The world’s best holiday supermarkets – and why we love them
As we all know – in every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and snap! The job’s a game.
When it comes to going to the supermarket, the fun, without doubt, comes in being abroad. Perhaps it’s the novelty of swapping Scotch eggs for serrano ham, or the chance to leave the middle aisles of Middle England far behind and step into another world, one filled with the likes of cheap wine, unfamiliar tinned goods, novelty inflatables and miniature trolleys for children.
Speaking about the stores in Spain, Telegraph destination expert Annie Bennett sums it up.
“Supermarkets in Spain just seem brighter,” she says. “Maybe it’s the huge displays of fruit and vegetables – which you can usually buy loose rather than in plastic – that are often the first thing you see when you go in. And then there are the rows of glistening hams, chorizos and other charcuterie hanging above the cheeses and olives in the vast delicatessen section.”
In short, it’s always worth packing a bag for life along with your bikini or board shorts, because a trip to the local supermarket can be as invigorating as a swim in the sea.
Below are 10 across the globe that are definitely worth a sweep, from classic French hypermarkets to award-winning Australian stores.
Europe
Carrefour, Villiers-en-Bière, France
You can’t beat a French supermarket and this one near the Forest of Fontainebleau is among the country’s biggest (staff whiz around on golf carts). The size means more of what France’s big chains are known for – great value beauty products, luxurious bed linens and decent swimwear.
If you just want to pick up bits for a pique-nique though, you’ve come to the right place: the boulangerie and patisserie bake on site, there’s a gigantic cheese section and the tomatoes in the “exceptional products” section look so glossy it’s hard to believe they’re real. Kids in tow? It may be impossible to bypass the outsized toy display.
What to buy: Stock up on organic beauty products from the bargain Nectar de Bio range, including its wonder product: hydrating gel with aloe vera.
Where to find it: Centre Commercial Villiers-en-Bière
Telegraph rating: 10/10. Magnifique!
Zurheide Feine Kost Düsseldorf im Crown, Germany
The grandest store in our selection is done out in sophisticated shades of taupe and black accentuated with avante-garde light fittings (even the own-brand pet food matches the colour scheme).
The frozen food section is backlit in slick blue neon. There’s a Lindt cave, a fridge full of Wagyu beef and one of the city’s best restaurants in the basement. You never know what else you might discover (the pastry chefs once created an 18-metre version of their famed trademark strawberry cake, for example).
What to buy: Champagne. Once a month, the store holds tasting evenings to sample its new selections.
Where to find it: Berliner Allee 52
Telegraph rating: 8/10. You’re a long way from Aldi now.
Esselunga a Merlata Bloom, Milan, Italy
Impeccable Italian design comes to the food court at this new flagship branch of one of the country’s best-loved supermarkets, on the outskirts of Milan. There’s an open kitchen full of gleaming stainless steel appliances. Shoppers can watch bread and cakes come straight out of the oven (a range of the latter has been developed in conjunction with the chefs at three Michelin-starred Da Vittorio in nearby Brusaporto). An onsite sommelier helps indecisive wine purchasers and there’s a bar for post-shopping aperitifs.
What to buy: The no-garlic pesto from Esselunga’s “Top” range can be eaten on romantic breaks without regret.
Where to find it: Gottlieb Wilhelm Daimler 61
Telegraph rating: 8/10. The nearest you’ll get to La Dolce Vita with a trolley in tow.
Esclat, Palafrugell, Spain
The family-owned Bon Preu i Esclat chain is known for supporting local suppliers in Catalonia. In practice, that means that the apples or onions you buy might well have the name of the farmer who grew them on the label. For spotless aisles, stacks of local wine and one of Europe’s best sun cream selections, the branch just outside Palafrugell on the Costa Brava is hard to beat.
Even children will be enthusiastic about a quick whizz round, thanks to its free mini soft play and trolleys with inbuilt toddler cars, which make it easy to race between the jamón and Rioja. Don’t miss the Xina Center next door, which has row upon row of bargain hair accessories, lilos and kids’ toys.
What to buy: Catalonian Viña Sol, which comes in at under six euros (it’s £8.29 in Waitrose but tastes much better by the Med).
Where to find it: Costa Brava Bulevar, Palafrugell, Spain
Telegraph rating: 8/10. Extra points for its excellent holiday essentials.
Coop City Zürich St. Annahof, Zurich, Switzerland
Food prices in Switzerland rival those of the Harrods Food Halls, so you would hope shopping at its supermarkets to be an equally luxurious experience. Though that’s not always the case, the flagship stores of its best-known chains Migros and the posher Coop are suitably indulgent.
A cavernous branch of the latter can be found in a historic building on Zurich’s grandest shopping street; a bit like an upmarket department store, where you can buy sunglasses and jeans along with your fruit and veg. Expect one-off events (such as last year’s chance to buy Lindt Lindor chocolates in personalised boxes) too.
What to buy: There’s no contest. Opt for a truly Swiss souvenir by picking up a little something from the cheese hut. Tete de Moine is the foodie’s choice.
Where to find it: Bahnhofstrasse 57
Telegraph rating: 7/10. Points deducted for prices.
Further afield
Trader Joe’s, South Pasadena, United States
Think America, think faceless out-of-town megamarts. Trader Joe’s, however, does things differently. Not only are its stores often in historic buildings (from an old cinema in Houston to a former bank in Brooklyn), but there’s a bell instead of an intercom and store managers sport Hawaiian shirts.
One of the chain’s longest-running branches is a mid-century modern delight in South Pasadena that’s worth a detour on a Californian road trip. The atmosphere is suitably Sunshine State – the brand claims that there are sometimes impromptu dance parties in the aisles – but it’s the cult products that are worth popping in for, from freeze-dried raspberries and honeycomb candy to vanilla lip balm.
What to buy: Stock up on quirky seasonings, including Pizza Sprinkle and the Everything but the Bagel blend, which turns any bagel into an “everything bagel”, with sea salt, sesame, garlic and onion. If you can get one of its viral tote bags you’ll be lucky – they sell for thousands of dollars.
Where to find it: 613 Mission St
Telegraph rating: 7/10. Good for novelty value, but not for a big shop.
Loblaws Carlton Street, Toronto, Canada
This delight is the number one “speciality food market” in Toronto according to Tripadvisor – with good reason. Set in a former ice hockey arena where Elvis once performed, it’s dotted with mementoes of a different time. That’s not the only draw: glass walls house towers of cheese and great hams swing from displays. There’s a deli section to rival the best independents while the store regularly invites comparisons with more pricey Whole Foods. It’s a shame that the on-site Nutella café shut, but you can’t have everything (though you can still have pancakes, courtesy of the excellent in-store bakery).
What to buy: A donut from the vast, rainbow-hued range, for less than $2.
Where to find it: Carlton Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Telegraph rating: 8/10. Marks lost because Loblaws’ high prices and record profits have led to a recent local boycott of the brand. But that doesn’t seem to have put visitors off the patisserie (let them eat cake?).
Saints Foodland, Adelaide, Australia
Don’t be fooled by a somewhat scruffy location on the outskirts of the city: in March 2024, this place was voted IGA International Retailer of the Year at a glitzy awards ceremony in Las Vegas, beating 6,000 other entries. A large cheese bar, fancy bakery and displays devised in the manner of the best bookshelves (colour-coordinated and perfectly stacked) helped propel the Saints branch to the top of the table, as well as the chance to sample cheese and charcuterie on the deli counter. Then there’s the local shellfish.
What to buy: Oysters from the Eyre Peninsula, around the Spencer Gulf.
Where to find it: 1792 Main N Road, Salisbury Plain
Telegraph rating: 7/10. Not the most exciting of our entries, but bonza if you’re down under nonetheless.
7-Eleven Matsudo Tokiwadaira Ekimae, Matsudo, Japan
If you’ve so much as glanced at TikTok or Instagram, you’ll probably be aware of the joys of a Japanese 7-Eleven. The convenience store has gained cult status among tourists for its egg sandwiches, sushi rolls and indulgent cream puffs, as well as novelty products (everything from anime-themed biscuits to waterproof handbags).
In 2024, the brand branched out into more supermarket-like spaces, with this outpost stocking an even more bewildering range of goods than usual, including fresh sashimi, home-baked pizza and own-brand Seventea. There’s a concession section from the cult 100 yen store Daiso too. Extra points for the jazzy soundtrack.
What to buy: Pick up the pre-prepared smoothie mix and then blitz it in the onsite blending machine.
Where to find it: 1-20-1 Tokiwadaira
Telegraph rating: 8/10. Good for novelty factor but it can be hard to know what to buy (with this in mind, the company has produced a handy range of how-to videos).
Big C Ratchadamri, Bangkok, Thailand
This psychedelic wonder in Bangkok stretches over four floors of bargain snacks, clothes and toiletries, with two levels of supermarket shelves and a food court at the top. Be prepared for an assault on the senses – even the trolleys have neon accents. Fish sits on islands of ice, there are rainbow rows of underwear and the instant noodles stretch for aisles.
In fact, this place doesn’t just have aisles, it has worlds (Snacks World is particularly popular). If it all feels a bit overwhelming, there’s a “tourist favourites” section where you can pick up a range of Thailand’s best souvenirs without the need for a deep dive.
What to buy: Thai milk tea is comfort in a packet.
Where to find it: 97/11 Ratchadamri Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan
Telegraph rating: 8/10. Sharpen your elbows. This one’s worth vying with the crowds for.
