LTHForum.com

Joe Caputo & Sons of Des Plaines opened a new store in Palatine a few months ago and we finally got over there. It's a huge and pristine grocery with a full complement of ethnic goods of all sorts.

The produce section seemed to lean Latino-wards, with many chilies, but not as much in the way of Italian items as the Des Plaines store; that may be a function of the season. Unlike the other store, it offers house-made hot foods such as pork with tarragon and mustard sauce, fresh seafood, an in-house bakery and beer and wine. We bought some arancini, which were so-so, and some spinach pies, which were quite good. There's also a full-service meat counter.

A random assortment of other goods spotted: fresh lemongrass; many kinds of nuts and seeds; dried favas; salt-packed capers; canned guava & quince paste; tamarind paste; canned dulce de leche; canned mangosteen, jackfruit and rambutan; canned quail eggs; silken tofu; Chinese sausage from Canada; house-made sausage; frozen rabbit; frozen parantha and roti.

Joe Caputo & Sons Fruit Market
847/827-6700
2070 N. Rand Road, Palatine
http://www.joecaputoandsons.com
7 a.m.-9 p.m. M-F; -8 p.m. Sa-Su

_________________
LAZ
Dining Chicago
Index to LTHForum Recipes, 2004-2008

LAZ, thank you very much for this tip. I have been looking for tamarind paste for a morrocan lamb recipe that sounded very good. --Joy

I stopped into the Algonquin Joe Caputo recently. It might be even bigger than the Palatine store. It had a great selection of produce, good-looking meat and fish departments, and very ethnically diverse grocery offerings.

Joe Caputo & Sons
http://joecaputoandsons.com
959 E. Oakton St., Des Plaines, (847) 827-6700
2070 N. Rand Road, Palatine, (847) 705-7200
100 S. Randall Road, Algonquin, (847) 458-9100

_________________
LAZ
Dining Chicago
Index to LTHForum Recipes, 2004-2008

What connection is this store to one in Addison on Lake St.? Also isn't there another one on Harlem in Elmwood Pk?

_________________
Toria

"I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it" - As You Like It,
W. Shakespeare

There are three sets of Caputo stores, owned separately by relatives. The stores you refer to are Angelo Caputo's Fresh Markets.

Complete list of Caputo family stores

_________________
LAZ
Dining Chicago
Index to LTHForum Recipes, 2004-2008

I have shopped Joe Caputo & Sons', on Randall Road in Algonquin every week since it opened.
We buy all our meats, deli, cheese, seafood, most produce, dairy and Italian specialties there.
For staples we visit Woodman's once a month. Or occasionally forage into ALDI's for their staples.
I must say that the deli and the seafood have the best selections and prices within 20 miles of Algonquin. Other food stores in the area just do not have the variety of deli meats, cheese and fresh fish that this Algonquin store has. The only problem with this Joe Caputo is that Meijers usually has better quality apples, pears and other round fruits primarily because Meijers has their fruit shipped and displayed in individually cratered Styrofoam layers, almost zero bruises and the fruit quality is more consistent. Joe Caputo overall has great produce but if you want dinosaur kale or red or green chard, it is at Meijers. Caputo has great quality in tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and most green vegetables and melons, potatoes.

The meat at Caputo is great and great prices. Never had a bad meat buy there.
Then again since I grew up in a full service Italian Grocery I do know meat and produce.

Joe Caputo & Sons', on Randall Road in Algonquin a comment about their bakery and hot food service. Both are OK but both are easily surpassed by the bakery and the kitchen at Joseph's in Crystal Lake.

Overall I have not felt the need to visit Jewel or Dominick's for anything since Joe Caputo & Sons', on Randall Road in Algonquin (and Woodman's) opened a couple years ago.

Hi,

I get to Joe Caputo's about 4 times a year and it seems to get better with every visit.

There have always been wonderful bargains and excellent quality in the fresh market. Recently, I have noticed some enticing things in the meat department.

Fresh, split veal knuckles are almost too cheap.
Top blade steaks are marked as 'flat iron steaks" but you can request a 6" thick steak and cut them into flat irons at home.
Lots of lamb cuts.
French cut pork chops.

How can the Fresh Market and Whole Food compete with Joe Caputo's????

Tim

Just was at Joe Caputo's Algonquin a few minutes ago. I always look for Manager's Specials in the meat department. Today I bought 4 thick veal chops at the ridiculous price of 4.99 per LB. Normally 2x or 3x that price.

Right now, there are a number of Joseph's Marketplace refugees heading to Joe Caputo's. Joseph's in Crystal Lake is closed until the landlord rebuilds the roof.

While Caputo's is similar and carries a lot of the same item, it does not "cut it". The produce is more expensive and not as good. Also, they no longer seem to have a hot food counter at Caputo's, at least at 7 pm.

Having moved into the city now, I miss Joe Caputo's in Palatine the most! I try to stop by whenever I'm in the burbs visiting family. Nothing compares to their variety, quality and prices near us.

_________________
Twitter

That place has went downhill big time.
That use to be my favorite place to shop.
Now every piece of meat looks like crap.
I get spoiled smelling pork, slimy chicken...uggg
I won't go there anymore after 3 solid years of shopping there.
I assume all Caputos are like this now....

WTF is this? Your specious claim about all stores based on one that is not even the same chain makes me question why you joined today just to slam. Perhaps an angry unionized Dominicks employee? I googled this Angelo Caputo's store and found mostly positive reviews on the web.

Joe Caputo is in Algonquin, Palatine and Des Plaines
http://www.joecaputoandsons.com/

Angelo Caputo is in Addison, Bloomingdale, Elmwood Park, Hanover Park, Nashville-Plainfield, South Elgin
http://www.caputomarkets.com/

Caputo Cheese Market is in Melrose Park and Lake Forest
(over 1000 cheeses, retail and wholesale)
http://www.wisconcorp.com/caputocheese.html

THEY ARE ALL FAMILY RELATED BUT ARE THREE totally DIFFERENT BUSINESSES.

I've been shopping at Caputo's in Algonquin since they opened, several times a week. It's a great store, fabulous deli and meat dept. I've never had a problem with the meat there, as we have with Meijer's. We quit shopping at both Jewel and Dominicks the day the opened. However, I found out today they are opening a Fresh Market in Crystal Lake this fall. I'm fairly quivering, frankly. I'll continue to support my wonderful Caputo's for the majority of my purchases, but I am really excited about an upscale grocer coming to the area!

They also announced that in Barrington a store named HEINEN out of Cleveland suburbs will open.
Checked their weekly ads on the .net and their prices are higher than Jewel or Dominick's, and these are sale items.

Heinen's is a service based operation, similar to Sunset Foods. They are appealing to a higher end crowd; offering a more upscale experience. So yes, their prices do tend to be a bit higher. If they make it in Barrington, I expect you'll see more stores opening up in other well to do neighborhoods. You won't likely see one within the city limits of Chicago.

Their Cleveland customers love them and are very loyal. They swear by Heinen's meats and prepared foods.

We'll see it they are as readily accepted here.

Buddy

You do not go to Heinen's for price - they are amont the highest in Cleveland. What draws the crowd is the service. They take your groceries to the car. They fave butchers and produce guys who know their product.

It is NOT my cup of tea, but they are a first rate market that would match up with the Dierburgs and Wegmans of teh world.

I am trying to understand the Caputo in Algonquin. They advertise VOLPI prosciutto at 6.99 LB and then when you get there they say they are out and substitute Daniele prosciutto. This has happened 2 times a month for several months. I may have to escalate this thing.

I do like the DELI kiosk right when you enter the store and you can input the DELI order and by the time you get to the DELI, 10-15 minutes later, it is ready. Beats waiting 15-20 minutes in line at the DELI. Outside of the prosciutto situation never had a problem problem with advance ordering.

Heinen's is opening in the former Dominick's at 1020 Waukegan Rd in Glenview. http://glenview.suntimes.com/news/17070 ... nview.html

_________________
"A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine, something Brussels sprouts never do."
-- P. J. O’Rourke"