Draeger’s Market

Overall, I LOVE this grocery store. Love love love it.
Space: 5 stars, wonderful. Nicely spread out and organized isles
Selection: 5 stars. Do you need artisanal chocolate? Maybe cheese? Whatever you could possibly want from a fine grocer its here.
Parking: 5 stars. Along with street parking there’s also a lot right next to the grocery store.
I drive from SF to come here to grocery shop and its worth the trip every time.

It is so hard to review Draegers. The wine section is awesome and reasonable prices. The produce section is very good but not cheap. The meats (really a butcher since they don’t have pre-​packaged meat) and cheese is wonderful but very expensive. Other items are usually not cheap, but they do have some high quality stuff.
However, my problem is with the checkout lines. Even though there may be dozens and dozens of people working there, you are only going to get one, or two if you are lucky, employees working the checkout. And I always seem to be behind the people who want to pay with a check.
So, I swing by when I need wine or am looking for some great produce, but not usually for staples given the cost and the potential to have a long checkout experience.

+ convenient parking
+ friendly staff
+ availability of hard to find items (e.g. fresh horseradish root)
— pricier than other markets
wish it were closer to the city!
(‿)

Love the products they have and options on soups. Most people that works here are nice. But I have to say that the deli section can be a little nicer to people. Five different men and none can give you a decent manners. Also they move slower than most melting glaciers. Would not compare them to snails. The insult will be on the snails population. Wouldn’t dare to compare them to that. On top of that they treat people with so little care that I wondered if Thank you, please and excuse me I been standing here giving you eyes contact for the last ten minutes mean anything??? Price are expensive and food in deli sections is mediocre. Not enough to rave or crave about.

This is quite a spacious market. It’s rather pricey for me. One of my old managers used to commute all the way out here to pick up pies for and bring them to the office for Thanksgiving. The pies were pretty good, as is the wine selection. It’s cool that it is attached to the Viognier restaurant.

More upscale than the most upscale Andronico’s and Whole Foods combined, with *some* extremely pricey items (generally corresponding to rarity), Draeger’s also has surprisingly competitively priced beer, wine, and liquor. The kitchen gadgets upstairs range from ordinary to strange, but the ordinary ones are also ordinarily priced.
If you’re looking for exotic olive oil, or exotic cheese, or an exotic hunk of animal flesh, you’ve come to the right place. If you like chocolates and chocolate truffles, a good bet too. Expensive/​exotic lotions/​soaps/​bath-​stuff, upstairs to the left. And as mentioned above, beer/​wine/​liquor, also fine. The liquor specials are outstanding!
If you’re looking for expensive homeopathic placebos you should stick to Whole Foods.
However, if you are looking for produce or ordinary Mediterranean items or peculiar Polish/​Russian sausage and ham, you should go to Dean’s Produce a block and a half up the street, where prices on those items are 20−70% lower. For anything Japanese-​ish or Hawaiian-​ish (which Drager’s doesn’t have anyway) there is Suruki also on 4^th, a block up the street on the other side.
I walk by Draeger’s/Suruki/Dean’s every day on the way back from work so I’m all set. :-)

Dragers is like a Whole Foods on steroids.
I really enjoy their selection of baked goods and meats, and their service is always incredibly friendly and polite. I rarely wait more than a few moments at their meat counter, and while they tend to have longer lines due to only having 1 – 2 registers open — I find myself drawn to their allergen baked goods section and their green soaps and detergent.
That being said their meat is overpriced and is $ 5 more per pound for the exact same brand than the grocer down the way. So you’re paying for that thoughtful décor and those pink baked goods bedecked with bows. It’s a bit like shopping at that store you love to walk around in, but only buy the small items at. Because, you know, you enjoy owning money.
That being said, their cooking classes are on our list to try and one of these days I intend to bring some of their cookies to work. I just know — I’m definitely being upcharged for my experience.

Seriously the best place to go grocery shopping. International food galore! Wine tasting section, cooking school on the 2^nd floor. The bakery has temptations to die for. Variety of hot and cold food to choose from and tons of different soups. You can have them make custom sandwiches. BLTs are my fave and they cook the bacon fresh as they make the sandwich. They also have Alfajores! There’s so much more… and the service is awesome. At other grocery markets. it’s like the workers are all incompetent to get things done or assist you.

Excellent gourmet selection. Love the cheeses and that they sell foie gras! The store itself is well lit and clean and they carry a great selection of everything. Prices are on the higher side (whole foods comparable) but it IS a high end market so what do you expect?

If I lived in San Mateo I’d be in big trouble, because there’s a lot to like about Draeger’s. This was my first ever visit to a Draeger’s, and I really enjoyed walking around this supermarket. But let’s get 1 thing clear — this is not your ordinary supermarket. As you walk in the entrance, you are immediately greeted with a beautiful floral section. The bakery/​chocolate counter has Leonidas chocolate, which is nowhere to be found in the Los Angeles area. The candy aisle has all kind of fancy imported hard candy and chocolate bars from Europe. There must be 10 different kinds of hot soup that you serve yourself. Every aisle is beautifully organized. It reminds me of Gelsons, when Gelsons was in Pasadena.
The upstairs has sections for cookbooks, candles, cookware & kitchen gadgets, & a restaurant. It’s like going to 3 or 4 different stores, but you can knock it out in 1 trip. Good thing I don’t live closer to this place — I’d be spending all of my money here.

Love going here for specialty treats and finer wines. My kids love the bakery section which consist of sweets (chocolates, truffles, pastries, cookies, cakes, macarons) from local vendors. The petit fours are my recommendation for their quality and they are adorable mini treats :)

As if Draeger’s Market needs another great review… I’ll share my experience anyway:
I happen to get some of their products as a thoughtful gift from a friend. I am from Germany and recently moved to California. So my husband and I got a German bottle of Riesling, Rougette cheese AND German potato salad!
So far we have only tried the potato salad and as a German gal I can say: It truly tastes like home — very authentic! Very, very delicious and great seasoning.
The prices are higher than they would be at a common supermarket, yes. But you know what? Especially with food I think people should appreciate its’ value more.
The bottle of wine we’ll save for a special occasion — I am so excited!

This is where the elite and the old guard shop. Which makes it a good spot to find beautiful gifts.
But other than that, i dont normally come here, too expensive.

Such an awesome store! It’s a friendly and welcoming environment. The desserts and pastries always look yummy. Besides the grocery store downstairs, there is also a restaurant and a shop full of kitchen stuff. There’s a wide selection of freshly made food and a great butcher counter. You can’t go wrong getting your wine there too. They have a huge selection to choose from. Plenty of parking outside and downstairs. Located in downtown San Mateo, it is walking distance to many restaurants and cafes. This Draegers has been here for a long time but it’s been updated and well kept. Love this store!

I had a terrible experience with one of the cashiers and will not be returning to shop here. It was maybe 9pm on a Friday and a friend and I were buying some groceries and some hard cider. I asked for one bag and told the cashier I would carry it from the bottom. The guy bagging used two because he thought my groceries were heavy and the cashier told him that I was cheap and only paid for one and that he didn’t care of the bag broke because he doesn’t make the rules and that’s what I paid for. THEN I had given the cashier my ID for the cider and went to swipe my card and he yelled at me to «LOOK UP» so he could indeed verify that it was my ID. I have never been treated this rudely… especially when I am a regular customer at this location and have been nothing but nice to this cashier every time I’ve checked out in his lane. Management needs to crack down on this poor and discriminatory treatment of its customers. I will not be returning to any of their locations. Ever.

Tiramisu cake is amazing!!!
Not too sweet.
I like the moist bitter sponge of the bottom and the cream of the top.

Looked really cool but the management made me sad. For Christmas we received a nice gift from a family member, unfortunately it did not match the décor in our house. When returning it we found that even with a gift receipt we can only get store credit… we live in San Diego, they only have stores in San Francisco… Management said that it was their store policy and we should try using it online… to sign up for a cooking class… in San Francisco… thanks Draeger’s. :) Why offer gift receipts?

Draeger is not your average grocery store. You cannot compare the store to your regular Trader Joe’s, Safeway, and other local market. It’s not the same. Draeger’s Market usually have a higher price tag when compared to you regular market at your local store. But there is a reason for it.
First of all, the store is well maintenance and the staff members are super friendly and well trained. The store itself it’s super clean and everything are well-​putted. If you have questions for the staff, they are always there and are friendly to work with.
Secondly, they have a wide range of selection for a lot of items from chocolate, kitchenware, alcohol, etc. You get the point. You are paying for a premium to have more variety of goods to chose from. Also, they do have some items that are considered as «High-​end goods» which may be another reason for having a higher premium when compared to other stores.
Overall, if you cannot find something in your regular Safeway, Trader Joe’s, whole food’s, etc. May be then give this place a try. You might be able to find something that you like and enjoy for having.

Crème de la Crème of grocery shopping! (Equal to Whole Foods)
Lots of goodies here as far the deli, bakery, and floral shop goes.
Regular grocery items, veggies, meats, and frozen items are available as well but SUPER expensive!
The spinach dip in the deli section is my favorite. Good selection of wines too.
The upstairs is pretty cool too, lots of gift ideas, cards, seasonal décor, and cookware.
They have a restaurant attached as well, which I’ve been to for dessert only.
Not the cheapest option when it comes to your grocery shopping, but nice to treat yourself once in a blue moon!

This place is sooo cool! I’m not about reviewing supermarkets but this is like a high end version of Whole Foods (and Whole Foods is pretty high end). They have a lot of local made soaps, food, chocolates! Really unique items and a great place to get gifts.

Lots of fun high-​end stuff here. Fancy shmancy oils, vinegars, deli items like terrines and sausages, animal proteins of all kinds, produce… I love this store.
In particular I come here to get marrow bones cut lengthwise for roasting. The employees are always friendly and helpful.
A tip if you need anything from the meat department cut with a saw — come early. I came at 8 PM a couple of weeks ago and was told the saw was already retired for the night.
Not the cheapest place, of course, but fun to peruse and occasionally treat yo’ self.

Items here are on the pricey side so I do not suggest buying items that you can buy at a regular grocery store. I go here to buy local confections, local hot sauces & bbq sauces and the more unique drinks. When you first walk in, you’re greeted with a huge display of sweets. Down the aisle along the front, they sell coffee if you need a pick me up. There’s a nice selection of wine and cheese if you have to entertain unexpected guests (or you forgot to pick something up for a nice dinner at home or at a friend’s). Prepared foods are located in the front of the store by the cashiers. They also sell flowers if you’re in need of those as well. Love browsing the kitchen area to see gadgets that maybe useful (I buy them elsewhere tho). Bathrooms are upstairs where the lovely smelling lotions, perfumes and oils are located.

Just to be clear: this review is based solely on the «customer service» my wife and I experienced the other day. We like their produce and the idea of supporting a (relatively) local business.
This past Sunday, my wife and I stopped by the store to pick up some random groceries. We stopped by the deli counter and upon noticing an interesting-​sounding but unfamiliar cheese, I asked the deli worker if I could sample some. Noting that it was a slow afternoon with no other customer in sight, we were fairly shocked when the man responded with a condescending, annoyed look and response of: «Really? Why don’t you try the free samples behind you instead?» Seeing how he clearly did not want to help us, we paid for our items and left with a foul taste in our mouths.
I have never experienced that sort of unprofessional, demeaning attitude at other groceries when making similar requests. If it truly is company policy to not allow samples of fresh cheese, then a simple, polite explanation would suffice.

I love the mom and pop feel of this place. I pass this on the daily as I’m a commuter from the south bay who happens to work in Downtown SM.
The only reason for this 3 star review is for the premium price paid on their products. Not to sound extremely cheap because I can only hope they pay their employee’s well for charging such a premium. But common, $ 9.99/lb for a salad from the salad bar?
Very fresh, very delicious but sometimes I find myself leaving with a $ 12-​$ 15 dollar salad. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind splurging once in a while since I don’t make THAT much money but if I had salad here every day, I’d be a broke as a joke techie.
Worth checking out, nice foods, but just don’t go crazy on the salad bar. :)

Draeger’s is my go-​to spot for:
+Wines
+Beers/​Ciders
+Imported cheese
+Charcuterie
+Fancy ice cream
They have an absolutely outstanding assortment of all these things, and it’s easy to walk away with a hefty bill without even realizing it. As a grocery store, however, it’s incredibly expensive, possibly more than Whole Foods. The type of people who shop here are typically older and quite wealthy (or stay-​at-​home-​moms with rich tech spouses).
Come for the treat-​yo-​self-​moments, but stick with your regular market for the staples.

Walked in to this place and was instantly excited. First of all, it’s pretty. And on top of that, you’ll find pretty much anything you want/​need. It’s basically just a really good supermarket that also has a bakery and a sushi bar. I love the salad bar and the incredible cheese selection. I have no doubt I’m going to be here a lot.

We stopped by in the hopes of getting some after-​dinner sweets. Unfortunately, we showed up literally two minutes before closing. Fortunately, however, the baker was extremely nice and patient with us. Everything looked almost too good to eat!
My friend and I settled on the individual Mango Mousse, individual Strawberry Mousse, and two Demitasse Petits Fours — yes, all that for two people after we had just eaten a big dinner. Judge away. The mousses were so light and airy, and the mango mousse had actual chunks of mango in it. I wasn’t a huge fan of the thin cake wrapped around the bottom of the mousses, because it was a little dry and didn’t add much except for decoration. But the mousses in general were delicious! The petits fours were either vanilla, chocolate, or almond cake, filled with some type of fruit jam or flavored buttercream. The baker told us it’s like a surprise in every bite because even she didn’t know what flavors were in which ones. I bit into the most amazing almond cake I have ever had, with a sweet and slightly tangy raspberry jam. Such a heavenly bite. So much so that I just had to buy a whole box of them to bring into work with me to share. Will definitely be back for more!

My boyfriend and I stopped in to pick up dessert for dinner at a friends house and to kill some time. Whenever I’m invited to a dinner party, I always stop at their bakery to pick up something as there’s a huge selection of delicious chocolates, petit fours, cookies, cupcakes and fancy cakes and tarts! The young lady that helped us at the dessert counter was really nice and she allowed us to keep our box of goodies in the refrigerator while we looked around.
I had never bought or ordered anything at the deli but it was a couple of hours before dinner and my bf was starving so he ordered a custom sandwich at the deli counter. I wasn’t going to order anything but I have a soft spot for tuna melts and saw it on their hot plates counter, so I ordered one.
The really tall young man that helped us at the deli counter was super nice and helpful. He asked if I wanted produce in my tuna melt so I got lettuce, tomato and pickles and it was the biggest and best tuna melt I’ve ever had… it also came with a small side I could pick from the deli! My bf’s sandwich was ginormous and chock full of cheese, fresh lettuce, tomatoes and pickles and delicious! We usually go to Ike’s for our sandwiches but we were sooo pleasantly surprised how much good food we got from the deli at this highend grocery store. Each sandwich was literally 2 meals! We will definitely order sandwiches from the deli again!
I asked the man where I can put a tip for him and he said no, it’s okay but he appreciates the thought. Excellent service!

If I was a millionaire, I would buy a fancy car, live in a mansion, and throw extravagant parties. And I’d shop at Draeger’s. All. The. Time.
This place is a mecca for anyone who loves to cook and/​or eat. The bakery is huge and their fresh baked bread selection is amazing from crackly sourdough to cheesy boules. The prepared foods section is a lazy eater’s delight, with the soup section alone taking up about a mile in the middle of the store. The seafood is super fresh and they have an assortment of items that I never see at my regular grocery store.
Oh, and they have a really great selection of food related gifts like the latest cookbooks and gadgets in case you need to buy a quick gift for the food fiend in your life. But be wary, you will be paying through the nose for this fantastic foodiness. I mean, this place makes Whole Foods look cheap. And the grocery and checkout clerks are downright mean. I guess, that just contributes to the foodie ambience, no?

Draeger’s is my favorite upscale grocery in the Peninsula. They have a great selection of alcohol, fine foods, an amazing selection of chocolates and desserts. They seem to have every brand and ingredient known to man. Generally overpriced, but a good selection of very fresh ingredients. If you’re looking for a hard to find item this is a great place to start. The majority of the stuff they carry are fairly high end and comes with high price tags. Staff is exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable. There is an easy parking in the underground lot, too.
Their wine area is well stocked and the guy in charge is very knowledgeable. They have a great selection of all wines French. I love their beautiful little flower shop. They also have cooking classes upstairs and an amazing collection of kitchenware. I haven’t tried any of their seafood, since I know I could get them at a much lower price in local SF seafood markets for the same freshness. Draeger’s will be appreciated by cooks and food lover all around. It is a fine cuisine grocery mart.

A wonderful place to stroll around and be entertained at the sheer amount of stuff they have here. It reminded me so much of Whole Foods on it’s first floor– with every specialty food department in existence. Tons of prepared foods, a huge salad and soup bar, bakery, produce, groceries, beverages, etc.
But where Draeger’s separates itself from Whole Foods is up on its second floor where it resembles a Macy’s –home goods and kitchen goods everywhere.
Yes, the food is expensive, but everything I looked at sure seemed worth the price.