Market Hall Produce

I know everyone loves this place but it is pure smoke and mirrors. The produce is marginally better than the big chains (yes, even the organics). With the exception of a very few items it comes from the same place as most any other produce store, it’s just better displayed. It’s not grossly overpriced but it’s poor value. The people who work there are very nice, but the quality is mediocre at best. It’s not as good as the giant overpriced organic supermarket that will remain unnamed and that’s not a very high bar.
If you need to pick something up, it’s convenient but if you think are going to create wonderful dishes that feature amazing local seasonal flavors, thing again. It’s too bad because the other shops in Market Hall do carry some very good items but this place just doesn’t keep up and never has. Sorry, someone had to say it.

Best produce in the area other than farmer’s markets and love their guacamole and mango salsa.
Everything is fresh and the selection terrific. My only complaint is some items tend to be really pricey. Not all. Many less than Whole Foods, but still…

Fresh, awesome, and seasonal.
I love their green grocers. They are so friendly, and they are ready willing and able to help you find the perfect produce. I wanted to try something I hadn’t tried before, and was interested in a pomelo. Sure I’d had citrus before, but I didn’t want to admit I had no clue why/​how to pick out a pomelo. So now, I’ll share the knowledge that was shared with me… to you: «As with any citrus, you’ll want it to be heavier than it looks. Also, if you can detect a scent, you’ve got an excellent pomelo.»
So now you have it, arm yourself with this knowledge and happy pomelo to you.

I long believed I was better than Market Hall. Something about it just seemed too mainstream, organic, Oakland-​hippie-​dotcombust-​parent of two orient for this one. But, the produce section lured me with its raw, wholesome selection of delectable wiles. The pear selection has been a constant winner and the persimmons are always littered in luscious brown sugar crystals. I only get frustrated when trying maneuver the busy parking lot which is cluttered with Bentley’s and Tesla’s being driven in a rather irresponsible manner. Driving Lessons… Come on ppl.

I come here on my way home from Rockridge Bart when I need to buy a few items. They have a lot of organic produce, all that look so good and tasty. Yes, it may be a little pricier than Trader Joe’s, but it is obviously because the produce is better quality, fresher, and they have many more options.
For around $ 7.00 I got two organic onions, two organic avocados, one pluot, and one very large organic mango. The avocados cost about half of the 7 dollars, and then the rest made up the other 3.50.
Since I am part of a CSA and get a box delivered every other week, and I go to the Farmers Market every Thursday, I rarely go to the store for produce unless it is a last minute item. However, I will go here over TJ’s or whole foods, since they offer fresh organic produce and I love Market Hall as a whole (the pre-​made foods are very tasty in the other departments!).

Definitely not the most affordable place to pick up groceries, but when I’m in a hurry from BART, it’s definitely a convenient place to pick up a few items. Prices are a bit steep but consider the location and what their rent must be… produce is always fresh here and the cashiers are really sweethearts!

Better than Trader Joe’s for fruit, just as cheap. And fresher too! Smaller selection than Berkeley Bowl, but far more convenient if you need a couple apples.
Someone asked why you’d go here vs. Yasai’s. Different local market for different neighborhood. Both are outstanding, this one is far closer to my house.

Now bring me some figgy pudding!
Wow, ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ was one entitled and bossy song.
Skip the pudding and keep the figs, since no one knows what figgy pudding really is, nor why we’re demanding it (we won’t go until we get some!)
If you’re in Rockridge and you need some great produce, Market Hall is your friend. It is kind of like a gallery of produce, it’s all carefully chosen and overpriced, but the quality is consistently good. I do this little mind game where I try to guess the amount of the total bill, and I am so ridiculously under that I wonder how I passed the 5^th grade. They carry a good selection of Rancho Gordo beans, so if you’re cooking au natural it is a good stop.
The fruit is the best! In the summer, they carry the best stone fruit besides the farmer’s markets, and the figs! oh the figs! are always amazing. And the winter brings its myriad pears and persimmons. yawn…
I’m going to coin a new song that goes something like, «bring me some figs with truffle honey and blue cheese! I won’t Unilocal until I get some!»

staff is very kind, produce is delicious… what more can i say?

It is funny how people interpret price. It really is all relative I have decided. I have been in here a few times now to pick up just a few things. It is so close to home and just makes more sense to come here to get produce than trader joes (which goes bad in a day) or Safeway (that you know was picked way under ripe and will not be nearly as fresh as it could be).
I needed some goods to make some side dishes and appetizers for a little dinner party the neighbor was throwing in about an hour and a half. It made so much sense to just bop in here and get in and out with the freshest items and fast.
I got the colorful baskets of cherry/​grape tomatoes, a CA mango, green onions, a red pepper and some garlic. I would actually expect a place like this to be far more expensive than the big chain stores. I was soooooo pleased to find that the marjority of the items I purchased (except the specialty tomatoes) were cheaper than I had seen at both the large chain grocery stores and even my farmers market at work.
The bruchetta came out PERFECT and the black bean and corn salad was a hit. The tomatoes, though a bit on the expensive side, were so fresh, colorful and tasty.
The red pepper was $ 1/​19/​lb, usually $ 3.99/lb at the grocery store when not on sale (which is 75% of the time). The mango was right on par with the stores and everything else seemed either cheaper or equivalent. I think you have to expect to pay more for Heirloom or specialty tomatoes, but for the most part you are about the same as the grocery store or even cheaper. AND you are getting more locally grown veggies that are far fresher and in some cases even ORGANIC for the great prices.
I will go here for sure for my produce! Especially since it only takes me about 6 minutes to walk here and I can be in and out in under 10 and then headed back home.

Can anyone tell me how this place stays in business when Yasai market offers better produce at half the price only a few blocks away?

When society breaks down into anarchy I am going to baricade myself in Market Hall.
You have never been there? Let me tell you about your first visit…
You are drawn into MH by the breads and pastries in the front, next you see all the delectable things in jars, bottles and cans, ooh there is a fresh pasta bar, from the pasta section you notice the wonderful deli and prepared foods, turn around — there are coolers full of lovely sauces and dairy products in one direction and what is that you see off to the left, is that a wine section? It is. A wonderful wine section. When you tire of wandering among the wine cases you may want to go all the way to the back of MH and take a look at the top quality meat and fish.