The 15 Best Grocery Stores in the US

There are lots of grocery store chains in the US, and some of them are better than others. If you’re looking for a great place to go shopping for groceries, though, you need to choose one of these fifteen awesome locations.

Sprouts

Sprouts is well-known as an eco-friendly location where you can find lots of health foods and organic options. Notably, the groceries here can be more expensive than at some comparable stores. But the great atmosphere and healthy foods are well worth the expense!

Mitsuwa Marketplace

Californian grocery store chain Mitsuwa Marketplace specializes in Japanese goods. The serve everything from ramen and sushi-grade fish to Japanese candy and even imported beauty goods. It’s perfect for shoppers who want specialized goods!

H-Mart

The popular New York-based Asian supermarket chain H-Mart is one of the largest Asian markets in the country. If you’re looking for East Asian ingredients or even imported goods like beauty products, you can’t go wrong with H-Mart—as long as you live near one.

Harris Teeter

North Carolina-based grocery chain Harris Teeter has quickly spread throughout the Southeast. Among its biggest advantages is its discounts on gas through their fuel program. Shoppers have noted that this fuel program can get gas as cheap as you’d find at Costco with a membership.

Whole Foods

Though now owned by Amazon, the first Whole Foods was opened in Austin, Texas in 1980. It became popular in the mid-00s as an upscale store for environmentally conscious customers. Notably, the prices at Whole Foods are much higher than similar stores, but it’s still a favorite among many shoppers.

Publix

Southeastern chain Publix is based in Florida and has quickly become a Southern staple. They offer excellent sub sandwiches, deli foods, and sweet tea. Their generic groceries are also excellent when compared to name brands. What’s more, their customer service is second to none.

Wegmans

Wegmans locations can be found in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The clean, inviting stores are upscale and feature craft beer, great baked goods, and numerous shopping amenities. This is partly due to their massive size: Wegmans locations are nearly twice the size of an average grocery store.

Kroger

Founded in 1883 by Barney Kroger in Cincinnati, Kroger is one of the oldest grocery chains in the country. It’s been around for over 140 years for a good reason: they offer great service and affordable groceries. There’s also found all over the country.

H-E-B

Popular Texan grocery chain H-E-B is a staple of the state and is loved for a lot of reasons. They have huge, clean stores and friendly employees. They also offer very low prices on produce because they partner directly with local producers, allowing them to pass savings to customers.

Stew Leonard’s

The themed experience at Stew Leonard’s is what makes it so special. It was once a dairy delivery service that transitioned to being an experience-based grocery store. They have lots of departments, like a deli, bakery, and meat department, each equipped with fun animatronics and other decorations.

Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s is the most popular grocery store around for fans of weird food mashups and top-notch customer service. From their unique offerings like cookie butter and orange chicken to their great organic groceries, you can’t go wrong with Trader Joe’s. And their employees also happen to be some of the nicest folks you can find in any service gig.

Hy-Vee

Midwest staple Hy-Vee first opened in Beaconsfield, Iowa in 1930. It’s a higher-end supermarket that offers a great all-around experience. If you live in an area with Hy-Vees, you probably already know how great they are due to their great reputation.

Lidl

Lidl is a streamlined German supermarket that offers extremely low prices. They offer these prices by using a very low-overhead model and offering extreme discounts on goods that are close to their expiration date. That makes them great for shoppers who don’t mind dropping in multiple times per week.

MOM’s Organic Market

Mid-Atlantic chain MOM’s Organic Market is a huge hit among environmentally conscious shoppers. It’s an alternative to locations like Whole Foods, offering eco-friendly, organic produce and wonderful health foods. From beauty supplies to vitamins, you can find plenty of organic options here.

Aldi

Aldi is known for its low prices, no-nonsense stores, and peculiar practices. Those practices, of course, make their business model extremely frugal. These savings are passed on to the shopper, making it perfect for people on a budget. Notably, this is not a “fun” shopping experience, though, just strictly functional.