Madison’s At Findlay Market

Madison’s is a place I’ve purchased produce from and for the longest didn’t even know it. The store is so tiny and up until a few a months ago, I’d never actually made it inside, I always bought from the little tent they set up outside on the weekends.
This might be one of my favorite places to buy produce. It’s not always the prettiest but it is the tastiest and they have very fair pricing. I have managed to score a delicious watermelon here and they are always happy to cut it for me since I know I can never consume a whole one. The staff is so nice and helpful.
Haven’t had much else outside of produce from this store but the other reviews have definitely got this store on my radar for other needs!

Madison’s is ALWAYS our first stop at Findlay Market! They cater to local farmers, which I love! As the seasons change, so does their local produce. They carry anything from pies, meats, jellies, herbs and it’s all from local businesses also. And the staff is super friendly. Mr. Madison and Michael know our family well now, after shopping there over the last few years. The first thing they do is ask how our 4 girls are doing. Then they usually tell them to grab a juice or milk as a prize for being good helpers. You can’t get that at a giant store! Madison’s is definitely a hidden gem that will continue to receive my support for years to come. I highly recommend a visit. I love this shop!

Madison’s is legit. If you live in the neighborhood, this is your best (and possibly only?) source of organic produce and pastured animal products.
PROS:
–Organic produce (and non-​organic)
–Pantry items (some organic as well)
–Pastured meats (limited, some frozen)
–Wonderful service (often the owner himself serves us)
–Wmall family owned and run
CONS:
I’m going to list things that some people would think of as cons, not all of them are truly negative.
–Tight quarters. I don’t dislike this. They’re making good use of the space and really carry more than you’d realize so it’s worth asking if they have what you’re looking for– chances are they do or can tell you who does at Findlay.
–Not a mega store (again, this isn’t a bad thing, but I want expectations to be clear). You won’t find each and every thing that you’ll ever need here. But again, there is more than you think, so be sure and ask if you can’t find something or just don’t have a lot of time to search.
Last of all, I would highly recommend shopping here during the week when the rest of Findlay is moving along at a steady hum and not crowded like the weekends. If you want to get the perks of the weekend without the crowd, come on FRIDAY when everything is fully stocked for the weekend. Parking lot is free for the first hour M-​F and that’s always worked perfect for me!

I actually worked here for a summer a few years ago, and can tell you from an unbiased, insider’s perspective that this is some of the best produce you’re going to get in the city. Bryan and Carolyn, while being a couple of the sweetest people ever, really value fresh, local, and organic produce. They make sure to stock up on fruits and veggies that are in season, so you’re getting the best tasting and freshest product possible. They also make a point to support local growers and farms, and always have new and interesting products from local companies in store. I miss working here all the time, and wish I had a small market like Madison’s to go to in LA. Make sure to pick up some gelato and check out the selection of fresh mushrooms as well!

I’ve been to Findlay Market many a times and didn’t know this place existed until my husband had to make a vegetable run one Sunday morning. He wanted me to come see for my self how awesome this grocery store is.
We went Sunday afternoon and it’s located next near Phở Lang Tang (a couple of buildings down).
It was quite busy and I thought alot of their produce would be sold out since we came late in the afternoon. We got lucky.
Here is what we scored for only $ 14.75!!!
–9 apples for $ 6.00
–Bag of organic carrots for $ 2.99
–5 cucumbers at @$.75= $ 3.75
–2 bunches of celery for $ 2.00
All vegetables organic/​no pesticides. That is a deal!!!
Staff is very friendly and very efficient checking you out at the register.
Besides produce, they sell what any small convenient store carries– necessities like pasta, bread, olive oils, condiments, etc.
Clean and well organized.
I love this little store!

It is a family owned business and it shows. The owner or his son Mike are there most of the days. Mike has a fund knowledge of seasonal local produce. He has a good relationship with vendors and keeps the store stock. For being such a small place the place is packed with most of the essentials a foodie needs. I had the pleasure of attending a potluck at their place and it was one of the most eclectic events that I have ever been in Cinci. Nice people sharing homemade food!

The go to place for vegs in Findlay Market. Always Fresh and local if possible. be sure to stop by during the week for the spend $ 15 get free Eggs special.

My favorite grocer at Findlay market. A lot of great, fresh products. They carry a lot of products from the farmers’ market vendors such as milk and meat: I’ll get those here if I can’t make it to the market on Saturday. Super friendly staff.

Teeny tiny little mom and pop shop located at Findlay Market. Growing up my neighbors were farmers and I remember pickin’ beans and snapping them with my neighbor on her front porch when I was probably about four years old. That is what this place reminds me of. Super local, farm fresh produce picked right out of the ground.
Although, their groceries are the bomb, my favorite thing here has to be the Pink Grapefruit Sorbet from Madisono’s. Holy mother of gawwwd! WOW! If you love that tart rich ripe flavor this is superb! Nada uses it to make margaritas, and I totally stole the idea. Get a pint of this stuff add some agave nectar, lime juice, tequila pour it in a salted/​sugar rimmed glass and your friends with call you martha effing stuart. Trust.

We go here almost weekly as our regular grocery stop. If they don’t carry it, ask them about it and they will most likely bring it in for you. Great produce, super friendly staff, and a great location… you can’t beat it. The only downside that I could see is that it is a small store so you’re constantly bumping into people if you shop on the weekends. Also, there aren’t any carts; you must use a basket or your own bags to corall your selections. I don’t have a problem with this but if you have any health issues or are confined to a wheelchair, this is a tough place to get to regularly.

This is one place I visit nearly weekly (especially March-​October). They are dedicated to their customers and I feel like I’m always surprised/​impressed by the variety of items offered in this small space. Some of the highlights of my experiences:
–Location labeling/​Local spending. Most all of the produce is labeled with its origin which helps me feel better. Sometimes, you just need an avocado, and while it may not have been grown local, at least I can feel good about my money staying local.
–Small (and large) quantities available. It is here you can buy a single stalk of celery. I LOVE this. Sometimes, you just need a carrot or stalk of celery for a recipe and this is the place to get it (for fifteen cents). I can seriously find almost any produce that I need here-​though I haven’t tried it, this also seems like a place that would order a large quantity for you if you had a need. And you can always ask if you don’t find what you need and Mr. Madison will let you know either where it is or why they don’t have it.
–Dry goods. Easily missed, behind the counter and back wall, they have a fairly expansive stock of dry grains, nuts, the like (even vanilla beans at Christmas). The staff are happy to help you with whatever it may be-​a quarter cup of quinoa or 4 pounds of oats. This makes it super easy to try new things, or again, source a recipe.
–Staff/​Proprietors. The staff are always super helpful and attentive. This place can get busy and crowded, and it could get easy to get frustrated as a staff person in that environment. But, it my experience, they do what they can to help everyone quickly and direct new comers of the order of the line, or spend time getting your list of 43 bulk dry goods.
The only point that might annoy newcomers is that this place is a bit small, and on a Saturday morning (especially in winter) it can get crowded. (PS the line starts in the back-​see the sign hanging from the ceiling.) But, here’s a tip-I’ve never tried it, but I do certainly have a bookmark from them that advertises that you can call in your order ahead of time during the week. Some day, I imagine I might be organized enough to do this. Also, during most of the summer, they have a tent outside with the larger quantities of seasonal produce which alleviates the crowd.

For the past year and a half, my husband and I have done almost all of our grocery shopping at Findlay Market. Madison’s is often a necessary stop for us to pick up some grocery staples like milk and flour. They also carry a great deal of produce, both local and imported (for the things you can’t find locally sourced.) I’ve always had good experience with the freshness of the produce and their groceries are competitively priced. Recently I bought some pecans for Thanksgiving and there was no comparison between these nuts and those from any big grocery store. It was totally worth the extra cost!

Madison’s is one of my favorite vendors in Findlay market. The great selection of fresh local produce is always priced right. The staff is friendly and very helpful and the misc. items are, a lot of times, just what you are looking for.
Not sure about Madison’s just take a look in back at all the root vegetables and you will change your mind.
I recommend Madison’s as your first stop to find the produce you are looking for!

We go to Madison’s at least every couple of weeks, and the main reason is Snowville milk. I won’t make this entire review about the milk, though if I did it would be full of flowery prose and possibly song. But I give Madison’s mad props for carrying it. While I’m in there, I will frequently pick up other things, like fresh produce or feta cheese or what have you. I will say, because of its size (and the fact that Americans are now used to shopping in supermarkets, which have huge lanes for the huge carts and huge parking lots for your huge SUVs… sorry, I digress). But it’s a small shop, and if you can possibly help it, don’t go on a weekend when it’s packed, because it IS difficult to get around in there, especially when loaded down with grocery bags. But they try to keep things local, which I love – and honestly, I love the idea of the small shop.
Pro tip: if you shop during the week and buy over a certain amount (like $ 15), you get a small discount!

I routinely shop at Madison’s to see what is fresh, local, and in season. They seem to stick to those criteria when selecting their fruit and vegetables, so in my effort to seek this out, they certainly make it easier for me. The local (like down the street in Findlay gardens) as well as more traveled items, are usually labeled. As I am not 100% committed to eating only local, I recognize the need to bring some things in. That said, I can’t recall a time when I bought something that came to me any further than Mexico (usually my avocados), which is unique in a grocery store.
Though I would definitely categorize this as a grocery store in its variety of food (fresh fruit, veg, packaged goods, sauces, stocks, dairy, cheese, eggs, etc.) sold, it doesn’t have any of the overwhelming feeling of a «normal» store. An accurate description might be the EDGE of the grocery store, which is where I shop anyhow, so it works for me. Additionally, I trust that the products they carry are tried and true since they don’t have room to stock many brands of one item. I also know that they are receptive to customer feedback and suggestions, which is nice to see when you need something that can be harder to find. Overall, the space is charming to me, but can get crowded.
The owners and people who work at Madison’s are, perhaps, the best part of the experience (which is hard to admit when fresh food is so important to me). Mr. and Mrs. Madison are about as adorable and helpful as they come. Though I certainly don’t know them personally, they have never been anything but kind, entertaining, and friendly. If they were my grandparents, I assume I’d be pretty satisfied. The other folks working in the store, as well, are always available to answer questions (off the wall and otherwise) and point me in the right direction (for a small store, I am sometimes confounded by where I would find ‘x’).
The items I really like at Madison’s include: gelato, MadPops, seasonal fresh fruits, stocks, Snowville Creamery milk/​creamer, and Grateful Grahams.
One last kudos to Madison’s in their endeavor to sell fresh foods, which was pointed out to me, is that they are the only fruit/​veg stand at Findlay that is also air conditioned. I had made a comment to the staff about previous experiences «shopping around» at the various stands, but seeming to come back to them because they had the least spoilage. They pointed out that this is likely an important difference in my experience; I’m sold. If something does go bad, as well, they are happy to replace it for you. Good customer service!
The entire experience at Madison’s can be quick and easy– in and out– or you can take your time, browsing, chatting, and comparing notes. It’s a bit of what I’d imagine «stores used to be like», and I’m happy to be a routine customer.

Looking for some additional food products that the other vendors at Findlay Market don’t carry? It’s probably at Madison’s. This store has all of the staples like pasta, ketchup, tortilla chips, milk, OJ, and coffee beans that you won’t find in the various produce, meat, bread, and restaurant stands at Findlay Market. A real bonus here is that they’ve also got a pretty good selection of fresh produce, fresh herbs, and mushrooms. If you go back by the registers there’s also bulk beans and seeds as well as rice and coffee.
The store can get pretty hectic on the weekend, so if it looks like they’re out of something, ask someone that works there. The staff is extremely friendly and they’ll be happy to check to see if they’ve got something in the back.
Be sure to grab a basket from the floor by the front door on your way in. It’s helpful when trying to navigate such a small space to not have both hands full.

This is pretty much the only place downtown to find a lot of the things you’ll find here. I guess you could say that makes it… unique. I like how they label where different things are from, what other store does that?
Local apples filled several shelves on my trip today, including Honeycrisp apples the size of a softball. I also purchased some local fresh milk for the same price as the non-​local organic at kroger. Sweet!
Also, you’ll find deals on produce you won’t find anywhere else. Avocados for $ 1/​each? Get out of town!
Some packaged goods are a little more expensive than at a big chain, but that’s pretty much to be expected.
There are bins of grains and nuts and such that you can buy by the pound.
They also have a special deal where on Wednesday and Fridays (there might be another day, too) if you spend $ 15 you get a free carton of eggs (or $ 1.50 off your order). Also the people that work there are friendly.
The gelato will rock your world. Try it. I dare you.

Went to Madison’s today to pickup produce for a dinner party I am hosting on Saturday and it was just great, a few things were almost out of stock, but not items I needed. Almost all the produce is from local farms which is great. The older gentleman behind the counter is the owner and is so nice chatting about different things.
A must shop while at Findaly Market for your produce.

Madisono’s, Cincinnati’s First Gelato Company, 110 West Elder Street, Cincinnati, Ohio
This is a review of their gelato only. Their gelato, unfortunately doesn’t taste anything, and I stress the word «anything», like the authentic gelato from Italy. Their gelato tastes like normal ice cream. I couldn’t tell the difference between ice cream and their gelato. It still tastes good though, which is why it earned 2 stars from me, but this is not gelato. Gelato has a creamier, more intense, dense flavor and is less airy. The intensity of the flavor comes from the fact of this lack of air vs. ice cream, which has a lot of air making it light and fluffy.
The taste is great, but because it is not gelato, Madisono’s Gelato only gets 2 stars from me.

Madison’s is a grocery store in a market full of fresh vegetables, meats and foods. You think it wouldn’t work, but actually, it totally does.
The thing is, Findlay Market doesn’t have everything you’re looking for when making a meal. You may be able to buy your fresh pork or your ripe tomatoes, but what about all those other things needed for a recipe? That’s where Madison’s comes in! They have all the other stuff you can’t find.
They’re an interesting place, though, because they’re not your average grocery shop. They sell a really nice mix of organic and international foods, all on shelves as well as a good selection of dairy products.
It’s kind of an adventure to find what you’re looking for sometimes, because nothing is really well labeled. Also, it’s a tiny shop with a giant wall of food in the middle, creating itty-​bitty isles that you can go down. I keep fearing that when two people are trying to cross in opposite directions, there’s going to be so little space and they’re going to knock down that wall of food like some bad 1950’s slapstick comedy film. I’d laugh if it happened, but I wouldn’t feel good about myself.
Also, they sell Shadeau Bread, which is pretty darn good. And the staff is always so friendly and helpful. Nice bunch of folks.
I was a little intimidated to walk in here the first time — what with the tiny isles and the crazy energy (not to mention food items), but now it’s my go-​to spot for everything I can’t find elsewhere.