Oh how I love the West Side Market
The West Side Market is a foodie utopia. It has the largest selection of the freshest ingredients in cleveland and most of the time it is cheaper than your average grocery store. Now yes at most Heinen's you can get the same quality produce but you will pay 2x the price you will at the west side market. There are not a lot of places in Cleveland you can have your morning coffee with an apple fritter (yum) while buying your veggies for the week. Yes the place is a little dusty but it is full of old world charm and people who toil in lost crafts. Very few places can you find an actual butcher in cleveland and one that speciallizes in a particular type of fare would be unheard of not at the west side market there you have butchers that specialize in beef and veal, or smoked meats, or even goat and lamb.
What I recommend
Frequent a few stands for most of your staples. Why you ask? The answer is simple, if the vendor knows you first of all they will make sure to give you the highest quality of what they have even if it isn't out for the general public and you will get more discounts than you can imagine. And do yourself a favor be nice to the vendors talk to them not only will you make their day a little better they often can drop information about where to and not to go.
For non staples do a lap before you commit to who you will buy from.
For unfamiliar stands PICK your own produce and meat
Oh what you want some specifics?
ok ok ok already
Chuppa and sons-Go to Freddy he has great everyday produce both fruits and veggies. His cousin tommy next door has some more exotic fare.
The potato shop in the corner for potatoes and aromatics
Cheese I recommend The Cheese Shoppe (try the cranberry stilton), Anne Maries Dairy (she has fresh butter) and the mediteranean foods shop where you can also pick up a ton of specialty or less common ingredients
Meat I recommend Jim's Meats Mark their head butcher will blow your mind. Great meat.
Poultry- DW Whittakers and Dionne's
Bakery- Michelle's or Christopher's
Miscalaneous- City beanery, Crepes de luxe, the nut shop, medeteranean foods shop, the middle eastern food stand in the northeast corner.
Hit or Miss
Seafood here has always been a little lacking
Avoid like the plague
At the corner of the L there is a potato/aromatic shop if only an old woman is there do not go there she will give you rotten stuff her sons will do right though.
Overall:
Go there a lot, try something new everytime, celebrate food like it is meant to be celebrated.