When it comes to selection, Piazza’s Fine Foods is in a class of its own.
While it has the breadth of any full-size grocery store, it offers a deep variety of options in nearly every category of food, from crackers to cream cheese to ice cream. Locally owned and operated by four generations of the Piazza family, Piazza’s Fine Foods is a unique phenomenon here: A local independent full-size grocery store combined with the commitment to quality and warm personal service of a family-owned business.
This year marks Piazza’s 30th anniversary serving Palo Alto at the Charleston Center and 20th anniversary at the Laurelwood shopping center serving San Mateo.
Piazza’s is perhaps best known for their produce department, which offers one of the largest selections of local and organic Grade A fruits and vegetables in the Peninsula. Items are hand-selected daily by their team of in-house buyers and they purchase from the local farms when available. None of their produce sits in warehouses for months; it comes straight from the produce market and local farmers.
In the meat department, they carry only USDA Choice, Prime and Aged beef and their experienced and friendly butchers will welcome any custom cuts requested with no extra charge. They dry-age their own beef 21 days for tenderness and flavor, and they make all their sausages in-house. Committed to quality, their poultry is Free Range Rocky and Rosie Organics. Seafood is ordered every morning and delivered fresh the same day.
The cheese department spans the world, and their cheeses are cut fresh every day and wrapped fresh by hand, not vacuum-seal packaged from the factory. You might wonder why this is important, and Gary Piazza (one of the three sons of founder John Piazza Sr.) can tell you.
“Cheese has to breathe. Our cheese is not wrapped with cryovac machines sitting in a warehouse for months. You can taste the difference.”
If you’re looking for a tasty lunch or something hot to take home, Piazza’s offers an extensive selection of food service options including their Hofbrau, a burrito bar, fresh sushi, custom sandwiches, and salad, soup and hot food bars including freshly prepared Asian and award winning Indian selections.
Piazza’s specialize in natural, organic and alternative grocery options, including lactose-free dairy items, dairy-free items and vegan offerings. From grass-fed milk to almond milk, nut milk yogurts to sheep’s milk yogurts, their selections run the gamut. And even if you want something truly hard to find, don’t worry: If they don’t have it, they are willing to do special orders.
That’s just one of the perks of shopping at an independent store that takes pride in their role in the community.
So come on in and check it out. Or, for those who prefer online ordering, you can also use Instacart for your shopping and delivery convenience coming soon.
