Since the first Mariano�s hit Arlington Heights in 2010, giant sister stores have sprung up in Lakeshore East, the West Loop, Roscoe Village and Jefferson Park. The chain�s low prices meet an upscale design akin to Whole Foods. To compare prices and freshness, we shopped for the ingredients for a recipe for panfried sea bass from this season�s must-have cookbook, Yotam Ottolenghi�s Jerusalem, at the West Loop Mariano�s and the South Loop Whole Foods.

Grocery value: Mariano’s vs. Whole Foods

Which grocery store offers better value?

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VERDICT
Mariano’s was a landslide winner in terms of total price—$9.49 cheaper, to be exact—but what use were the savings if I’d have to go to a second grocery store to buy harissa and rosewater, the two main ingredients in the recipe besides sea bass? So here’s my take: If, like me, you consider yourself on a first-name basis with Yotam, the winner is Whole Foods (or a great Middle Eastern grocery store, if you’re lucky). If you don’t know or care: Mariano’s.

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