Plenty Grocery and Deli

The challenge of Unilocal reviews is that different reviewers comment on completely different things. If you see 4 stars, it may be because the staff is friendly even if the food is overpriced. If you see 2 stars, the food might be great but the staff punches everyone who looks at them cockeyed (just like Rex Banner). I’d probably give this place 3.5 stars if I could, but I purchased a lower-​quality computer and it doesn’t seem to be allowing that (I might just have to set it on fire after this review). More to the point, I like the ambiance and desire of Plenty — local, vegan, parking lot spaces on hectic Division street. The staff are very friendly with everyone and seem genuinely interested in shooting the proverbial breeze with you (which I would never initiate because man do I abhor people in general), bless their hearts.
I applaud any store that sells Kombucha by the growler (buy one and get «discounted» refills) and in multiple flavors (mix hops with ginger pepper and thank me later), although the prices are a little steep. There seems to be a missing sweet spot between rock-​bottom, «your soul is forfeit» Walmart prices and expensive «local» small retailer prices. It’s like going to the gym and winning a fight with an old man but then losing a fight with a meathead. What you really wanted was a fair fight with someone of your own abilities. It’s not that I want to get in a fist fight with any retailer, but I would like to go to sleep with less shame in my heart. That’s where the blueberry Kombucha comes in.

Convenient spot for vegan food and produce. Make sure you check the bread before you purchase — you more than likely will spot mold. Pricey food but convenient if you don’t feel like walking over to Jewel.

This place is awesome! Such a great group of employees too boot.
Never have experienced anything but wonderfully friendly, helpful folks.
They have so much good stuff and a life saver in making up a much needed deli tray on the spot!
Arize Kombucha on tap that is super affordable. Good selection of bulk items! House made gnocchi in the freezer!
Perfectly ripe tomatoes and beautiful lettuces too.
I try to get any of my need for a bands rider here when possible.

I am sorry, are these reviews serious? This shop is cute and I wish it was everything it looked like. Local brands, healthy eats and a convenient spot to grab produce. The produce is horrible. I’ve gotten several items and they are usually spoiled. Most times are double the price of whole foods. I bought salmon a couple weeks ago and it wreaked like fish after I thawed it I had to throw it out. Yikes. You guys have such a great location and the staff is great but the produce and seafood is awful.

This is a great, small grocery store to come to. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful — at the deli, I sampled salami described to me as «close to Jesus», and I’ve been thinking about that salami ever since I polished it off a few days ago. They have lots of local goods, and a surprising variety of stuff for the small size. While it is a bit pricey, and I wouldn’t do my weekly fridge-​stocking here, it’s a great place to go for interesting, high-​quality goods!

Life saver! My boyfriend and I had been out and about all day, and the Do Division Fest was basically the last stop and I still hadn’t made it out to go grocery shopping. I had stopped in just to see what they had and I was quite surprised with the selection. I knew I was going to buy quite a bit of things so I had to wait to come back to make my purchases as a means to end the night and go home with bags of groceries. The staff is so friendly and appreciative. They genuinely seem to like working here. I picked up the veggies I needed for a reasonable price, and I got items that I had only been able to find and purchase online only. So, I bought out all their brown rice noodles. The organic red potatoes were excellent, and the bean sprouts seemed fresher than any other store I’d been to. I was so relieved not have to stop at another place just to pick up groceries and got all the things that I needed. I wish this store was within walking distance to my place. It’s great to know I can come here instead of ordering online though, too.

This has the nice feel of a small local grocer. Have many organic, local, and Eco-​friendly brands. We need more stores like this that support small, local, non-​corporate companies. The staff is friendly and the deli food made in-​house is delicious. Open daily with long hours. This is my go to for groceries. Highly recommended.

I love this grocery store. My fiancé is obsessed with going there and we joke that it’s his other girlfriend. The people that work there are friendly and helpful. It’s not a big place but you can find some unique foods, spices, and drinks there. A lot of the items they have are organic and non GMO which is awesome. The prices are higher but comparable to a chain like whole foods.

Plenty is the kind of local/​organic food stir you go to to do your weeks shopping. Simple things aren’t there and if they are they are overpriced. However, if you want to get something specs il, unique and really good it’s worth the extra price. Great selection on cheese and I love the dips they make in house like the hummus but you have to be honest about what kind of store it is. A specialty organic and local place. For example: Veggies are great but more seasonal than a normal grocery store, but if your willing to shop seasonally you’ll get way better produce. That being said I’d never buy things like olive oil and such here, way overpriced. Come for vegan foods and doe silty breads and pastas, stay for the deli and go to a different store to get those everyday items.

The sandwiches are delicious, but they take about 15 minutes to make. Worth the wait though

This is a great place to do your shopping! They carry a ton of quality items, including organics, local products and brands that are hard to find at other retailers.
In the back of the store, they also have a really good selection of made to order sandwiches, soups and salads. I have only had some of the sandwiches so far, but I highly recommend them. The ingredients are all fresh and high quality.
The staff is always helpful and great to talk to. I really like the look and layout of their store. And they have a small parking lot in the front, which is always a plus, so that you don’t have to worry about street parking.
It is owned by some locals of the neighborhood, which is great because you can tell they really care about what they are doing.
I only wish I lived closer, so I could stop in much more often!

I was very dissapointed with their expired merchandise on the shelves. The milk was 4days old!!! I bought lettuce i should ve checked it before purchasing it was rotten. The staff was ok. Last time I went in the with my toddler in her stroller and the two employees were just staring at me whole I was strugling to open the door. They did mot greet me but asked me if I was looking for something specific when I got to the middle of the store.

Very accommodating staff-​! Happy to have this grocer in the neighborhood– Open later in the evening which is nice– Alwaysa good experience!

I was happy to see a local grocery store open up really close to where I live because it is basically a dead zone without any options. Plenty has a decent sized offering of local produce and other foods. They also have a really nice deli in the back of the store. I stop in here a few times a week to buy kombucha and other random things that I may have forgotten after big grocery store trips. As other reviewers have mentioned, they do carry Jeni’s ice cream, and it is amazing!
I stopped in yesterday for a sandwich and heard about how the owner returned from Europe and wanted to open a local/​organic grocer. He got backing from some investors and from Kickstarter. Pretty cool story. I ordered a caprese sandwich, and it super fresh, huge, and delicious.

We love this place. The fruits and veggies were great! The customer service is outstanding. It’s a little place, so we don’t do our main shopping there, but everytime we walk down there, we come home happy!!!

Plenty’s «Simple Salad» = Best salad I’ve had in Chicago.
At the the end of a rather long and hectic weekend, I wanted a healthy, light, affordable meal. I stopped by Plenty on a whim, ordered the «simple salad» — greens, avocado, tomato, and a homemade vinaigrette– and I am so glad I did.
I’ve been looking for a great take out salad in Chicago for months, but unfortunately, coming from Southern California, my expectations were (unrealistically?) high. I had given up on ever tasting truly fresh produce again until I had this salad. The lettuce tasted so fresh and flavorful and the homemade dressing suited my palate exactly. I don’t know how they did it, but this was «summer in Napa» lettuce, not «winter in Chicago» lettuce. As for the vinaigrette, the high quality of the olive oil came through in every bite, and the salad was thankfully dressed well (too much of a good thing isn’t my thing when it comes to dressing).
I feel a true sense of relief knowing that this salad is out there and available to me. And the price ($ 6 or so) made me feel like I was getting away with something.
A truly phenomenal meal. I can’t wait to stop by again.

Woah, are these reviews serious? I was going to come here and try and take it easy on this place, but since everyone seems to love it I’m not going to feel bad by dissing this joint.
The good: it looks like their deli has potential. Nice staff too. Prices aren’t terrible, not great but nothing unusual for a «natural» foods place.
The rest: Alas, a grocery store that does not stock fresh food or produce cannot get more than 2 stars from me. I have not once, but TWICE bought yogurt there without checking the date expiration, only to get home and find it’s WEEKS beyond the due date. Twice. C’mon. I also once bought lettuce there, some romaine. It was so limp that by the time I walked home with it and took it out, it was falling apart into mush. Inedible. The lemons and limes are always way wrinkled and dry. The only other veggies they carry are tubers, potatoes, yams, garlic etc — the kind of stuff that thankfully doesn’t spoil. Which is smart on their part, but it definitely depletes the variety factor.
They have some interesting brands of dry goods, and again it looks like they have some potential — but the fact that these reviews are all 5-​star reviews has me baffled. There’s no way this place earns 4 stars, let alone 3, from the average reviewer. I gave it 2 because I’ve had more than one bad experience there and I think that’s fair.

Great variety of specialty brands and food choices. They even had Pleasant House Royal Pies. For a small place it really packs a punch. Great options everywhere I looked. Unique selection of high quality produce. Please support this local option even if it costs a little more.

If I could give them seven stars I would, here’s why:
The staff all by themselves were very helpful and damn funny too. I got to taste vegetarian chili and vegetarian seitan lettuce wrap filling. Oh. My. God. Be still my heart veggie lettuce wraps! I’ve been so sad about the lack of a good veggie burger in Wicker Park I stopped contemplating other deliciousness. Epiphany! I’ll go back just for the wraps (dear owner: please have them a lot!!).
I went in the week they opened and they are definitely adding new things weekly because there’s a lot more stuff. The owner clearly thinks about what he brings in and does a fantastic job. I bought some veggies, hummus, some more veggies, Earth Balance, tortillas (for a DOLLAR), freshy fresh loaf of bread, cup of chili for dinner, a cheddar chive soda bread muffin lookin’ thing bigger than my fist, bananas, walnuts (they have bulk!!), mango green tea (they have jars and you get to choose!!), and feta cheese and it was $ 40ish dollars. That’s Whole Foods quality for Trader Joe’s prices AND most (all?) of what I bought was organic and local. I will be back once a week, possibly once a day. I am so glad this place is so close to me **big smile**.
By the way they have Jeni’s ice cream. It’s $ 12. It kicks Ben and Jerry’s fat processed butts. It’s so rich you only need a bite, and I’m not some skinny spin teacher saying that. I’m real and this stuff is one-​bit-​at-​a-​time GREAT. Go buy some and then come on over. Browned Butter Almond Brittle and Poached Pear Riesling are amazing! Good good good. PLENTY you have my heart!
They also accept Level Up!

I can’t believe I never noticed PLENTY before (in my defense, I guess they haven’t been open for more than a few weeks…). I practically live at the yoga studio across the street, but I don’t normally cross the sidewalk to the other side, except farther down at the crosswalk…
Last night in a short break between yoga classes, I was hungry and thirsty. I just wanted a piece of fruit and there aren’t really any places that are that close when you’re in a time crunch. Someone in class mentioned PLENTY. So, I dodged traffic and it was worth it! Lots of great looking fruits and vegetables and other beverages, snacks, and deli. I was in sort of a daze, so I didn’t fully absorb, but I got a great lemongrass ginger kombucha, a ‘nana and a sesame bar. I’m SO very happy they’re across the street. I’ll most likely be a very regular regular.