I love that they are local.  I love that have products you can’t find at any other mercado or carniceria in Highland Park, from microbrew beers to baby food.  I love that I have a choice of coffee with Mexican chocolate for my morning drive, or freshly juiced carrot, apple and ginger juice.  And I really love and respect how hard the owners work.
The Market has gone through several changes since I have been acquainted with it.  After meeting the owners, I can understand why.  They will try their darnedest to get their market right to better serve the community.  These people are not leaving Highland Park.  They will be serving our community for years to come.  They work here, they hire from here.  They are a true example of “local.”  They probably will be making changes in the future, because as our community grows and changes, so will they.
Support your local markets, restaurants and shops.  Shop La Tropicana.  : )
Wonderful family run market that is a staple of the community.
Great drinks, snacks and food to go.
I come here weekly, u should too.
One of the best do it all grocery store meets tailored food in Highland Park! This grocery market has evolved so much since I have moved in to the neighborhood in the past decade. The owners keep updating their grocery options by listening to their shoppers. My favorite people are all workkng hard there. Shot out to all the moms that work so hard every day to keep this store meeting the changes to their clients. May it be from making the best coffee drinks and juices or stocking shelves, everyone who works there has contributed to this community. You should meet them. Have them make you a drink, toast your bagel, get a great sandwich from Monte 52, talk to the owner about your grocery needs.. Its truly a local center you shouldn’t miss.
Hands down this is one of the places that makes me happy to live in Highland Park. it is the epitome of a down to earth small business where the proprietors know your name and what you’re going to buy.

They have a variety of items that are all very nice. I could potentially do ALL of my shopping here. They have fresh produce, fine beer and wine, a butcher and a small deli and restaurant. I buy a lot of ethnic food that they don’t really carry due to the size constraints of the store but that’s neither here no there.

Lately they’ve started carrying fresh coffee beans from Kona, Colombian, Africa and other fine coffee growing countries. The price is very reasonable and the quality is high…

BUT MY FAVORITE THING is the incredibly affordable fresh squeezed fruit and vegetable juice. It is unimaginably healthy (like the kind fit health nuts drink)  juice. The most popular is the beat, celery, and carrot juice. They don’t add water, sugar, anything it’s just the raw vegetables. IT TASTES AMAZING and the same thing would cost $7 in Silver Lake and I can’t imagine how much it would cost on Melrose or 90210.

Support this local store, these are the kind of places we should help thrive because they add to our commutes instead of seek to only make money and consumers out of us.

Monte Vista has a lot of potential a small corridor of lovely shops and restaurants. A lot of new places are starting to see this community as happening area. That being said, as an artist I am weary of gentrification and Range Rovers and Priuses and yuppy baby cart families and the only way to keep this area authentic is to support the business that have been here from the start.