Today is one of those days where all I’d like to do is cozy up with a nice book (translation: LOST season 5 DVD) and stay put. But a savvy girl’s gotta eat, and braving the NYC weather is just another obstacle to good eats. After scanning my poorly stocked pantry, I decided it was time to man up and venture out into the winter wonderland that is Manhattan. So, I piled on 15 lbs of clothing and waddled over to the greatest place on Earth: Westerly Natural Market... 

Since I moved to Hell’s Kitchen, Westerly has become my new favorite spot for… well, everything. Located within crawling distance from my apartment (corner of 54th & 8th), this little place has it all; from raw chocolate to freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil dispensed from a keg (yeah!). There’s even an extensive raw foods section in the back for those of you who like your enzymes. For those unfamiliar with Westerly, I like to describe it as a less corporate Whole Foods, with all the awesome parts of Whole Foods shoved into 5 narrow aisles… in a good way. Not to mention, the packaged products are flat-out cheaper than their duplicates at competitor markets.

With soup on my mind and $5 in my wallet, I squeezed past the eager shoppers and followed my nose to the homemade soup counter in the back of the store. I was delighted to find a wide variety of vegetarian soups- including Chipotle Sweet Potato, Lentil Curry, Minestrone, and Creamy Cinnamon Squash. After sticking my face in every soup pot, I settled on the vegetarian Minestrone. A heaping portion cost me only $4.50, and I was on my way back to warmth.

The soup itself was outstanding. Made from vegetable stock, the hearty blend of noodles, tomatoes, carrots and cabbage was enough to fill me up for the night. The broth was tomato-y and well seasoned, and I especially liked that the noodles weren’t mushy. The cabbage also added a nice crunch in the soup. I’ll need to return before they change up the menu- that Chipotle Sweet Potato soup smelled divine.

Overall, Westerly Natural Market is where it’s at. The staff couldn’t be more helpful, and the selection is relatively cheap and eco-friendly. But be forewarned: it takes a great deal of willpower to walk out of the place with only one item. I often find myself wandering the store for 30 minutes checking out the authentic Indian sauces and strange new tofu creations. But hey, I'll take wandering the aisles of Westerly than the frozen streets of Manhattan any day.