One-half block from the Loyola L stop sits Newleaf Natural Grocery, a full-service grocer with exclusively organic produce. It carries hormone-free meat and dairy products, fair-trade coffee and bulk goods. Co-owner Sarah Stone says many customers get Newleaf’s "produce box and supplement it with a few items" from its online store.

Produce boxes, available in two sizes for $13 or $23, come with a mix of fruits and vegetables such as avocados, yellow onions, beets, spinach, grapefruit or mangoes, along with a newsletter full of recipes. Newleaf offers home delivery if you're pressed for time or don't have a car. Stone encourages people to choose organic food. "It hurts the pocketbook initially, but it's worth it in terms of personal and environmental health."

Centerstage Reviewer: Chris Benevich