Wegmans comes to Raleigh!

The Wegmans grocery store chain just opened its first location in North Carolina, and yes — we were among the 3,000 gleeful shoppers there when the doors opened. The spouse grew up in upstate New York where Wegmans is headquartered, so we’ve been big fans (aka “Wegmaniacs”) for a while now.

Playfully referred to as the “Disney of grocery stores,” Wegmans is a favorite for us not only for quality products and items we can only get up north, but also for their commitment to their employees and local communities. So having one open in Raleigh has been pretty exciting for us — and a lot of other folks, as we learned on opening day!

If Wegmans is new to you, and you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, we’re here to help. Even without having one close by, we’ve tried a lot of their products over the last few years, so we made a list of some of our faves to pass along. We have many more than what’s listed below, and I’m sure we’ll continue to add to our list now that we have a location right in our own backyard. For the most up-to-date prices for most of the products below (as well as a ton of other great features like coupons and recipes), be sure to check out the Wegmans website and mobile app.

And if you’re Wegmanics like us, be sure to add to this list in the comments with some of your favorites as well!

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

This baked-in-house bread is made with organic whole wheat flour and infused with olive oil and rosemary. It’s crusty and chewy and super versatile – great for grilled sandwiches, with a cheese board, or even right out of the bag au naturale. My favorite, though, is toasting it and topping with avocado, cucumber, and a dash of sea salt. Link

Lemon Dill Hummus

Every time we serve this Wegman’s hummus at our house, our guests gobble it up —  even the ones (I’m looking at you, Dad) who say they don’t like hummus. It’s great with raw veggies, pita, and in wraps and sandwiches. We especially love to spread it on fish (like salmon or cod), top with breadcrumbs, and bake for a healthy, delicious dinner. Plus, the ingredients on the label are short and recognizable, so I know I’m getting real food. Link

Buffalo Wing Cheddar Spread

This spicy, Buffalo-inspired spread is an indulgent, cheesy treat — and we have little self-control when we bring it home. The description on the package says, “Enjoy cold but BETTER warmed” — and they aren’t kidding. Warm it and serve with pretzel chips, celery, and carrots, or top it on mini-baguette slices and toast in the oven for a game-day appetizer. And since there’s no chicken added, it’s good for the vegetarians in your life. Link

Ancho Chili Adobo

This chili paste is smoky and warm without causing a five-alarm fire, and it’s an excellent chicken marinade. We also like to add it in quesadillas, or mix it into sour cream or Greek yogurt for a spicy dip or addition to tacos. When we use canned chipotles in adobo, we usually only need a small amount, and those leftovers can go unused. But this paste is in an easy-to-seal jar, so no more waste! Link

Weber’s Horseradish Prepared Mustard

Weber’s is our house mustard. It gives a snappy horseradish kick to burgers, potato salad, deviled eggs, and pretzels — and don’t even get us started on how good it is on hotdogs and brats. It’s not a Wegman’s exclusive, and it can be found everywhere in Western New York. But in Raleigh, we’ve only found it in a few small, specialty grocery stores at double the price…until now. You’ll always find Weber’s on the shelves at Wegman’s for a reasonable price, so our family in Buffalo no longer have to pack it into their suitcases when they visit us. Link

Bacon Cheddar Burgers

For carnivores, Wegman’s ready-made bacon cheeseburgers are a gift from the gods. They are spendy, but they’re huge at about a half-pound each. Full of big bacon pieces and cheddar cheese, we like them best grilled — just keep a spray bottle of water handy to control any flame flare-ups. They’re so juicy and packed with flavor that we keep the garnishes at a minimum – just ketchup and a slather of Weber’s mustard.

Truffle Finishing Butter

Wegman’s Truffle Finishing Butter is decadent and fancy, but without the fancy price tag. This is our go-to when we make the Barefoot Contessa’s tagliarelle with truffle butter because it’s a fraction of the cost of the competitors and just as delicious. This butter is also great on veggies, potatoes, dinner rolls, and in omelettes. Link

Blackberry Tangerine Sparkling Water

With sparkling water all the rage, Wegmans, like many grocery store chains, has their own brand. We’ve tried many of them out there, and we like this Wegmans product for the very affordable price and the unique assortment of mash-up flavors like cherry pomegranate, tangerine lime, and our favorite — blackberry tangerine. And by the looks of how fast these waters were being restocked on the shelves on opening day, we’re not the only ones. Link

Kimmelweck Rolls

Western New York’s famous “beef on weck” is a tasty roast beef sandwich served on a “Kimmelweck” roll — a kaiser roll topped with kosher salt and caraway seeds. We’ve found them only a few times at bakeries in the Triangle over the years, and we would make our own when we couldn’t get them. But now that there’s a Wegman’s in town, you can grab a few from the bakery and have them with roast beef or your favorite cold cuts for a hearty sandwich.

Cookie Shop Cookies

One any given day, you’ll find a large assortment of sweet treats in the Wegman’s bakery, and we have a hard time passing by the Cookie Shop Cookies without grabbing a few to take home. They are a splurge, but worth it given the variety and how delicious they are. A few that we can’t seem to leave the store without are the shortbread cookies, which are buttery with a creamy chocolate or raspberry filling, and the raspberry sour cream cookie, filled with raspberry jam.

If you have any favorite Wegman’s products, please share in the comments. What should we put on our “to try” list?

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Dana and Michael for braving the opening of Wegmans and sharing their favorite items. Can’t wait to try a few of these and explore this store more.