Market Report

The first thing that hits you at the new Fresh Market (2510 Quarry Lake Drive, 410-580-1930) is the music: Unlike your normal grocery store's soundtrack of Muzak or classic pop, the sound system here pipes in soothing classical pieces. Once you get over the aural shock, though, you'll see that the rest of the store matches that classy intro. Tiny compared to a Wegmans (or even a Whole Foods), Fresh Market nevertheless feels spacious because of the wide-open layout. All this relaxed elegance comes at a price; the store (the first Maryland outpost of a chain based in Greensboro, North Carolina—you may know it as the official store of Top Chef) is not cheap, though there are usually some killer produce specials to lure folks in. But this is the place to find organic berries, wild Pacific salmon, and a bulk section with enough different flavors of sesame snack to keep you stocked during a week's worth of nature hikes.