The busiest time of year for Mrs. Winston’s Green Grocery, according to owner Corey Winston, is early January, when people decide to eat healthier. Mrs. Winston’s makes this particular resolution easy and affordable, with many delicious choices, featuring a make-your-own sandwich bar, salad bar, soup bar and a make-to-order juice and smoothie bar.
To accompany a wholesome meal, the market also carries a variety of organic grocery items, such as in-season produce, beverages, dried fruits, chips and baked goods.
Corey and his brother/co-owner Eddie taste all of the products before selling, whether the items are ordered through specialty vendors, or made onsite.
The sandwich bar offers hormone and nitrate-free pastrami, roast beef or turkey, and a variety of accompaniments, like roasted red peppers, romaine lettuce, olive tapenade, pickles, and tomato slices, both fresh and roasted.
At the salad bar, patrons may enhance their organic leafy greens with dressings made onsite, cheeses, pasta, legumes, six kinds of tofu and lean meats.
The stuffed grape leaves, filled with brown rice and beans, have a zesty lemon, slightly spicy flavor. The mint, lime, cilantro salad dressing, makes a tangy dipping sauce. It’s also delicious drizzled over the Pasta Parmesana or lentil salad.
While dessert isn’t usually top-of-mind at a salad bar, one must try the Quinoa Bleu, a creamy, sweet vegan pudding made with fresh blueberries.
The applesauce consists simply of apples cooked down to their soft, sweet goodness, and the chocolate tapioca and brown rice puddings are so rich that one would never guess they’re vegan. A10-year-old patron reported that the vegan whipped cream, mounded over her self-made fruit salad, tastes better than its dairy counterpart.
Everything at the salad, sandwich and dessert bar costs $8.65 per pound.
The small soup bar offers three kinds of soup, such as the split pea with soy bacon. In the mornings, patrons can start their day right with warm, whole-grain cereals ($3 to $5).
Mrs. Winston’s has a small outdoor dining area, with free parking on the weekends and validated parking for half an hour on the weekdays.
With two stores in Santa Monica, Mrs. Winston’s is located at 3150 Ocean Park Blvd. and 2450 Colorado Ave. A third store is located in Century City, at 1999 Avenue of the Stars.
Open Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mrs. Winston’s offers a strong start to the New Year.
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