Dave's Marketplace (Cumberland)

Rhode Island offers a plethora of Supermarkets and Discount Warehouse clubs. When I heard of a locally-owned retailer offering top quality food, me and the wife agreed that we needed to explore this potential hidden gem. We headed off to the market to explore.

Unfortunately, Dave could not live up to our the great expectations. A Marketplace implies a great selection, something I did not see. Other markets offer rare fruits and vegetables, and Dave's only offered common selections. What was worse, the price for the common fruits and vegetables exceeded what I originally considered pricey. I did find some interesting Jams made by Massachusetts Trappist monks, but there was not a wide selection of local ingredients and locally produced goods.

Dave's offered free coffee, something I did enjoy. It was perfectly brewed and had a wonderful flavor. Free coffee, though, does not excuse grossly overpriced products.

Now my experience is only limited to the Cumberland location, so please don't hold the entire franchise to my review. I do not know if all locations suffer from what I consider faults, but I doubt that the store in North Kingston or Warwick differ that much. I might venture to Dave's again, but there was nothing there to make me want to go. There were no rare products not available anywhere else nor were the prices worth the extra drive. Aside from these nitpicks, the place was clean and all of the food looked wonderful.

http://www.davesmarketplace.com/

Rating: C