Stores & Markets in Cooper City

Drawn to a tomato picked right from the vine, a small girl breaks its crimson skin with her teeth, its earthy scent and tart-sweet flavor imprinting forever on her mind. This childhood memory of her family's garden inspired Sheila to establish SW Ranches Farmers Market, where shoppers can nibble on samples of the day's harvest just as Sheila did as a little girl. The produce on display is all grown sustainably and without pesticides, whether it is cultivated by Sheila and her crew or brought to the site from local farms.

Patrons can suss out the available options on the market's website in order to plan meals or find something that fits in a factory-defect cornucopia. Shoppers stock pantries with other organic options when available, including cereal, flour, seasonings, meats, and fish. Some summer nights, the market shows outdoor movies with a focus on healthy foods, such as the documentary Forks Over Knives.

In 1954, Gino's Italian Market's founder, Anthony Paparella, moved from the teeming fisheries of Bari to Hoboken, New Jersey, where he married a fellow Italian and worked as a builder for nearly 20 years. After retiring to South Florida in '73, Paparella brought a taste of his homeland stateside by opening a bustling bazaar filled with fresh produce, succulent meats, and sweet desserts. The market's commitment to tradition and family can be found in all of its business practices, from its catered feasts of traditional baked pastas and rib roasts, to e-mail correspondences from the resident Nonna that contain expert advice on party planning, recipes, and optimal angles for cheek-pinching. Shoppers consult Nonna Anna and handy recipe guides to concoct rich sauces and tasty entrees from the store's bountiful selection of cheese, wine, ripe tomatoes, and imported Italian goods. In addition to rounding out dinner plates with house-made prosciutto bread, fresh chicken, and juicy cuts of beef, Gino's graces weddings, desserts, and banquets with custom cakes and pastries.

Established in 1979, South Florida Kosher Meats, Inc., houses a considerable collection of kosher komestibles. Until April 6, the grocer is kosher for Passover and can provide you with all your Passover needs. Following Passover, the market will return to its regular offers. South Florida Kosher Meats specializes in kosher meats, such as 1.5 pounds of barbecue ribs (about $15.99) and 2 pounds of chicken wings (about $3.99), both of which will liven up the next High Holy Days pool party. For customers looking to make use of the rocket-powered shopping cart they received for their last birthday, the market also functions as a full grocery store, with items ranging from cookies ($0.89+) and couscous ($2.39+) to pizzas ($3.99+) and pie filling ($1.39+). Torah-toting turophiles may opt instead for kosher dairy products—including several cheeses from Israel—complemented with a selection from South Florida Kosher Meats, Inc.'s collection of more than 150 kosher wines, including wines from the grape mines of Israel, Italy, France, and Australia.

Gaucho Ranch's beef comes straight from the grassy lowlands of Uruguay, where cattle roam free like bovine bikers in search of the meaning of life, while gauchos, the traditional South American cowboys, whisper sweet nothings into their ears. Fed on natural grass and clover, these cows will later magically turn into rib-eye steaks ($59.98 for four 12 oz. steaks), burgers ($7.89 for a lb.), and picahna ($43.02 for three lbs.) with lower cholesterol, lower fat, and more beta-carotene, omega-3, and vitamin E than cuts of beef from cows gorging on corn feed or leftover pizza.

Gerardo and Sabrina Seferlis, owners of Gerardo’s Marketplace, ensure that its bakery cases teem with freshly made bread and the salad bar and market shelves stay full of local, organic, and seasonal fare. The former manager of a gourmet marketplace in the same location, Gerardo decided to reopen the market himself after it closed, because "I knew all my customers and they're the ones that needed what I had to offer." Since 1998, the store’s deli counter has given personalized attention to customers and any confused club sandwiches that wander in.

Mike Montella was not always called Mr. Fish. Though he spent years serving as an advisor to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and as a charter-boat captain, the moniker crept up on him slowly as he dreamt of opening his own gourmet seafood shop to fill a void in the local market.

Now in business for more than 25 years, Montella's Mr. Fish brand continues to purvey the freshest seafood, including native stone crabs, lobster, and salmon. Recently joined by trained chef Mrs. Fish, the company has also started to supply a line of prepared foods, sauces, and condiments to complement the oceanic proteins. Additionally, the Fish in a Flash delivery division packs and ships orders to the doors of families and restaurants overnight.