So this is not my local mart of choice, but that's only because Tesco Express is a good 2 minute…read morewalk closer. Otherwise I've got a vague hill to climb and then un-climb. But I have often been into this store when I'm closer in the area, and they certainly have some advantages over Tesco. For one, their branded products seem to be a bit cheaper, and they have a better range of fruit and vegetables. Yet they're not so much better for me to go the extra distance. The staff are a little bit awkward too; may times they've been blocking aisles and I've had to wait their patiently with my heavy baskets while they argued over light bulbs (I'm lying, it only happened once, but still...) So, in short, a handy store with excellent opening hours, but nothing exceptional.

I'd like to draw attention to this store because of it's proximity…read more Sainsbury's isn't a regular face in the vale. It's mostly tesco and spar and odd bits here and there and in between. I was excited (i'm very sad, I get my kicks when I can) to see they had a little Sainsbury's local in a good location. Like Tanya has said, the fruit and veg selection is better than it's rivals (though that could be Jamie Oliver barinwashing me into saying that) but aside from that it's not exceptional. I do love Sainsbury's though...

There is a glut of local supermarkets these days in Penarth centre. This Co-op store is nestled…read moreneatly between Sainsbury's Local and Spar, and still, somehow manages to remain open to the good old public. This is the most cramped of all stores, but it also has a good range of food; often something a little bit different from the others. They have good morals too: fairtrade and all that jazz is well up there on their list of priorities, which is commendable. There are, fortunately, no self-serve machines in here, and the staff are generally quick to serve and helpful. There's one things I will never really understand though. There's always a mini-trolley near the cashiers which is full of discount products; but it's just weird and badly placed, because there's already not a whole lot of space once you've got more than two people trying to pay at the same time. Silly billies.

I love the fact that there's a Co-op in the centre of Penarth, as it means that the locals can use…read morethe independent butchers and green grocers, and then go to the Co-op to stock up on their staples. This makes a trip to the large Tesco's on the outskirts of town a little unnecessary... which is good news in my estimations! (it's not that I haven't shopped at the large Tesco's, it's just that I would prefer not to! By the way, I went there one Sunday morning about 9.20 as I needed a prescription, and I was horrified to see a large crowd of people queuing to get in. This was made all the more tragic in my mind for a few reasons... it was raining... the doors opened at 9.30 but nothing could actually be bought until 10.00am... and the majority of the people there were old aged pensioners... why were they standing out in the cold waiting to go to a supermarket???) Anyway, I think that the Co-op in town is a brilliant alternative! Try it!

Yet another handy-local-foody-outlet-thing in Penarth centre. This is along a stretch which also…read morecontains Co-op and Sainsbury's and will certainly never be my first port of call. This is a run down and cramped store with also somehow manages to attract a good amount of bitter and unpleasant customers. Quite often I see one lady in particular banging and crashing around; but kudos on the staff for their patience with her. However, they have a saving grace of selling Terry's Chocolate Oranges, unlike everywhere in Penarth at 10pm on a Friday night.

Not one of my favourite convenience stores, but this Spar's handy location near the end of my…read moretraining route means I have to stop by more often than I'd like for refreshments and snacks. The staff here are undoubtedly kind, as I saw first-hand as an old woman walked out of the store without paying (forgetful or cunning? I'm not sure), and the man behind the counter had to quickly nip out and gently explained that she failed to finish the transaction. This Spar is quite clean and tidy compared to other branches, and it's always in stock of my essentials: Diet Coke and The Guardian newspaper. Otherwise, it's nothing special, but then again, most corner shops fail to blow my skirt up. If you're looking for a wider selection of groceries, stop by the Sainbury's or Co-op just a few doors down.

There aren't many supermarkets I'd feel inclined to write reviews about but this one is a definite…read morefavorite for a few different reasons. 1. Its Cheap. It has cheap clothes, cheap DVD's and cheap food. There's not much I need that Asda doesn't sell really. 2. Its Quiet. I can't tell you that there won't be any queues at Christmas but pretty much everytime I go there I have a nice relaxing shopping experience which is mighty hard to come by these days. 3. It full of Singles!! I'm not one for trying to get a date over the fruit and veg aisle but I did appreciate going here back in my singleton days because I didn't feel like the only loner in the world and it made shopping that little bit more enjoyable.

I really do love this Asda, it's pretty much the only shop need. First of all everything is…read morecheap/reasonable and is of a good quality. This is also the best place to buy Blu Ray's from. Generally what supermarkets do is under sell their media products in order for you to spend more money on other things in the shop, great when you only go in there to buy the films then. And finally, it is the only place I've ever seen that sells this strawberry and lime cider, I'm not joking when I say I'm probably keeping that company afloat on my own with the amount I've bought.

Unlike Tanya, I'm part cyborg and so don't have too much trouble with the self service check outs…read morebut I do have a little trouble with the humans. There's a little bit cordoned off especially for those who don't like human interaction (e.g. hungover me) and when I'm buying booze (hair of the dog) and it's busy, it can be a pain because you're left waiting whilst the machine says 'approval needed!!'. Alas, it pains me to say this but they need some more human beings in this place.

It is quick and easy to grab what you need they have a great deal for a sandwich, crisps and a…read moredrink for £2 what more do you need? Signs up that parking in Penarth has improved!

Gloria saved the day. I was trying to activate my new Tesco club card, she was pleasant and very…read morehelpful. Thank you Gloria

As much as I dont like supermarkets you can get everything that you might need here and even stuff…read moreyou did not think you might need. Who else does not impulse buy! Other advantages - you can get your petrol and dump your re-recyclables.

Easy to pop into, with both self check and regular check out, with speed.read more

I'm probably a bit too keen with reviewing this store because when I was in there last week it…read morestill looked half like a building site! Recently a crop of supermarket mini stores have appeared on St Mary's Street. There was nothing and now there is Spar, Tesco and Sainsburys all no doubt trying to capture business from all the local workers. Well this branch seems a bit smaller than the one on Queens Street with less general items and more lunch/convenience stuff and one of their brilliant salad bars. I'm sure it'll do well, once it looks like a shop!

It's so handy this branch. I was catching a train the other day from here (not the shop but from…read morethe platform) and with only 5 minutes to spare and my 7 month old son in my arms I just had enough time to rush in and grab something as long a the queue wasn't too big. There was a bt of a queue but the staff got through it in no time and before you know it I was on my train munching my triple decker sandwich and cheddar cheese and fancy onion crisps. Ok there are cheaper sandwich shops but they simply not as nice.

Oh, I was so incredibly happy when this place opened. And I still am. M&S Simply Food is enough…read morehappiness for a lifetime. Marks & Sparks stock only their own brand of food and drink. This could be a bad thing in terms of choice, but it's not. There's too much choice in the M&S range as it is already. I spend ages every time just staring at the selections of sandwiches and salads. Then another age choosing juice. This store is in an incredibly handy location for anyone who commutes in and out of Cardiff Central, as it's right there in the station. It's also great as a place to stop into before going to Vue Cinemas; here you can get healthy and yummy snacks instead of salty cardboard hot dogs. In short; the food here is fantastic, if not cheap. Great for a healthy snack or treat, not so great for stocking up on basic before you head home (although, maybe if you're on a better wage then me, you'd be alright).

Reviewing Sainsbury's does seem a little silly when this is the only big one in Cardiff but I feel…read moreI need to draw special attention to its card section. I'm usually disappointed by the cards in supermarkets, although it's usually the place I am when I remember that I need to get one and it's too late to go anywhere else. This is the situation I found myself in today, and readied myself to buy a boring card that's the same as you see everywhere else and will probably be the same as another card on the mantelpiece of my friend whose birthday it was. In my previous visits to Sainsbury's (and I do go there a few times a week) I had noticed the card section at the front of the store and assumed that it was pretty small, but I was surprised to find that there was rather a large selection to choose from. And they weren't all just your standard Hallmark cards either; they had lines that I'd never seen anywhere else and were really lovely. As well as the birthday card I needed, I found loads of blank cards with gorgeous pictures that I bought just because I liked them, and I ended up spending around £8 in total, which I think is rather a lot to spend on cards. This was not because they were expensive either, with most standard size cards costing around £1.50. So next time you need to buy someone a card, do not underestimate Sainsbury's! (Oh, and on a slightly different subject, this Sainsbury's petrol station is also the only place I know of where you can pump your tyres up for free. Thank-you, Sainsbury's)

My favourite supermarket in Cardiff as at the moment I sadly can't quite afford to go to Waitrose…read moreon a regular basis. This Sainsburys supermarket is big, but is by no means as intimidating as Tesco Extra can be (if you go with friends you can very easily loose them in Tesco's). They have a great selection of food at all prices available, and I particularly like Indian and Chinese ready meal selection. They also have a fresh fish and meat, delicatessen, and bakery counters, all manned by really lovely staff. Finally I'd also recommend checking out their DVD selection as prices are rather cheap, I managed to buy New Moon the week it came for only £7.99 (so I can now swoon at Robert Pattison to my hearts content).