New Leaf Community Market

It has been a long time since my review. Things change, some for the better, some not. Fortunately New Leaf has changed for the better. It’s still pricey, but it’s a great little market. The hot food to go has also improved a lot from the original fare.
I do love New Leaf, beautiful veggies and ample selection of quality items, friendly personnel, clean and fun even!

We found stumptowncoffee and a place for amazing organic food (love the mangos!). The employees are so cheerful ., love this place!

Other than having to take a small business loan out to buy here it is interesting. It is one of those hip places to shop, and people thinking they are getting better food because it is organic, but people, we really need to read the side of the package, not all of their stuff is better for you, when you are paying about three times the price. We need to be smarter shoppers. the store is clean, and the staff is nice, but there is more to life then an expensive store… I honestly feel like the community is getting raped…

From what I’ve been told, New Leaf have recently changed distributors, and have eliminated many items from their inventory. In the past few months, New Leaf in Half Moon Bay have stopped carrying three items I bought from them regularly. I now order these items online from elsewhere, which is no trouble at all.
The store aisles are still junked-​up with stacks of products, which sometimes make it difficult to maneuver carts and find items on the shelves. I’ve seen shoppers accidentally run carts into these stacks and knock them over, which makes a mess and causes unnecessary work. How management thinks this is helping is beyond me.

We couldn’t be happier when New Leaf has opened in HMB, and made it a must destination when there. It feels very local and offers a great deal of fresh produce, wide selection of reasonably priced greens and fruits. Most are organic and if not, then no spray local (it’s a well known fact that getting a certified organic label takes time and effort).
I’m jealous of the folks on the coast for having regular access to NL while I can only get to it on the weekends. I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed any of the surrounding NLs yet — let this one be the first. We frequent another in SC on Fair Ave. a lot, too. Come to think of it, all New Leaf locations make cool destinations when out and about: another in SC on Pacific, love the one in Capitola on 41^st, a much smaller and hippier NLs in Boulder Creek and Felton both on Hwy 9, it’s all good.
Hot bar is always a treat, since it offers variety of freshly cooked meals on the spot. Add four or five different soups with all organic ingredients, and you’ve got yourself a nice meal to enjoy right there or take home.
Freshly squeezed juices bar, pastries and organic dripped coffee, locally-​themed unique items, cosmetics and personal care, wines, olive oils, good selection of dairy products, locally grown eggs, cheeses as well. Pretty fresh fish and poultry.
Sometimes the store is not the cleanest it can be, and there are only three tables inside to eat, plus a small counter space. It’s often windy and chill outside to utilize several tables there, overlooking the parking lot.
They used to carry biodegradable cornstarch or potato starch –made utensils, but that’s over — cheap white plastic spoons and forks, not the best kind, so taking one star off for that, and for converting both bathrooms to unisex, thus both are filthier than ever before.

When we moved «over the hill» to the Coast 18 years ago, the thing I missed most was the wonderful herb and spice area at Whole Foods in Palo Alto. I use so many herbs and spices in my cooking that it would make your head spin. I find that most recipes call for wimpy levels of these, especially the herbs. So I go through them quickly and it gets pretty expensive.
I couldn’t believe my good fortune when a New Leaf opened in HMB. Their bulk herb and spice area is even better than the one at Whole Foods!
They used to have a deal that gave seniors 10% off every day, but now that is limited to Wednesdays only. It’s too bad, as that 10% made it feasible to do much of my grocery shopping there by also making judicious choices. I can’t always make it there on Wednesdays so I no longer go there as frequently now. However, their organic produce section is beautiful and everything is of such high quality.
When I wanted to make ceviche for the first time, I really felt that New Leaf probably had the freshest fish for the dish, so I bit the bullet and paid the higher price, and the result was wonderful!
If money was no object, I’d do all of our grocery shopping here. As it is, it’s a great place to pick up special occasional items like sticky toffee pudding, organic cheese puffs and Humboldt Fog cheese. Their canned organic refried black beans, heated, with some fresh tomatoes, ground cumin and cheese stirred in before serving, makes a perfect accompaniment to my most recent favorite entrée to make: chili rellenos.

I came in today and let me just start with saying this is my go to store from now on. I came in for lunch I got a juice from the juice bar, soup, and a salad from the «hot bar». I was helped by Gabe, he answered all my questions about the store and products. He is very knowledgable, and personable young man who made my whole day. I will be definitely be coming back!

Sunshine burger on gf bread good… pretty dry so need to add pesto or hummus or something. Coastal kale salad very good too.

I really love New Leaf’s meat counter, fresh vegetables, cheese and deli sections. You couldn’t ask for anything more fresh on the coast.

I am not a fan of going to the grocery store on xmas eve — but I always end up being «volunteered» to go. This place is good and bad — bad in the fact I never get out of there with less than 10 items under $ 100. I love the cheese selection (hello I have Finnish people in my family so I have to buy amazing cheeses for the cheese plate). I never leave there without a jug from the olive bar. The are so sweet the helped me pick out beer (even on sale!), and they brought up a fresh rotisserie chicken to me why I was in line checking out. I have a love hate relationship with this place — I hate the amount I spend here, but I secretly love going here. The people who work here are kind and helpful.

Some of the locals here complain that it is high-​priced. My opinion is that it is cheaper and WAY better than Whole foods.
I love that every bit of produce is organic. In that other «whole paycheck» store, the organics are becoming rarer.
And I love their warm prepared foods section. Their Chicken Marsala is delicious!
It’s great to bring home a delicious prepared meal on those busy days.
And it’s a great place to pick up a picnic for the beach!
I am handicapped, and they are always extremely helpful.

Since Jamba Juice is no longer in the Half Moon Bay area, New Leaf’s smoothie bar is the next best thing. If anything, I’d say it’s better.
Everything there is made from scratch — you can actually see all of the ingredients they have right in front of you, and they all look good. The power booster shake I got didn’t skimp on the coconut or soy, and was much thicker than the juice-​based ones I make at home. It’s a little pricey at $ 6 for a large, but you’re paying for quality.

Slow slow checkout system. I go there at 11am and it takes forever to get through the checkout line. They need all checkout lines open at that time of day!

First time in Halfmoon Bay and I feel in love with this store. It reminded me of Sprouts and Trader Joes combined. I order at the smoothie and coffee bar. Had 4 delicious smoothies that both my parents and I loved. Special thanks to New Leaf I will be coming back. Please bring a New Leaf Grocery Store to Upland CA

Love this place, great selection of produce and great service. Must try their kale salad, fabulous!

I have to agree wholeheartedly with other Unilocalers: this is a Whole Foods, but not. I could not really figure out what made this place different, but it’s just a good, high-​quality, pricey, Whole Foods-​esque store that specializes in organic stuff. A great place to stock up before hitting nearby hostels.

4 stars for having a wide variety of Tare’s cookies! And they have a wide variety of pastries (French macaroons, chocolate mousse, fruit tartes & cupcakes)
Everything is organic and location is clean, downside is that they are bit pricey and I come here to do grocery only once in awhile. But I come often for the Tate’s and pastries.

Think: Whole Foods, except not, it comes from Seattle. A smaller chain offering the freshest, locally-​grown, organic options to bring down to the beach!
Simple to navigate with beautiful produce and specialty departments! My girlfriend and I enjoyed mulling over their collection of new craft beer brews that we’ve never seen in another grocery store. Pleasant and helpful employees.
We’re loving our serendipitous mid-​week getaway, and love that we didn’t have to go to Safeway! We will be back!

Besides a minor incident involving their lax policy on the «10 items or less» lane, I had a pretty good experience here.
It’s like a more local Whole Foods, from what I gathered in my short time here.
Produce is somewhat limited and like Whole Foods, you’ll pay a premium for it, but the service is friendly and the set up, though similar, is somehow less stressful than Whole Foods.
My roommate and I found pretty much everything we needed here including a bottle of wine with a cat wearing sunglasses and playing a keyboard that was in a pretty sweet price range. The only issue was when we got to checkout with our few items and my roomie had what we’ll endearingly call a ‘conniption’, but just know that it was anything but endearing and may have also cause a blood vessel to burst in my eye, when the woman in front of us had like 30 items in the 10 items or less aisle and the cashier was totally 100 with it. Annoying? Yes. Worthy of a fit of rage? Nein… but maybe that’s just me.

I am not a Hippie nor am I a Hipster. I don’t drive a Prius or a Hybrid for that matter. Driving either does not make you eco-​friendly and you’re not saving the environment contrary to popular belief. Production of these cars causes much more pollution than the production of the normal cars. I like my SUV, thank you very much.
The reason why people believe that Hybrid Cars greatly reduce the carbon footprint of humans is because that idea is a central point in the marketing of the car itself. As a result, «scientists» and sales men make some of the more absurdest claims using hyperbole without really backing them up with substantive facts, testing or evidence.
What does this have to do with this review?
Shopping here does not a Hippie make; however, it will make you glad that you are saving the world, will achieve world peace, solve world hunger and come up with a vaccine to cure AIDS.
Or something like that.
It’s funny how everything comes full circle. Years ago, we relied on things that are mass produced for mass consumption with the aid of biochemicals and preservatives. Little did we know then (thanks to the greed and lies from the Food Industries) that we are slowly killing ourselves by all of these manufactured and unnatural products. Anything organic then was considered second class and frowned upon.
I remember going to Alemany Farmers Market back in the 80’s and we were buying organic veggies then and most of the people shopping were Asians. Now, it’s all been gentrified and the demand has skyrocketed and as a result, we pay higher prices.
HOWEVER, I don’t mind paying knowing that the product I’m buying is natural and healthy for me. You can’t put a price on that. This store is clean and very organized. I can get fresh, organic produce straight from the farms of Half Moon Bay and onto our plates. They also have a good selection of meats that are grass-​fed. You really can taste the difference and again… it’s HELLA HEALTHIER for you.
They also have a Deli, Seafood, Bakery and a Coffee & Juice Bar section. Of course, everything is organic. Yeah, I’ll be stocking my fresh produce from here or grab a quick juice when I’m in the area. And I’ll be transporting them in my SUV so deal with it, Prius and Hybrid drivers.