Planet Produce

Let me preface this review by saying I am a total juice snob … and I love Planet Produce. First of all, their menu makes sense. By this I mean that their combinations of vegetables/​fruits is exactly how someone educated about the benefits of juicing would create juice. Many other juice places in this city mix lots of fruits in with lots of vegetables, which is not the most beneficial, nor is it easily digestible. Second, the prices are reasonable. In fact, these are the cheapest juice prices in Baltimore. My daughter and I easily come here several times a week. My favorite part of Belvedere Square.

I shop here regularly. I love their produce and their smoothies. The World’s Best Lemonade is as advertised. All the other juices and smoothies are great. Depending on the season, they get special things in like ramps or mushrooms. Ask what’s good at the front and you will always get pointed in the right direction.

Planet Produce makes me angry. Here is why: They are a small produce stand and therefore have limited selections, which is why they should be able to remove overtly rotting, maggot-​infested, sprouted food. It is particularly bad during the winter, when they keep a cache of squash and gourds from the fall that just rot away– like literally, I go to Atwaters and look over there just to see and there are those same liquefying squash from the day, week, month, season prior. The potatoes and onions are often sprouting and/​or rotten. I was at Atwaters a few weeks ago and made my routine rounds of PP to see what gross stuff is sitting out when I saw a tray of tomatoes and there were a few, not hidden or anything, that had maggots coming out of it with a halo of flies. I saw the staff member walk past them a couple times, there is no way they were not seen. Even if, prior to opening, they made one pass around their stock and said, «gee, is there anything that I’m selling for 3x market value that is a public health hazard?» this problem would be resolved. Also the owner says weird stuff to me and makes me feel awkward, which I am usually ok with but given the situation I can’t take it.
Their smoothies are good though. Just watch which produce they use for it.

Great service and fresh produce!