Choice Market

Choice Market is a great option in a neighborhood that can feel lacking in good pick-up-and-go options. They have tons of delicious looking things in their glass cases, of which I have tried their croissant and chocolate croissant (I have a long way to go). Both are excellent, and note to other cheaps like me, they are marked down after 5. They also offer muffins, scones, loaves, tarts, quiches, cupcakes, breads, and other options along those lines. Prices are standard and so far have proved fair for the quality.

On the far end they offer real food options, like egg dishes in the morning, and salads, sandwiches, paninis, soups, and hot foods by the pound the rest of the day. Of this I have only tried the quiche (individually sized, with mushroom and spinach that day) and a side salad ($7), which made a nice dinner. The quiche was a creamy texture with good flavor, but the crust was a bit limp by the time I got to it. Granted, they were about to close and it was reheated.

I can't wait to try the many other items they have to offer, since they all look delicious. They are also expanding-- you may recognize them from either of the Brooklyn Fleas. They recently opened up Choice Greene a couple of blocks away, which offers carefully picked grocery items, along with fresh fish and meat and cheeses. It's very cute and nicely stocked for the space. More recently opened (so much so that we haven't been yet) is Choice Atlantic, which should prove an oasis on a gross strip on Atlantic. They are setting up their catering operations there but are keeping a small storefront open offering their normal fare. I will be there ASAP. -Laurel

Choice Market is a cute bakery/restaurant that is either really packed or closed. We had walked past it on multiple occasions late at night since I moved here, always craving a tasty snack and always met with a CLOSED sign. Finally, one morning when we were both up earlier than needed, Laurel was kind enough to walk the few blocks to Choice and pick us up some chocolate croissants. From then on out, I've been hooked. True chocolate croissants don't have chocolate chips in them or chocolate on the outside, they have chocolate bars on the inside. And that is exactly what the flaky, buttery delicious pastry had inside. 

After that, I went back to Choice Market on the way to my friends' house, and picked up some cookies for my friends and Country Cake for breakfast the next morning. The cookies were amazing. Not too greasy but not dry to where they didn't taste homemade, with chocolate chips and pecans. Absolutely delicious. The country cake I was not too impressed with, however. Not that it would necessarily sound all that appealing to an average person. It contained a lot of different ingredients from what I could tell, including carrots and pineapple. It also contained more butter/grease than most anything I've ever had. So much so that it soaked through the bag in my purse. Let's just say, I didn't eat much of it. However, my co-worker Celia ate it all and enjoyed it thoroughly, prompting her to buy country cake muffins from Trader Joe's and eat them all the next week.

Finally, I tried some of their food-food. I got a chicken salad sandwich. The "salad" consisted of chicken with salt and pepper and onion, and it was topped with avocado. It was the perfect combination sandwich, and I sucked it down pretty fast. Like Celia, it prompted me to attempt (and fail) at making my own chicken salad. Yes, I know it's not hard to make chicken salad, but I suck at it apparently. Guess I'll just have to leave it to the professionals. - Jennifer

Address: 318 Lafayette Ave at Grand (Clinton Hill, Brooklyn)

Website: http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/choice-market/

Payment: cash

Delivery: yes

Open Late: no, 9pm

Large Group Friendly: no

Bar/Happy Hour: no