Davis Food Co-op

Beware of rotting produce! You better check very carefully or they will not take it back. I’ve bought bulk arugula that went bad in 2 days, bell peppers that were rotting inside — and they charge you for the part you have eaten! No other store does this, the other ones give a full refund.
High prices and poor leafy greens and lettuces, terrible tomatoes, and very high prices. In the short time I’ve been in Davis I’ve gone from shopping here all of the time to not going at all.
Also got tired of rude floor manager, who would do a great job at a detention center!

I very much enjoy their bulk dried goods section; this includes spices, powders for culinary things, teas, grains, legumes, nuts, and miscellaneous snack items that can fit in plastic dispensary towers or bins. I believe you can also get bulk olive oil and tofu.
Their produce section has a lot of stuff you wouldn’t normally find at mainstream grocery stores, especially in terms of the diversity of varieties and cultivars of different fruits (I’m including eggplant under the technical «fruit» label as well.) They had some variegated pink lemons and makrut limes the other day– don’t normally see those at Safeway, if at all. Their herb and mushroom selections are similar to Nugget’s in terms of diversity as well, though Nugget may beat them out in the herb department at times.
Their cheese selection is also good. The employees at the butcher station (and in the store in general) are pretty cool and friendly. My roommate really likes their sausage selection, like buffalo cranberry and something with lamb (curry?). Apparently those are made in-​store.
Basically what I like about the store is the variety of products, especially from smaller businesses, that you don’t normally get to see at mainstream grocery stores. Oftentimes it’s more expensive, but I have found some great products and nice new types of produce here that I enjoy having access to.
Apparent from edible things, they also have a nice soap section if you’re interested in smelling like sandalwood or something for a few months, which I was at one point in time. At some point I also had to get a multivitamin, so I bought something from their extensive vitamin/​supplement section, though never returned to purchase more because it occurred to me that I could get something like One-​A-​Day and pay much less for it elsewhere.
I’ve never been to their prepared food section, so I can’t comment.
I don’t go here all the time because of the prices, but if I could I would.

I’ve been coming to the Davis coop for a few years now because this is the best place to get organic veggies and fruits. They don’t rip you off like Wholefoods down the street. All the fruits and veggies they carry are all from local farmers who I like to support. As you enter the place there’s the aroma of coffee, herbs, baked goods and flowers. When I walk through the doors, I feel healthy already. I like to take my time and look at every aisle. The produce section is one of the best I’ve seen, a lot better than Wholefoods. Today I was specifically there to get purple sweet potatoes. This is the only place that carries the organic version plus it’s hard to find purple sweet potatoes anywhere. All in all this is the best place to shop for organics and whole foods.

Everything looks fantastic in here, but they ended up being out of more items that I wanted than they had.
I’ll chalk it up to them being not so mainstream, so their products may not have a consistent availability… and they ain’t cheap!

Pretty good section of organic and local options which is great. I use to love that they didn’t really anything I could get at traditional stores. Now they have more of traditional store stuff with still a wide selection of things I can’t find anywhere.

Great grocery store and spotless bathroom. I had given it a 5 star review based upon previous visits but had to take a star off after my 2 visits today. My first visit today, I had a really grouchy cashier. Then, at my second visit the hot bar closed at 8. That’s kind of early in my opinion, especially in a college town. At 7:30 half the hot bar was already empty. When I grabbed the serving spoon to get something to eat from what was left, it burned me. You can’t leave heaters on the food if there’s hardly anything in there. All that’s going to heat is the spoon. I then picked out a couple small things: pasta and lemongrass chicken. Both were disgusting. Way overheated and dry. The pasta was crunchy from being overheated. I hardly ate any of it. I thought the only reason I might keep it is to feed it to the family dog, but even that seemed cruel. At least the cookies I got here today were epicly good, per the usual. But, please fix the hot bar issues.

I’ve been a member of the co-​op for years, but rarely shop there anymore. I’ve noticed recently that the service has improved and they’ve added to the deli, but the deli bar food is disappointing. I bought a breakfast burrito there once that was warm but undercooked — as in the tortilla was still doughy. The coffee is consistently weak. The chocolate/​candy selection is out of touch. But, it’s a great place to buy bulk spices.

This is a neat store. I still do most my grocery shopping at pedrick, but for those once in a while moments that you need something quick, this store comes in handy for sure. They also have some of my favorite cheeses, even though the collection is small enough that I continue missing the Sacramento co-​op.

I love this grocery store and I wish we had one out here. Their olives are to die for and the chili stuffed with cheese.MMMmmm. I bought 7 containers of olives to bring home. What I do like is that they are more environmentally conscious. Everything is fresh and so much better than a Sprouts!

Macaroni and cheese is OK, not the best. Their other dishes are also OK. Their baked goods are good and there’s always a basket on the side of the baked goods table that has discounted muffins and stuff that are just as good as the fresh. At some time near the end of the night, the hot food becomes half priced but you sometimes run the risk of them running out.

This is one of the BEST co-​ops around.

So lucky to have this place nearby. For a small supermarket, they pack in an amazing selection of great stuff. Produce is fantastic and nice wine selection too. Lots of options in the bulk section.

This rating could be anywhere between a 2 – 4 So three worked out nicely. The food is pretty good, however I feel that most of their salads have WAYYYYYYY to many onions. My options are limited and that makes me sad. Also, the customer service seriously sucks. I feel like it would kill the people behind the deli counter to smile. The cashiers have a tendency to be a bit friendly, but not by much. I feel it’s a bit snobby in it’s own right and that’s a little sad. I want to LOVE Davis Food Co-​op but it seriously lacks that friendly vibe that you would assume a small, local business would give off.
I did have an issue, three times they put onions on my sandwich after I crossed it out AND told the deli person that I’m allergic to them. This happened three times in two weeks. I finally called the store and spoke to the Deli manager (or a manager of some sort). She was very nice and gave me a $ 20 gift certificate and a free sandwich. So at least the managers know how to deal with customers! Maybe you should train your staff a little better, to make it more of a welcoming environment.

Their variety in every department is pretty vast as well as quality. Their fair trade chocolate bar selection is pretty vast. I love the fresh fruits and veggie selection year round, and I’ve discovered new fruits & veggies that I really like, like the starfruit. Their baking section is quality. As well, DFC brand vitamins/​supplements are really quality. Oh and I’m very happy that you carry Sugar Plum Vegan sweet treats!!!
So yes, I’m so happy to have discovered your Co-​op!!!

The Davis Food Co-​op is an inviting and unique grocery store with friendly employees. It’s one of the best places to shop for high-​quality, healthy groceries. The Co-​op carries local brands, organic brands, and «regular» brands as well.
The deli has a wide and tasty selection: hot foods (breakfast, lunch, or dinner), a salad bar, Indian dishes, and sushi. All the options always look delicious, and they’ve always tasted great, in my experience. The prices of the hot food options are comparable to those of other self-​serve, prepared hot food bars in town like Whole Foods. If you can afford it, definitely give their hot dishes a try. In another part of the store, the Co-​op also has an olive bar and a «raw bulk» section.
The employees are always enthusiastically helpful and friendly to customers and to each other. They are actually knowledgeable about the products in the store, and they are always willing and happy to help you learn about your the pros and cons of your options. This attitude is especially helpful since the Co-​op carries a significant array of health foods, the benefits of which are not always simple to evaluate. If you’re trying to make the transition to a healthier lifestyle, be sure to visit the Co-​op and seek out one of their friendly employees. They’ll cheerily help you out!

HAVE AGAIN: The Smoked turkey panini with bleu cheese and cranberry sauce is just delicious. And, the Strauss Family Creamery soft serve ice cream is the best soft serve in town. Plus, a very pleasant patio outside for eating lunch.
NOT HAVE AGAIN: Membership. Although I would enjoy membership in the Co-​op, I cannot on principle join.

I love this place. I was a member (and regular) here for two years before moving away and now I want to tell you allll about it.
Here’s the deal: It’s $ 25/​year to join as a member and when you cancel your membership you get all of your ‘investment’ back. If you shop here as a non-​member, you pay a slight mark-​up, so if you live in the area and plan to shop here at least a few times, there’s no downside to just becoming a member. The warm feels you get are just a bonus ;)
Yes, it is pricey, but comparable to what you’d find at Whole Foods. I can’t explain it, but the environment at the co-​op is just better. The employees are all so kind and helpful here. I also love that it is the product of a community coming together to provide sustainable food options for residents. They really succeeded at realizing that demand. Whole Foods just came in a couple of years ago; the Co-​op is the OG.
Soo what’s good here? The hot food bar, customized sandwiches, and deli are always a good option if you’re just looking for a meal. If you see chocolate pudding in the refrigerated section of the deli, it’s a must-​try. I dream about it when I have a chocolate craving. As for produce, going for the seasonal stuff will pretty much always be the cheapest. They also have a small section with bagged bruised/​nicked/​misshapen fruit for really cheap, which are great for baking and juicing. I also got my shampoo and hair conditioner from here in bulk (yay, less plastic waste and no chemicals in my hair products!). Their herb and tea selections in the bulk section are also on point.

I adore grocery shopping.
It never used to be that way, but now it’s almost become a hobby.
I love picking up packaged products and reading ingredients.
I love perusing delicious moist baked goods.
Seeing what freshly caught fish is at the deli.
Marveling at the robust fruit and vegetables in the produce section.
It’s exhilarating.
David Food Co-​Op may be one of the best grocery stores that I’ve encountered in awhile.
Their hot food section smells amazing.
Their deli staff are personable and each sandwich is made with love.
They carry a wealth of Sugar Plum Vegan baked goods.
They carry a plethora of Fair Trade/​Locally made clothing and household items.
And their produce section is absolutely dazzling.
They have it all here. It’s well organized. Massive. Their staff are helpful. And it’s a Co-​Op.
I could have easily spent half a day in here — beaming at all of the colorful, healthy, well stocked aisles.
Trust.

The way health food stores used to be.
I drive out of my way to come here. I mostly come here for the deli which has many stations: hot food («breakfasty» and «linner»), salad bar, Indian food, sushi, and a café. Lots of options, including carnivorous dishes. If the coffee in the carafes was fresher I would use the café more. There is plenty of shady seating outside amongst the nursery for picnicking too.
There’s not too much patchouli here (not that I would mind) and the staff is fun, helpful and cool (no snide looks for not bringing your own bags). If you need help in the supplement section just ask – there are many knowledgeable staff here.
I don’t know how many types of olives they carry at the Olive Bar, but it could be dangerous for an olive lover like me. There are other Mediterranean goods there as well, and it’s conveniently next to the cheese counter that is manned by some serious-​looking cheese-​meisters! Organic meats and fish are in the back of the store next to the wine and beer.
There is a pretty good size Raw section next to the bulk bins that have plenty of raw nuts. And as the nation goes crazy to be informed about GMO, so does the Co-​op with easy to read signs on produce with lots of varieties you can’t find at other grocery stores.

This place is like any other grocery store however some items are more pricey than others because they are locally grown, specialty, or just expensive. This place has hot food, cold food, beer on tap! I recently found out this place has a designated spot outside to drink beer! So if you wanna grab a beer ditch the pricey bar then come to this place for a cold one. The best part is you can buy single beers. So 1.50 for a beer while getting a nice ambiance is not bad!
This place also has array of dispenser item: nuts, rice, flour, legumes and more! They sell makeup, lotions, books, clothes,
coffee beans, and have a ton of variety on vitamins and supplements!
There is an extra fee for non members. I don’t remember the percentage, it’s nothing outrageous, but it’s still more money.