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I do not drink coffee (went in because my friend wanted to buy some fancy coffee beans to bring to her sister who used to live on Salem St.), but this is the coolest place I’ve been to in some time. It reminded me of the local mom and pop grocery that I used to go to as a child in my home town. There are tons of different varieties of coffee, jars and jars of loose, dried herbs and spices-anything you could possibly need, dried beans and lentils, and a section of Italian food staples, oils, and vinegars. The old scale and cash register are really neat. The two gentlemen behind the counter were helpful and friendly. Coming here is a wonderful experience (even if you don’t like coffee)!

Oliveto Artisan Oils & Vinegars – Menu with Prices – 3565 Electric Rd, Roanoke

Five stars because this is a great place for the area, bringing a well-inventoried stock of good products to Roanoke. I live in NYC and my mom knows I love this kind of thing, so she proudly brought me to Oliveto–and I was impressed at the wide range of oils and vinegars available. The oils list their harvest dates and flavor notes (proper olive oil should have a decidedly ‘green’ flavor, not the tasteless stuff we’re used to), and there’s a wide range of flavored white and dark balsamic vinegars as well. Any flavor can be sampled, and the two ladies working were friendly and happy to help. I wound up purchasing two bottles because I just couldn’t resist, and because I was heading home on a plane they offered some bubble-wrap to help keep them safe. Roanoke has its share of chains and typical stores, so I’m excited and pleased to see a specialty store like this one in town. I definitely recommend, and hope they stay open for e to visit next time I’m in town!

The Simple Greek – Menu with Prices – 5010 N Hamilton Rd, Columbus

Probably the worst food experience I’ve had in a long time. Decided to try this because I was in the area and it was new. Line was inefficient, couldn’t hear what anyone was saying to me through the glass. They left off my protein, which I didn’t realize till I got home, and still charged me for it. The cashier seemed like she didn’t want to be there and extremely dismissive. I was the only customer in line and it took quite awhile to order and pay. I did not feel like a valued or appreciated customer at all- Burger King makes me feel more appreciated and taken care of. The only good part about this experience was the two employees preparing the bowls- they were very nice. Then, I got home to find that my food was pretty inedible. I had gotten the lentils as a base. They were SO hard, crunchy and undercooked that I couldn’t eat them. It was like eating raw dried lentils. My Greek fries were greasy, over cooked and hard- comparable quality to being cooked for 5 hours then microwaved. Now, I am pretty upset as I can’t stand to waste food. This food never should have been served to the customer. Basically raw, chip-your-tooth dried lentils is unacceptable. Also, undercooked lentils and beans can cause gastric symptoms so by technicality, I was served unsafe food. I’m really upset I spent the money trying this place. Overall, it was a delicious 1/2 of a pita as that is really all I was able to enjoy of this meal. There are plenty of other amazing Columbus restaurants in the area who take pride in their food and I don’t think I will bother with this one again.

The Ancient Olive – Menu with Prices – 47 King St, St. Augustine

The Ancient Olive is the best store to get high quality designer olive oils and balsamic vinegars. With so many different flavors to choose from it can be overwhelming making choices. Fortunately the knowledgeable employees are very helpful. You can taste the vinegars and oils and they even give you suggested pairings so you can try different combinations together. Personally I have a little difficulty sipping the oil and vinegar straight. Perhaps if there was a cube of bread or cracker it might be easier to appreciate the tastings. On a positive note, they do offer suggestions of uses for the different flavors and there is a website you can get recipes. You can also keep your bottles and return for refills for a $1 discount even if you want to get a different flavor. The store also offers a variety of specialty food items. I really appreciate the variety of local products you can find in this beautiful store right on King Street in the heart of historic St Augustine. There are closer specialty olive oil stores, but none as good as this one. The customer service is awesome in this store. If you are sight seeing or taking time to have a meal and do not want to carry your purchases with you, they will even hold them until you are ready to leave for the day.

The Crescent Olive – Menu with Prices – 2901-C, Devine St, Columbia

I stopped by thinking I could just run in to grab a hostess gift but was not prepared for all the awesomeness inside! Boyfriend couldn’t find parking so I told him to drop me off so I could just grab something. “I’ll be right back!” Hahahahaha. No. I walked in to at least 40 different olive oils and vinegars and had to pause near the door since I couldn’t decide where to go first. I was greeted as I entered and told that they would be with me in a minute. This gave me some time to wander around. I started checking out the different infused olive oils and someone helped me. She was super nice and explained the tasting process. She sliced some fresh bread for me to use to taste the different olive oils and white vinegars. She also offered me a sample of a brownie that was made with their blood orange infused olive oil. YUMS! I tasted some of the olive oils and decided to get the Persian Lime infused one for me. Wait… didn’t I come in here for something else? Oh right! A hostess gift. I mention this and was told you can actually buy an empty bottle and the person can bring it back in and partake of the tasting experience themselves and then select their favorite to fill up their bottle. Sold! Is this not ridiculously awesome? If I got this for a hostess gift I’d be ecstatic! (Hint Hint party goer friends!) It was also at this point that I was told that I could receive a scoop of vanilla ice cream to try the dark vinegars. Say what? I don’t know about that. Bread and olive oil? Sure. But ice cream and vinegar? Ew. I’m all about trying something new though. I’m in the process of choosing my first ice cream and vinegar pairing when boyfriend walks in giving some major one eyebrow raised action and I can hear his thoughts… “Just going to run in and out huh? ‘I’ll be right back’ my….” You get the point. I tried to ease his pain by telling him about the ice cream. He also made a face when I suggested the ice cream and vinegar combo but agreed to take the plunge with me. I’ve apparently been eating ice cream wrong all my life. This was delicious. Obviously you can put the vinegar on other items (the store actually has suggested pairings on their website) but the ice cream is a great way to taste the different flavors. My favorite was the pomegranate and boyfriend and I both liked the blackberry ginger. After this little ice cream tasting, my delay in returning to the car was forgiven and he tried the tasting with the olive oils. We were finally ready to make our purchases. They wrapped my hostess gift up for me and filled our bottle and sealed it for us to take home. Small bottles are $11 or $12. Mediums were about $16 and the large bottles were around $20 I think. They also have some special gift bags and other accessories in the store. Also, if you run your empty bottle through the dishwasher and bring it back they will knock a buck off the cost to refill it. Recycling pays in many ways! We have used our Persian Lime infused olive oil on some shrimp so far and it was absolutely delicious. We only used a tiny bit and not only did it provide a flavor punch but the house smelled wonderful. So while it might be a bit pricey for olive oils it will certainly last a long time. And can you really put a price on quality? No. The Crescent Olive if priceless!

The Old City Farmers Market – Menu with Prices – 1370-1380 A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway, St. Augustine

This place just makes me so dang happy and, admittedly, I don’t go often enough. There’s all sorts of vendors. Food options include produce stands, pasta, sauces, cheeses, eggs, meats, fresh breads, oils, kettle corn, pickles, vinegars, honey, coffee, tea, and even food trucks cranking out grab-and-go bites. Retail options include ceramics, plants, pottery, photography, paintings, clothes, wood products, instruments and more. I would say it’s about a 50/50 chance that any given vendor can accept credit cards, so it’s safer just to have cash. I feel like every time I go I can count on my favorite staples (Hugo’s vegan muffins, anyone?) but also look forward to discovering new vendors. There’s also more space with the addition of the amphitheater’s Front Porch to sit and enjoy the weather and live music. If nothing else, it’s a great excuse to go out and enjoy the weather and see what pockets of the community are creating and working on to share with the oldest city’s residents. Open year-round!

Plateroti’s Italian Gourmet Inc – Menu with Prices – 1621 Gulf to Bay Blvd, Clearwater

Plateroti Italian Gourmet has been a Clearwater stalwart for the last 38 years. It was originally started by Rudy and Jean Plateroti and their son Sal in July of 1976 and has kept the same small, cramped strip mall storefront ever since. In September of 2007 Rudy passed away and his son Sal took over completely. I first wound up at Plateroti about five years ago because I had heard about their sandwiches. On that visit I walked in and immediately felt like I had been transported to Italy (or what I imagine Italy to be). I found that they didn’t make sandwiches anymore (or at least it was something they kept on the down low) but I quickly got over my disappointment when Sal told me a story about olive oil and how the versions you get in grocery stores are, a lot of the time, oiled down with oils other than just olive. He was very passionate about the “scandal” and the olive oils that they had in house. He was especially eager to share the San Guillliano Unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oil they sell and, to convince us, he gave us a shot. You could immediately see (and taste) the difference. I was sold. I bought one. I also was sold on their imported olive oil (which was more for cooking) so I bought a huge tin of that. Sal gave us a discount on the two olive oils and we went away happy. Since then, we’ve returned five times just to buy olive oil. It is a long drive from Tampa but it seems well worth it to get quality oil from an independent shop that cares about their products. I have purchased fresh baked bread here on a couple occasions, bought a house made veggie stromboli once (yummy!) and invested in some interesting Italian desserts and pastas. But the one constant was the olive oil. Other items that Plateroti sells are various balsamic vinegars, imported cheeses, cold cuts, olives, antipasto, Italian spices, specially made Italian sweet and hot sausage links, handmade fresh mozzarella, hand prepared spaghetti sauce, manicotti, lasagna, meatballs and Italian desserts (cookies, biscotti, candies, and sweets). They have also brought back the sandwiches (although the only make them on Fridays and Saturdays). If you love to cook and/or eat Italian food then you need to check this shop out. If not for anything else, make it a point to go here for some real olive oil.

Desta’s Ethiopian Cuisine – Menu with Prices – 13475 Switzer Rd, Overland Park

Totally sweet hole in the wall! It’s humble facade next to a Papa Murphy’s hides this gem of a place. A must try. You are met with a simple yet inviting decor. I think it is was the owner who took care of us on a rather slow week night. Because we were the only ones there, I might have been a bit worried. But I was soon assured when we were seated, and I found myself struggling to decide between amazing looking dishes. I ended up going with a modestly spicey beef option (can’t recall which one but I don’t think you can go wrong), collards, and lentils. My wife had lamb which was delicious (again, can’t remember which) and red lentils. We were given an additional pile of yellow lentils to try at no charge. We tend to eat gluten free and though they didn’t have any gluten free injera ready, they made some for us fresh. Very cool. Their injera is only the second I’ve ever had, but I liked it better than Blue Nile’s at the Rivermarket. All I can say is that the meal was fantastic. If you’ve never had Ethiopian food before, it’s a great experience to eat with your hand first of all. Love being forkless. Second, the seasoning, which I love, is earthy and comforting and might surprise you if you’ve never had north African food. For dessert, we had some baklava and the full on “traditional” coffee service. Pretty neat if you like VERY strong coffee (and I do). No room for wimps here. They roast the beans, bring them out and wave them around to get you excited by the smell, leave them on the table to drive you further nuts with the aroma, and then they make the coffee. Kind of expensive, but it’s the experience you’re paying for. And I didn’t mind. Overall, service was great and prices fair. You gotta go there!

Seattle Espresso Inc – Menu with Prices – 1840 E Warner Rd # 136, Tempe

The entire experience was great!! The gentleman making the drinks was working at a very fast, but very precise pace when I entered. Was very nice when he greeted me. When he took my order, he confirmed it with me before making it. I ordered a coffee made with soy. For the first time ever, I was asked if I ordered soy because of an allergy. For me, this was a blessing, most people dont ask and I have a severe allergy to milk. I thanked him for it. He immediately moved all the dairy products away from where he was working on my coffee and told me he wanted to make sure I wouldn’t have a bad day after having coffee from there. He made the coffee very quickly and it was delicious!! This place deserves all the stars it could possibly get!

ButterSound – Menu with Prices – 1905 Hewitt Ave, Everett

This is a great place to visit if you’re starting to consider making your own home bath and healthcare products. I wanted to experiment with making some beard oils for my husband, but didn’t want to buy full-sized bottles of all the ingredients on the outside chance that I didn’t like a particular oil or scent ($$$ down the drain). Instead I was able to come here and create mixtures from the shop’s bulk-sized oils and variety of essential oils. Once I find a combination I like, I can come back and make larger batches until I feel comfortable working with the different components and can do it all on my own. That being said, there are a lot of lovely essential oils here to play with and get used to, so I know I’ll keep coming back to try making new products. It’s a fun, unique place to go if you’re looking to get into DIY bodycare, and from what I’ve seen, there are a lot of people who go there for herbal remedies for medical issues (though that isn’t something I’ve explored).

Baristello & co. РMenu with Prices Р709B Rue Jarry E, Montr̩al

This is an Up and coming Italian cafe, I’m familiar with the patrons that run this place so I knew I’m in for a treat. Walking in you get that laid back cafe vibe with some Italian flare, like all the Italian imports on the wall like jams, chocolates, cookies and other goodies. There coffee is there own blend at it’s fantastic, they have everything from espresso to cappuccinos and everything in between. They also have house made sandwiches, I had there egg sandwich with spicy salami a delicious little bite! I was tempted to try there baked goods, croissants and chocolatine from a bakery near by. The baristas are very friendly and always willing to spark up a conversation. This is a joint this area really needed. I suspect big things coming from these guys in the year. If your in the area come grab a coffee and even if your not it’s definitely worth the drive for great coffee and pineapples as far as the eye can see!!! I definitely will be back! Ps: they also sale local good from chuck Hughes like his maple syrup, olive oil etc.

Yatzâ??s Subs & Steaks – Menu with Prices – 626 N Union St, Wilmington

I stopped in at Yatz’s sub shop today. I dont think I’ve been there since it moved from over by St Elizabeth’s area, Cleland Hghts. Could be 35 yrs or so. I ordered a large Italian. The Staff was incredibly friendly, courteous and helpful. The sandwich was made to perfection. Exactly the way a sub should be made. Meats tasted extremely fresh. The provolone tasted out of this world, I think it was also fresh and sharp. To top it off I was reminiscing with the 3 lovely ladies behind the counter about St E’s, Yatz, (Sotti) NO idea how to spell his name. As we chatted one of them told me her name, Cindy & I realized we knew one another from way back in the mid 70’s and St E’s. Thanks for an awesome Italian sub and a wonderful stroll down memory lane.

Red Door Coffee Roasters – Menu with Prices – 7425 Hardeson Rd a, Everett

Can we talk about how this place actually remembers your orders?! I love how sweet the owner is and how he actually takes the time to remember your crazy orders for future visits. Even better when this place is near home and work. This is my go to place for coffee and redbull Italian soda. After coming here a few times asking for huckleberry flavoring–he suggest getting that flavor for me. Also the cheese bagel is soooo good and even better when warmed up of course. Not to mention, I’m a sucker for banana bread..and would always get one each time I come here. Can we talk about how amazing the coffee beans are? It’s freshly made each day and you could even buy them in bags!!! It’s great as gifts for any occasions. Who doesn’t love some good coffee beans?