(My theme for the A-Z challenge is places, things and people around Chicago)
Well, the full name is Joe Caputo & Sons Fruit Market, but we just call it Caputo’s. They have three locations in Chicago: in Des Plaines (the one we go to), one in Palatine, and one in Algonquin. We are pretty sure that the one we go to was the original store that opened around 20 years ago.
It has very small aisles, which makes it annoying to shop there as it is always busy, but I got to have my fruit and veggies. For some reason, we always ended up there on a Saturday, so the last time we went we decided to go on a rainy, windy Monday. While that time we were able to navigate some of the aisles we could never go down before to look for some things like salad dressing, sauces, meat, noodles etc, the store was still packed. Regardless, we put up with it because their stuff is much fresher than what you get at the supermarket. Plus, they have organic produce at pretty good prices.
Don’t go there for the ambiance though. The floors are pretty worn, they seem to have an obsession with Frank Sinatra music, and some of the clientele is interesting (I’ll leave it at that), but like I said, we go there to get me hooked up with vegetables for salads and my favorite berries.
T and A Travel Almanac 
Oh, wow! It sounds like the kind of place I love, especially the worn wooden floors and the Sinatra music. Not everyone can appreciate those, I know. Great post… however, I’ll never make it there, since I live in Texas and doubt I’ll ever get up that way. I can dream, though. 🙂 Best regards to you, my friend. Ruby
Texas … that is a long way. Thanks for making it to my blog!
Caputos is nice, but now another grocery store has hit the area called “Mariano’s”. VERY, very nice. The produce is spectacular. So is the bakery department. Locations in Palatine, Arlington Heights and Hoffman Estates.
Thanks for the feedback! Since Tom travels a lot for work, I try not to make him go out of the way for things we can get around the corner (relatively speaking). Other than that, we’d try them out. Although, a great bakery department sounds very tempting!
Sounds like a great market. Fresh is best.
I agree!
I love places like that! Grocery store produce is iffy at best, isn’t it?
In my city it’s a place called the Italian centre Shop-here, I’ll link it:http://www.italiancentre.ca/
that might compare.
http://fatfitandrunning.blogspot.ca/
That looks nice, very clean too. Definitely larger aisles than Caputo’s.
Natural grocery stores have much healthier food – not to mention produce that isn’t full of chemicals.
It’s good to see that people share my opinion on this.
I was never big on the mood of the market, but if the produce is good, I would do it. I cannot wait to get back to someplace with fresh fruit and vegetables I do not have to get dirty to eat.
“The mood of the market” – lol. I actually love them as they are quite common in Europe.
Naturally I haven’t heard of this place, but this post made me think of Keith Caputo from Life of Agony 🙂
Keith who? I am afraid I am not up on movies, TV shows etc. Thanks for stopping by!