Okay, I’ve gone back and forth on this spot for two years and I need neighborhood data!! The green grocer on 9th between 43rd and 44th—blue awning, crates of limes outside—is always packed at 7pm but empty at 11pm. Is anyone actually buying actual fruit after dark? I’ve had decent luck with their citrus and those little Persian cucumbers, but the basil right by the door is a crime scene by 9:00!! Does anyone know when they restock? Have you tried the boxes of mixed fruit they keep against the back wall? I feel like it’s either a hidden gem or a stomachache waiting. Tell me I’m not the only one inspecting mint leaves there.

Wait, is this the one with the mango boxes near 44th? I’m still learning the area. I moved over by 10th Ave in May and ended up there once after a late gym class. I grabbed a pineapple and some strawberries. The pineapple was actually okay, but I think I picked a bad day. Do they have a separate shelf for the not-sad stuff? I asked the guy and he just pointed at the back table, so I wasn’t sure. This is helpful, thanks!

Honestly that spot is emergency limes and last-minute cilantro if I’m already half-drunk and doing tacos. I wouldn’t walk there on purpose. The real move is the small Korean place on 10th between 45th and 46th—way better greens, and the turnover is faster during the day. The 9th Ave spot is fine for bananas if you need them right before they close, but don’t buy the berries near the register unless you plan to eat them on the sidewalk. Just saying.

I’ve lived on that stretch for six years and have watched the place change ownership twice. The short answer is: it depends on the day, not the hour. The distributor deliveries usually show up on Tuesday and Friday mornings, so Monday and Thursday evenings are the bottom of the barrel. The lettuce and herbs at the front get hit by the sun through that weird angled window until about 7:30 in summer, which is why the basil is always melted—it’s not a refrigeration issue, it’s UV and people pawing through it. The back wall boxes are okay for citrus and stone fruit in season, but I’d skip the pre-cut fruit cups unless you see them restock. The late-night crowds are mostly people grabbing limes, avocados, or a bunch of bananas because the Key Food on 42nd had already closed. I’ve never gotten sick from their mango, but I’ve also never bought berries after 10. One caveat: they don’t always have the same employee familiar with pricing, so if you buy loose mushrooms or peppers, watch the register. Actually good for: oranges, avocados with the little give test, mini cucumbers, and sometimes those small golden kiwis when they get them in. Bad for: basil, dill, any bagged salad, and the plastic boxes of grapes. For real produce, I still go to the Sunday farmer’s market or the Korean place on 10th. But as a late-night emergency stop, it’s fine if you stick to the short list.

Agree with Nolita_N, limes and the occasional avocado. That blue awning spot is not a real grocery run. I bought a bag of grapes there once at like 11:30 and they were already fermenting by the time I got home. Just don’t. If you’re near there late, the bodega on the corner of 44th has better lemons, weirdly enough. But for actual produce, I go to the 10th Ave spot or the Wednesday market.

Okay this is so specific and perfect because I tried to go there at midnight last week and the gate was half down, but the lights were on. Sign says 24 hours? Maybe I just caught them cleaning? Is that normal? Do they actually stay open all night or do they shut whenever they feel like it? I’m new to Hell’s Kitchen from Uptown, so I don’t have a read on the unposted hours yet. Also, good to know about the basil because I almost grabbed some.

Yesss this is the exact intel I needed!! @astoria_arch, the Tuesday/Friday delivery thing explains so much—I must have stumbled in on a Tuesday once because the golden kiwis were incredible and then the next time they were dust. @UptownUnfamiliar, they kind of do a 'check the gate' system after midnight. If the crates are still outside, they’re open. If the crates are pulled to the doorway but not chained, it’s 50/50 and the guy is mopping. Have you tried the mango boxes at the back? That’s the only pre-cut-ish thing I trust because they do them in smaller batches? But maybe I’m just lucky. Also, has anyone ever bought the loose dates? I’ve been too afraid to ask.

To answer UptownUnfamiliar: I’ve been there at 12:45, 1:15, and once at 2:30. It seems like the posted 24-hour thing is more 'we’re still here if the delivery was late and the gate is open.' I’ve also found it closed on random Tuesday nights when the owner had a family thing, no sign. You eventually learn to treat it as a bonus, not a guarantee. If you want something with more predictable late hours, the 7-Eleven on 44th has fruit but it’s worse quality. And DumboSunset, I haven’t tried the loose dates because the scoop jar looks like it hasn’t moved since Bloomberg. But I will say the small red plums in July are shockingly good—just not the ones near the glass.

Thanks for the recs! I went to the Korean place on 10th yesterday after work and wow, yeah, the greens were way better. I got arugula and some scallions and they lasted like four days. I also checked the blue awning spot on my way home and looked at the basil just to see—y’all were right, it was mush. I don’t think I can go back for produce, but I’ll keep it for emergency limes. Do they do that thing where the avocado price changes depending on who’s at the register? I think I overpaid once but I was too embarrassed to say anything.

Yep, that’s the spot. The price scale is whatever the nephew thinks it is. If you don’t see a sign, ask first or you’ll get the after-midnight markup. Bottom line: blue awning for limes, lemons, maybe a single avocado if desperate. For actual food, 10th Ave Korean spot, bodega lemons, or the Sunday stalls. Thread over.