Managing Editor Caroline returns to the Shortform Section of the blog with a rebuttal to the expressed grievances against her beloved grocery store.

Recently, two senior staff writers made it their prerogative to offend what I adore—the Westside Market at 110th and Broadway.

In this essay, I will defend Westside’s honor with the following points:

  1. The lovely humans who work there: The service industry is brutal, but somehow the Westside staff never misses. The duo at the grill? Icons. The deli guy? A legend. The cashiers who put up with our delay in bagging as they scan everything faster than the speed of light? Give them a raise.
  2. The fish is so fresh. Save yourself a trip to a separate fish store and go to Westside for all your shrimp, sole, and swordfish needs.
  3. The produce is perfect. This is a hill I will happily die on. On days when the farmers’ market is closed, Westside has always provided me with gorgeous, tasty fruits and vegetables. Where else can you get apples, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms of great quality? (Yes, I eat mushrooms—grow up.)
  4. The premade food: This section has saved me a many trips down to campus when I lived on 110th. Standouts include butternut squash soup, garlic chicken and noodles, and spanakopita.
  5. The sauce and spice aisles speak for themselves.
  6. The salad bar: I do not know how Sweetgreen is still in business when one can acquire a tasty, protein-packed salad for under $10 at Westside.
  7. The proximity to Mel’s and 1020: Picture this, you’re walking home after a night out in a world without a pandemic. You’re hungry, but you want to go home and eat in your pajamas. The solution lies in burgers and sandwiches from Westside.
  8. Their black and white cookies are *chef’s kiss.* The soft cookies are a solid small size for snacking.
  9. The variety: I’ve never seen another grocery store with this many offerings. I could spend a year trying every pasta in Westside and still not get through it all. If you need literally anything for a recipe, Westside will have it.
  10. The Cheese Section—I always get lost in here cause it’s so stunning.

I do not believe a grocery store should be raked through the mud due to a few bad experiences of individuals. Running a place of service is tough work, especially in a pandemic. Whether I’ve convinced you of this establishment’s greatness or not, Westside is a Morningside entity that’s here to stay. See you in the cheese section.

The best grocery story via Bwog Archives