Ithaca has been blessed with a plethora of grocery stores, from super large ones that require their own zip-code to small, organic ones, and everything in between. To cover them all, let us start with the largest on the hierarchy of size and work our way down.
Wegman's is the most prominent grocery store in Ithaca, as a result of its size, selection, and usually reasonable prices. Located on Route 13 south, it spans a huge block. Because of this size, Wegman's maintains an immense selection -- simply put, if you can't find it at Wegman's, it may not be in Ithaca. But, if you are navigationally challenged, then be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to shop, since the store can be somewhat overwhelming. Wegman's boasts a large produce section (with organic fruits and veggies too), a health food section, a deli, a sushi bar, a reasonably good International food section, a cafe, a video store, a pet store, a garden store, and even a section like a mini K Mart, all under one roof -- giving new meaning to the concept of one-stop shopping!
Those who like a slightly more intimate setting without sacrificing selection might want to try Tops instead. There is one located right next door to Wegman's and one next to Pyramid Mall (on Triphammer Road). The Tops next to Wegman's is slightly larger and features a reasonably good produce section, a fabulous, money-saving, bulk food section (with everything from baking supplies to pasta to dried fruits to candy), and the strongest international section of the large grocery stores in Ithaca.
For an even better selection of international foods, especially Asian cuisine, check out one of the couple of specialty shops in Ithaca. One, Universal Deli and Grocery, is located on Eddy Street in Collegetown at the top of Buffalo Street, and the other, Win Li Supermarket (277-6790), is on Route 13 south on the way to Buttermilk Falls. Another one, Ithaca Tofu (266-0336), is located in the Small Mall (next to Triphammer Mall). If you're willing to drive a little farther afield, try the bulk foods store on Rt. 13 in Dryden. The selection isn't fantastic, but it's got a neat atmosphere, and the prices are reasonable.
A slightly smaller grocery store than Tops or Wegman's is P&C Foods. There are three P&C's in Ithaca: one in the East Hill Plaza complex; one in the Cayuga Mall (see Section 4.3.1); and one near downtown in the Fall Creek neighborhood. They vary in size, with the Fall Creek store being the smallest, but all of them have reasonable produce sections and a fairly good selection of food. The East Hill Plaza store was recently remodeled to expand its space and selections.
If you're really looking to save money on basic staple foods, check out ALDI on Rt. 13. They offer a pretty decent selection of basic foods like cereal, bread, eggs, etc., at very low prices (where else can you find a 39 cent loaf of bread?). They also have occasional special buys of name-brand groceries at reduced prices. A few notes if you plan to shop here: 1) they don't accept credit cards or checks, only cash, ATM/debit cards, and food stamps; 2) there is a charge for shopping bags (5 cents for paper, 10 cents for plastic), so bring your own or use a box from the store; and 3) bring a quarter with you - the shopping carts are locked together with coin-return locks. In order to get one, you insert a quarter into the lock; you get the quarter back when you return the cart.
Of course, Ithaca wouldn't be Ithaca without its share of organic/health food stores and co-ops. The largest of these is the GreenStar Co-op, which has two locations. The large store is on the corner of Buffalo and Fulton Street (Route 13 south) downtown. The convenient downtown store is in the DeWitt mall, and also accessible from the corner of Buffalo street and Cayuga street. Entirely member run, GreenStar features a vast selection of organic foods and produce, natural and health foods, many vegetarian and vegan specialties, and bulk spices and foods. Although membership is not required to shop at the store, it does give you a discount on groceries and a voice in store politics and decisions. For even greater savings and participation, you can volunteer to be a working member, a job which entails working the registers or stocking the shelves several hours a month. Perhaps the least well-known local, natural grocery store is Ludgate Farms, located on Hanshaw Road near Sapsucker Woods. An overgrown farm stand, Ludgate's features locally grown produce, many natural and organic foods, and vegan and vegetarian specialty items. With its bare wood beams and gravel floor, Ludgate's is the closest thing Ithaca has to an indoor farmer's market -- and it's open year round.
Which brings us to the farmer's market... Yes, indeed, Ithaca does have a farmer's market. It is located in Steamboat Landing, just off of Route 13 near the Sciencenter, and is open from March to December. Although the local produce is most available during the summer and early fall, the farmer's market does sell local crafts at all times of year that it is open, offers takeout food, and often features music from local musicians to enhance the shopping experience. Many of the best ethnic restaraunts can be found only at the Farmer's Market, such as Cambor Angkor Cambodian food, which serves imported Taro root and homemade Tofu. The hours of the farmer's market are from 9 to 2 on Saturdays and 9 to 1 on Sundays. Be aware, though: especially during the peak season (June-August), parking at the farmer's market can be a real hassle. However, there is a TCAT bus route that runs directly to it. In addition, there is a smaller version of the farmer's market located in DeWitt Park, one block from the Commons, on Tuesdays around noon.