WHY A very good and surprisingly affordable selection of wine, beer and retro and rare sodas, as well as an extensive gourmet-to-go menu.

WHAT Despite its name, this ‘market’ doesn’t try to compete with Gelson’s across the street for your upscale-grocery needs. Instead, it serves just a few niches by offering a large and good-value collection of wine and beer, a coffee and juice bar, a coffee roaster and a good selection of small-producer packaged foods, like Dewar’s old-fashioned candy chews from Bakersfield, Humboldt Fog cheese and exotic oils and vinegars. Excellent café fare, too.