Stew Leonard's Farm Fresh Food & Wine NJ 07652

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Jane C

They don't call it the Disney Land of supermarkets for nothing. Having heard about Stew Leonard's with the same gushy descriptions that people typically reserve for Trader Joe's, my husband and I finally made our first visit this past summer. We get it now. It's hard to encapsulate the joy of this market in words. Is it the windy aisles that make you feel like you're getting lost in a land of yummy things? Is it the cheesy animatronics that don't seem to add much value to the shopping experience, but then you catch yourself singing the avocado song hours later? The fresh, made-in-house goods that you couldn't find anywhere else, like the cider donuts, popcorn, breads, or cheeses? Or the shopper's program that rewards visits with free servings of some of the best soft serve ice cream I've ever had? It's all of the above. It adds up to a shopping experience that feels a lot like shopping at Target, where you vow to buy one thing and end up finding at least five more things that catch your fancy. Stew Leonard's has a rich history, with its roots as a small, family-owned dairy farm, so the cheese and ice cream game is unsurprisingly strong (see note on the soft serve above). But they do other things well. The breads are fresh and amazing, and the produce is incredibly fresh. The prepared foods section is also quite enticing. I once went so gaga on samples of a chopped veggie salad that I immediately went back to buy two. If you didn't just hear that I got excited about a SALAD, then you need to hear it again: ya'll, they managed to get me excited about a bowl full of chopped, cruciferous greens. Other notable sections include the wine and liquor section and the hot foods section, which has a lot of fun options but falls a little short of what you might find at Whole Foods. Even when we come around midday, some things look a little stale, dried, and sad. Some of our buys have been disappointing. Some boneless chicken wings turned out to have pretty processed and bready-tasting meat, and my husband and I have tried several prepared pasta meals that were extremely bland. But we still love coming here, both for the vibes and the most addicting soft serve in the area (hint: try it with a serving of warm, fresh cider donuts. You'll plop.)

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Jeff T. Critic

Stew Leonard’s (Located in Paramus Park Mall) 700 Paramus Park Paramus, NJ 07652 Cookie Milk Butter Cone Let’s explore a couple of the viral items from this supermarket located in the Paramus Park Mall. Cookie Milk: This dairy product is served in a recycled glass bottle. It has an appearance identical to milk, but its aroma is similar to sugar cookies. It basically tastes like cookies combined with milk. This is an unbelievably phenomenal drink. A minute critique is a nutrition label and the capacity is not provided. A bigger issue is you won’t find it on the shelves because it is a seasonal item. Butter Cone: The soft serve vanilla ice cream is dipped in dairy fresh butter and sprinkled with sea salt. Originally, I was skeptical about combining a breakfast topping with ice cream. As soon as I explored this creation, it was love at first bite. It had a sweet, salty and buttery texture. And it's available every day of the year. While you are in the supermarket, be sure to explore the lively animations. Throughout the aisles, you will be greeted by flying cows, a variety of fruits and vegetables, a cheesewheel snowman, and the one bite pizza guy. Disney characters will perform on horizontal bars. and animatronics are giving a live performance on instruments. In addition to exploring great food, I also had a memorable experience admiring the scenery. #stewleonards #stewleonardsnj #cookiemilk #holidaymilk #buttercone #onebitepizzaguy #daveportnoy #animatronics #animatronicsatstewleonards

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Samantha Lake

Three gigantic pumpkins for $24! Those are prices from when I was a child! I was so impressed with their fall display, which seems to have disappeared from more common grocery stores. Thank you for making the season special for children and nostalgic adults.