5 Grocery Stores With the Best Hot Food Bars, According to Shoppers
I have always been a fan of grocery store hot food bars. I like to go grocery shopping while hungry, filling up a to-go tray of pay-by-the-pound buffet-style goodness. However, I have learned the hard way that not all hot bars are created equal. Some have better, fresher food than others. Where can you get the best hot food bar experience? Here are 5 grocery stores with the best hot food bars, according to shoppers.
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market is home to one of my all-time favorite hot bars. The gourmet organic hot buffet has everything from Indian food to fried chicken and mashed potatoes, and it’s all delicious. “Whole Foods has a spectacular hot bar and salad bar. The hot bar has breakfast stuff in the morning (scrambled eggs, sausages, breakfast potatoes) then transitions to lunch/dinner items,” a Redditor says.
Bristol Farms
The Bristol Farms hot food bar features a rotating selection of gourmet comfort foods, Asian-inspired dishes, and fresh poke that shoppers maintain is worth the money. “Bristol farms has pretty consistently satisfying hot and prepared foods. Recent favorites include the take and finish crab cakes, the single serving chicken pot pie, and the bbq pork ribs. And if you think that sounds crazy (buying ribs at a grocery store), my wife and my mother in law LOVE the sushi from there!” a shopper says.
Erewhon
Erewhon, a specialty health food chain rapidly opening new locations across the country, has an expensive but delicious hot bar. “Erewhons prepared foods and hot bar are the one thing at that place that is definitely worth it, it’s all organic mostly healthy and better tasting than most restaurants with mostly better prices than you would pay at a sit down restaurant,” says a Redditor. “This is the answer. Erewhon is stupid expensive, but their prepared food is worth it. When I was sick I got two of their soups and combined them (a chicken soup and a greens soup). It was delish,” adds another. “Erewhon is clearly number one in terms of best prepared food. It’s basically a restaurant operation in the back with a full kitchen. The ingredients are also a lot of better than other grocery stores,” says a third.
Mariano’s
Midwest-based gourmet grocery store Mariano’s was my go-to hot bar when I lived in the Chicago area. “There are several stations for pre made food. The soups and variety of them is very good. Their brisket is the best. They also have several sides to go with it. The gelato and coffee bar offers a lot of good selections too,” says a TripAdvisor diner.
Central Market
Texans are obsessed with the hot bar at Central Market, which features ready-to-eat chef-prepared meals, including smoked brisket, BBQ chicken, sausage, macaroni and cheese, borracho beans, and rotating seasonal items. “Anything you are in the mood for you are going to be able to get fresh delicious and ready to eat in their Cafe or outside on the patio. Great music is available from time to time usually in the evenings and there’s a pretty good playground for the little ones,” a Yelper says. “Food is Fresh and absolutely delicious many choices to choose from friendly staff, fast paced and easy to get around also easy to find products. nice clean environment,” adds another.