Fresh Approach

I love this market. For everyday, fresh food, it’s more reasonable than other local competitors, and the meat selections are outstanding.

Did someone say bacon? The best bacon in town actually! Melt in your mouth steak? They have that, too!
The meat selection and quality is amazing! Check out the meat packages!
They have great sales and the staff is always friendly and knowledgeable.
Need a sandwich? Got it
Need dessert? Got it
Need beer? They’ve gut that too.
Great local, neighborhood store.
Love it!

Fresh approach confuses me, and every time I think i’ve got things figured out, they throw a wrench back in and I become confused all over again.
Fresh approach is a neighborhood grocer, butcher and take-​out deli located on the west end of Portland right across from Reiche school.
Here are the things that perplex me:
1. The staff. Some of the people working there are super helpful and focused on the customer and others are downright rude and unfriendly. There seems to be no in-​between, they either run really hot or really cold? Two weeks ago when I went in to order a sandwich, the guy behind the counter said that the usual deli guy just quit and walked off the job.
2. The butcher counter. There seem to be some amazing deals on chicken and sometimes pork chops, yet other meats like ground chuck and beef cuts can run extremely expensive. They can be so high that they compete in price with Whole Foods or the Rosemont butchers, which would be ok if they offered more of a customer experience and shared their meat sources, which they don’t.
3. The take-​out deli options. I have gotten a quality burger to go for $ 4 and I have ordered a shaved steak on baguette for $ 7 which contained, what I would have guessed to be, about 2 oz of meat. My husband has gotten the same breakfast sandwich there on two different occasions, once it was 2.50 and the next time it was $ 4. When he asked, they said on the first day they were just trying to move the ham???
4. The bread. Right next to the deli counter is a big table of breads, baguettes, focacias, rolls etc… I have asked if they are all baked in house and gotten a «yes», an «I’m not sure», and a «no». Very confusing.
SO…you might be wondering, why do I still shop there? Because, when they DO hit it right, they do a great job! Their food can be fresh and make for great suppers at home, some of their employees are super helpful and suggest new and exciting recipe ideas and they bake amazing fresh fruit pies in house!
In all the times I have shopped at Fresh Approach, it has never been clear to me who might be the owner or manager of the shop. I might urge them to work on some consistency with their employees and focus a bit more on customer service. A smile never hurt anyone.

Great Ground Beef! Meat is fresh, juicy, delish! Bread and baked goods are great!

They have true best meat in town!
Jalapeño bacon– this is delicious! I didn’t eat pork before coming to portland. This bacon is delicious.
The beef is good too! The staff will help you decide the best cut of meat based on what your preferences are. They will also give suggestions on how to cook!
They make baked goods fresh quite regularly too! The sweets are a third of the price of aurora provisions without compromising on taste!

I like the idea of having a small, non-​commercial type of grocery store close by. Pick up a few odds and ends type of deal to make a quick dinner instead of going to Hannaford. That is why I was excited to go to fresh approach last night with the intention of buying whatever looked good. I usually don’t cook meat, but wanted to make some split-​chicken breasts for my boyfriend as a treat. Figured I’d also roast up whatever starchy vegetables they had, some potatoes, and maybe a side of couscous.
They literally had nothing that satisfied me. I left extremely disappointed. I asked the butcher for the split chicken breasts, he said that he didn’t have any but could cut some. If he has taken the time to do so, my impression of Fresh Approach would have sky-​rocketed. Nothing like a hard-​working employee. Instead, about 30 seconds later he basically said «never mind.» I’m guessing he just didn’t want to go in the back and pull out another chicken.
Potatoes were mushy, eggplants were mushy, didn’t have asparagus or anything that looked worth-​while to roast. The only thing that looked decent were some white mushrooms. Couldn’t find couscous either.
The store was also dirty, dusty and I’m betting a lot of boxed goods were out of date.
If I wanted another specific cut of meat, I would give fresh approach another shot, but I’m not holding my breath.

not beautiful to look at does not mean not AMAZING! F APPROACH has old skool beer things everywhere and dusty but there are also amazing sandwiches to order, really quality meat butcher cuts of every kind, local produce sand some rubs and things they make there, all the basic beverages you could be looking for (even some craft beer!) wine milk HOT COFFEE (same as omiS brand on bracket) and good prices, always open at the times they say they will be… probably the only thing that would make this better would be if it were open late!!!

I love Fresh Approach! I’m so glad to have this gem in the neighborhood. The meat counter and service is such a surprise for a small, local spot! The right amount of fresh produce to have what you need on the spot but a small enough amount that I trust that it turns over and is fresh. I LOVE that they have some bulk items and a sandwich counter.

From its name and online presence, I expected this place to be sort of bright, crunchy, organic-​type place. Not so, but despite this misperception I had a positive experience there.
It is somewhat dimly-​lit, with mostly not-​at-​all-​natural products and brands. They did have some produce, but it didn’t look any fresher than what you might find at Hannaford. But we were there for the meat.
My wife and I had looked online ahead of time at their bulk meat bundles, and we had our eye on the «mini bundle.» This is advertised as consisting of: 3 lbs ground chuck, 3 lbs cube steak, 3 lbs split chicken breasts, 3 lbs center cut pork chops, and 3 lbs sliced boiled ham. All for $ 54.
We were hoping the meat was organic or otherwise «happy meat,» and while it was not, the butcher assured us that everything the butcher is very high-​quality, especially the beef, which is Angus.
They were out of cube steak, so he gave us full London broil steaks instead. Two of these steaks weighed in over 3 lbs, but he didn’t charge us extra. They did a great job of turning this potential disappointment into a nice little bonus instead. Rawk!
The ham was just Hormel junk meat. This was a big let down. However, to the butcher’s credit, he proactively notified us about this and offered an alternative. It turns out although the bundle is advertised as I’ve described above, you can actually get whatever you want as long as comes to an equivalent price, so we decided to get a full pork loin instead. Again, disappointment turned into a pleasant surprise. Rawk!
The butcher himself was helpful and enjoyable to chat with. We even ended up getting some sagely child rearing advice out of him.
I bought some of the «Fresh Approach» hot sauce from them, and it’s watery and without much heat. It turns out they don’t actually make it, but source it from somewhere else local. This was a disappointment WITHOUT a pleasant surprise attached to it.
We’ve made our through all the meat we bought, and all of it was delicious. No complaints there.
We’ll definitely go again for another meat bundle, and I’d like to try one of their sandwiches. I hear good things.

Fresh Approach is awesome. Firstly, the place decked out in Schlitz memorabilia. Secondly, the staff are super friendly. Lastly, they have everything one could want from a small neighborhood market. When I’m cooking or baking and need something in a pinch, I can always dash down the street to Fresh Approach. They have pretty much any household staple one could want. They also have butcher and deli counters. They’ve got some prepared foods — stuff like salads and desserts, plus, they make food to order. It’s an all around handy place to have in the neighborhood.

Excellent sandwiches at excellent prices. Italian are good! Cuban was also good. You can also get sliced meats/​cheeses & fresh meats & veggies. Great local market. There’s a place to sit and eat.

Outstanding meat quality and service.
This is a place where people seem to enjoy what they are doing. I bought the best lamb shanks I’ve ever had at a measly 5.99 a pound to make a large yet un-​traditional easter osso-​bucco dish for all to share.
The market itself is straight-forward…canned and boxed goods, good local biscuits and rolls, small produce section, surprising beer choices (Founders, etc.) that are underpriced. As you walk to the back of the market you get to see the meat case and a chalkboard advertising specials and sandwiches.
There is no comparison in terms of quality. Pat’s Meat Market and Whole Foods might look better in terms of aesthetic but they charge close to 20−30% more for that and that alone. The meat, knowledge, story, and wholesale relationship with some of the better local restaurants and shops is enough to make me a loyal customer forever.
Well done fresh approach. Well done.

Fresh Approach is wonderful! Living nearby & not having a car, this place is instrumental to me being able to make dinner at home much of the time.
Awesome meat counter with house-​ground/​made meat & sausage. House-​made Schlitz sausages, also bison/​buffalo hot dogs. Prices on chicken are right on target with local chain groceries; I’ve been pleasantly surprised.
Of course the fresh produce is a smaller selection than at a chain grocer, but how many corner stores carry FRESH cilantro, jalapeño, herbs (yes, fresh), cabbage, tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, etc. FA does, bless ‘em!
Selection of boxed/​canned goods is small, but pretty thorough. They have your Annie’s mac & cheese in the purple box (& the mac & cheese in the blue box, if that’s your jam). They have both rice-​crispy cereal & marshmallows (& butter, of course). They have 2 kinds of soy milk, & even tofu. I’ve no doubt that if they were open past 7pm, Fresh Approach would be a legendary destination among those who enjoy a bit of herbal relaxation in the evenings.
I’ve been tempted a few times to try their various sandwich/​burger options at the deli at lunchtime, but ordering is a bit chaotic. I’ve stood at the counter for a few minutes on each occasion, but not ever approached by anyone who wanted to take my order. Mostly due to my own shyness, admittedly, I’ve ended up walking away each time. I’ll keep trying when I feel brave & patient. In the meantime, they have a nice selection of individually packed & refrigerated deli selections. stuff like spaghetti & meatballs, pasta salad, sauerkraut, Chinese boneless ribs, pieces of fried or roasted chicken, etc.
Fortunately, service at the meat counter & at checkout is much more prompt & attentive.
Fresh Approach has good prices on beer & wine; cheap wine here is actually 50 cents less than at nearby Cumby’s for 1.5 L. Beer prices are about on par w Cumby’s, if not cheaper for a few things. They sell (at the moment) Narragansett Summer Ale, which is quite enjoyable.
The main things keeping me from giving a 5-​star review are the lack of fish & the lack of plain yogurt.
Apparently, they do have fish every now & then (I asked, to be sure), but not often. I understand there are practical reasons for not stocking a huge amount/​variety of fish, but even just one popularly-​used kind of fish in stock at a time (maybe just whitefish? perhaps alternating whitefish & salmon?) would be hugely helpful.
Last week, they had tiny, individual-​size containers of plain Greek yogurt, for $ 2 each. This week, no plain yogurt at all. LOTS of blueberry yogurt, but that’s only helpful for snacking, not for cooking. I use plain yogurt (doesn’t have to be Greek) a LOT for cooking (snacking, too), & it surprises me that FA doesn’t consider this a staple worthy of stocking. Large containers of Stonyfield plain yogurt, preferably low-​fat, would be AWESOME & very helpful.
Overall, I really do love this place. They’re helpful, friendly, & genuinely thankful for your business.

West Enders unite! How great is it to live in a neighborhood with this local market around the corner? Surprisingly great prices and variety on fresh items – fresh and local meats, fruits and vegetables, baked goods. Inflated prices on processed, typical convenience store items. Funny, helpful staff. It’s an old-​school neighborhood market, which is pretty cool in this day and age.
The meat market’s the best in town, at least on peninsula. I was shocked. Fresh Approach has local, natural, even organic meats at bargain basement prices – way less than at any of the local grocery stores. The deals are especially good if you buy in bulk – 10 lbs of local, all-​natural chicken tenders for less than $ 2/​lb, for instance. The trade-​off is that you need to use/​freeze them quickly… I think the way Fresh Approach gets such good quality/​price is that meats are near their expiration date. The guys behind the counter are saucy and really know their meats. They’ve given me great advice and help on how to cook things, even special-​ordered ground frozen turkey for me. Check the weekly specials online or in person… they’re good. The frozen foods section includes some more gourmet or adventuresome meats (I think I saw frog legs there once, for example); I think that’s beyond me.
Other things with good prices include bulk spices, garlic, some cheeses and produce. They surprise me with having other baking and cooking items (bulk flour, sugar, oats; tomato paste, beans, etc). There are also fresh-​baked bakery items, like specialty breads, which are of solid value and quality.
Fresh Approach also has convenience-​y items (beer, wine, eggs, snacks, ice cream, dairy, chips, etc) with strong variety but inflated prices. But if you’re desperate, it’ll do the job.