Natural Food Works

Natural Food Works is a local foods grocery store and health food store. They offer discounted supplements and fresh, local produce and prepared foods, including meats and fish, fruits and vegetables. Their line of house prepared items incorporates local and organic ingredients and is gluten and casein free.

Try their local organic pesto, salad dressing, barbeque sauce, pickles, jams, fruit compotes, chutneys, ravioli, pizza and chicken pot pie. Or pickled beets, egg salad, free range chicken salad, fresh low mercury tuna salad, and blueberry muffins.

They specialize in gluten free/ casein free foods, including ravioli, sandwich rolls and hot dog buns, bagels, pizza, pastry dough, gelato, tamales, and seasonal organic soups and dinner entrees. They also bake fresh every day a gluten free/ casein free line of brownies, sourdough bread, blueberry muffins, foccacia rolls/hamburger buns, hot dog buns, bagels, blueberry bagels, chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies and panko style bread crumbs. Add to the list linguine, fettuccine and lasagna pasta, and you're good to go if you're looking for gluten or casein free foods.

No factory food contaminants (solvents, degreasers), no aluminum pans, no hydrogenated or trans fats, no corn syrup, no micro-waved foods, no unnatural additives.

They also accept calls for pre-order (since their products turn over rapidly), which may be a good idea if you're from out of town.

Store History

Bob Black helped start Natural Food Works. The store started out in the Terminal Hotel at 206 G Street in 1971.

Store Philosophy

Local food bypasses shipping costs, avoiding the many layers of mark-up involved in conventional grocery shopping. The idea is that food staples move directly from local farms to their store, and directly from there to your home. Some items will make a stop in their kitchen to become prepared foods, but you still eliminate a lot of middlemen. Local food is good for the environment and for sustainable food systems, and it's good for your budget.

The concept is to build a new model for a local food system that works. They aim to grow the concept, providing for more grower participation and more product diversity.

Older photos

The old interior The old interior

The storefront from a former life.

2005-02-18 17:35:23   A little on the pricey side, but you can get great quality stuff here; bioregional and organic... I Natural Food Works —JevanGray

2005-08-30 22:55:30   I've never eaten here but I've been walking past it lately. Got any suggestions? —IrenePark

2007-01-29 19:11:35   This place has a lot of herbs that you probably wouldn't find anywhere else in town. I stopped by to buy some valerian root to entertain my cat, and out of curiosity I wanted to clarify something I read on the internet about its effects on humans. 'So, this is supposed to calm you down?" And the lady who helped me responded "No, this gives you psychic energy." Be on the lookout for pseudospiritual stuff, and take medicinal claims with a grain of salt. —KarlMogel

2007-12-05 12:58:15   Very, Very disappointed. I had heard such good things from friends about this place. About 2 weeks ago I emailed about the possibility of ordering a gluten-free dairy-free cake for a party and never received a response. I called today to follow up and as I just started to speak I was cut-off and told I would get a call later. Even if I do happen to get a return call, I will not bring my business here. —MyaBrn

2010-04-01 16:13:18   All I can say is WOW! I was recently diagnosed with celiac's disease, so when I accidentally walked by this store this afternoon I was happily surprised to find such a place in Davis! Not only that, but the two samples of bread I was given were PHENOMENAL!! I bought a few loaves, as well as some other goodies to try - butternut squash ravioli, and a brownie. (The brownie never made it home - I'll never crave a wheat brownie again.) Thanks for making a tough diagnosis seem completely doable - with great food like this, who can go complain? —juliebates

2011-12-01 12:46:57   This place is amazing and I wish we had one in San Diego. We had a fairly large group, called ahead with our order and had some of the most delicious food I've ever had in a restaurant.Definitely the freshest food. You won't like this place if you like eating while texting, if TGIF's is your favorite restaurant, or if you care more about fast service than eating real food. —TillyWhitehead

2011-12-29 21:37:53   Oh my god they have best gluten-free bread I've ever tasted! Definitely made my day. Expensive for a loaf ($6.95), but when you have diet restrictions up the wazoo, the money is worth the deliciousness. —argyle