When I was living in Malibu, California most people would ask me when I was moving out to LA, the apex of society. Along the lines of: “Gee whiz, when are you going to leave that shit hole you grew up in?” - “You gotta get out of there!” as if my geography was dangerously holding me back. I might as well have been living in Iraq (while I’m sure there are lovely places there as well) not upstate New York.
My point is, they have no idea the real reason why I reside where I do. Sure Los Angeles and New York and Chicago may have wonderful Whole Foods grocery stores and great plastic surgeons. However, they don’t have Wegmans, the #1 grocery store in America as ranked by Food Network. How do you like me now bitches!?
Seriously — even if you’ve been to a local Wegmans, their’s nothing like the fancy man version where I live. Seafood bars (oysters anyone?), grill stations, tea and organic bars are plotted along as you shop, seducing you with their intoxicating smell. A produce section to make you drool and international zone that makes ‘exotic’ ingredients oh so local.
When I want to relax, I ride over and shop there for an hour or two, in awe of the deliciousness (I’m one of those people). Don’t feel like cooking or chilling at their food bars? No worries, check out their gourmet restaurant, Tastings. Working with the obvious freshest ingredients they have an amazing $40 tasting menu, not to mention tuna sashimi that could rival Nobu. Dear god, I’m in love.
- Tags: Nobu, Wegmans Grocery store, whole foods
4 Responses to “Wegmans, How I Love Thee”
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Here at Worst Cook Ever, we love food and everything it has to offer. We’ve taken all expectation out of the glorious process of cooking. After all, creating deliciousness should be fun and exciting, one shouldn’t drown in the pressure to succeed! We drink wine while we cook and think you should too. There will be no pretentious filler, just straight talk on how to make something so good your toes curl, or simply get you in good with the opposite sex. This is cooking for life, and cooking very, very, well.
The Smiling Cat
March 4th, 2008 at 10:26 am
When I moved down here I was shocked at the quality lacking in other grocery chains. When you grow up with Wegmans you just assume that is where all food comes from. I first learned about foreign cuisine hanging out in the “Olde World” section when my mom was shopping.
People would suggest that “You really don’t have much entertainment up there” when I would extoll the virtues of an afternoon at Wegys. Now, finally they have opened a few stores here and they see the light. I actually bought my house based on it’s proximity to our Wegmans.
And btw, upstate NY doesn’t hold you back - it makes you stronger. As Garrison Kealor once said of Lake Wobegone “Winter here is a test of survival. It will actually try to kill you”
TK
August 4th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
I’ve heard all about Wegman’s from some family members who lived in upstate NY quite a while ago. They ranted and raved about the produce section like it was the most amazing thing on earth. I remember thinking at the time that apples couldn’t really be all that cool, but maybe I was missing something. I had forgotten all about it until I read this post.
I may have to travel to Rochester for work in the future, is this store anywhere in the area? If I firm up my travel plans I am hoping to get some good tips on stuff to eat/places I just have to see while in the area!
Noelle dEstries
August 5th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Yes, the grocery store created by the Gods is located in Rochester. You have to go to their show case store, address below:
Wegmans Pittsford
(585) 586-6680
3195 Monroe Avenue
Rochester, NY 14618
Rochester Restaurants:
Tastings — Located at above address — gourmet restaurant attached to store, best sushi I’ve had on the east coast. And it’s fresh…obviously. Awesome tasting menu for $40.
Max — on East Avenue
Tapas — (fun fusion food and great bar)
Good Luck (very cool restaurant that just opened)
Mustard
Great bar –especially in the summer = Marge’s on the Lake
Keith
March 1st, 2009 at 12:15 am
I couldn’t agree with you more, I am a Wegmans employee and i cant think of a better place to work. Just about every company preaches about how much their employee’s matter but no one i have worked for in my life before has come closeto what you get as a Wegmans employee. you really are part of a family. They make everyone feel important from the floor crew(cleaners) all the way up to the CEO’s. I love working & shopping at Wegmans. The extra money you spend at Wegmans is worth it.