Are there supermarkets in New York? I am asked this question very often. Since breakfast is sometimes not included in the hotel or is too expensive, there is the alternative of shopping in the supermarket. There are many large grocery stores, although they are sometimes well hidden, for example in the basement. Here is a list of supermarket chains in Manhattan. To find where the nearest one of these markets is, simply type the name into Google or Apple Maps and all branches will be shown on the map.

Trader Joe's

The company, owned by Aldi Nord, is very popular in New York with a great range of fresh and delicious fruit and vegetable products, many organically grown. Don't be put off by the huge queues, you can move along quickly.

Whole Foods

“Whole Foods” means whole foods in English. It is also the name of a very successful American supermarket chain, owned by Amazon, which operates more than 400 supermarkets and specializes in healthy and, if possible, natural foods. Be careful, it is very expensive and Americans joke “Whole Paycheck”, suggesting that a purchase there uses up your entire salary. You will also find freshly prepared food there, such as pizza, sushi, sandwiches, soup, salads, etc.

The Food Emporium

One of the slightly smaller chains in New York that does not exist nationwide, but only in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Some of the stores are open 24 hours unlike the two previously mentioned.

Fairway Market

A usually huge market, it's easy to get lost and spend a little more time than usual in a supermarket, a large selection of all foods. Famous especially for the cheese counters, one of the largest in NYC.

Bodegas

Copyright Dan Nguyen

From the outside it looks like a non-descript corner shop. But a bodega - a real New York bodega - is so much more. A bodega is a place where you can find ripe avocados right under the lottery section and various balls for children and where the tights sit next to the sticky traps. Confusing to the outsider perhaps, but people from the neighborhood come in every day for all of these things, plus a breakfast sandwich, a snack or a cold beer. Always open 24 hours and never ordinary or boring. Found almost on every corner in NYC.

Lidl

Like Aldi, Lidl has three stores in NYC Queens, Harlem and the Bronx, with one coming in Chelsea in 2024. The offers are similar to those in Germany, slightly cheaper than Aldi but still cheaper than other NYC supermarkets.