This place is a bit of a weird place- they seem to sell a little bit of everything. At first i had…read moremistook this place as a pharmacy, because most to the time you will see that the shop is lined with: washing powder, detergents and most of the household items you will find at a local pharmacy store (the ones with a massive PX) outside. Once you go in though, you will find that this shop nothing short of a surprise. Snacks, food items and even shampoo line the shelf -most of it you will not find elsewhere. As a Hong Kong specialty, it even sells dried seafood items. The fact that this place sells everything means that every trip here is a fact finding tour. Now being I go too far, you have to take note of one thing: this place sells things on the cheap. Really cheap. You will also have to bulk buy here, not that you will have to drive your minivan in; but it certainly comes in bigger portions than it would at your local supermarket. So what's bad about this place? You won't be able to find this shop in really convenient locations as their shops tend to be at out of the way locations. They are always packed, especially at the weekends when you get tourists, locals and helpers all crowding into the small shops. Other than that, I would be more than happy to get my groceries here all week. Only that they don't do that much food, shame.

For places like the states, department stores such as Wall mart and Target usually have those super…read moresize oatmeal packs, a whole gallon of milk, oil and soda. Whereas in Hong Kong, ordinary supermarkets tend to shrink down the portion, probably knowing that local households don't really consume as much (?) so it is an exciting sight to see these large packets of candies, chocolates and snacks. What I like best about this store is that the items you find here are not the common brands you see in normal supermarkets; exotic brands of sweets written in an unknown European language, a collage of chocolates of different flavors or more familiar brands with the portion all scaled up: imagine a bucket full of Almond roca and a kilogram full of M&M. No only sweets, you can also find good quality oil, tubs and jars of condiments, a huge variety of canned food that are no longer seen in mainstream supermarkets. Other than things to eat, which is always my main focus; household supplies like detergents and washing power are also found here. In short, this is an alternative place where you shop for groceries in a very good price. You guessed it, the very best thing about this store is the price; it is much more economical to buy things here in large quantities in relatively lower cost. The individual item may not be like real cheap, but the per unit price of the goods sold here I can guarantee is a lot lower. Since it locates near where I use to work before, I always like to stop by to check out for snacks before going home. So if you work in Wanchai, do stop by and find yourself a good deal here.

Great place to stock up on cheap food for a flight home and genuine local candy etc as gifts to…read moretake back. Ultra convienient location very close to the Wan Chai MTR station.

I know what most people say about visiting Hong Kong - that the priority should be eating out as…read moremuch as possible, but as a lady on a budget, this just simply isn't plausible 100% of the time. Enter Wellcome - conveniently located just steps from a few hotels nearby (including the one I was staying at) and pretty reasonably priced to boot! I had many greek yogurt/cereal dinners on the cheap here, as well as a few last minute flight-snack grabs. the staff isn't particularly nice, and are often in the way of the narrow aisles when you're trying to shop, but it's no different than shopping in a market in NYC in that regard. Also keep an eye out for evening markdowns in the fresh bakery / fresh foods department, where you can score some cheap 2-for-1 prices on buns and other delicious goodies. when i return to HK i'll most likely end up here at some point again. Bonus points for being open late!

my first experience with Don Don Donki was this very location! i also remember when it had just…read moreopened and it felt like a whole new world as a kid. i was so happy to hear they opened a second location in HK but this is the only one that is open 24/7. i will say that coming back to HK, the location isn't as big as the ones in Japan. there are a lot of foreigners as well and so there's often times crowds of people in aisles. i do like that there is self checkout and that you can use your octopus card or credit card. the prices are relatively reasonable and you can find practically anything that you need here.

This is the mecca of all things Japanese including snacks, beauty supplies, household items, toys,…read moreand more. Think of it as a marketplace that's packed with great items. They even have ready to eat hot and cold foods. Having only been to the Hawaiian locations in thr US, this was the first Donki I have visited in Asia. While the items inside are aplenty, the space absolutely not. This location is kind of hidden and there are stairs to go down into the store or else you'll need do wait for an elevator that only reaches a hotel lobby (a bit odd). The snacks are my favorite items to grab here and I definitely like that the goods are extreme expensive. It is hard to explore the store because of the huge variety but think of it as an adventure when you go. Also, be prepared to brave the line because it is always crowded. Get ready to squeeze in and out of almost every aisle when it's thr evening or weekend.

Goodwell is a gourmet shop specialized in olive and grapeseed oils but once you step in you realize…read moreit's much more than that. In fact they only have a small corner devoted to them (and other oils). Of those olive oil is the only 'gourmet' item though. They carry some extra virgin olive oils at very good prices, but they only have Italian ones which is a bit shortsighted for olive oil specialists. Besides that shelf by the entrance they have all kinds of confectionary, nuts, dried fruits, spices, some wines, canned food (fish, meat and vegetables) and pasta. Most of them are from European origin, mainly Italy but Spain, Germany or Austria are also represented. The staff let you browse around, in fact in the three times I've been there, no one has ever offered any help or advice. That's okay with me because I knew what I was after but some people may appreciate a bit more customer service. What I like the most about the shop though is that I can find special products not so easy to spot at supermarkets and definitely better priced. I love their sundried tomatoes (not only their taste but their price!) and the big cans (3 Kgs) of jalapeños and chopped tomatoes. These are not for me because I don't cook in bulk but it may be worth for families. Their spicies are also good - no fancy package but who needs that when they are more than half the prize than Taste of Fusion? And who needs that for spicies anyway...! They also have some good coconut oils, at reasonable prices and their nuts are also okay, but Prizemart beats them! They carry both well known brands and their own brand. I guess if you're not comfortable with that you can ask them about origin, etc. They were initially just traders and have an important wholesale business behind. Retailing came later and that's why you can see some good prices and variety on their shelves. So this is my place to stock up on pantry items. For nuts I still go across the street!

SOGO Supermarket is the food hall in the basement of SOGO Department Store. Basement food halls are…read moreubiquitous in Japanese department stores and pretty much the only section of the store that I care about. You can find a variety of Japanese food products here, along with some other imported items as well. The dessert/cake section is quite extensive and there are multiple bakeries/desserteries. They have Japanese brands/companies but also a couple local ones as well. I tried their Japanese cheesecake tart place and it was quite good. The tart was fresh and warm. Their cakes are detail-oriented and glamorous like the ones you'd see at a department store in Tokyo. There's produce and meats sold here, but they're pretty pricey, as you can imagine. That week was their Taiwanese fair, so the market had an assortment of Taiwanese street food to eat. It can be super crowded here, so keep that in mind if you're not into crowds. But then, if you can't handle crowds, why are you in Hong Kong?

It will never stop surprising me how you can enter a building in HK and discover a whole new world…read more The city is practically built by stacking upwards so some of the best things are tucked away on upper and lower floors, hidden away from street level. Case in point, it took me 6 months to discover SOGO's basement even though I lived, quite literally, next door. SOGO is a gigantic department store that attracts hordes of shoppers, many with luggage, every hour of every day. I knew all this, I saw the insane mass of limbs and luggage wheels every time I crossed the street. That's why i was deterred from going in until the last month of my stay. What I didn't know was that there was a food paradise tucked underneath all the people and the floors. The SOGO grocery store is similar to other high end grocery stores, but with a Japanese focus. Very clean, very large, and with many exotic varieties at a premium price point. There is an area in the middle that sells an assortment of Japanese snacks: dango, matcha tea, sun-dried squid, etc. To be honest, I never actually bought anything from the grocery store but I did go for SOGO's assortment of ready-to-eat food kiosks, all imported from Japan, all amazing. There's a quiche place with an array of the most beautiful quiches on display (fake, but still pretty), there's a cheese tart place (BAKE) that puts a dent in my heart and wallet because the tarts are so delicious and overpriced. There are Japanese sweets, Japanese cakes, and foreign snacks that a certain Japanese shop has repackaged for the Asian population. Beard Papa (cream puffs), Juchhheim (German layered cake), iCremeria (ice cream), Kobe Beef Meat Pie, all evil temptations for someone with an empty stomach. My favourite is Croissant Taiyaki (especially with apple filling): crispy, sugary, flaky pouches that marry French croissants and Japanese Taiyaki at HKD $18 a pop. Sinfully delicious. If you've never been here, drop by. If you're from North America, DEFINITELY MAKE A TRIP HERE. It's unlike anything I've ever seen (though I hear supermarkets like this are everywhere in Japan, lucky...) It may have been a blessing that I discovered it late in my time here in HK. I would've definitely gained a lot more weight if I knew about this place earlier. (73/100) - 2017

Compared to other grocery stores in the same category - the luxury, super segment in HK - Gourmet…read morejust isn't on the same level. And you'll know it because the store was practically empty on a weekend afternoon. The produce, beverage selection, prepared deli foods, and salad bar (if you can call it that) can't hold a candle to what you'll find at the Great Food Hall or City Super. Mind you, I do most of my grocery shopping at the Fusion store a quick walk away from my flat - and it's more than fine, though nothing special. I'd say that Gourmet is more of a 'regular' grocery store and less of a gourmet supermarket. Basically, it comes down to this: I'd have a difficult time leaving my neighborhood and making Gourmet a destination. Conversely, as long as my checking account gives me permission, I'm always happy to jump neighborhood ship to purchase special treats at the Great Food Hall or City Super.

Gourmet is one of my favorite grocery stores to kill time at - not because it's super convenient to…read morego to or terrifically well-stocked, but because it is always empty. I mean, it's location along Leighton Road makes it just a five-minute walk from Times Square, and it's got quite a good variety of international products, but can we just talk about how empty this place always is? Located at the basement of Leighton Centre with not a lot of obvious signs pointing to it, I guess that's no surprise. I find that this supermarket has a pretty large variety of, well, junk food. There are chips in every possible flavor and candies for the pickiest of snackers. In fact, the chips and chocolate aisles are the first things you see when you enter the supermarket, so this is a great place to hit up if you're planning a party and need lots of snacks. If you're looking to do some serious grocery shopping, you might be disappointed because there isn't a great selection of things like meat and vegetables, and even if you find what you need, you can get them cheaper elsewhere. They seem to have more international products than local produce, hence the higher prices. The cashier is a little hard to find here, and you enter and leave at different spots too. If I remember correctly, the cashiers are close to the cleaning products. You won't normally have to line up for long, and not all the cashiers are open because there just aren't a lot of shoppers compared to other supermarkets.

Even though I like a traditional market, I can't deny my love for supermarkets. Well, nice ones…read more Among closest ones to my place are also some ParknShops and Wellcomes (these last ones always funnily smelling of durians...). They are tiny, underground and a little crappy. For a quick purchase they're fine but if I'm shopping for the week or I'm after something especial, I head to Taste in Hopewell Centre. It's conveniently located on my way from work so it's usually in the evening when you can find me there. It's the only Taste supermarket in the North part of the Island (the other one being in Stanley), it opens early in the morning (8am) and has parking space. Right now it's undergoing renovation, but you can still shop as normal. They are relocating a take away area (sushi, sandwiches, salads, bakery and hot food) on the first floor with the main supermarket underground. It's big enough that you can find pretty much everything - there is a butchery, a cheese counter, a fresh fish counter, plenty of fruit and vegetables (and some of them cheaper than at wet markets I'm afraid), a shelf devoted to organic and locally grown veggies, a LOT of dairy products, a LOT of frozen foods...and on the other side there are the canned foods, bakery, nuts, drinks, etc., pretty much you can think of. There's even an area for alcoholic drinks and in the main aisle you can find especial offers. If you need something for your kitchen say, a pot or a pan, they also have an aisle just for that. Price wise, I still buy some goods elsewhere because they are better and cheaper: nuts and fish, for example, but they have excellent grass-fed beef from New Zealand (branded Greenlea) and some frozen veggies that I use for specific dishes. Avoid weekends, as in any given supermarket really.

Pretty standard "超市" (qiu si) supermarket. Tricky to get to if you have never been -- it is in the…read morebasement of the Hopewell tower. Prices are going to be more than street shops but everything is here -- toothpaste, toilet paper, deli, poultry, fish, packaged food, laundry detergent etc. They seriously have everything. Decently convenient location too. Love the 5L water bottles!