A great place to pick up the essentials! Mr Son, the owner is a very nice person and is always…read morewilling to order something for you if he doesn't have it.

With the exception of maybe the Friedrichshain location tucked a few blocks from the main street,…read morethe Bio Company does a pretty good job of placing its stores at crucial intersections or on busy thoroughfares. This store is certainly no exception, and although I haven't frequented it often (it's maybe my second-closest store), seeing a sign advertising it while walking up Erkstraße on a Friday evening was a nice reminder that I needed to pick up a few things that I had been neglecting on buying all week. And so it was easy enough to alter my route so that it ran straight down Sonnenallee. I came in around 8:45, but didn't even realize the time, because the lights were still bright and the people active and friendly. None of that "closing down and going home early" vibe, which is nice because rushing during grocery shopping is no fun. This location is not too big (the Skalitzer Straße one is bigger, I think), nor too small (like on Friedrichstraße) and had most everything I wanted. I wandered around and got my items on the list, plus some tea that was reduced, and headed up to a line that was 3-people deep. Another employee promptly came over and directed me to his register, and I was out of there a minute later. Good service! Overall, all Bio Company stores are good for finding certain rare or more vegan-friendly items. As the name suggests, they're also good for finding "bio" items, but I am not inclined to buy the bio item all the time, because that's not necessarily better. Either way, the prices can be ridiculous but at the same time, when you find a good deal, it's always best to go for it. It's hard to go wrong here.

medium-sized market. i would actually call it more of a convenience store, really. but it does have…read morethe basic groceries and fruits, along with a dairy and beverage section, plus a few rows of dried and packaged goods. there's also a super small meat section - not fresh, just prepackaged stuff. went in and bought a bread roll, a banana and a container of strawberry yogurt for breakfast. i tried asking for a plastic spoon, but no one spoke english and in the end i couldn't eat the yogurt and just carried it around all day in my bag :(

Ok, so I literally live across the street from this Lidl. On the one hand, I spend €20 a day here…read morefeeding my family. On the other hand, that is only because it is right next door. I often joke with my wife that it's like having our own personal pantry next door! When we need something Monday thru Saturday between 08:00 and 21:00, we just stop in! They have just enough of the basics to keep me coming back, and the price is reasonable. For more complex shopping needs, I go to the Edeka two blocks NW on Schwedter. Apart from the usual psychological trauma inflicted by the German grocery experience, my biggest complaint is how small the place is. It's not that it's not that it lacks product, it's just too small to accommodate both shoppers and stockers at the same time. There are always pallet jacks being barreled around by obviously annoyed girls that both run the registers and fill the shelves. It seems I'm always in the way and this generally earns me some pretty nasty looks from the staff. I know, I know, wasting people's time is a taboo in this culture, but sometimes there is nowhere to be when you are blocked in on one side as a pallet of pasta noodles hurls your direction. At first, my nerves were tattered by this, and I guess now I'm jaded because I just expect it and laugh at the absurdity of it all. Also, don't take your hand basket through the line. Alarms will sound as if an actual offense has taken place. No one will tell you if you naively proceed down the line toward the register. It's every man for himself in the German grocery experience. If you're new to it all, don't worry, you'll get the hang of it!

While looking to pick up a few essentials while in Berlin, I decided to come to REWE City mainly…read moredown to it being the closest supermarket to my hotel, which opens late, hence somewhere I could pick up some things to take back to my hotel such as milk and some snacks, with my hotel having a highly expensive and censored mini-bar, you take an item out you pay for it etc. This store is accessed through an escalator or lift, past a fast food chain, inside it is a decent size, it is slightly larger than most corner shops yet it isn't a huge supermarket. The selection was decent, albeit the selection of milk was really poor, they probably had more lactose-free milk and soy milk than regular and the location of them together, I found to be highly confusing, as I don't speak German either, I didn't know what I was buying. There was no staff about and those I did speak to at the till seemed to speak little English, they didn't seem helpful, they seemed a little rude, walking off to do something without saying what, in one case it was getting a bag which was charged at 10 cents, which frustrated me as I had to pay that for a paper bag. The location of this place is okay, the overall selection and size is okay, and the opening hours are good, the selection of some items even main items such as milk are poor and so is service which is a real shame, sadly because of these I feel this store deserves nothing over a two star rating.

This grocery store was suggested by the concierge of our hotel. It was nearby and had a good…read morevariety of products for us to stock up for our five-day stay in Berlin. He suggested this store over others because we wanted to buy a bottle of wine for ourselves, and the concierge said that they had a good selection. He was correct! They had a good variety of price points, and we found wine that ended up suiting our tastes. We were able to purchase bottled water (a variety of sizes to choose from and at good prices), bakery items, and fresh fruit. Most Berliners know to bring their own bag (unlike us), but we bought an inexpensive one which makes for a nice souvenir!

Relatively new Edeka supermarket in the area. You'll pay a little bit more than in other…read moresupermarkets but you actually get good service, friendly workers, a good selection of fresh produce and meat, and a handful of other services too (bakery, haircutter, dry cleaner, ATM). There is a little seating area next to the bakery shop that even has free wifi. Free wifi! In Germany! This MUST be 5 stars.

A medium sized Lidl near Nollendorfplatz U-Bahn station. It's easy to overlook as there aren't many…read moreother shops in the stretch of this busy main road. Good for basic supplies of food, OK veg, and a surprisingly good selection of German marzipan and chocolates - good for presents to take home at the end of a trip.

2 stars because it really is Meh. I've experienced better…read more While the store itself offers a great variety of fruits and veggies, you're probably better off buying produce at Edeka. However, the deli meats and fresh bread here is good enough for a quick run if you're on the neighborhood. You come here for the cheap goods. And you know what they say? you get what you pay for.

Well let me start by saying if you are heading here it's probably because you want to save a few…read moreEuros. Hey, I am far from one to judge you. Saving money here means you have more to spend at places you actually want to go (see 4 to 5 star Yelp! reviews). The store itself is rather large and has a good mix of products. From questionable fruits and veggies, to less than sexy underwear, it is all there for the ultimate night out in Buch. The prices are on par with typical discount chains, I'd say. The revamped Lila bakery is a definite plus. With that said the quality of the food leaves much to be desired. The vegetables seem to be hit or miss in terms of freshness. On more than one occasion I've come home to realize I purchased moldy fruits and vegetables. The meat department while extensive, makes me seriously reconsider veganism for similar reasons. Right around the yogurt section is where you'll find the foulest of odors. You may want to have the Polizei on speed dial because your nostrils are about to be assaulted. I'm not sure exactly where it is emanating from but I will eat my hat if it's not a cleanliness issue. You've been warned. So yes, it is cheap. And yes, your expectations are likely tempered already. You and your digestive tract can still do better.

Sichertsleute, ein großer Türke (sieht aus wie ein billiger Apored Puppe), der so tut als würde ihm…read moreder Laden gehören, und noch so ein kleinerer typ (auch nicht Deutsch), fangen beide mit allen nur Stress an und finden es auch lustig. Man fragt dann nach dem Manager und will sich Beschweren und der wannabe Apored taucht nochmal auf um noch mal Stress anzufangen ohne Grund und lacht dann noch dabei.

This supermarket has 2 entrances, hence the 2 addresses on Hardenbergstrasse and Kantstrasse…read more I stayed at the nearby Hampton Inn hotel and popped in here to pick up some juice. Prices weren't quite as cheap as I was hoping but there was a fair choice However, the real bargain is to be had outside at their Currywurst stall. Bratwurst for one Euro. My Chinese Thrift Gene was very excited. Sadly, unlike most of the nearby fast food outlets, this stall shuts early

This place also has a spot to turn in your used plastic or glass bottles. It's an excellent way to…read moreget the money you spent in the first place.