Tastebud’s Natural Foods

I can’t believe I have not been to this place sooner! It is amazing, ESPECIALLY if you want healthy food alternatives. They have a great line of protein shakes, including vegan protein shakes (non-​whey hemp protein & rice protein). They use non-​dairy milk, juices, fruits and berries! Their salad bar is also wonderful! It’s filled with things you don’t typically see at a regular salad bar. There’s quinoa salads w toasted almond slices, cranberries & coconut, seaweed salad, tons of roasted vegetables & so much more! Today I had the best tofu sausage and peppers ever (you would never know it was tofu based) & a rice protein shake; both were incredible! Can’t wait for my next visit to Staten Island! This place is a gem on an Island that doesn’t have many healthy & meat-​free options!!!

Love the fresh food bar and choice of juices and smoothies! Big selection of many holistic and organic products and produce.

This was my first experience at an all Natural Food Market and it was a success! There is a self-​serve hot food section with a small variety; they don’t offer many choices, but I would certainly go again. I personally loved their noodles, sweet potato, beet, and lentil mix; the ingredients are hearty and filling, so I wouldn’t recommended getting a full plate of food if you’re a light eater. On top of getting that belly of yours filled, you can also go grocery shopping afterwards!
I have been obsessed with buying my grocery at health markets since my first visit to Tastebud’s Natural Foods. The products I purchased here introduced my new food addiction: Mary’s Gone Crackers (Original) and SoDelicious Coconut Milk (cashew & chocolate).

Good selection, great people, fair prices. I’ll definitely be a regular.

I’m ecstatic to have found this place. It doesn’t look like much from the outside but their collection of natural health foods and products has won me over. No more ordering natural products online … waiting for shipping … and praying nobody steals it when it’s sitting on my porch while I’m at work. The people working around the food area were super friendly. Will definitely be going to this place on the regular.
My only constructive criticism would be that the little girl working at the cash register needs to put on a smile and be more courteous. While being rung up, she barely made eye contact, never smiled, and after the transaction, she just left my stuff in a plastic bag next to the cash register and walked off … didn’t even try to hand it to me. I had to reach over the counter full of stuff to grab my merchandise.
Since it was my first time there, I will be updating my review in the future.

The food bar is great it may seem a little pricey but its of great quality
I get food for a fee days.
Also the service is great employees always greet you.

This is a great place to go for lunch. Different types of fresh organic juices and smoothies! The buffet has a large selection of delicious and healthy food. The employees are always willing to help and are very friendly. I’ve been there twice already and I’ll definitely be going back.

I like Tastebuds. Love the raw food options. A really good choice of truly healthly foods. A quick, healthly meal that I don’t have to prepare and clean up after at home. Manager or owner seems to genuinely care, not just a business. Will help you source products and give explanations if you need it. Prices are better than the other health food stores.

Usu I go to whole foods but I am in Staten Island for a bit, and finding this place was a happy accident. Definitely goes against the image I have of Staten Island. I never encountered any rudeness either.
The prepared soups are surprisingly great, and I like that they put out frontier seasonings spices and olive oil at the counter.
You can find a wide variety of vegetarian/​vegan foods and various vitamins and supplements and the prices are good.

I’m impressed that in 3 visits at different times of the day the salad bar items were always fresh. They do a really good job of rotating just the right amount of a pretty wide variety of vegetarian, vegan and all-​natural meat products to keep customers satisfied. It’s pretty standard «health food» cuisine but very competently done. The store itself is fairly comprehensive, too, and the pricing is a lot cheaper than the Manhattan or even Queens independent Health shops, not to mention. The funny thing about this place is for all the ethnically diversity and hippie demographic of customers and staff alike, I swear I get a suspicious, almost angry vibe, every time I go there. Maybe I’m missing something. I’m not from Staten Island — I live in Queens and usually work in Manhattan with cultural outings to Brooklyn once or twice a month. I’ve spent the last two months on assignment in the Borough, frequenting the shops in the New Dorp /​Dongan Hills area. I swear, there’s something edgy about the way they eye me and other customers who are apparently not regulars and the tension in their voice when they say «Can I HELP you with something?» By contrast, when I go into Joe’s Lobster House which kinda looks like a stereotypical «wise guy» hangout (and I don’t look like one of them) they all but hug me and kiss me on both cheeks. But ignore that and you can get your Kombucha and Organic Quinoa on for bargain prices…

This is one of the best health food stores. The prepared food bar has a lot of raw food choices, which is amazing. Their produce section is small, but they pack it with more variety than most health food stores I’ve been to. Not many places have fresh tumeric, 3 different kinds of kale, dandelion greens, and baby coconut on hand. Owner and staff are nice.

I haven’t been to the store but called a few times for a product and was so upset after my calls that I decided to let all know what they are in for if they do business with this place. I asked for a product (by description) they didn’t have, I didn’t recall the name at the time but figure that they are the experts, they probably know what I’m referring to. Far from true! But the fact that they didn’t know what I was looking for wasn’t the problem, rather their nasty, arrogant attitude in their response, making me feel as if i had the brains of a mosquito or something. I researched what I wanted and found the brand, called back and explained that I had called looking for a certain product and the idiot on the other side said, «yeah, what about it?», again with attitude. I told her the brand I was looking for, to what her response was an acceptable «no, we don’t carry that brand», but the nastiness wasn’t as acceptable.
I’m sure they have their own problems in life, just as any of us, but if we were to treat everyone as if they were the cause of our problems, we would be extinct by now.
So Tastebud’s, if you care for business, polish your communication and customer service skills. I’m just saying.

great place, prices are a bit high, this isn’t the city, but I spend much time and effort when I’m in town, it’s hard to eat healthy but this place makes it happen on the island. Kudos to tastebuds!

Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Good pre-​made munchies behind the counter. Good selection of canned, boxed and frozen foods that you hope aren’t as bad for you as what is carried in the supermarket. And for the higher price tag, they better be good for me! That’s all I’m saying.

I usually don’t judge a place by who works there, but this time I have to.
There is an older woman at the register who is just SO RUDE and unwelcoming that I will NEVER EVER return to this store again. I went here 3 times and each time she was equally rude. There are other health food stores. Next.

Best health food store on the Island and I’ve shopped them all. It’s as big as a mini market. They have much better selection and prices compared to family health foods stores on the Island. Wish there were more of them though!

Whatever Seth is making behind to counter you can assume it is good for your palate and good for your body! I recommend this place highly lots of choices for food veggies organic and just plain healthy. I try to get in at least once a week! $ lunch and dinner breakfast late muffin etc available
Enjoy!