Dean’s Produce

Deans is kinda like my one stop shop.
Their meat is $ 5 per pound less than Dragers down the street, and even though they don’t have someone staffing the deli counter full time, they always come out quickly to help you when you ask the cashier. I even like that the meat comes in a ziplock bag, unlike Dragers paper wrapping.
They have a great selection of Kevitas (the tonic especially), carry my baby carrots, my honey’s sucuk, and their fresh baked sourdough bread is always a nice mix with the pickles they sell.
The service is always incredibly friendly and quick and I never wait that long in line to be helped. I’ve almost stopped going to Safeway all together because Deans has me covered. They only thing they don’t carry are flowers — and if I’m in a bind I can go to Edmunds down the way.
All in all, I’ll keep returning, every experience I have is fantastic!

Great little market right in downtown San Mateo, with a wide variety of vegetables, spices, fruits, and packaged goods with a sligh lean in favor of items Mediterranean /​Russian /​Middle Eastern tastes. Particular highlights include the constantly up-​to-​date fresh fruit selection, the large selection of both fresh and organic produce, and the Boar’s Head meat counter to the left of the entrance.
Lesser known but definite must-​try items would be any of the locally dried/​cured/​smoked/​roasted nuts and sundries to the right of the entrance and the fruit specials right next to the checkout counter — have even scored bags of mangosteen when in season!
Definitely worth a visit anytime, as they also have a nice spread of snacks and drinks if you’re looking for something to nibble on while in the area.

Anything that you can get here instead of Draeger’s, do it! This is a small slightly cramped store containing excellent INEXPENSIVE produce, a range of Mediterranean items, and some oddities that appear geared toward a Russian/​Polish expat crowd that, well, I don’t know where they live in San Mateo. But if you want Polish bacon roll and a handful of vastly stranger items, this is your place.
The selection of canned and frozen goods seems to vary over time although not as annoyingly as a place like TJ’s. As a low-​carb eater I hope that the frozen kebabs stay around for a long time. Delicious dipped in the Haig’s tzatziki (about a dollar cheaper here than at Draeger’s).
Thumbs up!

We are here at least once a week. Was so thrilled when they opened a few years ago since there really was a lack of reasonably priced produce (you know who you are overpriced grocery stores). I’ve been coming here every since!
They have better produce for cheaper prices than my local Safeway. Plus they let my young daughter shoplift bananas. I fully intent on paying for the bananas but little tike will go feral and just chomp on it before we even get to cashier. I’ve always offered to pay more on the days when I can’t keep her from eating the produce… but they have always been kind enough to give it to us for free.
As an Aussie I also welcome the nice collection of Cadbury chocolates and European sweets. I often do a good portion of my Christmas shopping here to make up nice gift baskets for my Aussie, British and New Zealander friends.

Likes: 6 for $ 1! So much cheaper than Safeway’s 2 for $ 1.
Sausage Heaven: this is our second place for the variety and specialty sausages (outside of going to Taylor’s Sausages in Oakland).

One of the best produce markets around San Mateo area with mostly reasonable prices and quality food.
This place has a lot of fresh produce for every pocket size. I got an organic green apple a size of a little melon for almost ~$ 4 once, which is quite expensive for my taste. However, there are great green olives in a pretty big jar for only ~$ 7.
They also have some greek and Israeli products, freshly baked bread, milk, cheese, chocolate and other delicious food.
Love this place, constantly there buying something good!

This Place is my favorite store to go to for produce. Nice selection and best prices I’ve seen so far in the area! Lots of international foods to browse as well. It’s amazing how much they can pack into a small store. I come here about once per week.
Street metered parking only.
Highly recommend the yogurt covered pretzels. :)

My favorite store in US! Great choice of fruits and vegetables, great prices.

While I don’t stop by Dean’s on a regular basis, maybe once a month when shopping in downtown San Mateo, when I do stop by I’ve been thrilled with the quality of strawberries. If based in my neighborhood would no doubt be a more regular customer.

Dean’s Produce isn’t necessarily where I would come to do the bulk of my grocery shopping, but the boy and I do make a point of coming here for very specific products:
+IMPORTED SAUSAGES
+EXOTIC (ish) FRUITS
+HARDER-​TO-​FIND CONDIMENTS
+FRESH BAKED GOODS
They have tons of unique European goods, and it’s relatively affordable (if you don’t buy mangosteen, at least!).

There is a lot of foreign goods here that would make me come back here. I saw lots of Russian dumplings in the freezer section, which is awesome because I feel like this is quite difficult to find in the wild. They also have a variety of European sweets, like Kinder and these chocolate malt balls.
The produce itself looks okay and not that expensive. There isn’t a meat counter here but they do have some packaged meats available.

I’m extremely happy with the variaty of food that this place has. I was looking for a good hummus and I was able to find it here (hafla). I was looking for a good spicy and non liquid German mustard (lowensenf), and this place had it. My wife loves the fruit selection here and I love the salted fish which I couldn’t find anywhere else. Danny and the other people in the store are always friendly and helpful. (However, they did not try ALL the mustards:)) The prices are fair and its close to my house (Not a helpful review detail I guess, but still)
Love the place, recommend to all, 5 stars!

Dean’s Market, to people in the know, is the place to go for international produce and groceries. My favorite section, of course is the area where they have $ 1 avocados and baked goods from local bakeries. They also sell this specific muesli brand that I only had in Australia– yes!
The prices for «regular» groceries, e.g., Chobani yogurt, are a little above average. Except for the Nutella. It’s super cheap here. The produce look great and well prices, on-​par with Safeway.

TL;DR — Good place to buy cheap produce and some hard to find groceries.
There’s so many different things and its not like one of those markets that mark up their prices because they claim to be fancy and whatnot. Dean’s is honest and fair and about pricing and their produce is pretty fresh!

I used to shop at Safeways for my produce but no longer. This place has fresh fruits and veggies at a better price and wider selection than what I used to see at Safeway. I juice a few times a week and I am sold that Dean’s Produce is my best choice around where I live.

If I were ‘Dean’, then I’d change my store’s name to reflect what’s really going on within its walls. Dean’s Produce really is more of a Produce and International Products shop, the latter of which makes Dean’s quite rare ’round these parts, indeed. (Psst! There’s also a Dean’s in Millbrae, so, not completely rare, I guess.)
Beyond the very decent fruit and veg selection, from both local and int’l growers, one can find specialty foods such as Weisswurst in jars, massive containers* of black olives from Lebanon and beyond, feta cheese from various countries, British mainstay McVities Digestives, Ritter Sport Schokolade from the Fatherland and the list goes on and on.
Bringing the focus back to the states, Dean’s also sells a lot of items produced here in No. Cal, among them are bread loaves from Bay Area bakers, free-​range eggs from Sonoma Co., and cheese from Marin.
I’d be a Dean’s shopper regardless, but, as an ex-​expat, I find myself going to Dean’s when I’m feeling especially ‘homesick’ for Europe.
*Aaaand I go to Dean’s when I’m in need of righteously large glass jars for my lighting needs. (See picture.)

Several good reasons to go here:
1. Fresh vegetables and produce
2. Great selection
3. Low prices
I feel stupid that I have been buying produce at Nob Hill Foods. Doesn’t even compare to Dean’s

If you are looking for affordable fresh produce and eclectic international snacks/​foods, this is the place to be. Most fruits and veggies are cheaper than Safeway and seem locally sourced. For other groceries like basic eggs, milk, yogurt, etc., you probably will get better prices elsewhere.
If you’re looking for fancy European chocolates and snacks, you can find them here as well. Love this little market in San Mateo!

Affordable European grocery stores are great but affordable European grocery stores that play Gogol Bordello over the speakers are greater.
Enter: Dean’s.
* Well laid out, plenty of perusing room but not overwhelming.
* Pretty unbeatable prices on Nutella.
* Not a fabulous selection of cheese, but whatever.
* Fresh breads and herbed pitas from other area bakeries.
* Gorgeous fruit and vegetable selection — not a bruise to be seen.
* Clean as can be.
* Stellar prices on bulk nuts, mixes, and candies (specifically pepitas– of which they had 4 different varieties)
* KINDER EGG CHOCOLATES
* Jars of lupini beans (love those waxy little suckers)
* My first taste of Dutch Crunch
What’s not to love about this varied and affordable grocer in downtown San Mateo?

What a great addition to downtown San Mateo!
With Draeger’s just down the street selling some very similar items I think they are going to notice a drop in sales from their international section as prices here at Dean’s are considerably lower.
I was especially excited to hear that they stocked some item’s from my homeland yet upon visiting I found that most of those items were Chocolate (Crunchy, Time Out, Flake, Aero, Smarties, Galaxy, Lion bar ect). I had been missing this Chocolate dearly yet recently I haven’t been into Chocolate so much but it’s great to know that should I have a craving for them I know where to come as prices are a steal at $ 1.29 each! Powell’s charge $ 1.99 for these and Rocket Fizz $ 2.29.
Other British items I was pleased to find were Jacobs Cream Crackers, PG Tips, Branston Pickle ($ 5.99 as opposed to Draeger’s costing $ 7.49 last time I purchased some) and Crumpet’s ($ 2.99) Not by a brand I have ever heard of but Crumpets nonetheless. *TIP* These are amazing lightly toasted with Honey… You’re welcome!
They also have many other international items from Turkey, Greece, Italy ect at very reasonable prices as well as some of the freshest Fruits and Vegetables I have seen. 16oz of Strawberries here are just $ 2.59 and they’re so plump and juicy. Their dried fruits and nuts selection is also very impressive, they have a huge shelf dedicated to them
Hours are slightly limited (7am-​7pm) and credit cards are only accepted for purchases $ 5 and over.