Shopping at Publix is no longer a pleasure. Somewhere along the line, the friendly local Florida supermarket became a place known better for price gouging than Pub Subs. A store that’s become symbolic of post-pandemic inflation and corporate greed. The place everyone brags, “I don’t go there anymore” as they show off a refrigerator of weird, off-brand Scandinavian dairy products that cost them half as much.
And they don’t even have a fresh juice bar.
This is why anyone within schlepping distance of North Miami Beach would do well to check out Mr. Fresh Farmers Market, a little local supermarket that’s hiding one of the best juice bars in the city in the back. So after you’re done perusing the aisles and feeling better about yourself for shopping local, you can keep that feeling of elevated bliss with a green detox juice that costs half what it would at a South Beach yoga studio.
Is this another one of those little “healthy markets” where you’re supposed to feel good about paying $12 for strawberries?
No! Though Mr. Fresh doesn’t benefit from the economy of scale that Publix does, its prices are comparable, and in some cases slightly cheaper. Where the big savings come is the juice bar and hot food section in the back, one of the better lunch bargains you’ll find in the city.
The scene: If you’ve been to Latin America or the Caribbean, Mr. Fresh feels a little like a very cleaned-up version of the grocery stores you go into there. Aisles are shorter both in height and length making most things much easier to find. The produce aisles are compact, again allowing you to spot the stuff on your shopping list without asking for help. In the back, you’ll find the hot food/sandwich/juice bar that’s like a little in-store Joe and the Juice. Except better.
What to eat and drink: Grocery shopping is the undercard at Mr. Fresh. The real hidden gem is the juice bar in the back, where the store’s staff is busy making a big selection of fresh juices nearly all day. The most popular sit in a small ice shelf, so you never need to wait. The Mr. Green Seamoss with cucumber, avocado, pineapple, mint, and seamoss is healthy, but doesn’t taste that way. The Dr. Frog with cucumber, celery, green kale, apple, lemon, and ginger is equally refreshing.
If your tastes skew sweeter, the dragonfruit/watermelon/pineapple is the way to go. Though the Mega Carrots, adding orange juice and ginger to the Bugs Bunny favorite, is also surprisingly palatable. The bar features a big selection of sandwiches and pastas, too, making it an ideal quick lunch spot
Don’t miss: The Acai bowls. They’re like ten bucks and better than most I’ve found in Brickell for twice as much.
Perfect for: A mid-afternoon or post-workout juice pick me up. Grocery shopping.
Expect to pay: Juices run around $6
How’s the parking? Plentiful in the lot in front.
@mrfreshfarmersmarket // 13601 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami Beach