Fairway

Upper West Side
2127 Broadway
at W. 74th St.

P: 212.595.1888

Kips Bay
550 Second Ave.
at E. 30th St.

P: 646.720.9420

Chelsea
766 Sixth Ave.
between W. 25th/26th Streets

P: 646.676.4550

Upper East Side
240 East 86th St.
between 2nd/3rd Avenues

P: 718.569.4511

Pelham, NY
847 Pelham Parkway

P: 718.569.4544

Four full-service supermarkets in Manhattan and a fifth in Pelham, NY have new owners after having survived crazy growth, an IPO, bankruptcy, bankers' greed, and new competition.

What's great:

Those of us who have been grocery shopping in Manhattan for a long time miss what Fairway used to be when it was the granddaddy of NYC food markets.  But there's still much to appreciate in the store, including great sales, fast product turnover so that things are fresh, and competitive pricing. 

The cheese and charcuterie departments are large, although many of the cheeses have been pre-cut. The Upper West Side upstairs organic department is substantial and includes a section with gluten-free and other allergen-free ingredients.  All the stores have take-out departments with prepared foods.

Produce includes local in-season fruits and vegetables, there's custom-cut meat, poultry and fresh fish, a big selection of smoked fish, in-store roasted coffees, kosher foods (meat, poultry, bakery), and a large choice of olive oils, barrels of olives, and imported grocery items.

What to avoid:

Going to Fairway's Upper West Side store the day before a major holiday has made me cry. Just don't do it.

Fairway's private label products range from excellent to not so great.