Central Market

June 2, 2008 [ Updated September 15, 2008 ]
Pretty solid selection, a bit disorganized but comprehensive. I’ve never been helped by anyone but I assume that they have solid customer service. Nice glassware selection and great prices.

February 15, 2008
A nice store, with lots of over price hippy stuff. BUT, when it comes to the Beer selection, is very good. Lots of belgians and a nice selection of texan brews (nice to see that!) ... The prices can be high but seeing some of the beers they bring in and it being Austin, not that unreasonable... Have also have a great wine selection and some expensive good food ... went with Hans + Ans.... Overall feeling on my visit: Like others have said, Is like most other Central Market stores and being based in Austin this store gets a good selection of brews that should not disappoint any true beer lover!

October 30, 2007
This is a very nice grocery store (like a Sendik’s here in WI or a Wegman’s in DC) with quite a nice beer selection. There was a good representation of TX craft beers, some other gems (like Stone, which we don’t have here in WI), and quite a few imports. The selection was pretty big, but I wasn’t all that interested in most of the selection...there just wasn’t much that was unusual or out of the ordinary here. I didn’t try to pull singles out of six-packs at this store. I didn’t see any other shoppers doing this, there weren’t any empty six-pack carriers hanging around, and all the six-packs present were whole (they all had six beers in them). There weren’t a lot of singles here a few 22oz bottles and half-liters which were mostly imports and this left me a bit disappointed. The store is immaculate, had a lot of hot food ready to go in a cafe setting (I visited during lunchtime and this was very popular). Quite a nice store, but wouldn’t necessarily be my first stop for craft beer shopping.

June 14, 2007
Hmmmm....this place is just like every other Central Market I’ve been too....that’s a good thing.

January 9, 2007
Giant supermarket with a great selection of just about everything, including some good beer. Since this is the only beer store I saw in the state, I can’t really vouch for their relative selection, but it appeared to be pretty solid. Prices are typical; no grocery store savings. Decent.

February 8, 2006
Very good selection with two locations in town. Good choice of singles which I like to purchase. Little known fact is that they will (or used to anyway) let you grab a single bottle from a six pack for $2 bucks even if it’s not normally sold as a single.

December 9, 2005
The usual disclaimer: a perfect 5.0 on selection not because it’s the best you’re going to find anywhere, but if it’s available in Texas there’s a 97-98% chance you can get it at Central Market. Both Austin locations have a similar selection, so there is little reason other than proximity to choose one over the other. Both have cafes with outdoor seating and bands on the weekend. Central Market itself is owned by HEB and centrally located in Austin, although in the last few years it’s branched out to the San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas areas. Those who have Whole Foods in their neighborhood (none too coincidentally also headquartered in Austin) will pretty much know what to expect. The main difference is probably in the beer selection. Prior to the Austin Whole Foods relocating to it’s new, much larger, World HQ building in March the selection they had was maybe one-fourth of CM’s at best. Even at the new World HQ the selection is not quite as large as CM’s, although there are a few meads stocked by WF that are not available at CM. Central Market is constantly battling it out with the Whip In and Grapevine Market for beer supremacy in Austin, so it never hurts to hit all three. If I could afford the gourmet food prices I’d do all my grocery shopping there as well.

July 19, 2005
North Lamar location: Typical Central Market selection...lots of bottles, but nothing I did not expect...they did have very fresh Orval however...I couldn’t find anyone there to help me with beer or sake questions though...great cheese selection though...

February 10, 2005
Decent selection, but after having been in Austin for four months now - I have been through almost everything. Must have the same distributor as Grapevine - if on the south side of Austin - go here in stead of traveling north to Grapevine. All of your common Belgiums, Germans and Brits are here with a fewwest coast gems and some Texas Brewers. Displayed nicely and plenty of room.

February 11, 2004
Most of the staff seems more dedicated to wine (profitability?) although the former Beer & Wine person at the south store (now at HEB @ Hancock, I believe) was very much into beer. It is convenient for me to pop in and they often have a decent sale item or two or three. You can get deli food or from their cafe (not great, not bad and a tad pricey when you consider they provide their own damn ingredients) and do a "fly" - buy beer from beer section, grab some food, and eat in cafe or out on patio. Not exactly kosher, but haven't been stopped yet.