#Sconeage

[formeryelpers]

Erewhon, 26767 Agoura Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302

The Calabasas Erewhon opened in 2014, so it’s one of the older locations. It doesn’t look quite as nice as the newer locations but it has similar merchandise and the same coffee/smoothies/tonic bar, brick oven pizza (available by the slice or a whole pizza), prepared foods/deli, hot soup, and their own line of candles, skin care, bottled water, etc. They make their own juices, wellness shots, soups, dressings, bread, bagels, etc. In the prepared foods area they have grab and go items like prepackaged salads, sushi, desserts, dips, sides, sandwiches, quesadillas, burritos, etc. The food they prepare is generally quite good (and expensive), plus they accommodate all kinds of dietary restrictions.

Erewhon is a Certified B corporation and certified organic retailer. They only carry products that are “free from artificial preservatives, synthetic pesticides, ripening agents, growth hormones, irradiation, fumigants, fungicides or other additives. Any processing, packaging or transportation and storing must also ensure the retention of maximum nutritional value.” The produce looks immaculate and the cut flowers are gorgeous.

I noticed the smoothies and acai bowls didn’t have prices posted. The markup is quite high on a lot of items. For example, they charge $19.99 for a bag of my favorite granola from Sconeage. Sconeage charges $11 - $12 a bag and they’ll ship. They charge $3.99 for Culina Yogurt (vs. $3.39 at Whole Foods). They do have some sales and some things you can’t find elsewhere (e.g., Creamsicle flavored Coconut Cult yogurt is only available at Erewhon).

Service wasn’t as friendly as the other locations for some reason.

My picks:

Organic carrot ginger soup ($5): 8 oz, smooth, sweet, very good – from the hot soup bar

Souzai-ya bento box (vegan): Brown rice, lotus root, battered cauliflower, tofu fritter – this was okay, not as good as the items Erewhon makes

Something & Nothing hibiscus & rose seltzer ($2.49): Lightly sweet, interesting flavors

They have outdoor and indoor seating. The outdoor seating area has a nice view of the mountains. Members can save if they spend a lot at Erewhon. Erewhon is in a small shopping center.

4 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[whimsybrain]

I’m trying to make vegan scones, but they keep coming out like thick shortbread (instead of fluffy, crumbly sconeage). I’ve tried recipes with coconut cream and recipes with vegan butter, but I can’t seem to get it right. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[dyfiroastery]

Some serious sconeage going on. Just out of the oven and too hot to cover. Zero waste means once they're gone, they're gone. . . . #homemade #scones #realfood #provenance #quality #experiential #RFM #specialitycoffee #zerowaste

[formeryelpers]

Co-opportunity Market, 8770 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

I gave the Co-opportunity Market in Santa Monica five stars, so I was excited to find the Culver City branch. It’s smaller than the Santa Monica location and the selection feels sparse in comparison, but it’s still nice. Co-opportunity Market carries 100% organic produce, and it’s employee-owned.  You can become a member but anyone can shop there.

The produce looked fresh and pretty and they had harder to find items like purple kale and Romanesco. I didn’t see that many varieties of apples though. They have a coffee bar with pastries, smoothies, acai bowls, and coffee, a self-serve hot food/salad bar ($11.99/lb), hot soup bar, hot pizza, pre-made sandwiches and salads, sushi, rotisserie chicken, a staffed cheese counter, wine/beer, bulk food, their own juices, health supplements, etc.

I didn’t see any Sconeage granola which I got at the Santa Monica store. The yogurt selection was decent. They didn’t carry any froyo products.

4 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[formeryelpers]

Erewhon, 475 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101

Erewhon opened store #10 in Pasadena on September 13, 2023. The building, a former Borders, had been vacant for many years. Long before it was Borders, it was an I Magnin (pretty swanky for Lake Avenue). The upstairs is occupied by a childcare center and medical/wellness boutique.

As a Certified B Corporation and a luxury organic grocer, Erewhon has come to embody the posh wellness lifestyle that seems to appeal to many of the LA elite and aspiring wellness elite. They only carry products that are “free from artificial preservatives, synthetic pesticides, ripening agents, growth hormones, irradiation, fumigants, fungicides or other additives. Any processing, packaging or transportation and storing must also ensure the retention of maximum nutritional value.”

The produce displays are so immaculate that it feels wrong to remove an item from the display. Love the cut flowers too.

Their deli/prepared foods are really good and they don’t skimp on expensive ingredients. Plus, they accommodate many types of diets (e.g., gluten-free, Keto, raw, vegan, soy-free, etc.) In the prepared foods area, they have grab and go items like prepackaged salads, sushi, desserts, dips, sides, sandwiches, quesadillas, burritos, wraps, etc. There’s a hot soup bar. You can also get a plate of food (sold by weight) from their prepared foods area or a slice of pizza. There’s also a smoothies/coffee/tonic bar that seems very popular. The smoothies are $15 - $19 and customizable.

Look for the Erewhon line of candles, skin care, bottled water, etc. They make their own juices, wellness shots, soups, dressings, bread, bagels, nut bars, nuts, coffee, etc. They also carry great brands (some of which I haven’t seen elsewhere) like San Diego Tempeh, Sconeage granola, Tartine, etc.

My picks

Shaman Raman ($7.99): instant organic vegan ramen that’s adaptogenic and a superfood. That's $8 for one cup of instant noodles. The broth was nice and savory without being salty but the amount of rice noodles was so small that it could only be considered a small snack. Shaman Raman is $6.99 at Bristol Farms.

Rawmyun ($4.99): instant ramen that’s plant-based, non-GMO, all-natural and made with rice noodles

Habiza hummus ($5.99): Mr. Froyo liked it. They carry the same brand at Bristol Farms (and for the same price)

Veggie combo plate ($19/lb): my lunch which consisted of three salads was $25. Every salad was fresh, and delicious: Thai kelp noodles (really good dressing, soft thin noodles), fresh corn and avocado with dandelion greens (lots of fresh sweet corn kernels), beet salad with hazelnuts, feta, and arugula (lots of hazelnut, big chunks of feta, big sweet chunks of beets)

There is no indoor seating area but they have an outdoor patio with tables and chairs. A paid membership is available. They probably have valet parking.

4 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[formeryelpers]

Erewhon, 339 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Erewhon is Mr. Froyo’s favorite grocery store and it’s certainly the most stylish and the most expensive. They have their own line of beauty products (e.g., high vibrational, organic & wild-crafted), soups, juices, bottled water, sauces, and even clothing. They favor glass jars over plastic. Don’t like chopping? They have chopped fruits and veggies. They carry best local brands like San Diego Tempeh, Deluscious Cookies, Sconeage granola, etc.

Their coffee/smoothie/juice bar and prepared foods section is always very busy. You can find sushi, sandwiches, pizzas, salads, desserts, and lots more, including raw foods. If you follow a strict diet, like gluten-free, soy-free, low carb, nut-free, raw, keto, etc., you’d love it here.

The aisles are narrow but they’re crammed with products that are “free from artificial preservatives, synthetic pesticides, ripening agents, growth hormones, irradiation, fumigants, fungicides or other additives. Any processing, packaging or transportation and storing must also ensure the retention of maximum nutritional value.” You can also find alternative health and beauty items. The produce selection is very good (they carry unusual items) and the flowers are gorgeous.

The store is clean and maze like, with no aisle signs. The clientele are the most stylish that I’ve seen. Erewhon is a Certified B corporation and certified organic retailer. Service is better than average and product samplings seem frequent.

My picks:

Erewhon beet hummus ($16.49): Delicious and smooth, with chunks of beets on top, Mr. Froyo wished it were thicker

La Fermiere orange blossom honey yogurt

Squash

Shrubbly pomegranate & aronia berry apple cider vinegar sparkling water: it’s strong and tart, liked it – fruit drinking vinegar that’s bubbly

This is a smaller location next to a parking structure. Before 6 PM, you can park for free for 2 hours. After 6 PM, you can park for free for 1 hour with validation. The selection didn’t seem as good as other Erewhon locations – e.g., not as many kombucha brands.

Contactless pickup and delivery offered within 10 miles of the store. Online ordering and valet parking available. They have outdoor seating. Members can save if they spend a lot at Erewhon.

4 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[formeryelpers]

Erewhon, 4121 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles (Silver Lake), CA 90029

Have dietary restrictions? If so, come to Erewhon, where you won’t feel deprived at all. Instead, you’ll feel catered to by very polite and attentive employees, surrounded by others who seek a healthy lifestyle (probably with dietary restrictions). Everywhere I turned, an employee offered assistance. When I pulled into the parking lot, someone greeted me and pushed the elevator button for me. Customer service was exceptional.

The store is fairly small but selective about what they carry. For example, they have a flowers – not many but the bouquets are lovely. They have face masks but not just any face masks – lovely ones made with Japanese organic cotton for $30. You can also find alternative health and beauty items.

What you’ll find a lot of: prepared foods, raw food, keto food, cold pressed juice, beautiful fresh produce, kombucha, tonics, beverages. They had some kombucha brands that I hadn’t seen before. There’s a tonic bar with smoothies, bowls and juices, place to get freshly baked pizza, fancy toasts, and prepared hot foods. They carry Tartine bread and the best granola from Sconeage.

What you won’t find much of: Conventional/mainstream brands, family size products and meals. Erewhon will not carry food with refined flour, refined sugar, corn syrup, sodium benzoate, MSG, artificial flavors or colors.

The store is clean. The clientele look clean and healthy. Bottles of hand sanitizer were left out in several places – better hand sanitizer than usual.

My picks

Erewhon organic original hummus ($9.99/lb): whipped in texture, different because they added black pepper and cumin, I found it too salty

Erewhon Heavenly Greens juice ($9 + $1.50 bottle deposit) w/ granny smith apple, cucumber, pineapple, kiwi, spinach & broccoli: Good price for organic cold pressed juice, nice and tangy, really liked it. You can get your deposit back if you return the bottle

Tofu cake ($6.29): Three small cakes, firm and bland, not bad but very small. Came with boring soy sauce. Non-GMO and vegan.

Pumfu ($7.49): soy-free tofu alternative made with pumpkin seeds – haven’t seen elsewhere. Very mild flavor, firm, texture similar to tofu

Kombucha Kat Summer Kiss ($4.29): Local brand that I hadn’t seen elsewhere - pleasant floral flavor, not a strong kombucha kick

Deluscious gluten-free, vegan chocolate chip cookie ($4.59): The best cookies in LA possibly. I accidentally grabbed the gluten free version. The cookie was chock full of chocolate and dense - tasty but versions with gluten are better.

Erewhon is probably the most expensive grocery store in LA. At Erewhon, La Fermiere yogurt was $3.19 on sale, $3.59 regular price vs. $2.99 at Gelson’s. But they also carry things I haven’t seen elsewhere that people with dietary restrictions would appreciate. And they already did the work so you know that they only carry things that are natural, non-GMO, and not overly processed.

Contactless pickup and delivery offered within 10 miles of the store. Online ordering and valet parking available. They have outdoor seating if you’d like to hang out. For $200, you can become an Erewhon member.

4.5 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[formeryelpers]

Pasadena Farmers’ Market, N Sierra Madre Blvd. at Paloma St., Pasadena, CA 91107

This is one of two Farmers Markets in Pasadena. It’s larger than the one in Old Town but has very little prepared food. You’ll find mostly produce stands, plus a few bakeries, flowers, plants, knife sharpening service, honey, raw milk, meat, etc. The only prepared food stand was Mexican (burritos, tamales). The flowers weren’t very attractive. They have more plants than the average farmers market. I didn’t see that many organic produce vendors.

The only reason I’d come to this market is that Sconeage is here from Long Beach. They have the best granola ever. Their scones are delicious too. This is the only farmers market in the area that they attend.

I’m also curious about the fresh eggs that everyone seemed to be buying. Sprout Farm also had an interesting selection of locally grown sprouts.

Parking is a challenge. The market is held in the parking lot of Pasadena High School on Saturdays from 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM. You can park on Paloma or in the school parking lot.

3.5 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[formeryelpers]

Mother’s Market, 5759 E Santa Ana Canyon Rd, Anaheim Hills, CA 92807

Mother’s Market started out as a health food store in 1978 and today there are 11 locations mostly in Orange County. It’s like a smaller version of Whole Foods and Erewhon, carrying similar brands. The location that I visited in Anaheim Hills was clean and attractive. They had a juice/smoothie bar that also serves acai bowls, sushi, and lots of prepared foods – including salads, sandwiches, quesadillas, pizza, overnight oats, etc. They also had bottled juices (made in-house). The produce section was small but had a lot of organic options. They had lots of vitamins and supplements, baked goods, meat, bulk nuts and dry goods, and just about everything you’d expect to find at a specialty grocer. They don’t have an in-store bakery.

They had a good variety of kombucha at reasonable prices. I found my favorite granola from Sconeage Bakery in Long Beach and for under $11 a bag (Erewhon charges $17).  

For some reason, they don’t allow you to take pictures of the interior.

4 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[formeryelpers]

Co-opportunity Market, 1525 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90404

Wish we had a Coopportunity Market on the Eastside…the produce is 100% organic and it’s employee owned. It’s like Erewhon only smaller and not as fancy looking – but more wholesome and earthy. You can become a member but anyone can shop there.

I was impressed with the variety, quality and price of their organic produce – cheaper than most places including Sprouts and Whole Foods, plus they have a better selection than both.

There’s a coffee/juice bara, prepared foods/salad bar, sushi, pizza, sandwiches, rotisserie chicken, vitamins and supplements, bulk foods, skin & body care, soup bar, nut butter machine, etc. There was no in-store bakery or meat counter though. The pizza didn’t look as good as Erewhon’s but I didn’t try it.

My picks:

Sconeage unsweetened granola ($14.99) – the best granola! Erewhon also carries it but not the unsweetened plain kind that’s my favorite.

Dolmas ($4.85) made in-house

Mustard greens ($1.99)

Black kale ($1.69)

Honeycrisp apples ($2.29/lb)

Raw hummus, $3.99

They have their own parking lot.

5 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[dyfiroastery]

Serious sconeage going on. It didn't even make it to the picture before I had to have a bite. Just out of the oven and as fresh as me! Beautiful coffee. See you at 10.00 unless you're @pinnedtvuk 😀 . . . . #specialtycoffee #amazingbakes #cakes #scones #experiential #provenance #shoplocal #sunday #machynlleth #localbusiness

[formeryelpers]

Sconeage Bakery, 4339 E Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA 90804

Sconeage specializes in just two things:granola and scones. I love both and am happy to report that Sconeage excels in both.

Get there early if you want the scones because I don’t think they bake that many and they do sell out. I went in the late morning and they only had three left.The tri-berry scone is the best seller.

* Lemon cranberry scone ($2.75): A big round scone with crisp edges, tender interior, mild lemon flavor, moist cranberries. I liked how it wasn’t too sweet and had no glaze. It had a hearty multigrain flavor.

There are a variety of unsweetened, organic and regular granolas (3 types of granola, each with different flavors like apple cinnamon, blueberry banana, pumpkin). Plus they have granola bars. The granolas are made there and are preservative free.

* Unsweetened natural granola ($7.50 for 1 lb): I don’t see unsweetened granola too often. Amazed by the flavor – it’s got a very toasted, nutty flavor with natural sweetness and a tiny hint of coconut. There were some small clusters and it’s very crunchy. LOVED this so much – the ratio of oats to seeds was just right. I normally like nuts in my granola; Sconeage’s natural granola doesn’t have nuts but it’s still exceptional.

The shop has little décor and no seating. They close early. Pick up a stamp card for scones to earn a free scone (buy 10, get 1 free).

5 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.