Store

The 57,000 square-foot warehouse and piles of produce remind shoppers that the universe provides — or at least Central Market does. Sure, you can find your staples here: milk, canned goods, tea and coffee. But it's the fresh stuff that takes top billing.

The produce department alone is a small city, teeming with familiar and exotic items. (Ever smell a durian? How do you cook cactus?) You'd think you'd wandered into an aquarium at the fish market, what with all the tanks for live shellfish, lobster and crab; cases of bright filets serve as a backdrop for large, whole fish packed in ice. Carnivores will appreciate the 52-feet worth of meat cases, offering a refreshing variety of organic and range-fed products. A fully stocked Asian market with aisles of specialty ingredients saves a trip to the International District. If you're not a do-it-yourselfer, there's a food court and sushi station within the store.

And for those of you who judge a supermarket on the quality of the freebies, Central Market doesn't disappoint. With cooking demonstrations and free samples around the store, you can find out about cheese, bakery items and fruit simply by wandering by and spearing your prey.

TIP: There are free cooking classes every Thursday evening. Check the Web site for the schedule. The site also has recipes and meal-planning tools.

By Vanessa McGrady
Special to NWsource