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McEwan Gourmet Grocery Store
Categories: Food Grocery Food Specialty Food Grocery, Specialty Food [Edit]
38 Karl Fraser RdNorth York, ON M3C 0H7
(416) 444-6262
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 9 pm
Sat 8:30 am - 8 pm
Sun 9 am - 7 pm
- Price Range:
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$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Private Lot, Valet
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
24 reviews for McEwan Gourmet Grocery Store
Review Highlights
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"...types of Salts, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar." In 3 reviews -
"...the endless varieties of Olive oil and balsamic vinegars." In 3 reviews -
"...and now I'm kicking myself for not picking up a package." In 3 reviews
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Johnny H.
Toronto, ON
Everything is so fresh. Lamb, scallops, shrimps, porks, beefs, veggies, etc. They only put top-grade items on the shelves. Furthermore, there is actually more than enough meat on lamb chops they sell. Something hard to find even at butcher shops. And there are some hard-to-find items available in the store.
They also carry Wagyu beef and pre-made beef wellingtons (The rolled package, not grilled). The Wagyu beef lacks the authentic texture and feel, but it still tastes quite nice. The beef wellington is awesome. Another highlight is pastas. The pasta noodles are so fresh and delicious. The sauces are mind-blowing as well. Avoid canned sauces and buy McEwan brands instead.
There is a wide variety of jams in the store. My mom bought several different brands past 2 years, and they were all delicious. I especially love champaign jam. The cheese is lovely as well. The flavor seems deeper and cleaner.
They also have Q Tonic. This is the place to go if you are a fan of the water like me.
But what makes this a unique place is the pre-made meals. They are delicious and priced accordingly. They are comparable to foods you get at nice restaurants.
The store is spacious and logically organized in its own right. But in some isles, it gets a bit gloomy with narrow pathway and dark pale lighting.
Valet service and car detail service are available. -
Review from Janna S.
I've been here about four times and each time I tell myself that I'll splurge on something THIS TIME. It never happens because I feel like an idiot just for considering...the rip-offs seem overly obvious when products I can buy down the street at Sunny Food market are marked up nearly 300% here.
I'm sure there are a few speciality products that taste good, but I just can't identify with anyone who would spend $400+ on a small bottle of Balsamic vinegar. -
Review from Mariko M.
2/26/2012
I love throwing parties, but cooking is not my forte.
Luckily, McEwen Gourmet Grocery Store always comes to the rescue.
There's a cafe at the entrance of the store so you can pick up a cup of java as you peruse the rest of the store. The pastry area is great ... maybe not great if you're on a diet. You can find a variety of brownies to cupcakes to pies to danishes. There's a lot of pre-made dishes that you can purchase as well.
Basically it's like a Metro, but 10 times classier.
Come here on a Saturday and you're set for lunch.
I always manage to eat enough testers to be enough to make a meal. ;)
I liiiikkkkkkkkkkkkkkke.
I'm a fan. -
Review from melanie t.
Toronto, ON
5/18/2012
This shopping experience is awesome for foodies that like to experiment with cooking using luxurious ingredients. Their beef is a fair price for being in a gourmet store that is catering to affluent clientele. I recommend going up and down every aisle as there's so many interesting products you won't see elsewhere. If your recipe calls for something exotic and rare, more than likely you'll find it at McEwan's.
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Review from jocelyn l.
2/18/2012
Fun, gourmet market with obviously upscale and upmarket produce. I found a couple of things here that i loved and can only be found here (that i know of)
The homemade bottles of lobster bisque- amazing. Very tasty. I used it to make couscous, stuffed portobello and it was great. At $12, completely worth the price
There was also a green tea matcha shortbread that was Yummy. Not too sweet, very flavorful.
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Review from angie c.
7/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I think it is well established that the pricing here can be pretty ridiculous. To buy cereal or other basics here would be a bad call but for prepared food I think the quality is great and the value not completely off base.
Love picking up the spicy salmon roll for when I need a break from the work cafeteria or bringing home amazing.green beans and short rib pie.... yum!
Meat and cheese selection is impressive, and I've been really really impressed with the knowledge and level of service I've encountered with every employee. -
Review from Teresa H.
Greektown, Toronto, ON
Updated - 10/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
They have a Thanksgiving dinner for 2. All you have to do is heat it up... I'm debating on whether I'm going to buy it. For $25 it's a pretty good meal for those who don't want to make an entire turkey!
I love McEwans... wish I could shop here every day!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/22/2011
I can't wait until BBQ season heats up and I can buy Bymark burgers for my grill. And buy the North… Read more »
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Review from Angela H.
Mississauga, ON
10/6/2011
DO NOT SHOP WHILE HUNGRY!!!
Whoo whee! It's like a candy store for foodies. The prepared food section is like food porn. If I had a gazillion dollars I'd buy all my groceries here. I'd also probably be a gazillion pounds hehehe.
We like the North 44 smoked salmon, the Niagara berkshire prosciutto, the cheese bar and the endless varieties of Olive oil and balsamic vinegars.
They also have really well-known brands of sauces and marinades that have a cult-like following amongst foodies. So I like coming here to pick up special goodies instead of placing orders online and paying S&H.
Tip-they have several reserved McEwan grocery store parking spots in the covered parking garage in case you can't find any street parking when you're there. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
McEwan Gourmet Grocery Store for sure is a nice place to browse around!
Love to see those Aisles of sauces, dressings and condiments that I don't see in the supermarkets I visited! I just wondering if buy McEwan's sauces and marinade would my food be gourmet too??
Everything is a little pricier than what I used to! I ended up buying 2 bags of "gourmet" popcorn that my supermarkets does not carry.
McEwan will not be my usual grocery stores.. at least for now.. until I have unlimited budget to spend on anything and everything! But for sure I would like to browse and pick up little treats here and there for the special occasions!Listed in: Grocery Store I Visit
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Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
8/25/2010
At the front entrance I saw a crowd as if they had an hourly TOUR like the Sports Stadiums. Anyways, I walked past them to do my Window Shopping Tour of Grocery Stores that I do from time to time.
It's very educational and I have to say that McEwan is one of the more academic Grocery Shops out there as I browse the various types of Salts, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar. There is a trophy case of the top quality EVOO and Balsamic.
Its not the biggest scale Grocery Store out there, maybe comparable to Sobey's Express. It has about 5 aisles and a small corner of Fruits & Vegetables. A fridge with standard fridge stuff except it's the healthier more organic variety such as Milk. The Meat & Fish displays were beautifully presented with Steaks, Chicken, Seafood, and even 3 Black Truffles sitting on top of a bowl of rice.
Good Cheese selection and also Desserts where I got 4 varieties of Macarons($2.00/each) as the girl was HAPPY to come out beside me and assist me and even answer my questions. There was a Sushi section catered by EDO and across from it was pre-packaged Salads such as Prawn Salads.
In that same SMALL corner many patrons were having a seat chatting and enjoying some food and beverage items. It seemed like a popular section, maybe it's the VIP section or something.
A Window Shopper, Culinary Student, or a Foodie can spend some time looking at some of the interesting items here, although actual purchasing might not occur due to PREMIUM cost of most items. -
Review from Alan W.
Toronto, ON
10/23/2010
One of the best gourmet markets I have been to!
A word of caution, don't go here hungry or you could get really carried away, especially if you are a big foodie.
They have almost everything you could think of (check out their impressive oil and vinegar aisle, including their bottle of 100 year aged balsamic). Their desserts look too good to eat.
This is THE place to go to if you are planning a dinner party (great meats, seafood and cheeses), gifts for your foodie friends, or too tired to cook or go out (their take away dishes all look really good). We need more markets like this in the city. -
Review from Amanda A.
Toronto, ON
8/24/2009 ROTD 12/3/2009
I was excited to go to McEwan ever since I heard about it. It isn't your average grocery store, and for that reason, I won't be doing my regular shopping there. But, for special events or just to try something new, I will visit.
There are a lot of prepared foods which look nice, but what I was most excited about was all the different sauces, marinades, pastas, CHEESES, oh man.. I was like a kid in a candy store. There was pasta made of sweet potatoes and now I'm kicking myself for not picking up a package. There is a good selection of vegan-friendly foods, organic foods, and even a bit of cook wear (McEwan brand, of course). It is a neat little store. Yes, over priced, but I was expecting so.
The international section is a bit of a joke though. Maybe half of an aisle, at most. I was hoping to discover some interesting finds there.
Oh, on top of the foods offered, I have to note that everyone from cashiers to the people behind the counter at the deli were incredibly helpful and friendly. -
Review from Larry L.
Toronto, ON
12/6/2010
Super expensive + Super selection = Super amazing,
This place is like a toy store for foodies. I once went in there to get food for a Friday night date for two, and ended up spending close to $150. And while I would have normally felt extremely guilty for that purchase, the quality of it prevented me from doing so.
And while McEwan is certainly trying to capitalize upon the "too lazy to cook" crowd by having an extensive selection of prepared foods, if you're looking for great produce and hard-to-find ingredients, you're certainly going to find it here.
I'd say that overall, this is the kind of place that you should definitely indulge in every once and a while, but leave your milk/cereal/eggs purchasing for your neighbourhood Loblaws. -
Review from Shari M.
Toronto, ON
8/9/2009 1 photo
The Shops at Don Mills is a great reno. It is like the small town-outdoor-east end version of Yorkdale. A little bit of everything at the medium to high end price points.
I was quite excited to hear that McEwan had opened. I went early in the am when it first opened to make sure I could properly browse without the crowds. The store itself is not that big, but most "gourmet" grocery stores are not. The layout is great, nice and spread out. The prepared foods are at the front of the store, with the packaged products just before the cash. The customer service is fantastic. Everyone I interacted with was extremely helpful, down to earth and not pushy.
Is McEwan going to be a regular grocery store of choice for me? No. But, here are the circumstances I think it will be useful for most consumers that can only afford occasional visits:
- treats for yourself (like the Belgian chocolate I picked up. Was hard not to press my nose against the glass of the chocolate truffle display)
- special dinners/dates (great premade north 44 approved food...saw some mouth watering meats, salads and desserts. Not cheap, $7/8 for fresh hummus)
- gifts (saw butter tarts that I know my dad would love. Am interested to see what they will do come Christmas time)
- speciality items (when your recipe calls for some Mexican spices...they have a whole section....you will be covered)
I really liked McEwan. Am looking forward to trying the sliced turkey and speciality rice I got!! They have a kitchen upstairs that they make all the meats/salads, etc.
It is worth the visit...plus they do sell Kiva's products : )Listed in: Push the Grocery Cart
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Review from Curtis R.
Vancouver, BC
I have loved cool Grocery Stores all the way back to my first trip to Zabars, Fairway Market and Dean & Deluca in NYC in the early 90's. I was anxious to see Mark McEwans new food store last year and stopped in again this trip to see how they have progressed since last years opening. Don Mills has not been a good experience for many retailers but McEwans seemed reasonably busy.
Overall the merchandising is great. The fish and meat departments were amazing with a good selection of pre-marinated take home vacu-sealed fish and meats. Not sure why more gourmet stores don't do that. Best way to cook fish. Really liked the canning products. Simple and great presentation. Store shelves are well marked and the layout was easy to navigate around with good customer interaction. Staff were friendly, knowledgable and very helpful.
The cappuccino bar was using an automatic espresso machine which was disappointing. I know it avoids straff training issues but it is impossible to control the milk temperature and I hate 180 degree milk in my cappuccino. The cappuccino was a 6 out of 10 and it should be at least an 8 out of 10 for this type of demographic and store.
Overall great store and wish I lived close by. Very similar to Meinhardts in Vancouver, which I also love, but Meinhardts has better cappuccinos. -
Review from chris p.
Toronto, ON
9/1/2009
If you want cheap tomatoes, go to No Frills. But if you want to pick up a San Marzano tomato sauce, go to McEwan.
McEwan is a place for foodies, gourmands and weekend chefs - where you can find things like smoked peppercorns, or pickled white asparagus, or North 44 Halibut, or a Balsamic Vinegar aged longer than most Single Malt Scotches. A store for people who appreciate the finer things in gastronomy.
Like his restaurants, he delivers what he promises (a great product and a great experience) and in my opinion, he does it better than Pusateri's or Whole Foods. -
Review from Kas S.
Etobicoke, ON
5/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
Finally got to check this place out after a year its been opened. I have to say the place very very nice. I dont know why some bad reviews. If you want highend stuff, you can find it here. How many grocery stores you go to has valet parking. The whole area though seems too cater to bigger wallets. The prices in his store are a bit pricey but some items are reasonably price. I bought a bottle of McEwan's olive oil for $30 that taste awesome. I did see a bottle of vanilla extract for $14 being sold Willaims Sonoma for $16. So prices are reasonable if you look around.
I will definetly be back again. oh and of course free parking. I always like that. -
Review from Josephine T.
North York, ON
10/24/2010
I don't understand why people give this place a good review. This place is a rip off. There is nothing here. Everything is pricey and nothing taste good. There is no place to park. They are trying to get dumb people who has no clue what prices are to come here and rip them off. You can get everything here elsewhere for a fraction of the cost. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else. It's not worth the trip.
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Review from Plank D.
Scarborough, ON
12/13/2009
This place proves it. People will buy anything that has the word "Gourmet" stapled to it. Ah, that seven letter word can do so much. I think that the new slogan for McEwan should be, "Hey sucker, shop here for stuff you can get at a plethora of other places while paying three times the price, and have a smug sense of self satisfaction while you do it." Seriously, that should be the whole slogan. The experience walking through this place was laughable. It was complete with my being slapped in the face by a woman's 10 ft frilly scarf as she threw it over her shoulder while picking up an $8.00 pack of Folgers only to give me a dirty look because I did not pay heed to her lovely added appendage. Need I say more? Well I will.
The other word, other than "gourmet," that prompts people to run as fast as they can to the supermarket and pay through the nose for something that is better than anything else is that oh so gratifying word, "organic." Now I have nothing against organic products. I think they are a wonderful choice to have in our midst and they allow us to choose something other than cloned produce. However, when you are asking me to pay $18.00 for a thimble of salad, you are insulting my intelligence.
Okay, those are just some of the cons. There are a few pros. Yes, I am a glass half full kind of guy. One of the pros is that this place actually makes an effort to offer itself as a public space. There is an area with chairs and a nice big table to sit at where you can grab a quick bite. They have interesting pastries and sandwiches to sample, all of which are within pocket change price and some of which are worth a try. There are also your standard supermarket sushi trays that are a little above par and at a price which is not as ridiculous as the rest of the place appears to be. However, I can't see myself going back.
Here's a tip to all you gourmet seekers out there. If you are ever in a five star Bistro in Toronto, try asking the management where they buy their produce. They will be more than happy to tell you. Chances are you will find out that the best restaurants in town use local ingredients. Just don't ask Mark McEwan for a recommendation. He might just send you to this store.
Enjoy! -
Review from James K.
Toronto, ON
11/23/2009
Amazing selection of ultra premium delights. We happened to visit just after Global News did a story on the store. The result was a couple of fine charcuterie spreads on display. The fine people behind the meat and cheese counter gave us samples of some excellent stuff on these platters as well as some other stuff from the case. Apparently they have one of only a few Red Cow Reggianos in Toronto (really, really good), which even Pusateri's couldn't lock down. They said it could be a bit busier, like Saturday busy. Hope it sticks around, everything looked great.
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Review from Kat B.
Scarborough, ON
10/30/2009
I really like shopping around in this store. I love the mall as well - feels very European. I went alot in the summer with my baby (dog), as she is allowed in every store (if i hold her)- I got there early enough to purchase a cheesecake (it's usually sold out by 11am) that was to die for! So fresh and perfect. and now its the fall, and i took my hubby with me to shop around. we're not loaded, but have some disposable income, and so we bought 2 steaks for the evenings meal, and 3 kinds of interesting seasoning/sauces for our steaks in flavours i've never imagined- they were really yummy- the marinades weren't too over powering- they absolutly completed the taste of the meat. i liked the unique-ness of some of the stuff he stocks. Obviously, Nutella brand nutella isn't worth 7 bucks when you can get it for 3 at any other grocery store- but again you aren't shopping here for major grocery lists, it's for the unusual and special treats - if we do this once a month or twice a month, he'll be able to sustain the business i think.
on the weekends it is a mad house in there, with posh folks exploring the finer things in life : ) I got some loose chai tea too- i compared it with a chai tea from PC brand and this had a more refined smell and taste, and the colors of the cloves were more natural- so in my humble opinion i found it to be more authentic and organic and not much pricier.. their products are of superior quality.
Oh i love jams too- and they carry this jam made and imported from France called St.Dalfour, my first experience with this jam was in America - and finally i saw it in someone else's home who lives in the Bridal Path- made me feel somehow special. hee hee - im sort of kidding. anyways, i liked the shop and the interesting goodies and the employees were darlings too.
Oh and finally, on the weekends they sell the most beautiful flowers !! Stuff that Sarah Richardson decorates with. ok I'm done. : ) -
Review from eune y.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 10/14/2009
Chobani, price update now only $2.99. Still stupid expensive for a single serving but I can't help but feel that I may have played a part in their price reduction. They also have the Oikos brand as well. Now I just need to find a way to get one of the counter guys to date me....again, staff discounts.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/24/2009
I found my friggin' yogurt! And it is $4 friggin' a friggin' serving but people you must try… Read more »
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Review from Ariel G.
Updated - 7/31/2009
They now have a website. So I wanted to update this part of the review. It is a bare bones one, but its there.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/27/2009 First to Review
Let's us discount about 1/3 of the store..it is basically a slightly upscale Loblaw's with a totally… Read more »
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Review from Helen L.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 9/27/2009
Since my last review, I've been back at the shop while shopping at Don Mills and it looks like the fruit fly problem has been solved. Also, I forgot to mention in my last review that I appreciate they carry my favorite dried pasta brand, Rustichella d'Abruzzo. Seriously the best ever!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/24/2009
There are a lot of good items at McEwan but few makes this an unique store. A lot of people… Read more »
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