REWE Center has a special place in my heart. It's the size of a Wal-Mart but without the typical clientele or post-apocalyptic state. For fellow US expats, I'd compare this to Publix on the East Coast or Andronico's in California in terms of shopping experience. It's by far the most affordable option for consistently good quality. ALDI's always going to be cheaper but the experience there is like shopping at Big Lots.
They have parking (cars and bikes) in the front and back. Surprisingly, there is only one Pfand machine here, and it can be a bit temperamental sometimes. There is also a salon, hardware store, travel agency, gift store, bakery, pet store, dry cleaners, locksmith, and 2 fast casual eateries in the same complex. It's basically a city. If you got stuck inside, you could live out the rest of your life pretty comfortably.
They occasionally have more obscure products that are harder to find here in Hamburg (e.g., vanilla extract, chocolate chips). Huge spice section, too.
If I was still in the neighborhood, this would be my go-to grocery store. Being on the other side of the Alster unfortunately makes it rather hard to get to for daily shopping. read more