We've been going to Hi-Top for our groceries for as long as I can remember. We've actually been…read moremoving from one place to another, yet whenever it's possible, we buy from Hi-Top. They have a very wide and often complete selection of goods. They also have fresh products that are cheaper than in other grocery stores. The downside? Hi-Top is not Hi-Tech. Their cash registers are old-school, so it takes a much longer time for you to pay for the groceries. This causes long lines that make me restless most of the time. Also, if you're gonna use a credit card, you'll need to go to the Customer Service counter just to swipe your card instead of doing it in the Cashier counter itself. So if you really want cheaper prices, you're gonna have to endure the long wait.

One of the best places to shop for groceries if you live in Quezon City. They are much cheaper than…read morebig grocery stores in malls. Parking is a bit difficult since this place is usually full but there's a parking area beside it with a rough road. I love how old fashioned they keep everything -- even the payment process. If you want to use a credit card you actually need to go to the customer service counter because they don't even have the POS for credit cards at every counter. Seems like a hassle, but I love how they've kept it traditional. This is also the best place to buy some items in bulk, we found a gallon of extra virgin olive oil for only P500 here. Just for comparison, a small 200ml bottle of good quality olive oil would normally cost about P250. So imagine my joy when I got a hold of that (I literally cooked everything in olive oil for weeks on end). If you're buying beer for a party, you can get it here by the box for less. When you're done shopping, stop by Henny Penny just outside for a nice sandwich.

They are very amazing and affordable... The price is very…read moreconvenient... And the products is good...

Super indeed. This is my go-to place whenever I need to replenish my stash of chips and all my…read moreother necessities. Place is huge and spacious so you're sure to expect a wide array of product offerings. They even have their own hardware, drugstore and appliance store so it will definitely be your one-stop-shop. There's even a small play area and a set of food stalls where you can leave companions who are not involved in the shopping behind. If I had my own sari-sari store I'm sure I'll frequent this place more because items are sold on wholesale prices. I'm also amazed on how prices can get really low for highlighted items, products and packages. You just need a little patience when lining up in the cashiers as people tend to hoard stuff. They should also consider adding more basket lanes. Nevertheless, I still enjoy it in the neighborhood as it has everything under one roof, at an arm's reach.

For a smaller-scale supermarket, this Rustans Fresh is pretty well-stocked. It can go head to head…read morewith any major supermarket! I guess it's because they know they're the go-to spot of all the villages, condos, and dorms around Katipunan. Sure you have Save More grocery somewhere there, but I think it's really just between this Rustans Fresh and Shoppersville, and sometimes Shoppersville can be a bit too far so this wins by default. Not to take away anything from there though! It's an institution in itself. But Rustans, aside from being right there in the middle of the Katipunan strip, offers more specialty stuff. Their imported goods section, deli section, and ready-made takeout food section are all very reliable. They even have a decent wine & liquor aisle. There's also a good selection of house goods, produce, and fresh meats and seafood. Again, this is supposed to be a small supermarket, but with all that available, it's no wonder this is a favorite for people in and around the area! It's not just for light, last-minute, minor shopping - you can really do your full week's household grocery in here! Easy to pass by too on your way home from school or work, and there's enough parking right in front and in the basement.

Rustan's Supermarket along Katipunan Avenue is the closest branch of the grocery chain to where I…read morereside. It's significantly smaller compared to the other branches in say, Makati, but it still has the things that I look for in a Rustan's. This saves me a lot of time since I don't have to go all the way to Shangri-la Plaza Mall or Rockwell in Makati to get the items that I need. Gateway Mall in Cubao has a Rustan's but it's less convenient for a full-on grocery session since it is inside the mall, and you'll have to haul those bags wherever you go. Rustan's Katipunan still has the trademark deli area that makes pretty much the same kinds of sandwiches, pastas, and salads that you'll find in other branches, as well as a rotisserie corner. I can't count on them for my smoked salmon, caviar, and Australian rib eye steak cuts. The foreign beer selection isn't bad as well, as you'll find the usual Chimay or Rogue brews on shelf.

The issue with the Makati store is that they will sell very expensive milk with an expiration date…read more5 days from now and the milk is already Turing bad when you open it and then the management gives you a hard time to get a credit even though we have been coming to this store twice a week for 2.5 years and as Americans we stand out and they all know us. Then they tell us to come back next time for the credit slip, when it should take 2 minutes to give you a credit slip that day, then you come back and they say they lost your request for a credit - Mickey Mouse business practices and this is wrong.

This is supermarket we choose when we have to do our big monthly grocery. There's a reason: The…read moreLandmark brings together good variety and also lower prices compared to Rustan's, for example. The highlights, for me, are the great variety of greens, fruits and vegetables (including organic ones!) and the fact that they sell Santïs meats, so I don't have to do two shopping trips. They sell also a good variety of rice (if you're not used to the filipino one, then they have Basmati, Jasmine, Brown Rice and much more) and beans. Thanks to the beans from Landmark, I can keep the Brazilian "rice and beans" tradition at home. And believe me, that means a lot to me :) I also love Landmark's food court. There's a green juice in some stall there that's is just perfect. I also like Bread Talk and Kumori, the Japanese bakery. I mean, there's a lot to explore there before you start pushing your shop cart! TIP: Landmark is cheaper than Rustan's and has much more variety than the SM Supermarket. Choose it for the big once-a-month grocery.

This is every American college student's dream supermarket…read more Cheap liquor: vodka was $6, a cooler was 70-80 cents each, beer was 50-90 cents each. Cheap junk food: 1 ice cream bar was 25 cents, chips were 30-90 cents each bag, other little peanut or corn snacks were 25 cents. I was in heaven. I would overload on my groceries each time but I had my cousin there to regulate me so even though I wanted to get Costco equivalents in quantity, he made me actually get the equivalent of what would fit in a grocery basket. There was just so many different cheap Asian groceries I wanted to try, and so little time.

I always tell my friends that it is impossible to be bored in Maginhawa. There is a wide variety of…read moreshops, establishments and dining places to keep you entertained, and when all else fails, you can always shop around for good deals. One of the best places to shop along Maginhawa is The Good Shelf. What I love about this eco-store is their commitment to corporate social responsibility, as they empower small producers that create artisanal products that can rival other commercially prepared food stuffs such as jams, preserves and other packaged produce. The eco-store has a variety of food items such as fresh produce and processed items that they have on display. The place also has a restaurant that serves healthy organic food. Upstairs is a small yoga studio, where residents from the neighborhood usually come for their practice. I usually come back to get more of my Human Nature environment friendly skin products such as hand sanitizers, lotions and refreshing sprays. The Good Shelf also carries my favorite Malagos Dark Chocolate, an excellent single origin dark chocolate from Davao. Small and independent producers can be part of the eco-store as consignees.

Going to the deli is convenient when you want to eat right away and buy an ingredient or two for…read moreyour next meal. I think. Most delis also have food that you can't easily find in the usual grocerires or supermarkets and that's what I love about visiting such places. The Good Shelf offers a variety of cheeses, pickles, and many other bottled (or pickled) products. I went in there intrigued by their cheesecake ice cream, which did not cost me much. It's packed in a plain plastic cup but I wasn't expecting them to transfer it to an actual ice cream cup when I said I was going to eat it inside. It was surprisingly spacious inside, too. They have pasta, smoothies, and mocktails in their menu. I love their blackberry-flavored one. And if you're in the area, I suggest you go inside and have a look.

Belcap has been around FOREVER. Even way before Maginhawa opened up as a food street, Belcap was…read morearound and thriving. Unlike everything else around it though, Belcap is more of a tiny grocery with food that you have to cook rather than actual meals that you can eat. They're known for their frozen food even though they have other things like snacks and detergent for sale too... so you can pretty much say they're a larger sari-sari store? Either way, it's the frozen stuff in the back that you need to go back for. They have all sorts of things: fish burgers, longganisa, chicken nuggets, hotdogs... but the siomai. The siomai is pretty good. While it's around 200php for a kilo, it's still a heckuva lot of siomai and makes for a pretty good meal. There's a LOT for sale at Belcap so if you're looking for a little something to add to your meal or make a meal out of, I recommend giving their freezer a look at. Protip: It's in the building that's right in front of Maginhawa's ZenTea. You have to go inside and head to the back of the first floor. Look to your left.

When I first moved to Teachers Village years ago, I'd always pass by Luisa 2 Building and wonder…read morewhat Belcap is. Was it a canteen? A supplies store? We found out then that they sell some food and groceries. OK. No biggie. Then we found out something more. PROS: My aunt used to get us these frozen chicken nuggets from the same supplier for McDonalds (or so they claim). We loved it more than the typical ones you buy at the grocery. But she lost contact with said supplier and we lost our nuggets. Good news, and the main reason we love Belcap, is that they sell these same nuggets! Hooray!; We mostly buy drinks here when we wait for our laundry to finish. CONS: It's quite dimly lit and not as exposed as the other stores. But hey, they've been around for a while and whatever their doing seems to work. TL;DR: Thank you, Belcap, for your nuggets and other processed meats for our lazy cooking consumption.

It's honestly surprising how there's so many groceries on Commonwealth Avenue. You'd think with…read moretheir number they would saturate the market. Curiously enough, each establishment is still standing. I guess they all have a target market in mind. Shopwise is the newest kid on the block and boldly opened smack dab in the middle of it all. I quickly converted to the church of Shopwise when I found out that they close at 11PM every day. During late nights working (or just bumming around) at home, I'm able to buy last minute junk food at grocery store prices and not at inflated convenience store ones. I take advantage of this late closing time even with my regular groceries. If you go during peak times, you'll go crazy with how long the queue is. At the wee hours of the night, there's only a handful of people so the queues are short and sweet.

I don't know why there are so many groceries along Commonwealth avenue (and they're not that far…read moreapart either), but I'm not one to complain. "More groceries, more Milo!" I always say. My boyfriend's house is near this branch, so I do find myself here quite a bit--when we need to make a coffee run, medicine run, toothpaste run, or alcohol run. A warning to those on a diet: They make you walk through VERY tempting food stalls and a Jollibee before getting to the second floor where the grocery actually is. Let's discuss said food stalls. There's a stall there that sells nuts and chicharon--DON'T BUY ANYTHING FROM THEM. Everything they sell is severely underseasoned and subpar, even the adobo nuts! Seriously, if street vendors can sell me yummy salty nuts in the middle of EDSA, I expect the same from a relatively comfortable stall in Shopwise. There's also a sisig store, a Jamaican Pattie store, and a Dunkin Donuts stall there. Meters from those is a Jollibee; you can smell the yumburgers every time you step inside. Blinders won't do you any good here if you're trying not to binge; the smells of food are sure to break down your walls of pagtitimpi. Outside, there's a Starbucks and a Mercury Drug, making the place incredibly convenient and a one-stop shop for virtually anything you need to survive. The parking lot is huge, so parking isn't even a problem. AWESOME, AWESOME SHOPWISE.

Lots of great chinese pasalubongs.. They are all very…read morehelpful. There are different varieties of candied dried fruits.

I think specialty delis/food stores have their own unique charm and Bee Tin in Bindondo is no…read moreexception. Located at the heart of Binondo on Ongpin Street, Bee Tin has not changed much over the years, making it a must-see stop in Chinatown. The Chinese deli/food mart has everything you need from preserves, imported food, Chinese candies and sweets, cured/smoked meats, dehydrated produce, frozen goods and more. I really like going here because there's so much to see and buy that's not usually in your local grocery. I think I picked up the habit of learning how to appreciate delis such as Bee Tin thanks to my grandma who'd always bring me whenever she needs to replenish her supply of preserves. Speaking of preserves, you really have to taste Bee Tin's selection because there's a lot of them! They are neatly stored in bins and you can buy them according to weight. My favorites are the plums - they are pretty large and the mix of sweet and sour has a nice effect on the palette. Another thing I'm crazy about is Bee Tin's beef jerky. While they also have the packaged kind of beef jerkey (I'm looking at you Cow Label), their own mix of the large and leathery strips of beef is a class of its own. You can also purchase these according to weight, and we tend to buy a lot of it. (Might as well make the drive worth it right?) The taste of the beef jerky plays between sweet and salty and the meat itself isn't too hard to chew on. Before I go to the check out counter, I also make a beeline to the chocolates and candies section. Sometimes they stock these really weird but good gummy candies from China (I once bought P5 packets of peach and cola flavored candies - these were really good!), and they also have imported Japanese chocolate snacks like Pocky. Other stuff you can see at Bee Tin are the packaged noodle soups, dry seaweed, Chinese candies and chocolates, haw flakes and lots more other stuff. Another plus for Bee Tin is that their prices are a lot cheaper than in regular groceries.