If you’re looking for a grocery store that sells high-quality health food as well as basic staples, you may want to check out Pavilions. Unlike other health-food stores, Pavilions doesn’t just stock specialty products and you can also buy products that traditional grocery stores sell there. You’ll see this supermarket in upscale Southern California neighborhoods and as you might expect it has higher prices than other supermarkets. Anyway, here are some stores that are similar to Pavilions.
Ralphs Fresh Fare
In Southern California, Kroger operates Ralphs stores and there are premium Ralphs Fresh Fare stores in upscale Los Angeles neighborhoods. Like Pavilions, Ralphs Fresh Fare is a premium version of a traditional grocery store rather than a specialized health-food store chain. Unlike health-food stores, Ralphs Fresh Fare stores have traditional pharmacies that sell prescription drugs as well.
This might be the store that’s most like Pavilions because it’s also an upgraded traditional supermarket but it’s operated by Kroger instead of Albertsons. Unlike Pavilions, it carries Kroger’s Simple Truth brand groceries, though.
Whole Foods Market
At this specialized health-food store you can buy lots of natural and organic food as well as natural and organic personal care products, paper goods, and other items. Like other health-food stores, Whole Foods primarily stocks specialty items and might not carry some products that are available at regular grocery stores, especially if they contain ingredients that health-food enthusiasts avoid. Many shoppers prefer it this way because they only want to buy health food, though.
This store is more of a health-food store than Pavilions, although both stores are likely to carry health food from major brands. Whole Foods also doesn’t have pharmacies in its stores, unlike Pavilions.
Vons
Another way to describe Pavilions is that it’s a more upscale version of Vons. In fact, Pavilions stores are often Vons stores that were upgraded. Vons is a traditional supermarket that has stores located throughout the country and it has many locations in Southern California. Vons has typical grocery store amenities such as a bakery, a pharmacy, and a deli and it even has Starbucks cafes in its stores.
This store also carries a few of the premium products that are available at Pavilions but doesn’t stock as many of them. You’re more likely to see these premium products at Vons stores in wealthier neighborhoods.
Albertsons
Both Pavilions and Vons are subsidiaries of Albertsons. When I was growing up this supermarket was considered a discount store but under its new ownership it’s become more upscale. In my area, the Albertsons stores were replaced by Vons stores but there are several Albertsons stores in Santa Barbara. If you’re looking for a store like Pavilions but there isn’t a Vons nearby, there may be an Albertsons nearby.
Like Vons, Albertsons carries some premium products but not as many as Pavilions and it also has lower prices than Pavilions.
Lassens
Another popular health-food store in my area is Lassens. Like Pavilions, Lassens carries organic and natural foods that aren’t available at other traditional grocery stores and it’s a good place to buy prepared vegan and vegetarian foods. Lassens is also more of a specialized health-food store than Pavilions and like Whole Foods it might not carry popular food brands with ingredients that health-food advocates don’t like.
Again, the choice between Lassens and Pavilions might depend on whether you just want to buy health food or if you also want to buy other popular products that traditional grocery stores sell.
Gelson’s
You can also shop at Gelson’s if you want to visit a premium grocery store but don’t necessarily want to visit a specialized health-food store. While Gelson’s does sell lots of health food, it’s not as focused on this niche as some other Southern California supermarkets. Like Pavilions, Gelson’s has relatively high prices and many of its locations are in upscale neighborhoods. Both Gelson’s and Pavilions also have much higher quality baked goods than other grocery stores.
Gelson’s also has a few amenities such as in-store bars that you won’t see at Pavilions, although Whole Foods has bars at some locations as well.