You guys, I had no idea.
I thought all grocery store experiences were the same: but jiminy cricket was I wrong! The girls and I recently attended the opening of Chicago’s newest Mariano’s store in the South Loop. And man, was it simply amazing. From the second we walked in (and had our pick of kid-friendly grocery carts; we chose a police car), I realized that this place was gonna make my normal grocery routine pale in comparison.
There was the Squeez’d smoothie bar. (We sampled fresh-squeezed orange juice, grapefruit, and mixed berry smoothies- all exceptional).
The aromatic selection of spices, grains, nuts, and granola in the Spice Shop- complete with wheeled ladder- that reminded me of posh specialty stores and open air bazaars.
The impressive array of fresh meats. And just-shipped seafood. And imported specialty cheeses. And the deli, with its $6 and $10 easy dinner options. And the stone-hearth pizzeria (with mouth-watering $10 pizza takeaway dinners on Thursdays). And the hand-dipped candy in the Sweet Shop. And the bakery- good Lord, the bakery- which could put any artisan cupcake shop to shame with its intricate decorations and wide array of gluten-free offerings. (And maybe I tasted more than my fair share of these glorious pastries and can loudly attest that this ain’t your typical supermarket bakery. Unbiased recommendation? Try the cinnamon rolls as big as your head. And the homemade strawberry fudge. And the full-sized round cakes decorated as cupcakes which destroyed me with their impossible cuteness.)
The floral department which, instead of the usual choices of carnations and roses, displayed vibrant Gerbera daisies, bamboo sprigs, and stunning orchids.
The fresh soup, salad, and olive bar (not to mention the hot entrees!) went on for days with its freshness and variety and EatMeNowItude.
The incredible variety of wines from the around the world- and local craft beers. (Plus the ability to mix and match your own delightful six pack.) Yeah, I can see us doing some serious damage with the Luxury Wine Wall and then searching out the perfect pumpkin ale.
The Vero gelato and Italian coffee bar where we could’ve dwelled for hours and hours, Amen. (Word to the wise: try the pumpkin spice gelato. Also the pomegranate. Also the strawberry.)
And seriously, people, the Oki Sushi bar inside the new Mariano’s came from the brilliant folks behind Tank Sushi, one of my favorite Chicago places to dine evereverever. Talk about not being your typical grocery store sushi. I want to go on a South Loop date here.
My favorite part? (Besides the organic produce and complementary onsite grill for meat and seafood preparations and- ohmyGawd, is that marshmallow being dipped in fudge?!) As schmancy and delightful as Mariano’s is, it’s an affordable way to live really, really well. Signs were posted all over the store for permanent prices on all of these amazing departments- really, really good prices.
Also? If you’re into that whole Saving The Environment thing? The South Loop Mariano’s meets criteria for Silver LEED certification, controls their energy and water usage with a real-time building automation system, and also employs daylight harvesting technology to reduce their electricity demand. (Are you so totally ready to move into this place, too?)
Eventually we had to leave this wonderful place. And pass by the grand piano in the foyer.
And wonder why we didn’t just step it up and shop at my favorite new store for every single purchase.
And yeah, sure, maybe get a little gelato for the road.
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Go check out every single little thing #MyMarianos, won’tcha? Sign up for their great rewards card (for savings, personalized offers, and special recipes, too)! Dig ’em on Twitter, Facebook, Google+…and, still not convinced? How about this completely awesomesauce Mariano’s flashmob? (You know you love a good flashmob.)
Although this was a compensated review, all thoughts and feelings and greedily accepted samples are my own.
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