While Houston has numerous restaurants from which to choose, there are also a large number of people who like to do their own cooking. Whether you are a professional chef or just a weekend gourmet, there is one place in Houston you are sure to find if you want to get in touch with your inner Emeril Lagasse or Rachael Ray: Central Market.
This Mecca of the foodie world in Houston is a truly Texas institution. The original Central Market was opened by the parent H. E. Butts Grocery chain in 1994 in Austin to compete with Whole Foods. That lone store in Austin was so successful that others began to be built in other cities across Texas. As of June 2008, there were eight Central Market locations in Texas: two in Austin, four in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, one in San Antonio, and one in Houston.
Central Market has always tried to stay close to its Texas roots. This can easily been seen by the products offered on the shelves. Most of them are local specialties from in and around the state of Texas. There are also goods which cannot be found anywhere else, besides the Internet. Among the most unique offerings seen recently are cassava chips, Dublin Dr. Pepper made with real Imperial cane sugar, and Bacon Salt brand seasoning.
You could easily spend hours looking through the short aisles of the grocery section, but if that was all you saw, you would be missing 90 percent of the offerings in the rest of the store. When you first walk in the front doors, you are deposited into the produce section. There the path winds around bins filled with seasonal favorites that can often only be seen at farmer’s markets. In June you can see fresh Texas peaches, shelled field peas, and cauliflower in white, orange, and purple colors. During the fall, you will encounter at least two dozen different varieties of apples and half a dozen types of pears. Winter brings hard winter squashes and cranberries sold floating in a large tub of water rather than in bags. If you are craving the first sweet onions of the year, Texas 1015s appear in March along with other spring vegetables such as asparagus in green, white, and purple.
While there are shortcuts off the main path which will allow you access to other parts of the store, you will want to avoid using them if this is your first visit. You could easily miss seeing something fascinating. At the end of the produce section, you will see a large case of freshly cut seasonal fruit, typically melons and berries. Here you can also find quarts of orange juice, limeade, lemonade, and apple juice or cider, depending upon the season. If you are lucky, you might even see a coffee urn offering free samples of the featured juice. You never need to leave Central Market hungry since there are many sampling spots of cut fruits and vegetables in the produce section, snacks in the grocery aisle, coffee in the bulk department, bread and butter in the bakery, and occasionally wine tastings in the wine department.
The produce department seamlessly melds into the seafood and butcher section. Here there is an array of fresh fish, seafood, and various meats enough to satisfy any palette. Low quality seafood departments smell fishy because the fish are starting to decay, but never has that odor been detectable at Central Market. If you need a dinner idea, there are usually free recipe cards in the meat section to inspire you.
After you have determined your protein source for dinner, your thoughts might be the wine to serve with it. Next along the path comes the wine department, while it is compact compared to other stores, there are offerings from all over the world. Not only can you find an eclectic selection of wines, but there are also many exotic forms of beer from all over the world and the state of Texas. You might spot a Belgian apple beer or a chocolate flavored beer.
The main path will move you past the grocery section and the health and beauty section. In this area, you will spot organic and all natural solutions for your cosmetic and health needs. This is the place to come if you need protein shake powder or Burt’s Bee’s all natural skin care products.
Along the far wall of the grocery section are the frozen foods. While there is the usual selection of Lean Cuisine dinners and Eggo waffles, there are also some more interesting items in the ice cream case. Recently spotted items here include pickle juice ice pops, goat milk ice cream, and gelato.
On your left from the freezers is the bulk section. Here you will find everything from hazelnut flour to granola. There are bulk spices such as three different blends of curry powder and at least half a dozen different chili powder blends. You can also buy tea and coffees by the pound, as well as rices, beans, nuts, cereal, and candy. This is the best section to visit if you want to save money since you only have to buy what you will use. You can also find free samples of the featured coffee of the day.
After the bulk section, the main path will take you around a corner to the dairy section. There is an entire wall of various types of yogurt from places as far as Australia and Switzerland. There are also yogurts made from sheep, goat, and soy milks, in addition to the more common Yoplait and Dannon seen in regular grocery stores. The smell from the next section will draw you to the bakery. There has never been a time of day when the heavenly odor of freshly baked bread does not permeate the building. You can even try a sample of the featured bread with some butter. Dozens of options await you in bread, cake, and cookie options. You have never really had a hamburger until you have had it on one of Central Market’s daily baked buns.
Next to the bakery is the cheese and deli department. You will be able to find cheeses from around the globe and meats for all tastes. There are even such specialties as lox and rendered duck fat. Next to the deli case is the olive bar with nearly a dozen options. Past that is a comparable selection of dips and dressings which can be bought by the pound. Here the main path ends at the Cafe on the Run. There is a central island here where you can make your selection of pre-made salads, entrees, and sides to be bought by the pound. Along the walls are a sandwich station where dictate to the cooks what you would like on your sandwich. There is also a self-serve soup and salad bar which serves breakfast instead of soup until 10:30am.
When you go to the registers, you will walk in front of the floral section. Depending upon what time of year it is, you could buy roses the size of a man’s large fist for a dollar, birds of paradise, or gigantic peonies.
Your trip to Central Market is more than just a run through the grocery store to grab a loaf of bread and a bottle of milk. Central Market is not just another store, it’s a destination for all foodies in Houston.
