selection of cooked foods also. Circle used to be a one stop shop for everything similar to what Walmart is today and although they no longer have that kind of inventory this store provides much a needed fresh food market to that area of the city.

So happy to see this place back open. I used to come here all the time in high school. Went in for some last minute beer for the game. They were about to close in 3 minutes and they still let me in. Thank goodness! Thank you! :) :)
Of course I had to peek around for a quick and get tons of other stuff. I was actually surprised at how good the produce selection was (affordable too). I got grapes, bananas and apples among other things. I’m not really a fruit person but they all looked so good that I had to get them. (Never go into a supermarket on an empty stomach. lol) You would have thought that I’d bought them from Whole Foods. The other fruit was pretty good too. I ate the whole bag of grapes alone in two days.
Not sure if I caught them on a good day or what but I’ll be back to see. :)

Thank goodness there’s an affordable locally owned grocery that isn’t Save-​a-​lot and doesn’t have the overwhelming frills and Buy Buy Buy approach of the other chains! CFS is by far my favoriting grocery store– it’s got the perfect flair of an authentic New Orleans store, and then carries things that newcomers like myself desire (tofu, organic veggies, soy milk, the least expensive La Croix) etc.
I really can’t say enough good things about the Circle and apparently if you eat meat it’s the best selection of strange and exotic meat and locally sourced fish.
if you haven’t been in yet try it– you’ll spend much less on groceries — won’t be tempted to impulse shop AND you’ll get what you need. Added bonus: Dwayne Boudreaux the owner is ALWAYS there, always available to chat if there is something you want and can’t find – you can just tell him and he’ll have it stocked by the end of the week.

I have faint memories of this place as a kid; my mother and great-​aunt Emelda went on day-​long grocery sojourns with all the kids in tow and this place was definitely on the rotation.
Today! I brought my mother so she could see the changes and she was pleasantly surprised. The produce section was large and the bell peppers remain a bargain. There’s great variety on the shelves and also serving the neighborhood by offering payment services.
Why four stars? We both were disappointed the meat department wasn’t as it was, replaced by pre-​packaged meat.

5 stars for providing a pretty broad selection of reasonably priced groceries in an area that obviously needs this as a resource. In the past year of visiting & considering a move to Marigny/​Bywater I had not been able to find where people on more limited budgets shop. Love the Mardi Gras Mkt, but much is out of price range for moderate budgets and the produce is often past prime. Finally made 1^st visit to Circle Food, ignoring comments on the sketchiness of the neighborhood. So glad we did. Beautiful vegetables & fruits. Large well cared for meat department. Entire store well organized and all staff professional, helpful and friendly. All of that in a great restored building. Someone had a vision here that seems like a good thing for the community it sits in. It will need support, like any business, to survive.

Not like Circle of old, buuuuuuuut glad it’s back!!!
Circle often imitated for example Circle H or Circle K… Really #whatthewhat??? But never duplicated; because Circle is an original, a staple, a landmark in the Community & New Orleans at large.
Washed out by Hurricane Katrina & recently renovated & re-​opened January 2014; Circle Food Store is open for business.
Journeying in the store, I was filled with emotions & anticipation of what would fill my eyes upon entry.
Different from preKatrina Circle, the space seems smaller, maybe it because it’s more organized & detailed, but whatever the reason, #ilikeit. Streamlined check out lanes, a dedicated side counter/​bill paying area that appears to handle a barrage of functions; did I see kids toys over yonder?
Walking in there’s security in place, gives a good feeling. The produce is square front & center; how sweet is that, that helps to encourage #healthyeating. Further back are upright refrigerated units & then to the rear is the meat/​deli area. I must admit, the meat/​deli area was a little lackluster, but oh well.
When I initially walked in, I thought it to be likened to a mini-​whole foods store; I only mention it for the sake of comparison. But after perusing the store, that feeling fled & Circle took on and identity of its own.
I did notice that the price points were quite moderate. Great for the area. Lots of foot traffic on this day I entered & that’s great!!!
I’m glad this facility has been reopened to service the community’s grocery need
My one wish is to see Easter Baskets lining the exterior perimeter of the store like days of old.