Sassafras Market

Top marks for the tastiest chicken salad in a 6 block radius of my work. Great selection of products for a little shop. Delicious multigrain bread for the sandwiches (tasted like Metropolitan to me but not sure). Just a really solid mainstay in the area.
The only downside is the slightly exorbitant pricing for the dried goods grocery section. I get you are a small business with low purchasing power but realizing I paid $ 2 for an individual cereal cup was a bit of a shock! Overall though, a solid lunch spot & great selection of snacks and pre-​packaged cold items.

Grateful to have this place in the hood — great selection & variety. It is a small corner shop which serves the community well. Great sandwiches & just about every chip option you would ever consider pairing with your order!
For all the critics, it is not a national /​chain store — therefore the prices are going to be higher (if you don’t understand the basics of a retail /​wholesale distribution model — Google if for crying out loud). The staff is friendly & always helpful — I once asked them to start carrying a favorite iced tea they didn’t carry — and they added it to their inventory. For the people crying about the $ 10 minimum– I don’t get it. They have a ATM in the store, so you can always get cash for your purchase. So maybe you are just pissed off about your own personal finances? Small businesses have a different set of operational challenges — if they don’t fit into your lifestyle, head on over to a Walmart or other big box stores. Love this corner market!

Very convenient, wide selection of products and great sandwiches. So glad Sassafras is so close by.

It’s rare that I find the need to do this, but this was the last straw. I’ve been living in the neighborhood for years, and typically only come here when I desperately need to. They rigidly adhere to their $ 10 card minimum, with no exceptions. Well, when you only need one or two items at a time, $ 10 is a bit much to spend.
But that’s not the point. I’m used to this. It was the b**** of a cashier that really pissed me off. As my total reached $ 9.69, I just asked if she could run my card. She said «no, $ 10 rule». I asked again, stating that I’m here all the time and if she could just do me the favor (mind you, this has been done for me before in the past). Again, it was a solid no. I awkwardly stood there. Waited. She FINALLY said, I can charge you $ 10 and give you 30 cents back.
That would have been fine, if you just offered that to me in the first place without an argument and dirty look.
This attitude won’t really get you far once the new CVS down the street opens next week, which has NO card minimum and NO attitude! I can’t wait.

We visited this deli 3 times while visiting Philly for 5 days!!! I fell in love. The prices are excellent and the sandwiches are the best I ever had. Hubs enjoyed the Italian hoagie and I got the tuna wrap once and the Cajun turkey twice!

This place has definitely stepped up their customer service! I am a regular customer again! Thank you!

Sassafras offers a wide variety of products, BUT the produce is not very fresh (ex: this past Saturday I struggled to find a red onion that was NOT soggy/​half rotten). And while I am sympathetic to small business overhead cost management, I was less than $ 0.30 from the «required» $ 10 minimum for credit card purchases (note: merchants cannot require a minimum for DEBIT card purchases) and was forced to buy something else to push my total bill over $ 10.
Sassafras Market is OK for last minute needs but will be on the lookout for other markets to fulfill routine grocery needs.

Quite the corner market here! With our office right around the corner, my coworkers and I frequently hit this place up for lunch and sometimes to grab a bagel for breakfast. The things to get are definitely the sandwiches and wraps. I give the mesquite turkey two thumbs up.
The one thing I am not a fan of is that their salads are all pre made. I am a big salad fan, especially for lunch, so it’s unfortunate that I can’t get a good one here.

A bit pricey but you will find everything you need here. From Gum to fresh fruit.

Sassafras has been a neighborhood staple for as long as I’ve lived here. They have everything you can imagine in this market… groceries, fresh fruits/​veggies, deli, and a great selection for a corner market. Love the people here, especially Reggie. He’s the best!

This is a great corner market. Great location and they have everything I ever needed…

I think Sassafras has been in Old City since 1997. While the staff is not as friendly or helpful as the owners at Torchwood down the street, the prices are lower and are displayed on the items. Yes, the items are priced higher than Super Fresh, but you are paying for the convenience. I do not mind that the credit card limit is $ 10. That seems fair. Their deli is terrific. And their sandwiches and soups are delicious too. Their soups are more reasonably priced than Torchwood who charges $ 7.00 for a large soup. Here a large soup is about $ 3.50 and the soup is equally good. And they deliver. Last year I had a broken ankle and ordered from here a few times. The delivery man, I think his name is Reggie; he is the nicest person who works here. Not only did he deliver my groceries he put them away for me. If I can, I shop here rather than Torchwood because it is more reasonably priced

It’s a great deli, they have such a variety of things that you could buy if you don’t really feel like going to the market. We usually come here during our breaks from work because we are so close. It’s very convenient, it’s in a great location and the staff are nice. They do take debit/​credit but there is a $ 10 minimum.

Sassafras is a couple blocks from where I live. I love these little shops that have a unique selection of items. Need a deli sandwich or some fruit? How about some veggies? Interestingly, they carry a salad dressing variety that I have searched about 3 other grocery stores for and could not find.
They also have a unique selection of chips, cookies, pasta, and other quick meal ideas. Need a certain spice that you forgot at the store? They have a huge collection of cooking spices here. I think it is a nice touch. Plus, it gives me a nice feeling to support a smaller business instead of the local Wawa.

Convenient, but not at all a convenience mart.
Excellent selection of all sorts of groceries, including canned goods and dairy stuff. Today I got sauerkraut, crackers, couscous in a box, canned baked beans, butter, bacon, eggs, bread, cream cheese, muenster cheese, potato salad, peanut butter, plastic bags, cold cuts, apples, and canned soup.
The only drawback: pricey. My two bags of groceries cost $ 71. At a supermarket it would have been more like $ 45 – 50.

I would only go here if you are in a «oh sh*t I forgot this» moment after a Super Fresh run.
It has items that are priced higher than chains. The produce items vary, and the fruit selection is even smaller. The credit card limit is horrendous.
With that being said, they have a good chunk of that small space dedication to different kinds of potato chips, if that’s your thing.
I had their Turkey Special, which is turkey, cole slaw and Russian dressing. You get a pretty good portion of turkey, though the dressing ate the bread and made it soggy.

I live around the corner from Sassafras, so this is my go to spot for any basic needs I might have throughout the week. The prices are a bit steep, but I’m willing to pay a convenience charge when need be. The store is pretty big and holds a lot.
There is a basic fresh fruit and veggie section, and a pretty good selection of
pre-​made vegan and veggie sandwiches and sides. There is a deli section too, and sandwiches and hoagies are made to order. The store also offers a selection of various cheeses.
The market has a $ 10 credit card minimum, and there is also an ATM located on premises. The staff is nice too.

What a cute, deceivingly large, market! I ran into Sassafras for a hot second before Thursday night’s Elite Event to grab some ice and was shocked at the spread in what I thought would be a tiny corner store. The place was clean, well-​stocked and had a friendly staff. I wish I had a cute market like this in my neck of the woods.
Ten dollar credit card limit but you probably aren’t spending less than that in a market anyway.
Also, since this is neither 100% gourmet market or grocery store, I’m going to tow the line and list it in both.

This is a very cool place! I work in the area so they are very convenient for me. If you are making your major grocery shopping trip this is probably not the place. They are priced higher than the big chains and that’s to be expected. However for those times when you «just need a few things» these folks are great.
They are also a nice stop for a to-​go lunch. The Hoagies and wraps are really good.
Finally the people are nice and super friendly. This is a great Old City spot.

I would say for old city, it is the best place to get groceries. Though it is a little expensive, and somewhat limited, for it’s size, you can usually get what you need.
They don’t have a ton of meat selection, but their deli is not bad. But as long as you don’t need chicken, hamburger or seafood… they will most likely have it.
Summary:
1. If you are in old city and need something fast– this is the best place to go
2. If it’s before 6pm and you need produce– go to reading terminal just about 8 blocks away… you’ll save the money the taxi costs
3. owners are really nice, and work pretty hard to keep the place stocked and clean
4. prices are not cheap, but it’s cheaper than eating out (most of the time)
5. No alcohol… mulberry market is the closet place for beer…