Explore Delco’s Mom-and-Pop Food Markets and Shops

Independently owned neighborhood food markets have a way of making grocery shopping feel a little more personal. There’s the butcher who remembers how thick you like your steaks cut and throws in a bone for your pup at home. Or the produce manager you can chat up about what’s freshest this week. Or the cashier who calls you by name.

 

Across Delco, family-owned and independent markets continue to thrive by offering warm, friendly service, quality products, and decades of neighborhood relationship-building. While they may not offer the “one-stop-shop” of massive supermarkets or big-box stores, these local gems more than make up for it with the feeling of connecting with the people in your community. Here are some local gems to add to your weekly grocery shopping rotation:

 

Specialty Markets

If you’ve never wandered the labyrinthine aisles at The Head Nut, prepare for a delightful experience. This local institution, which traces its roots back to 1945, offers an unbeatable selection of bulk products, including nuts and snack mixes, dried fruit and candy, spices and herbs, baking ingredients and dry goods, and loose-leaf teas and whole bean coffee from Main Line Coffee Roasters. There are also tons of little nooks and crannies packed with specialty oils, hot sauces, imported candy, and so much more. You will surely leave with more than you planned, but you won’t regret it. Pro tip: Most bulk ingredients must be taken off the shelves and brought to the check-out counter, where the clerks will weigh them out to your specifications.

2408 Haverford Rd., Ardmore; (610) 642-3066.

 

 

Just down the road in Havertown, Centrella’s Deli & Italian Market is a neighborhood favorite. A few years ago, Centrella’s expanded into the adjacent storefront, adding even more square footage and making it equal parts Italian market, deli and specialty grocery! It’s cemented itself as a go-to for exceptional hoagies, homemade prepared foods, imported pantry staples and regional favorites, like Isgro pastries and Stock’s pound cake. 

10 Brookline Blvd., Havertown, PA; (610) 853-2466.

 

 

If you enjoy unique products and international flavors, check out Euro Market Delicatessen in Broomall, stocked with European chocolates, breads, cheeses, pantry staples and prepared foods that you’re unlikely to encounter elsewhere. From Armenian lavash (thin, pita-esque bread) to Akva Kristall Tarhun (tarragon-flavored soda) to caramel-filled croissants from Bulgaria, you are sure to find something unexpected and delicious!

26 S. Sproul Rd., Broomall; (610) 359-9021.

 

 

Part gourmet market, part casual bar and restaurant, and part wine shop, 320 Market Café has become a Delco favorite, thanks to its thoughtfully prepared foods (the pico de gallo is legendary), artisan cheeses, fresh sandwiches and curated grocery selection. With locations in Media and Swarthmore, it’s a great place to pick up an easy weeknight dinner or gather all the accouterments to make an impressive cheese board. The craft beer and natural wine selections are the best around, too. 

713 S. Chester Rd., Swarthmore; (610) 328-7211; 211 W. State St., Media; (610) 565-8320.

 

Family-owned for generations, Martindale’s Natural Market specializes in natural and organic groceries, vitamins, supplements, locally sourced products and specialty dietary items. Don’t miss its fabulous bulk foods section, natural body care items and organic pantry staples. Whether you follow a gluten-free, vegan or organic lifestyle—or simply enjoy discovering new products—this neighborhood market has you covered.

1172 Baltimore Pike, Springfield; (610) 543-6811.

 

Old-Fashioned Butcher Shops

Roy Tweedy’s Old Fashioned Butcher Shop has been family-owned since 1960 and remains one of Delco’s trusted destinations for fresh meats, custom cuts and homemade prepared foods. One of the best parts of its menu are the budget-friendly “Super Buy” and family packs: individually wrapped freezer packs that include enough tasty products to keep you fed for weeks! Alongside the meat counter offerings, you’ll find house-made meatballs, sausage and convenient dinner-ready options that make weeknight cooking easier. Note: Roy Tweedy’s is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

2042 MacDade Blvd., Holmes; (610) 534-2200.

 

Another great butcher shop that feels of another era (in the best way) is Colonial Village Meat Market in Springfield. This neighborhood meat counter offers everything from fresh T-Bone steaks to pork roasts, as well as a wide array of frozen products, including crab cakes, burger patties and meatballs. You’ll also find a well-stocked deli featuring lunch meats, cheeses and grab-and-go prepared foods. Stop in for steaks, and you might just leave with dinner, tomorrow’s sandwiches, plus a few recommendations from behind the counter.

509 Baltimore Pike, Springfield; (610) 328-0156.

 

Produce Markets

At Sangillo’s Farm Fresh Produce & Deli, great prices and friendly service turn customers into regulars. Family-owned since 1984, this market has held its own amidst a rapidly changing grocery landscape by offering farm-fresh produce, creative prepared foods, specialty groceries and truly fantastic hoagies to the community. The throwback ambiance and decor are also comforting in an era of bland, personality-less chains. 

3801 Garrett Rd., Drexel Hill; (610) 284-5556.

 

 

Few Delco markets capture the changing seasons quite like Wolff’s Apple House. This Media landmark is much more than an apple market, offering locally grown produce, baked goods, gourmet groceries, prepared foods and gifts. Autumn may be peak apple season, but there’s something worth browsing year-round, from fresh breads and pies to locally sourced pantry items. Its outdoor garden center and nursery are also worth the trip!

81 S. Pennell Rd., Media; (610) 566-1680.

 

 

Another produce destination worth checking out is Eddystone Produce. This neighborhood market, recently under new ownership, keeps things simple: fresh fruits and vegetables, competitive prices and a no-fuss shopping experience. It’s a convenient stop to load up on seasonal produce without making a trip to a larger supermarket.

1301-1317 Chester Pike, Eddystone; (610) 872-7316.

 

Farmer’s Choice Grocery in Sharon Hill is a valued resource for shoppers seeking African and Caribbean ingredients alongside fresh produce, specialty meats—including oxtail and goat—seafood, spices and pantry staples. It’s another reminder that Delco’s food scene is every bit as diverse as the people who call it home.

1450 Chester Pike, Sharon Hill; (484) 953-4655.

 

Seafood Counters

When Delco locals need seafood for a holiday feast, backyard crab boil or Friday fish fry, we head straight to Hill’s Quality Seafood Market. With locations in Media, Glen Mills and Newtown Square, Hill’s has built a loyal following for its fresh and frozen fish, shellfish, prepared seafood specialties, and especially its crab cakes. The knowledgeable staff provides helpful guidance on what’s freshest, and the daily specials mean there’s always a great deal waiting.

402 W. Baltimore Ave., (610) 566-3788; 3605 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square; (610) 359-1888; 993 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills; (610) 579-6010.

 

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Want to know more about everything Delco? We’re more than just your source for good eats — we’re your source for where to stay, what to do and more in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. We’re Visit Delco, PA. They say we’re A LOT…and they’re right! Contact us at (610) 565-3679, by email or online.

– Emily Kovach  

 

Featured photo courtesy of Wolff’s Apple House