The Big Carrot Danforth Community Market

I had a great buying experience at The Big Carrot Danforth Community Market! The variety of food options is impressive, especially with so many gluten-free and lactose-free choices available. While it’s a bit on the expensive side, the quality of the food more than makes up for it. I loved that they have a chart showing when fresh products arrive from each bakery, so you can grab items on their delivery day. Since I was staying nearby, I ended up buying most of my food here and was really satisfied with everything. Highly recommend for anyone looking for fresh, high-quality products!

This store is convenient and staff are friendly. Useful for people who are vegan or who want gluten free food. Mostly all organic food here. I don't think it should be as expensive as it is. Their kiji juice boxes are 4.99 but at Walmart are 2.49..not everyone wants to shop at Walmart though.

Lovely humans, lovely produce, nice selection. The prices get me though. Sadly I can find lots for cheaper elsewhere. I fully support Indy businesses, but it's tough to only be able to afford the odd thing here and there.. And the rest of the time I'm buying from big stores anyway. Tough to know what choice does the most good when I can't afford to just go Indy organic stores all the time. If you're lucky enough to afford it, you'll likely be happy with what they offer.

Great experience, the freshness and quality. The variety and the quality. The amazing sections and employees. The great kitchen in soups and hot bar and ethnic dishes. I live far east, and I drive 40 km to Big Carrots in passion and enthusiasm.

Prices are surprisingly lower here than I can find elsewhere, and the selection is unbelievable. fresh produce quality is great, the burritos and deli food are delicious, and again costs less by weight than at Sobeys somehow. The green roof is pretty spectacular in spring/summer, and there's room to eat inside as well. Staff are wonderful, knowledgeable and go out of their way to make my visit a positive experience. Rather than putting my money in the pockets of Jeff Bezos or Galen Weston, I prefer to shop at the Big Carrot. They didn't gouge their customers with extra "inflation" to make record profits in the past few years. Also importantly to my values, the Big Carrot is Worker-Owned! The worker-owners run their own store like a co-operative with 'one-worker, one-vote'. Democracy in the workplace is so important, to me it points toward a better world. Truly a one of a kind place with everything I need, and I happily support them over the grocery giants.

I have been a happy customer of this store for many many years. They have excellent organic products and great customer service. Prices are competitive as well. My go-to grocery store!

Love that it is worker owned. They have many options for all types of dietary restrictions. Price tends to be more then other retailers.

I generally only come here for quality coffee beans so I didn't realize most of the "wellness" items had moved to an annex. Once there, the staff member was super helpful with finding an essential oil I liked! 5 stars well earned!

Aside from Ambrosia this is my other favourite health food store! I love it even more for the atmosphere though! And every time you go in there you feel like you've walked into a farmers market that has every possible organic product there!! And you can trust them also because they only carry organic products. They've got everything I need! The only things I have qualms about are some items like their chards are too small and their bunches of parsley are very chinsy and small as well, so that's why I try to go to Ambrosia for those. The good thing about the BigCarrot though is they carry lots of items from some local farmers also. During the pandemic they seem to keep people waiting in line way too long-- if one person leaves the store they should let another person in but they weren't keeping track and it's kind of annoying when it's freezing out there!!! It's the only place I can find bags of wheatgrass though, so I go there at least once a week because my cats and dog love this stuff! I also like how you can order ahead and just pick up what you need at the front door, but their website for this ordering system still has a couple glitches and isn't real obvious how to add a note if you need some thing in particular that you can't find on the website, so I try to avoid ordering online as much as possible though it takes me about half an hour to drive there! They need to put that section in red or something so people can see it --or make it larger. So good luck with that if you need to order something special online! And they should add the bags of wheat grass to their online ordering system! As for parking, it would be nice if they could lower the price to getting free parking with a $25 purchase instead of $50 , because although it's easy to spend $50 there, sometimes you don't need so much stuff! (they may even get more customers if they adjust that). Also having a few more staff walking around in the aisles would be great because often times some thing I want is on the be top shelf and I can't reach it and I don't want to bother other shoppers! But I do LOVE the place and the atmosphere! The only one other thing I would suggest is that they don't add black pepper or other major spices as they do to most of their takeout foods, because a lot of people can't have spices --people can just add their own :) Now I just can't wait for the pandemic to be over so we can once again sit in there and eat whenever we want to!

I shop here once a week. On most Saturdays I purchase their hummus, juice and sometimes buy a chicken bowl. One Saturday, as soon as I entered I was followed by a person. Went to buy hummus, Kiju juice. Followed down three ailes. He started staring at me when I put 1 of 3 juice boxes back thinking it was too much. Thinking I was going to steal something. Profiled from moment of entering store. Never coming back again. Added- Also, most of their common items are marked up now. Silk Almond milk is $7.99... You can buy the same brand milk at Sobeys for $4.29. Outside of buying fresh food in bowl (rarely fresh unless you come in the morning) there is no reason for shopping at this store. Common items available in expensive grocery stores are as much as twice as expensive here.

Big Carrot store on southwest is a DISASTER! It's too bad because it SHOULD be a friendly neighborhood store Unfortunately Chenga who is the NEW manager is rude thoughtless and inconsiderate towards both customers and staff!!

The Big Carrot store is primarily located in East York area. We had a great experience job. I bought some of my foods.

I've been shopping at the Big Carrot for 30 years and it's my favourite food store in the world. The organic produce is unmatched anywhere. The excellent food bar team, led by Nick, makes scrumptious dishes every day. Also, there are deals at The Carrot if you look for them. There's left over food bar dishes available in the deli, at the back of the store there's a place to purchase sell offs. In my opinion, by offering excellent top rated food and also providing some sales, this amazing organic experience does a wonderful job of helping out customers who are on a budget (like me). Ask the deli bar for brown rice! It's a bargain.

Wow, this once wonderful store is now rotten. While everyone on the vitamins and household side is helpful and nice, on the food side, the staff are either totally ignorant of the products and basic service or so hardened and rude! The old woman who works trolling the floor is nasty and suspicious, following around people and grumbling miserably. Seriously, an unpleasant environment due to horrible staff. Such a shame.

Why do you sell this product, ace bakery mini crisps. I paid almost 7 dollars for these i am going to return these and ask for my money back...shameful.

Awesome little organic store, great selection of foods and supplements. Really lovely staff.

Torontonian hippies know The Big Carrot. Open since 1983, this Danforth community market is a mecca for all things natural, local and organic. In fact they've taken over an entire street block which is now known as Carrot Common! Amidst the shops in the common you'll find the Organic Juice & Coffee Bar, the perfect little spot for an incredibly fresh and healthy beverage. I heard about them in NOW Toronto's Readers' Choice poll which voted them as #1 Best Juice 2018. We visited on a Sunday afternoon, in the mood for delicious smoothies! The shop is cute and small, located right next door to the organic grocery store. It's a simple order-at-the-counter type of place but they do have a small seating area with a couple of stools should you choose to pop a squat. The menu is very large!! I had a very difficult time deciding on what to order because I wanted to try "their specialty," if such a thing exists. The friendly staff was hesitant to recommend only one specific drink and helped to guide me toward a decision. There are many options and many categories. From cold pressed juice to smoothies, shots, tonics, elixirs, detoxifiers... And even organic fair trade coffee. It's just a little bit overwhelming! Some of the drinks incorporate kombucha into their blends as well as various tinctures, apple cider vinegar, and Muskoka spring water. I loved the array of interesting ingredients. Unfortunately the shop also seemed to be out of a lot of ingredients at the time of my visit. They didn't have any celery, avocado, collard greens, wheat grass. These are ingredients that appear in many of their blends. This was disappointing and narrowed my options (which might have been a good thing?). They also regularly feature daily specials which sounded very good. The Healing Mushroom Milkshake sounded great and the Holiday Gut & Nerve Recovery sounded completely necessary. In the end, I chose the Earthly Paradise (Coconut water, kale, collards, house-made raw cashew butter, coconut cream, chlorella, banana, ice - $9.00/16oz), a blended smoothie from the Superfood Drinks section. I'm glad that it was green! For some reason I felt like my inaugural smoothie at The Big Carrot should be green. (Although I really should have just gotten a carrot juice and been done with it!!) I also grabbed a piece of Organic Banana Bread ($2.99). The smoothie was very good. They come in three sizes: 8oz, 16oz and 32oz. I found the 16oz to be the ideal smoothie size. I loved how well the ingredients worked together and the richness from the coconut and the cashew butter. Because they were all out of collards I believe that they gave me more kale to make up for it. I'm a bit disappointed that I wasn't able to enjoy the smoothie in exactly the way that it was intended to be made. However, I still enjoyed it very much. This delicious cup of magic gave me life! The banana bread was extremely good, better than the typical banana bread that I'm used to. Maybe because they use sour cream in their recipe? This slice of bread was incredibly moist and bursting with sweet banana flavour. I will come back to this juice bar any time that I'm on The Danforth! There are so many more things that I would like to try! The Change of Season, Maca Almond Sensation, PB & J, and Green Dream smoothies all sound amazing. I'm very curious to try some of the elixirs, like the Bliss Compound, Creation Compound, and Bacteria to the Future. The Ginger Turmeric cold pressed juice sounds great and I'd also really like to try their Chai Latte. So many more reasons to visit!!

The Big Carrot is a neighborhood institution, selling high-quality food, supplements, and cosmetics. Their selection is good and well-curated in most departments. Although many products are available elsewhere in the neighborhood these days, special offerings here might include breads and some greens. Food quality is consistently high, with the exception of berries and juices that are sometimes past their best-by dates (or moldy). The store environment is clean, well-lit, and spacious, though it's typically crowded on weekends. Fee parking is available in a small lot behind the store. Prices are predictably high. Neighborhood residents sometimes joke that the store is called "The Big Wallet". Service is generally good at the store, with knowledgeable and hard-working staff. It's usually possible to get assistance within a few minutes. At the same time, management can seem condescending and inflexible. So some of the store's "brand promise" is not realized in practice. As an aside for people who are sensitive to fragrances ... the bulk foods section is in a room that's only accessible via a short hallway that stocks incense. Fortunately the smell doesn't travel far into the rest of the store.

I usually enjoy the big carrot, but today was not a good experience. I grabbed a few items (laundry detergent, almond butter, bread, oats, and a brownie) which came to about $45! As I was walking outside after paying, I went to unwrap the brownie from the plastic wrap, and about 1/3 of it crumbled to the ground instantly (as though it was soil)! I wrapped what was left and put it in my pocket. When I got home I looked at my receipt, the almond butter I grabbed was on sale for $14.99 (main reason I grabbed it) yet I was charged $17.99. I was not pleased to see this, as it's a bit of a commute to get there by subway. What made it all worse, is when I went to eat what was left of the brownie (which cost $3.22 plus tax)...I wasn't even able to hold it with my hand to bite a piece, it just crumbled away into a soil like consistency - I had to eat it with a spoon and it was bland, dry, unappetizing. Really not a good experience today, I would appreciate a refund on the brownie and what I was overcharged, or I really don't see the point in trying again.

The one star is for the customer service desk - not the overall rating of the store. How a health store with 30 plus years in Toronto, promoting community and wellness, can have a rude, nut job has its manager boggles the mind. This woman has featured in many complaints describing her ability to turn the smallest issue into a a war of vitriol, Basically she tells off anyone who dares to show up seeking customer service. As a Big Carrot brand ambassador she's a zero.

The vegan cupcakes are amazing! This is a picture of cookies and cream, lavender, vanilla, and smores cupcakes. The cookies and cream cupcake had super rich icing that tasted just like ice cream. The cupcake is very dense and rich, which is just how I love my cupcakes. The texture and taste are better than most non vegan cupcakes. Thank you for the awesome treat!

Great selections of everything at The Big Carrot! I love how they have the local coffee roaster like the Birds and Beans which I have not seen a lot around Toronto. The beauty and personal care selections are just awesome, I have to say better than Whole Food.. Staffs are super friendly.. "Can I help you?" I am not lost, I am just overwhelmed with the selections.. Vegan cream and lip balm? Definitely something new for me..

I've been shopping at the Big Carrot on Danforth for over eighteen years. Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with products and services. I must say I had a very negative experience yesterday, Friday July 8th 2022 shortly after 17:00. I returned a peach which I bought a few days earlier and which went mouldy in the fridge on one side while the other side stayed hard. I carried the rotten peach in my bag with me all day so I could return it after work. When I presented the peach along with my receipt to the customer service desk, the clerk started arguing with me saying there was no refund on produce. I said to her this is an exemption because it's a quality issue. She didn't seem to understand. She was giving the attitude treating me like a criminal saying "We'll let it slide this time but please note, in the future we won't be able to refund or exchange produce. We don't know how you stored it and what happened to it. It was perfectly fine when you bought it..." I couldn't believe this was still happening at the Big Carrot. This kind of attitude belongs in a discount store, not the Big Carrot. I've never seen her there before and I hope I never have to deal with her again. It makes me wonder who she's related to in order to keep her job.

Low star reviewers are nuts. The Carrot is great! Worker-owned, fresh and high quality foods, lots of locally sourced and organic foods. And a lot of selection for a small store. Oh--and a bulk section too. Maybe you can't afford to buy everything you need here, but it's great for selected items. A great resource for the community.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE The Big Carrot. They have everything you need -- from groceries, beauty products, vitamins, freshly made juices and more. Also love that it's located in the heart of the Danforth. You can rest assured that you're purchasing GOOD QUALITY products that are good and safe for your body and mind. If you get a chance to visit the juice bar, I recommend the Amazon Warrior; that's some good ish! Majority of their ingredients are also certified organic which is awesome for a health junkie like myself. The vitamin store and juice bar are definitely "must visits." I've been a customer for years and will continue to be. Definitely my favourite health food store, hands down.

The Big Carrot is my place to go for all of my organic veggies needs. I strongly suggest that if you are like me and cook the same brining meals all the time, go speak to the produce guy Martin and get some ideas. With his guidance I made the most awesome roasted veggie pot (see pictures) Thanks you Big Carrot

Pros: - A very wide variety of healthy food selections (organic, dairy free, low carb, gluten free...etc) - They have a small section of ready-to-eat foods and snacks, and a hot food buffet sold by weight like Whole Foods for a quick and healthy meal! - Place is very clean - I've been here several times, it's always kept very clean, unlike your typical grocery chains with random foods lying around Cons: - In my opinion, a lot of their items are quite expensive compare to some other grocery stores that carry the same items - They carry mostly prepackaged foods, not a good selection of fresh produce - Not so much selections on international foods - most of their items are America and European based, with a few American brand Asian foods

As a grocery store the options are amazing, especially if you have dietary restrictions however be wary of the salad bar, I warn people a lot you may think your going to be paying an already unreasonable $16 for a damn expensive salad, only to find out it's $28 dollars!! Gets the newbies every time! It's a beautiful market but really watch what you are paying. It can be over the top.

Obviously I'd rather give my money to a co-operative than to the owners of Amazon (looking at you, Whole Foods). People don't realize it, but the Big C supports many small local organic businesses get off their feet, they assist their community, they've put in a beautiful rooftop garden and they are GMO-free! This is the kind of store you want to support instead of a chain. Employees get way better benefits than at WF and they don't get fired for bringing a coffee from home and using some cream from work. WF is turning so fascist, it's a pleasure to support a store that has more folks living the lifestyle and who know what they're talking about when you ask for help. Sure the produce has been off this past year, there are things constantly out of stock and the deli offerings could be so much better (look at my instagram, please!), but overall the selection is fantastic and everything is well organized. It's our communities' health food store, but also draws customers from as far away as Buffalo, NY. I will always support them and wish them all the best. I've been a customer for 31 years.

Another covid day and I have nothing better to do, so I'll review the Carrot on Yelp. Danforth Carrot is my store for foods I like not easily found elsewhere in one place. But, I have yet to find a good gluten-free gluten there. Everything else is available in gluten-free. And gluten-free is not free. It is expensive. Try the gluten-free maple tarts. A tough addiction to break, but I did it. Why are the rotisserie chickens not cooked on one side? The bottom, as they are packaged. A good selection of bread. Prepared foods, refrigerated. Expensive delicious soups. Meats and fish and cookies, all available gluten-free. Frozen foods. Produce and salads. One senior's day a month. I think all age groups should have a day a month at 10% off. And if you think about it maybe some age groups would shop on the discount days of a group younger than them to meet younger people and thus lose the discount. The store would come out ahead. Organic junk foods too. Pricier than others on some identical items. Don't buy cacao when you want cocoa. It settles out in hot chocolate. Bakes well though. Now I'll be on my way.

I dealt with an extremely rude member of staff. I will not be back. It's also overpriced for what you get. The staff at the tills are usually really friendly and helpful. Just a shame about the woman Who kept shouting at me.

My juicer was getting dusty at home, and I needed a nudge to get juicing again, so I decided to buy a 16 ounce Lemon Zinger at The Big Carrot Organic Juice Bar. Check in on Yelp and Bonus! 15% discount on 16 ounce juice for checking in. But the person who took my order had never heard of Yelp, never mind the discount. So she asked the other gal working and she knew nothing about it either. Cashier looks at my phone closely, taps the button to marked the offer as used, and then doesn't know how to apply the discount on the computerized register so I can pay. Manager from the main store is called over and says she knows nothing about the discount, wants to see the coupon on the app, but cashier has already marked it as used. At this point I am starting to feel awkward as a line is starting to form behind me. Manager says she will have to call Yelp and look into this. Punches in the discount and leaves. My juice was made, and was pretty tasty, so I decide to buy some fresh produce and start juicing again. Big Carrot Juice Bar rating : Juice - 4 stars, service - 2 stars, so I will give them an average of 3 stars. Juicing at home - 5 stars, discounted price and no attitude!

cashier shortchanged me, I only realized until later. I went back to the store but the cashier just loudly insisted she was right (she was not) I felt the situation could have been dealt with in a more appropriate way, because that day left me feeling very angry and upset. There are definitely health stores and grocery stores out there with much better customer service, and with honest cashiers who don't shortchange their customers. I don't understand why they employ people like this, who seem to exhibit psychopathic tendencies. I have never had to worry about or been shortchanged by any other store in Toronto. In the other health stores I had been to, the cashiers seemed honest and trustworthy. I never really felt uncomfortable in other health stores and grocery stores. It is particularly creepy in this one. It was only because it was less than $50 that I did not ask for the actual amount in the cash register to be checked, to prove that I really got shortchanged. I should not have had to worry about it at the big carrot, I should not have to prompt and remind them for money that is rightfully mine. If any of their cashiers feel they need to swindle money because they aren't earning enough, then they should find a higher paying job instead of resorting to swindling customers. I had worked as a cashier before, and I can say that it is very difficult to shortchange anyone unless you were deliberately trying to do so. :(

Great variety of non-perishables, but the fresh food in the kitchen area is not celiac-friendly, same cutting boards and shared space (I asked). I was surprised to learn this, as the items are marked gluten free. Also, at the Juicery, my celiac disease was questioned/challenged by the girl working the smoothie counter: "But, did they actually go in and take out your insides to see?" The other woman making the smoothie was unphased and looked annoyed with my valid questions about cross-contamination. Overall, some of the gluten free products the store carries are items you don't usually see anywhere else, so I go out of my way to go here. I just need to go out of my way to avoid some of the unpleasant staff members, too. ‍

I simply love this place. everyone is friendly a lot of organic produce, delicious soups and more.

Wow! I got the chocolate maca peanut butter smoothie bowl and it was so incredible. I don't find it to be too expensive for the type of ingredients used in it. I've paid the same amount for a smoothie that is basically just bananas, strawberries, milk and toppings. I'm definitely going again to try their different smoothie bowls. Plus the people there were so kind and helped me figure out what I should order

The store has a pretty good selection of organic and alternative foods. It has prepared food, bulk food, and packaged goods. My main complaint is that every section seems lacking. Go in for herbal tea, and while they have it, the selection is not fantastic. Same with bulk food, same with dairy, etc. Customer service ranges from friendly, to indifferent, to clueless, to pretentious. Also tends to be pricey.

We keep trying and trying, because we want to support local businesses as well as health food, but in 35 years the Carrot has not been able to redeem itself from lacklustre customer service (I'm talking "If I feel like helping you I will, otherwise I won't" kind of frostiness). But today the straw broke the camel's back when I got a hot soup, only to find that the lid pushed down nearly an inch into it, and made a nice mess. The brownie we bought (because they are out of the Shockingly Healthy Choc. Brownies, again) from their store-brand crumbled everywhere because it was so dry (Funny I just noticed a review on the sidebar that described exactly that, from Feb/18!!!) Should we forgive and forbear because the Carrot is making efforts in 'community service' instead of customer service, i.e. setting noble goals but ignoring the little people who pay their bread and butter??!!

Shopped here for many years and used to be a fan of this store but not after the terrible customer service I received at their customer service counter on an expired product. The clerk tried to shame me and had big time negative attitude, and it became obvious she was racist. When I took the issue higher the manager was equally useless. How sad that an org that purports to have a conscience really doesn't when it comes right down to it. The prices have always been way too high and the organic produce has always lacked flavour-wise with no good or feasible salad selections so I guess it was time I moved on to more reasonably priced stores with way better customer service. Places where I am respected and where my business is appreciated.

I love this grocery store. Not to mention the great area it's in and the fabulous juicery!! The grocery store has almost everything and I love going down there. It's a nice walk.

It is stunning that The Big Carrot is still using single use black plastics--especially the black plastic used for the BBQ chickens they sell daily . They sit in hot plastic all day absorbing the plastic chemicals . They should be ahead of the curve but in packaging they are not . There is little attempt to display what packaging is re recyclable and where or compostable . Darla B.

Best grocery store!!! First - it small. way smaller than whole food. But, they have only the best product! I like the soy cheese selection. So much non-dairy milk!! Second - Best burritos! Third - It pricey, but good food. Cheaper than Whole Food tho. Four - Cucumbers too expensive. Cashiers are hippies. They funny!

The best juice bar in Toronto! I shop there every week, and I always get great service. Keep up the great work!

I love supporting local grocery stores. I loveeeee coming and spend my money. I never have a budget shopping for my organic foods. But when I buy 9 bags of organic cherries and some cashier telling me, that " So you know these are very expensive"? Who asked you anything? You and I don't know each other! For you to assumed that I can't offered to pay for them is very disrespectful!! I could have gone to Whole Foods! Don't ever judge a book by its cover!

Love it here. Great selection and quality produce. Not the most friendly environment but that's why I am there to shop and not make friends. :)

Organic produce here is cheap to comparable natural food stores (i.e. Whole Foods). Strawberries ($3.99), cauliflower ($2.99), gala apples ($1.99/lb) just to name a few. Great selection of packaged goods some brands I haven't seen at other grocers. Fully stocked items even though it was mid day Saturday. Small store so variety is limited. If you're in the area, it's definitely worth a visit.

I have shopped at the Big Carrot for more than 25 years from the days before Carrot Common existed so they're clearly doing something right to bring me back every week. However, they changed the way the deli works and now I never buy anything from those warming tables; nothing looks fresh or particularly appetizing where they formerly had a great selection of prepared foods. I used to buy two to three containers of prepared food weekly so at least I'm saving money! Finally, there are a few cashiers who need to realize they are being paid to ring up AND pack my groceries; while they may be moderately amusing, I'm not paying $200 a week to pack my own bags. (I'm looking at you, d@v!d, though he's not the only one.) Fortunately, I know which cashiers do the work they're paid to do and only go to them.

This review is about the cosmetic department. What can I say but the douchey guy that works there ( you know who you are) is full of shit. I took my mom there to help her buy some face oils and he was very eager to oversell us on these incredible life changing face oils and told us that if we weren't happy bring them back for a full refund. Well my mother wasn't happy and so I went back yesterday to return the products based on my mothers dissatisfaction. Well the song changed now and supposedly since she used a certain amount of product we can only get a credit. I said look, you clearly stated refund before we forked over $100 for your life changing oils and since they failed miserably you won't take accountability for your empty promises? Well I spoke with the manager and he decided to honour the word of the douche. As the said douche was processing my refund he was huffing and puffing! The nerve! When I was leaving I said "thank you" and nothing from him! Like seriously? This is how you conduct business? I'd rather go to Whole Foods where they give a shit about customer service! I'm all about supporting local business but not one that doesn't appreciate my business. Get your shit together and stop acting like you're doing me a favour since I am the one spending my money. Ugh so annoying honestly. I'd advise against buying from this place. Ambrosia, Qi Natural foods, whole foods, and many other places are much better and their staff are actually nice! I'd give this place ZERO stars if I could BTW!

Come on you miserable-looking sods! You're surrounded by exclusive artisan produce and enough organic stock to buy you a round trip to the righteous land of holier-than-thou Vegan Saints, so why can't you turn that frown upside down? Is your soul tormented by the thought of so much unnecessary suffering in this world, or are you just in need of more half-caf Fairtrade shade-grown coffee with organic no-sugar-added soy milk? Or are you off caffeine right now? Doing a cleanse? Did you accidentally eat some gluten or dairy last night and are even now experiencing the horror or increased mucus production or a rumbling of IBS? Perhaps your lunch was accidentally heated, resulting in you eating a less-than-raw diet? Oh, I digress. I generally only visit this store when I'm in the area, which is to say about once or twice a year. Once upon a time it was a true destination in and of itself, but the prices can no longer justify my transit time unless I'm already headed in that general direction. All kidding aside, the stock here is wonderful; I can almost always find what I'm looking for, although it's priced at a premium. I would not compare the shopping experience to Whole Foods, mostly because the staff at Whole Foods are much more friendly. I definitely brace myself before I shop here. Customers here look a bit forsaken, but I guess that's to be expected with so much to worry about in the way of Health and it's affiliated neuroses. Unfortunately, working or shopping here is not on the application for sainthood. You can take that long-suffering look off your face now.

The Carrot is in my neighborhood. They got all healthy and organic goods you can ask for. You can get precooked organic meals and pre-seasoned meats that are surprisingly low in cost. They got a distilled water dispenser that you can refill you 2L bottles at for only 3 or 4 bucks. Certain things can be ridiculously expensive but you can find a lot of things here at good value.

I have a big HEART-on for the Big Carrot! Who doesn't love this place? I mean COME ON, PEEPS! Most important star factors for me: 1. They carry Ying Ying Soy Food products. They keep up their stock. A reliable source in the East End for my favourite tofu = Priceless! 2. The staff aren't snobby. 3. Clean, well laid out, and doesn't smell weird. So many similar establishments SMELL SO WEIRD. Not an issue here 4. Is this the biggest retail store of its kind in Toronto? It's the biggest I've been to! YAY! Lose a star: Why can't I FIND anything here??? Maybe it's me... but I just don't get the layout. What is the suggested pathway through the store to see everything? Where is the signage? Help! Lose another star but I'm not actually deducting it: As others have said, the OTHER CUSTOMERS are the worst thing here - I want to slap that "holier than thou" smug look right off their face and trip them so they fall right into the gluten-free bread display and it all goes EVERYWHERE. Douchebags.

I have a love/hate relationship with The Big Carrot. Love: 1) I can buy small portions of meat that was raised well for a decent price (not like the $18 monster packages of chicken at the regular supermarket). 2) Sprouted tofu close to home 3) Juice bar next door for the days I'm too lazy to clean the juicer at home 4) Raw and paleo products for when I get in my fad-diet moods (those paleo wraps are delicious, but soooooo overpriced) 5) Pretty much the whole product line of Tofurky. My guilty pleasure secret love. Hate: 1) Overpriced on almost everything. There is a competitor a couple blocks down that sells most of the same stuff but cheaper. I only come back here for the better selection. 2) Severe lack of grass-fed beef. 3) Most self-absorbed patrons in the city. I've never seen so many people just stop in the middle of the aisle blocking half with the cart, half with the body and refusing to move despite the line up of five people trying to get by in each direction. 4) Staff are entirely uninterested. The customer service desk is the only place you might see a glimmer of life. The people stocking shelves don't make eye contact. The cashiers don't bother with hello, goodbye, please, or thank you. Not really the friendly neighbourhood vibe I imagined the place would have. I plan to keep shopping there but there's definitely room for improvement.

The Big Carrot is one of my favourite places to go in Toronto. They are tucked in the back of a little interlock courtyard in east Toronto called Carrot Common - other establishments that make up Carrot Common are The Big Carrot's dispensary and juice bar, as well as a health clinic and Book City. The Big Carrot specializes in "health," which covers food, health and beauty products as well as books. They have bulk foods, fresh baked goods, frozen foods, produce, convenience foods, boxed foods, plus a really great hot foods cafe. All the items from the cafe have the ingredients listed plus a different coloured tag for "Made without Gluten" and "Made without Dairy" so it's easy to spot if you are into those things. Their beauty section has the traditional hippie products you would expect to find in a health food store (Dr. Bronner's anyone?) but also really great newer brands of makeup, nail polish and fragrance that are free of traditional chemicals packed into drugstore brands. In the grocery section, you can find pretty much any type of specialty health food. If you are looking for raw gluten-free vegan, soy-free nut-free, organic free-range, local, or any type of food that you need to be free of something, chances are you will find it here. Although they have a large section of veggie options and don't offer any meat at their cafe, they are not an exclusively vegetarian store and they do carry a wide variety of meat - they have lots of local and organic options. Some stuff is a little pricey, but like anything it pays to shop around. There are definitely items that are cheaper here than other places in the city (I always make sure to pick up their maple syrup, a big container for not a lot of money). The juice bar can make any of their smoothies non-dairy and soy-free. I have a tragic weakness for the Hippie Hemp Shake with Maple, plus their seasonal smoothie flavours like Pumpkin Pie. You can also get salads, wraps and sandwiches if you are looking for a quick lunch. On Thursdays there is a free lecture series (upstairs above Book City) with speakers that have been sourced by the store's head nutritionist, and cover topics like Eastern Medical Approaches to Depression, Warming Foods for Winter and even movie screenings and round-table discussions. They have cooking classes offered and you can sign up for nutritional consultations, where one of the store's team of nutritionists will meet with you about your needs and then actually shop around the store with you and make recommendations. The Big Carrot has covered every angle of being a health food store, and while I am sure they do edit their selection they have great options for people who may otherwise feel that healthy eating and living requires them to edit (rather than expand) their grocery list.

I feel like there must be something I'm missing about this place. Every single person in here looked absolutely miserable, from the woman working at the cash to the person who said "excuse me" in the most irritated possible tone as she pushed herself past me. Why oh why are you all so frikkin miserable? Perhaps it's because everything in here is so very over priced. Because it is. There's no denying that The Big Carrot has a fantastic selection of lots of things (I stopped in for locally sourced hot dogs and gluten free buns and I had options in both areas, which is something I can't say very often), but you're paying a super premium for those things. GF bread products are wickedly expensive at the best of times and prices at the Big Carrot were 1-2$ more than I've seen elsewhere. For my money I'd rather buy local meat and seasonal produce at a farmer's market. It's cheaper, friendlier, and leaves me feeling more like I've contributed to something meaningful and less like I've been had by yet another marketing platform aimed at the alternative crowd.

Carrot Commons is a collection of shops all with enviro-conscious, health conscious, themes. As mentioned before, the Big Carrot and the dispensary are slightly more expensive than some of the other health food stores in Toronto (Essence of Life, Tutti Fruiti) but it really is in another league. The organic cafe serves up ready made meals that are really delicious and healthy and a good way to try "exotic" health foods you may never have had before.. like Quinoa. For those well versed in exotic grains, there is a large bulk section for you to stock up. The bulk offering include grains, spices, pulses, legumes, rice, nut butters, honey, coffee, candy, salts (including Himalayan), sweeteners, and more. My FAVORITE Big Carrot Offerings include - Refillable "pump" style beauty products like shampoos, conditioners and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps. You save a considerable amount of money and plastic bottles. Bring your own, or buy a refillable one on site. Good quality products as well. - Reverse Osmosis filtered water refilling station. You can bring in your own bottle, or buy from them. Reasonable prices. - Kleen Kanteen Lids for when you lose yours. - Almond Milk for $2.19. BC is the only place I have found Chocolate, Vanilla and Regular all offered in unsweetened. They have a wide variety of things otherwise hard to find like coffee substitutes. Lots of ready made and packaged things for those who want to eat healthy with convenience. Fresh sprouts, cheeses, dips, everything is of high quality, and there is lots to choose from. For organic fruits and veg I find them just too expensive. I prefer the organic home delivery bins for my perishables. Otherwise, It is worth not having to go all the way to the west end to pick up some small things here and there. Helpful friendly staff too.

This place is a good, but expensive place to buy healthy, vegetarian, vegan foods. They also have a lot of foods for people with gluten, wheat, and nut allergies. They also have takeout food which looks more delicious than it actually is. Just because it is healthy doesn't mean it should taste healthy, you know?? I do enjoy going to The Big Carrot, but I usually limit myself to going when I have something specific in mind otherwise I end up spending waaay too many dollars.

Great selection of products and food that try to make your body a healthier one and the world a better one. If you need gluten-free anything, the Big Carrot is your place to stock up on cereals, pastas, and all sorts of great food without that evil starch. Everything is of course, very expensive, but totally worth it if that's the kind of stuff you want or need. As everyone has mentioned, they carry some great vegetarian and vegan products, as well as cosmetics without harmful chemicals and of course, ones that aren't tested on animals. Get your free-range chicken here so you know your chickens lived a happy life, running in fields. (I'm not being sarcastic, thinking of happy chickens makes me feel better about eating them). Also they have AMAZING vegan cookies. They are huge, they are about $2 each, but they are so good I dream of them very often. Chocolate cookies...mmmmm..... Anyway if you live in the area, it's a great local grocery store to grab all your organic food needs, and if you don't, it's about two seconds away from Chester station. Definitely worth the TTC fare.