The 10 Best Grocery Stores in America Right of 2024
When it comes to narrowing down the best grocery chains around the country, there’s a lot to consider: Do you opt for the grocery store nearby with the top-tier raspberry jelly donuts? The one that gives out extra-hearty cold cuts as samples? Or perhaps the one that’s always got a new, somewhat-novel hummus flavor every week?
Ideally, my Dream Grocery Store would have all three. Until that exists, I have a few ideas on which are the best in their own special way.
To the shock of no one, I’m a complete grocery shopping nerd. I relish the experience, and not just for my weekly shop. It’s how I catch up with a friend (or first date!), source unique souvenirs, and find inspiration both in and out of the kitchen. Much like someone’s allegiance to a college football team, a grocery store can really elicit a specific flavor of loyalty, too. Here are my top 10.
1. Best Discount Grocer: Lidl
I know, I know. You’re likely wondering, where’s Aldi? Sorry, not here. Hot take, I know. But it’s true; Lidl, another somewhat IKEA-ified grocer that offers low-priced groceries with a simplified layout and selection (much like Aldi), simply does it better. The prices? A steal and a half. Produce? Incredible with a capital I. The Lidl bakery department? An absolute achievement.
Lidl is the best of quality and affordability, with a store layout that’s way easy to maneuver (shoppers rave about the “Lidl Middle”). It’s a delight. I have no notes. Give Lidl a try — it will treat you well.
2. Best Bulk Warehouse: Costco
It’s hard to deny that the love for Costco often starts before you even have to whip out your membership card. The pizza slices the size of your face? The fact that you don’t even need to be a member to buy wine or alcohol?
The scent of the rotisserie chickens have me floating toward them like I’m Pepé Le Pew, and when you add an actual membership to the mix, you’ve basically hit the bulk-buying jackpot. Costco is essentially all the thrill of a theme park in grocery shopping form, with affordable 24-packs of really anything you can dream of, amazing free samples, and exciting seasonal items (like caviar, meal kits, and colossal cheesecakes) to really jazz up a monthly run for bulk staples).
3. Best Online Grocer: Misfits Market
More often than not, the crowds of a grocery store are not the mood. But what if you still want the in-person discounts while skipping pricey fees of most delivery services? Or really want to do your part to alleviate strains on our food system? The most perfect crossover of my dream grocery Venn Diagram, it turns out, is Misfits Market, which also now owns Imperfect Foods.
If you, like me, tend to get a bit willy-nilly with your shopping cart, Misfits Market just might be your new budgeting BFF. You can see your total before your three-day checkout window closes, get meal inspiration, and score slightly “imperfect” items like dragon fruit, carbon-neutral half-and-half, and honey BBQ-marinated salmon (my repeat buy every week). I dare you to find any imperfections, though. I’ve yet to receive anything in my weekly box that’s anything but flawless.
4. Best Regional Grocer: H-E-B
As I’ve found out each time I’ve been to Texas, H-E-B is very much owed a spot on this best grocery stores list. If you’ve never been, it’s a must-visit on any extended stay in Texas, if not for the bakery alone (get some freshly made tortillas). Simply put, it’s better to ask yourself what can’t you do when at an H-E-B? Because you can basically get all your wedding needs accounted for there, go on a date at its food hall, and yes, also pick up groceries.
5. Best Store Brand: Wegmans
You’ll know a Wegmans fan by how loudly they proclaim their love of Wegmans — and there’s plenty of them, so it’s really quite a spectacle. It’s not often a store’s private-label brand has everything you really need with the same great quality I expect from big-name brands. Then I met Wegmans’ peanut butter, and Wegmans’ sushi, and all the fun sparkling waters. And do not get me started on the cheese section. We could be here all day. We would be here all day.
6. Best New and Seasonal Items: Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s really shines for a lot of reasons: The music that makes you feel like you’re at Club TJ’s and not a grocery store, the often fun banter between cashiers, and, yes, the deals. Each trip to Trader Joe’s only adds to my list of why it’s earned a secure spot on this list. The aisles are always packed to the gills with new and seasonal items, like horchata-inspired ice cream, jalapeño limeade, and an ever-revolving selection of more-than-just-drinkable sub-$10 wines.
Each grocery run at a Trader Joe’s somehow packs in the novelty of cracking open a new pack of Pokémon cards, where you really don’t know what you’re going to get. Yes, we love to go there for the cheap bananas, but we all know why we’re really at TJ’s: the chance of scoring a wintry Cedar Balsam candle, the last watermelon juice of the season, and a pint of Ube ice cream.
7. Best Organic: Sprouts Farmers Market
Walking into Sprouts feels like walking into a storybook cute farmside road stand, but one with some serious savings on things like organic cherries, grass-fed meat and ice cream, and bulk items like coffee beans. Yes, you kind of can have it all. Sprouts is my go-to for refilling bulk items at a bargain (like oats, nutritional yeast, and even candy) and hard-to-find items (like culinary-grade lavender you can use for making lavender lemonade or a very good frosting for Earl Grey chocolate cupcakes).
Best of all? Sprouts makes for an amazing, quick lunch stop: The weekly and daily deals on things like sushi and deli sandwiches are hard to beat, so be sure not to sleep on them.
8. Best Deli: Publix
Alright, this is where I must show my own (Floridian) bias. There just is no roundup without mentioning the majesty that is Publix, a Southeastern chain that is thankfully moving to states besides Florida. But the jewel in Publix’s crown? Without a doubt, it’s the deli.
If you merely stop in for a Publix sub (aka a “Pub Sub” in local lingo), you’ve reached the highest peak. It’s the only lunch option, in my opinion, for a beach picnic, road trip, or poolside feast — really any occasion can be improved upon with a Publix chicken finger sub, with that cornmeal-crusted bread and freshly brewed iced tea that makes me emotional.
Want to make your own sub at home? The cold cuts are hard to beat, and the deli workers will always give you a heavy-handed sample of spicy turkey or creamy Havarti to taste — no questions asked. Publix, I salute you.
9. Best Cheese Section: Whole Foods
As a former cheesemonger, I still love to make my fridge my own little cheese case. But … it gets expensive, which is why Whole Foods gets high marks in my book for its cheese section. Not only will you find a well-stocked cheese library of seasonal favorites (like any of the Sartori BellaVitano cheeses and Rogue River Blue), but it also has a special “nubbins” bin with smaller cheese odds and ends, often for under $5 clams. Swing by on your next outing; you just might score a whole board’s worth of cheese for way less than a standard-size wedge.
10. Best Premade Selection: The Fresh Market
How We Rated the Grocery Retailers
For the sake of my rankings, I decided on a few key criteria across the board, including location, price and quality, as well as overall shopping experience.
- Location: I opted to rank retailers who are available in at least eight states, with the exception of one category for best regional grocer.
- Price & Quality: Some shoppers value cheapness as the most important priority in their shop, while others value quality. Ideally, we’re looking for a little bit of both — the ultimate BOGO.
- Shopping Experience: Is it easy to find items? Is the store clean? Are there enough employees available to help? Points for Gryffindor if grocery shopping at said store becomes an ultra-delightful task, rather than merely a chore.
Did your favorite grocer make the list? Tell us about it in the comments.