East West cash and carry is an Asian convenience store / mini supermarket / cash and carry…read moreThere are only a handful of these specialist stores in the town and this is the best one. Never buy spices, Indian herbs or any Indian cooking ingredients from a supermarket as you pay way over the odds and for such small quantities. Practically all of the customers who shop at East West are Bangladeshi or Indian and they also supply a number of restaurants and takeaways. They get a delivery of fresh Asian vegetables every week (normally on Monday) and their in-shop butcher looks after the Halal meat side of things. It's great to try all of these Asian vegetables as they are cheap and if you don't know what to do with them the shop owner are happy to help or just have a look on the net. They have about 10 large chest freezers what are full of Asian fish and other special foods. I buy my mutton from here as these Asian supermarkets are practically the only places that sell mutton. Mutton is great for curry or any slow cooked meal and it is cheaper than lamb. If you have not shopped in one of these places before then it may be a new experience at first as sometimes when I shop here I have to step over the odd guy who has just unrolled his mat out for one of their many prays they do each day. Also don't be put of by the untidiness as this is how they all are, In general, shop here for all of your ingredients, don't be afraid to ask if you are unsure and give the supermarkets a miss.

This is a handy store close to the railway station in Darlington and stocks a small range of…read moreSainsburys goods. Because of this you know that you are getting good quality goods and you can often get the offers advertised. There is a cashpoint outside that you do not get charged for using which is useful to know given that they are hard to find outside of the supermarkets and town centres now. Parking is pretty easy and you can usually get straight outside. Hours are also handy and the store is open between six in the morning and eleven at night.

holds the basics you need if you can't make it up the road to the big sainsburys. I find it very…read morecramped though, not enough space between aisles.

This is a very handy spar shop/post office in Haughton Village in Darlington opposite the village…read moregreen. It is a few doors up from the White Horse pub so if you can't get parked on the road outside, you can always pull into the pub car park. The post office staff are very helpful and informative and, in my opinion, a trip here can save tangling with the crowds and queues in the main post office in town. The shop is well stocked and you are likely to find most things you would expect from a local shop.