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In the interior, a half aisle is devoted to corn oil. Although the international section is limited, they do carry gallons of African palm oil, and pork lard is sold at the meat counter. The meat bins are filled with packaged ox tail, goat shoulders, seven-bone steak, offal, smoked pork neck bones as well as a variety of beef, pork, and chicken cuts.

Compare started in Queens, New York in 1978, and now has four stores in Charlotte with more in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and South Carolina. Language can be challenging, depending on the department, but the cashiers speak English.

In addition to the produce, the bakery is worthy of an extended stay. Loaves of bread are 79 cents each, and cookies, bread puddings, pastries and muffins are baked throughout the day. Wedding and special occasion cakes are available by order. New is the jewelry counter and an abbreviated clothing shop just inside the main door.

COMPARE FOODS QUICK TAKE

Layout: Easy to navigate, but plain.

Produce: Excellent fruit prices, inexpensive, extensive root and chile section.

Fish Department: Mainly fins.

Meat Department: Includes goat and offal.

Prepared Foods: Excellent Latino bakery and sandwich counter. Best Cuban sandwich in the city ($4.75).

Specialty Items: The entire store.

International: Small, but has Africa fu fu flour and palm oil and Jamaican hot sauces.

Finds: 20 pound bag of rice for $9.99; Jamaican curry powder; coconut juice; a variety of Mexican, Spanish and Argentine chorizo; two-pound bags of flour or corn tortillas (about 50) for $1.59.

Hours: 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. daily.

Compare Foods 5610 E. Independence Blvd.

THE FRESH MARKET

This fall, The Fresh Market will open its third location in the Charlotte area in Cornelius (20623 Torrence Chapel Road). This store will have expanded meat and seafood counters, a floral and gift section, enhanced lighting, a deli island with a wide assortment of prepared foods, an improved selection of organic items, and a bakery. The Fresh Market is a regional grocer established in Greensboro in 1982. The company now owns more than 60 stores.

What brings shoppers to The Fresh Market is both the quality of food, the helpfulness of the employees and the convenience. Additionally The Fresh Market at Strawberry Hill sells locally grown food, such as South Carolina's McBee peaches, in front of the store during the summer months.

The Strawberry Hill store, with a backdrop of classical music and strategically lit counters, is often teeming with carts and kids making the aisles congested. Bins of coffees, candies, grains, spices, nuts and seeds can be bought by the pound. Seasonal items include German Stollen and flavored Moravian cookies at the winter holidays. Many items at the meat counter are prepared to cook at home while paninis are grilled while you wait. Nueske's bratwurst and Slotkowski sausages are available in the dairy; Ciao Bella gelato and sorbets stand at the ready in the limited freezer section. The meat department takes orders for organic turkeys at Thanksgiving and will always grind and cut meat. The Fresh Market is one of the few places to get freshly ground lamb.

THE FRESH MARKET QUICK TAKE

Layout: Small, and aisles are difficult to navigate when crowded.

Produce: Average, some local items, more and more organic items.

Fish Department: Small, but well chosen.

Meat Department: Excellent, freshly ground lamb available sometimes.

Bakery: Cinnamon buns.

Prepared Foods: Above average; rotisserie chicken costs more, but is worth it. Salsas available in the produce section.

Specialty Items: Excellent vinegar and salad dressing selection.

International: Small.

Finds: Nueske's bratwurst, Ciao Bella Sorbet, and good pita bread.

Hours: Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. through 9 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.

The Fresh Market, 4223 Providence Road, in Strawberry Hill Shopping Center.

REID'S FINE FOODS

This is Reid's 10th year at its current location, but the store is celebrating its 80th year in business. Now that the light rail has finally started its run, the idea of the 7th Street Station makes sense. Finally you can hop off the train and get a hand-dipped ice cream cone at the end/beginning of the line.

Reid's has an actual butcher (not a meat cutter) in their meat department, regular cooking classes, a well-chosen wine selection and a popular wine club. In addition to wine, Reid's is known for specialty items, custom-made baskets and a full-service gift counter.

Reid's collection of balsamic vinegars takes up several shelves and they have at least 60 varieties of hot sauce, plus a line of proprietary jellies, dressings and sauces. Reid's has always offered shelf space to local products, including the desserts of Tizzerts, Carolina Gold Rice, Crooks Grits, and Augusta's Pimento cheese. The prepared-food section has a crowd at lunch and has tables both inside and out.