If you were to drive by it, it looks like a little storefront corner shop, but when you step inside of Groppi’s Food Market, it’s a whole new world.  Groppi’s Food Market is located on Russell Avenue just west of South Shore Drive in Bay View.  When you first walk into the store you find a couple aisles of grocery items, they have a great assortment of the common groceries but the real treasure it what’s beyond.  The first thing you come across is the bakery case, filled with cookies, cakes, cupcakes, morning buns, cinnamon rolls, various candies from local retailers and fresh brewed Valentino coffee.  Right next to the bakery case is there sliced meat and panini counter.  Their panini’s are made with the freshest ingredients and are definitely worth the trip to this store.  Personal favorites: Prosciutto and Gouda, Smoked Turkey with a Cranberry mayo and Fig & Duck.  One thing to note, they are a decent size, I usually get a half which is more than enough.  Across the aisle from the panini counter is the cheese counter, stocked with a great variety of cheeses not found in all the grocery stores.

Here’s where the real surprise comes, there’s a short hallway after you pass the cheese counter, this leads you to a deli case and hot food case.  With a plethora of salads and hot food items to go, it’s easy to pick up items for a picnic or BBQ by the lake.  Right after the deli case you walk into a more open room filled with an assortment of wine, liquor, coolers of specialty beer, a small bar and their fresh meat case.  The small storefront seems to be an endless wander as you go from room to room.  You can sit and have a wine sampling at the bar or peruse the meat case for their specialty brats and sausages.  In the summer you can sit out on their patio and enjoy your panini.  I guarantee you will walk out of the store with so much more than you came in for.

I call it my ‘Little Bit of Everything’ market because I know that through the aisles, cases and shelves I can find so many unique items that can’t be found in your every day store.  I often go to pick up a panini and a pastry, and then find a nice comfortable spot on the beach to relax and enjoy.  It’s a fun place to go when you’re creating a meal or if you want the meal created for you.  You can never go wrong supporting a local business, especially one as unique and fun as Groppi’s.