Best market: Commodities Natural Market

Local, natural, organic offerings are pretty standard for grocery stores in our small and lucky state of Vermont, but since Food for Thought closed more than a decade ago, Stowe hasn’t had a dedicated natural foods shop.

Enter Commodities Natural Market, the dream of Audra and Michael Hughes finally realized after several years of planning and searching for the perfect spot in Stowe. The market opened in February on the Mountain Road, echoing the ethos of the Hughes’ flagship location in New York’s East Village, and since has been a favorite of health-conscious Stowe shoppers.

The shelves are stocked with a dizzying array of products, mixing high-end organic brands with small-batch Vermont producers — an expansive, 300-bin bulk section of beans, grains, nuts and more, a rainbow wall of fresh fruits and veggies, cheeses and fresh breads, natural and herbal skin and body care products, juices and shakes and superfoods, and all the meat-free, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free (etc.) offerings a body could ever want. You can get kombucha on tap, wine curated by Cork, a decent selection of craft beers, and a dozen kinds of honey.

Have a baby? There’s a whole row of purées, snacks and supplies to keep your tot nourished and clean. Need a pick-me-up? PK Coffee is frequently present to offer creamy lattes and espresso drinks, as well as other pop-ups and tasty demos. Hungry and can’t wait? Grab-and-go offerings from Michael’s on the Hill, among others, are at your fingertips, and the freezers are well stocked with prepared foods and ingredients.

512 Mountain Road, Stowe; commoditiesnaturalmarket.com.