Organic Grocery Stores in Austin

The Whole Foods flagship store is a Mecca for fans of organic, natural food, produce, and products. Located in downtown Austin, it draws thousands of shoppers everyday alongside those simply curious to visit the founding spot of the dawn of organic food’s popularity in the U.S. Located throughout the city, Whole Foods is an excellent grocery store for finding almost any ingredient needed, but it’s worth noting that it is not the only organic grocery store in town. Austin offers a host of local stores, conveniently located close to almost every neighborhood, from far north’s Falcon Pointe to the south’s Circle C, all equally dedicated to organic living. Below are a just a few:

Central Market

Central Market, part of the HEB family of stores, offers shoppers a sumptuous selection of everything from fresh, organic produce to local farm-raised beef. Their buyers go straight to the source to bring you some of the finest foods Texas and the rest of the world have to offer. (One of the Central Market produce buyers regales customers with tales of visiting farmers at 6AM to find the state’s best in-season supplies, and loves his work so much he has a green pear tattooed on his leg). Each of the stores is a market in the truest sense — a place to exchange not only goods and services but ideas, too. With community rooms, cooking classes, live music and much more at every location, Central Market spends every day celebrating what food is all about: bringing people together.

Wheatsville Co-op

Located a hop from Hyde Park and close to the University of Texas, Wheatsville aims to create a self-reliant, self-empowering community of people that will grow and promote a transformation of society toward cooperation, justice, and non-exploitation. Wheatsville offers a diverse selection of traditional, natural, organic, imported, comfort, ethnic, vegan, fast, home-grown, vegetarian, fun, and gourmet food. Wheatsville focuses on quality and equality while offering a full range of organic and natural foods and the best selection of locally-produced food products, also carrying traditional American staples you’d expect to see at the corner grocer. Wheatsville is a great place to relax on patio, grab a quick lunch, catch up on local events, or just meet some of the nicest folks you’d ever hope to find.

Natural Grocers

Natural Grocers, located throughout the city including in Hyde Park and the Domain close to Arboretum Park, was established in 1955 by Margaret and Philip Isely, parents of the current owners. They started the business by going door-to-door in Golden, Colorado, selling whole-grain bread and sharing nutrition information with people they met. The Iselys found that the more health and nutrition knowledge their neighbors possessed, the healthier the food they wanted. Their door-to-door business was successful enough that within a short time they were able to open their first retail location – a modest storefront that looked like a cottage. Now the store sells natural and organic foods and supplements, still aiming to improve the health of the community.

Farm to Market Grocery

Farm to Market Grocery on South Congress, close to the Sendera neighborhood, offers groceries, specialty items, amazing local products, fresh vegetables and fruits, quality prepared foods, good wine, cheeses, coffee, cold beer, fresh juice, handmade cards, beautiful flowers and much, much more. Every week they introduce new and delicious items recommended by the customers. The store seeks to initiate the return of the neighborhood grocer.

Royal Blue Grocery

Royal Blue is a compact urban grocery, located in Austin’s 2nd Street District. The store draws inspiration from the past, combined with a fresh, modern environment. Small in size but not in its offering, Royal Blue has a little bit of everything, with the convenience of a quick trip and always great customer service. Called a Bodega by some, corner store by others – Royal Blue is a modern general store designed to serve the neighborhood where it’s located.