Nugget

Covell Blvd. Store

Nugget Market, headquartered in Woodland, is a somewhat-upscale local grocery chain with stores in Davis, El Dorado Hills, Elk Grove, Roseville, Vacaville, West Sacramento, Sacramento and Woodland. There are two Nugget Markets in Davis: a newer one in North Davis and an older one in Southeast Davis. The company also owns and operates three Food 4 Less franchises in Woodland, Vallejo and Cameron Park. The newer Davis Nugget at Pole Line Road and East Covell Boulevard in the Oak Tree Plaza moved into a building that had been vacant for several years, which has in its heyday been a Safeway, and after that some sort of warehouse grocery store that was short-lived. Rico's Pizza also used to occupy the space, where the Kitchen now exists.

Nugget Markets are the "upscale" markets in Davis. Some are turned off by Nugget Market because it carries a larger selection of expensive gourmet foods compared to generic supermarkets, and thus lead some people to think that everything in the store must be expensive. While a Nugget Market may look nice and offer a large variety of gourmet foods, its diverse selection can still be cost-effective. According to a study done by Amie Gutierrez's high school class, Nugget Markets were often cheaper than Safeway or Albertsons. Note that prices are not necessarily the same at the two Davis stores: a cup of coffee to go is $1.60 at the big Nugget, but only $1.00 at the South Davis Nugget.

Nugget's sandwiches are very popular.

In addition to groceries, Nugget Markets also have a full deli (where you can get the best sandwiches this side of the tracks), fresh smoothies and juice, coffee bar, full service bakery, sushi, fantastic catering menus, and some mediocre Chinese food. The Chinese food is only available at the North Davis location. Nugget Markets also sell a variety of ethnic foods. Nugget has the most diverse sampling of gourmet root beers and sodas in town, and in late Summer of 2006, they started to carry Aggie Root Beer in their North Davis location.

Nugget Markets was ranked one of the "100 best companies to work for" in 2006, 2007, and 2008 by FORTUNE Magazine. In 2009 they reached the top ten.

Word of advice: if you are very hungry, Nugget Markets may not be the place to go. EVERYTHING looks good no matter what the price is, and you will be tempted to buy it.

Check out Aggie columnist Alex Lubinski's column on sandwiches.

Story on the bakery in Davis Life Magazine

StevenDaubert says that they can slice/toast/creamcheese your bagel for free, just head to the smoothie counter. If you are ever up around 6:30 AM go in for the piping hot fresh bagels!

Recommendations

Paul L recommends

Sandwich: Sausalito Turkey on Ciabatta, pepper jack cheese, mayo and djion mustard, extra pickles, lettuce, a little bit of peppercinis, pepper and GRILL it. Cost: $5.49. Taste: teh yum.

I wrote down your recommendation and ordered it today. It was delicious! The hint of pepperoncinis + pepper jack + pepper + pickles was really cool. —PhilipNeustrom

Terra S recommends

Sandwich: Havarti cheese, half or whole avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, sprouts, pickles, aoli spread, honey mustard, salt/pepper, oregano vinaigrette, on a fresh croissant. Cost: $4.99. Taste: yum squared. [Note from greenThing: "Oh my god, this is so good! They should add this to their regular menu."]

Ro J recommends

Wheel of cheese at the Mace Nugget.

Don't touch the wheels of cheese. Yes, they are real, and yes, they will yell at you for touching them. They even made me wash my hands. Don't mistake it for a casino because of the ostentatious architecture of the Nugget on Covell.

I second that cheese wheel touching recommendation. Those things are horribly greasy. The kind of grease that never comes off. I didn't get caught or nothin, but man, don't go around touchin no cheeses than ain't yours, ya hear? - aa

RishiT recommends

The vegetarian panini. So good.

ct recommends

Have some olives. They're delicious, and the employees don't mind a little grazing. Pick up some cheap Chinese food after-hours. Get pannini #2.

KenNeville recommends

Peoplewatching the employees. Damn are them girls fine! ;)

Drew recommends

Walking around the store for a while. I just went in there for the first time to get a sandwich. Mistake #1 was going in here absolutely starving, #2 was not eating it there so I could just observe store happenings. I'm going back soon. This sandwich was really good - roasted turkey on sourdough with dejon mustard, mayo, and all of the other fixins.

SylviaF recommends

Anything on the rye bread that they've got there...rye bread and sprouts...and a lot of cheese too.

AshleyOrsaba recommends

The #8. Smoked salmon, dill mayo, cucumber, tomato. Get it on a sourdough or seeded roll though instead of the bread it comes with. Sooooo good and great for a lightish lunch.

Haggro recommends

Nugget has the biggest and best selection of root beer in Davis. They have pretty much every kind of soda you can think of. They even carry Sparky's root beer, which is the single best root beer on the planet. It does cost around $3 a bottle though; Virgil's is a more affordable runner-up.

Michael Giardina recommends

1/2 Sausilito Turkey 1/2 Proscuitto on Ciabattato. 2/1 Cheddar/Pepperjack. Aeoli basil spread. Tomatoes, lettuce, red onion, cucumber, mixed greens. Salt/Pepper... Light pepperoncini, light balsamic vinagerette. Yummy. Grilled of course, but then... what sandwhich shouldn't be?

Sienna Grass recommends

Almost any item in the dessert display area. The carrot cake is moist and rich, and the lovely cupcake confections bring you back to your 5th birthday!

Cynthia He recommends

Panini: chicken salad with all the veggies, with some honey mustard, with or without a mild cheese.

John Dudek recommends

The sushi, especially the eel rolls and the cucumber rolls, and especially when Yong Shi Su works there on weekends. He's a 17-year-old at DHS, buy boy can he make sushi. I also recommend trying all the different root beers and different types of bread, which has become quite a fun hobby for me.

If you take a picture of these Root Beer Party Kegs, you could be verbally accosted by a manager.

Photographers should beware: I was approached by an extremely rude manager while at the Covell Blvd. Nugget on Thursday, July 21st. I had my camera with me, as I always do, and I had incidentally taken a single photo while in the store. He told me that they have a "strict no-photo policy", that he "owned my photos", and that he "could take my film out of my camera right now if he wanted to." He was very rude, heightened by the fact he said something like this: "Do you understand me?" to which I responded with, "Yeah," which he then responded again with "Is that a yes?" in a really cocky manner. This kind of thing happens all the time if you carry a big camera with you, but I expected better out of the Nugget. Legally speaking, of course they can restrict photography in their store: it's their physical property, and they could kick me out. However, they simply cannot take film from photographers (absent a court order). Personally speaking, I was offended by the manner in which this manager acted toward me, and there's absolutely no reason to be so rude to your customers. I was, after all, just taking a stupid picture. (see this legal reference) —PhilipNeustrom

• I wonder how they would handle Steve Mann as a customer? My guess is that several dwikians will scroll to the top of the page and make a phone call asking for clarification of store policy and subtly letting them know that they treated someone rudely who has facilitiated a positive viral advertising stream for them.— JasonAller
  

• What do you think about all of us calling them to request an apology (specifically for the unnecessarily rude behavior and not for the attempt to enforce the no-photo policy)? I think after getting complaints from a half-dozen potential customers they might start to understand that publicity on daviswiki is worth something. - KenjiYamada
  

• That happened to me at Winco. I would expect better from Nugget. -AliceChoe
  

• I used to work in grocery retail. We were always on the watch for 'spies' from our competitors who would often try to come in and photograph our displays, weekly specials, ect... Grocery retail is a cutthroat business and the margins are razor-thin. Success often hinges on out-marketing your competitors, so you can understand why the manager was extremely sensitive about the photography issue. You, PhilipNeustrom, owe the Nugget an apology; not the other way around. Pull your head out of your ass and you might discover that the world doesn't actually revolve around you. -BillyBudd
  

• Maybe not, but is it too much to ask for a little courtesy? The world is full of insensitive people. Let's try not to be them. -greenThing
  

---

Comments:

Note: You must be logged in to add comments

Past Comments

• Comments from 2005

• Comments from 2006
  

• Comments from 2007
  

• Comments from 2008

Recent Comments

2009-01-26 15:41:53   I highly recomment Nugget for special occasion cakes. Having forgotten about an office birthday, I went at the last minute to Nugget, hoping to find one of their delicious Carmel Apple cakes. They didn't have any in the pastry case. It was just before closing, but they promised I could pick one up the next morning at 9am. I told them what to write and asked them to add a little soccer ball. Well...not only was it ready on time, but they did an OUTSTANDING job decorating it, for no extra charge. It had a large 3-D soccer ball made of frosting, and little tufts of grass all around. The writing was lovely. I couldn't have been happier! More importantly, my coworkers raved about the cake itself and asked where I'd gotten it. I will be back, for sure! —Linda

---

2009-02-07 13:48:37   I love this store!!! Their sandwiches are to die for but their chinese food not so much. The people at checkout are always so kind. Even when i'm with my meathead boyfriend, they still ask me if i need help out to the car. —BettyBean

---

2009-02-13 14:28:30   I have taken their low price survey about 5 times or so now, and they have won everytime...so that should dispell the notion that they are more expensive than Safeway, Raley's and Bel Air (the 3 competitors I've used for my surveys). Maybe the notion that they are more expensive comes from their sandwiches or ready-to-go foods. Both are pricey, but let's be honest, it's way better than Safeway or Raley's. —AmLin

---

2009-03-01 18:38:45   I love The Nugget but when I went to the one on Covell on Friday, they wouldn't accept my "out of the area" check and left my groceries there in the bags. My friend had to buy them for me, which was LAME. The stupid thing is that no more than 3 weeks ago, I went to the Nugget and paid with an "out of the area check" and it was fine. Fuck you, Covell Nugget! —JasonMasino

• People still pay for groceries with checks? Do you carry around a checkbook and everything? —KellyM
  

• I think nugget's check policy is laminated on the counter of every register, and even if it wasn't the store is allowed to enforce whatever policies they want regarding forms of payment. Just because you got away with breaking the policy once doesn't mean you are entitled to get away with breaking it every time. Also - did you try and do this again like 10 days later, because someone in front of me in line just a few days go was complaining about them not taking an out of area check and they left a whole cart full of groceries for the employees to put back. —jakejames
  

---

2009-05-12 16:02:58   I went to the Covell location on cinco de mayo to buy limes and margarita mix. When I went to check out, the cashier asked to see my ID and refused to sell me the NON-ALCOHOLIC mix because I was under 21. When I politely asked if it was some kind of store policy he rudely told me that no, it is the law. It is certainly NOT against the law to buy a NON-ALCOHOLIC beverage. I simply walked next store to longs and bought the exact same thing there.
I'm done shopping at Nugget until they train their employees correctly to not turn away (and embarrass) customers who have done nothing wrong. —dijudy

• I have had the exact same thing happen to me at rite aid. I highly doubt they were trying to embarrass you. Perhaps there is in fact some law which we are unaware of regarding selling mixers to those under 21? Or possibly people are just stupid. I have no idea, and in you position would have asked to speak to the manager to resolve the issue. —MasonMurray
  

• I can't find any reference to any such law (which doesn't mean it doesn't exist — it is a law in some other states). That said, often in-store regulations are often just cited as being "law" by employees who don't know any better... they were just told not to sell them. —jw
  

• I have checked into this. It is not expressly store policy, and the clerk was simply misinformed. I think there is some type of automated reminder to check ID when they scan anything from the liquor department. And, as the margarita mix is from that part of the store, it comes up flagged. I got some from the North Davis Nugget a couple weeks ago, they asked for my ID, and I asked them to double check with the manager. They did, and sold me the drink mix with no problem. —MasonMurray
  

---

2009-05-31 19:05:25   Nugget is still my favorite store. The service is wonderful. And my daughter likes the Chinese food and I like not having to cook dinner. —HazelWatson

---

2009-06-15 17:47:16   Nugget sandwiches are amazing. Salsa-lito turkey, basil aioli, muenster and a bunch of veggies on sliced sourdough is one of my favorite meals in Davis.

The rest of the store generally matches the sandwich counter's awesomeness; the beer selection blows Safeway out of the water (putting it close to Co-op). —JamesWaterhouse

---

2009-06-16 19:19:22   This is the best grocery store in Davis. The produce, meat and delicatessen selections are huge and the quality is great. It is, however, expensive. An "equivalent" weekly shop for the two of us, anecdotally, costs about $30 less in Safeway. One question I have though... what on earth is the point of the Nugget card? It sure seems to be only to help Nugget track customers' buying habits! I say this because after they logged our buying data for a year, we got a voucher for 50% off a $6.99 poinsettia . Is that all there is to it? If so, I don't see any reason to facilitate their stock optimization processes unrewarded. —Mazzle

• A few times a year (I've never really paid attention to the timing, but every few months) I get a coupon in the mail for 5% off a future purchase. I seem to remember the person who signed me up saying that the discount would be based on how much I spent during the time period. I have no idea what those numbers were, but since I don't spend a ton, I would assume that someone shopping for a large family would likely get 10% or something. Anyhow, 5% is not a huge payoff to let them track my spending, but I definitely got more than half off a $7 plant, and it's worth it to me. —StaceyEllis
  

---

2009-06-17 12:19:11   Dear Nugget Market Baggers and Cashiers:

Please stop smashing my fruits and vegetables!!! If you want to smash produce and put it back on the shelf that is one thing, but once I have paid for the things in my shopping cart, they belong to me and as my property they should be treated as such. If YOU had paid $5 for a bag of apples, or $4 for a bunch of bananas I know for a fact you wouldn't be smashing them.

Here are a few simple guidelines for bagging groceries. If you cannot understand how to follow these rules, then please just get out of my way and let me bag my own groceries thanks:

1. SOFT THINGS GO WITH OTHER SOFT THINGS. Hard things with hard things, and heavy things with, that's right you guessed it, OTHER HEAVY THINGS. Some heavy things just go it alone, because they are either too big for a bag, or too heavy, or would be a waste to bag at all.

2. If I have 3 canvas bags this does not mean all of my groceries should fit into them. Sometimes I buy more, sometimes less, if I have more I would like some plastic bags. If I have less you shouldn't put all of my groceries into one bag (see rule 1).

3. If I have a large canvas bag this doesn't mean you can load 20 lbs worth of groceries into ONE BAG. I have to carry this from my car to my house and would prefer to have an even distribution of weight per bag. To be honest you have no clue how people carry things home so you better pack in the most evenly distributed manner possible.

4. Layering is very important, as things come down the line put the heavier and more sturdy items in first and then lighter and more easily broken, bruised and squished items on top or last. Watch out for sharp poking objects. A bag of chips ARE NOT a cushion for 6 cans of soup!!!

Seriously folks, if you cannot bag groceries how can you expect to move up in the grocery business? Let alone the world? How would you like it if I came over to your house and sat on your cereal, stomped on your greens, practiced juggling with your pears, used your bananas for a hand cushion and threw tomato cans at your mushrooms? Seriously. I will do it and you don't have to pay me a cent.

Let me re-iterate for the last time, if you can't bag groceries, don't even try. I prefer to do it myself because I am a control freak and if I am paying $75 for basic necessities I want them to actually be EDIBLE when I get home. I would also appreciate it if you did not act like your soul has been crushed when I say I would like to bag my own groceries. No offense, I don't trust my juicy perishables with just anyone.

I have also noticed that every basket of strawberries I buy from your store appear to have been processed by paint shakers. Please stop this.

Sincerely,
CarrieBishop

---

2009-06-28 20:45:28   this person left the EXACT same comment on the Safeway page. Somehow I think he/she is just a person who is never happy with bagging anywhere. Just do it yourself then. Love your deli in South Davis, heading there now. —patrick82

---

2009-06-29 13:11:44   Actually that is untrue, in many areas of Sacramento both Nugget and Safeway give excellent service in regards to bagging. Thanks for your attempt at helpful advice. —CarrieBishop

---

2009-06-29 14:01:54   it wasnt meant to be helpful advice. It was pointing out your cut and paste method. —patrick82

---

2009-07-26 09:10:46   Darn good house coffee beans. Very smooth (even when prepared strongly in a french press) and has a nice nutty character — like almonds. Bonus for being "organic" and being very competitive with other brands when on sale. I was also happy to find Indian food in a pouch which requires no further cooking. Perfect for camping and certainly saved me a trip to Trader Joe's. I'm a lazy camper; dishes are the last thing I want to do after a full day's survey work in streams :-) Amazing selection of bulk granola and tequila! —RyanMikulovsky

---

2009-09-04 13:46:38   Nugget is one of the most beautiful markets I've been to. A little pricey? It can be, but it really depends on what you choose to buy and how you shop. There are definitely more expensive gourmet choice available, but there are also cheaper choices as well as the "STOP" discounts. With a little bit of discretion, you can shop just as economically here, and with a greater grocery shopping experience! Couple bits of advice:

1) Make sure you are VERY FULL before you come here. Otherwise, you will be mesmerized and will be tempted to buy the whole store. I personally went after deliberately eating two large sandwiches and I STILL made several impulse buys..

2) the produce section is cunningly organized so that the expensive, albeit gorgoeous, organic produce is in the front, greeting you as you enter. The regular, (normal priced) produce is beyond, so keep that in mind! —Vegaofthelyre

---

2009-10-22 01:21:38   I have never walked into such an eye-pleasing market in my life until I walked this store. Every time I pass through Davis I stop here to pick up some flowers and fresh cookies :) —allwalksoflife87