The long wait is finally over. On Thursday, March 5 Farm Boy opens the doors on a new urban food market in Centretown.
It’s a grocery game-changer for downtowners, who will soon get to know the 29,000-square-foot supermarket jam-packed with local produce and hundreds of Farm Boy private-label products.
But though convenient grocery shopping is an obvious draw for the condo dwellers and downtown workers in the vicinity, it’s the custom prep stations that are eliciting oohs and aahs.
Those stations will be tempting shoppers with made-to-order wood-fired pizzas, smash burgers, and stir-fries. The chain’s salad and hot bars are also on site, as is a sushi station.
CityBites got a front-row look at the last-minute preparations — and here are five things to watch for:
Naanza Debuts!
Farm Boy has combined the deliciousness of naan bread with pizza toppings to create naanza. Anyone who knows naan will immediately understand that this is a winner — naan is one of the ultimate breads, somehow combining stretchy and crispy, buttery and smoky.
Look for naanza-by-the-slice options to include butter chicken, margherita, Mediterranean, and pepperoni.
Beer Fridge Alert
Tucked away in a corner, there’s a decent sized beer fridge with quite a few craft options. The fridge was in the process of being stocked on our visit but we did notice a large display of Beau’s Lugtread.
For the Morning Crowd
The breakfast hot bar opens at 8 a.m. with pre-packed grab-and-go breakfasts of eggs, bacon, and hash browns. Breakfast sandwiches are also on the menu.
For the Lunch and Dinner Crowds
Lunch starts at 11 a.m. and the Metcalfe Grill then stays open through till closing. Along with a pizza oven, staff will be cooking up stirfries and smash burgers. Want to sit down? There’s bar and table seating for 50 in the store.
New Veg Options
The salad bar has some 80 freshly prepared ingredients from the store — that includes lots of veggies and salads, along with meat and seafood. We’re told that the most popular veggies du jour are shredded — shredded butternut squash, shredded beets, shredded zucchini, and shredded brussels sprouts are all on the menu.
Find it: 193 Metcalfe St.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Parking: There is parking under the store off Nepean Street. It’s free with a Farm Boy purchase of over $20.