4th Street Food Co-op

I noticed from my check in that I first discovered this place only 6 days ago, but realized I’ve been back 4 time already since — and this place is incredibly out of the way for me yet I still keep coming back. So what makes this worth the long cab/​subway/​walk from midtown west?
They get fresh produce virtually everyday, everything is organic, and they get a much more interesting variety than larger markets offer, at a higher quality, and lower price. (I’m making up for the price though with all these cab fares, but that’s beside the point). Setting expectations of course, this place is tiny — but their produce is fresh, and so far in the last week I’ve made the best bruschetta I’ve ever made with their black plum tomato, their pistou baby basil leaves, been back twice for their sweet fruits, and found delicious yam leaves offered organically for the first time, something I’ve never seen before.
Their blog updates what’s coming the next day so you can decide whether to pay a visit, and they have a membership where you can volunteer there/​or join pay to join both for a discount, but even without doing so the price is fantastic.
Ok, I’m going to stop raving and go make another batch of that bruschetta for dinner tonight!

I had a really great experience buying a bundle of locally grown organic carrots. Only a dollar a pound! Also great service from a fellow named Nathan.

I was a shopper at the 4^th St Food Co-​op before becoming a working member and love it! The co-​op fulfills a few key criterion for me:
— As a college student, it’s incredibly affordable even without a discount. Working members receive 20% off in exchange for a mere two hours volunteering once per week — a true deal.
— Local sourcing, I can shop with the assurance that ALL of the products have been sourced with the highest standard (nearly 100% organic) and when possible as local as possible.
— Taste and quality, the produce is unmatched for quality and freshness. for better tasting food, shop at the co-​op!
— Environmentally, you can easily reduce your carbon footprint by utilizing the bulk dispensers for everything from dried fruits/​nuts to teas, herbs and spices
— Community, an emphasis on engaging with the community and the small space makes for an intimate setting to meet fellow shoppers and our East Village neighbors.

Probably the only place where you have to question if it’s organic or not — because everything is! Versatile and diverse options of ready to eat food, raw veggies and fruits, and ingredients. Fresh! Besides they always have funky things I’ve never seen before like kiwi berries and kum quats. Completely volunteer run and buy from ethically responsible producers. I don’t think there’s any other more perfect grocery store for those who are health-​conscious, environmentally-​conscious, and believe in sustainable farming and ethics.

Great selection of fresh veggies (nice Kale). Huge bins of mixed dried fruits/​nuts. The fresh produce were good. I found the bottled items, flax seed oil, and the eggs to be very high priced. I would go back –but only for the produce.

Did you know your veggies/​fruits travel on average 1,500 miles before it reaches your plate?
It can be tough shopping for local organic produce. Look no further. This co-​op makes it easy to shop as most fresh produce are locally and organically sourced. They offer a large selection of bulk items to include grains, nuts, spices and teas which you can purchase in as little or as much quantities as you wish. This is a nice option as I no longer have to purchase rice by the sackful as weevils seem to invade my cabinet space and eat more rice than I do.
Another plus is that you do not have to be an exclusive member of the co-​op or volunteer your time in order to shop (ahemm Park Slope Coop).
Flash your student and senior citizen IDs for a discount. CCs are accepted.
To strategically shop, sign up for their newsletter to receive updates on produce lists and deliveries dates.
Make sure you bring your own baggies and containers. Mother earth will thank ya.

I went there once before and was impressed by the selection and prices of bulk spices, so today I tried to go back for a 2^nd time. I checked online and it’s supposed to open at noon on Sundays. I arrived at 12:45 and waited until 1pm, but the place was locked up tight with no staff in sight. Annoying and very unprofessional!

A must see !! This place is small. but you wouldn’t believe the items they have !! This is the second place that I found which sold WHEAT BERRIES IN BULK (specifically hard red). They have a great bulk organic spice section and layout. I love that you can buy a cute little glass jar with a cork for a top or a taller glass jar with a a plastic spice lid (the flip up dual side lids that have one side for sprinkling and one side with a big opening or you could get the basic screw on lid-​the tops are sold separately. but for real cheap !! This is so amazing !! To be able to get a jar for yourself without having to worry about trying to find a place to store it at home.
The people there are very nice !! It was a wonderful trip !! I also noticed that they sell soy-​free eggs !!
Bulk sections include oil, molasses, pasta, flour, nuts, shampoo & conditioner, possibly loose tea leaves (and sucanat ?), and ect.
You don’t have to worry about GMOs here and knowing that they take credit cards makes it easier to shop instead of trying to track down an atm.

A pillar of the community. This place was one of the only establishments in lower Manhattan that stayed open during the hurricane power outage. They only charge for food what it costs to keep the place in business-​depending on the item they can be very low even if you are not a member. They are not whole foods so can’t buy in volume so the low price does not apply to everything– but it is worth it to spend the extra dollar to support this local business that has been here since the 70’s providing low prices without discrimination. Everything is vetted for quality and as local as possible. It’s also one of the only places I have ever shopped where almost everyone who comes starts/​joins in conversation. Where else can you find that nowadays? This is a truly special place for which I am deeply affectionate. I hope it is around for another 40 years.

This place is fantastic. If you live nearby, consider volunteering a couple hours. This will support the business and entitle you to a 20% discount. Either way, shop here for great produce by great people.

Solid selection of bulk items at reasonable prices — and efficiently packed in a small space. I got bulk active yeast here and bulk granola, both at good prices. The yeast was at like ¹⁄₃ the price of the other store close to me that had it.

Wow; I’ve been back almost a year!
I’m really glad to be a member for a lot of reasons: for one (1) I get to have a hand in running the store and – sort of – have a voice in what gets ordered.
2) Avocados are only $ 1.11 this week! (And that’s before the discount!)
3) Bulk spices: ultra-​cheap and organic. With supermarket spices, you’re paying for the jar and getting an inferior product. With these bulk spices, you can buy an empty jar here – preferably, bring your own – and still get away cheap because you’re only paying for the quantity of spice in the jar, not air. Plus, these are organic, non-​irradiated herbs and spices.
The membership fee pays for itself; I’m really happy I re-​joined.

Wow, what a cool place!
This is a tiny, tiny grocery store that sells bulk foods and organic produce and that’s about it. Bulk foods available include grains, pastas, cereals, oils (olive and canola, I think), honey, and maple syrup. Everything (or almost everything) is organic and very reasonably priced. Bring your own container/​bag for a discount!
Also, in case you don’t know — it’s a co-​op. There are 2 types of membership. 1. You can pay an annual $ 40 fee and get 8% off all year. or 2. you pay an annual $ 25 fee, volunteer 2 hours a week, and get 20% off all year! Also, students and seniors get discounts too!
Really cool store and really cool community. You don’t have to join to shop so at least check it out!

Thanks for inviting me to visit again.
I did and it WAS better than before.
Bought snacky bulk items and a couple of avocados at a fab price.
Next time, as suggested by other reviewers, I’ll bring my own containers.
Save the environment and money!

I needed tiny amounts of a few random spices for a cupcake recipe I wanted to make. I didn’t feel like buying an entire jar of nutmeg, allspice, blackstrap molasses, etc. (mm gingerbread!), so I scoured the internet for bulk places. I found 4^th St Co Op, which is very conveniently located for me. I went in and was fascinated — they really did have everything I needed and I could get as little as I needed. I spent a long time looking at everything in the tiny store. The products are really nice and the selection is big. I went to check out and the guy helping me asked me if I qualified for a discount. I didn’t know what that meant, so I asked him… he said if you are a military veteran, student … I am a student, so I got a discount! It was so nice of him to ask and save ME money… I mean, I wouldn’t have known about it if he didn’t ask.
You should bring your own small containers/​bags, because they will charge you for them. It’s only a few cents and it motivates you to save the environment and all that, but I wasn’t aware before I went in.
Can’t wait to go back!

I love smaller-​than-​my-​apartment-​stores like this.
The wiki-​based product list is usually very accurate and a great way to know what they have (all sorts of bulk herbs, spices, grains, etc. plus produce, eggs, and, dairy). and how much it is (usually very inexpensive) before you head down.
You can bring your own containers, or just buy the ones that they have there. The people are great and there are no minimums, so if you just need that tablespoon of lavender or cup of flour you can get it here.

Small store but they have the best bulk selection out of any store in the city. I promise. Fresh produce is a hit or miss (the cashier tried to sell me moldy strawberries for $ 3…I know they are local and that’s great but.ew.) but you don’t come here for the produce, you come here for the pantry stocking.
Got a student discount which was nice. If you are getting bulk you should bring your own containers, they charge for produce bags and jars here.
Best deals: almonds, Brazil nuts (5 $/​lb, most stores its $ 8 or more), cinnamon sticks, raisins, goji berries, carrots, most spices and the grains

Good for your budget, good for your health, good for the environment, good for the community… the 4^th St Food Co-​op is awesome! As a member, I work one two-​hour shift per week and save 20% on everything. Unlike at some other co-​ops, anyone can shop. There are discounts for students, seniors, EBT users, and members of other co-​ops. Some things you’ll find at the co-​op: fresh organic fruits and vegetables from nearby farms; very cheap bulk herbs and spices; bulk grains, seeds, nuts, and pasta; oils and vinegars and sweeteners; hormone-​free eggs and dairy; vegan stuff; earth-​friendly cleaning and personal care products; chocolate and snacks. Not all products are available at all times, but you can check
to see recent shipments or call 212−674−3623 with questions. Remember, everyone you see working here is a volunteer, so be cool!

I love the 4^th Street Food Co-​op!!!
I’ve been a member of this co-​op for about 3 years and while it was great when I joined, I’ve seen it make some wonderful changes over the past few years. The co-​op is the only place I know that spends SO much time researching vendors to make sure that the products are eco-​friendly, fairly-​traded, and healthy.
The co-​op is small, but I like that because it’s easy to get in and out, and they really have tons of stuff. They have a huge selection of products (produce, bulk grains, personal care, etc.), but don’t mess around with 40 types of each product, so the space is used well. You get what you want, but don’t have to waste a bunch of time trying to decide between a million types of cereal and ketchup.
The produce is also great. It’s super fresh and organic (although, granted, it can be a little sad when deliveries are late), and they really try to keep the prices low, which is usually not a problem since it’s member-​run and there’s low overhead costs.

This place is excellent for stocking up certain things, and can save you a lot of money even if not a member. I go there for pasta, flour, sugar, oats (yes, if you arrive there and find the oat bin empty you can blame me), rice, etc. They also have buckets of dried fruit, nuts and coffee, though I don’t know how their prices compare.
If you are keen to reduce your environmental impact you can bring along empty bottles and refill them with oil, soy-​sauce, maple syrup, etc, though it probably won’t save you any money. The organic maple syrup is delicious.
And if you have a few hours spare a week you can join for a pretty small fee, and then get 10−15% off depending on how much time you volunteer. They also do discounts to people on income support.
I don’t generally bother with their ‘fresh’ produce as I’m a member of a CSA (community supported agriculture) on E6th St, which is much better value.
The staff/​volunteers here are all really friendly and interesting, and it’s run by a fascinating guy, Jason of the The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players — you’ll often see him and the family there.
Unlike the Food Co-​op in Park Slope they are short of members (last I heard at least) so go along and chat to them about it. I’ve never got around to joining though…