This may be the best supermarket in the area for Hispanic and other ethnic food items, especially fresh vegetables and fruits not available at other stores. The reduced pre-packaged vegetables and fruits on weekends are low in price, large in amount, and let you try things that you might not otherwise try. There is an especially wide variety of peppers (poblano, habanero, ancho, more), root vegetables (cassava, taro, white sweet potatoes, others), dried beans and rice. Seniors (60+) receive a 10% discount on Tuesdays and Santa comes for children at Christmas in December. read more

Overpriced, unfriendly in Spanish and English, despite decent selection. I was disappointed on all counts. Sorry. I needed this to be a great store for my cooking. read more

They have lots of Caribbean food that is hard to find other places. Also meats are always fresh and good prices. Produce more expensive than grocery stores read more

Sold me 5 packs of pork chops that were spoiled & wouldn't take any back, told me that I had to have brought them back within 24 hours after purchasing, I didn't know when you go to the grocery you have to take your meats out of the packs & smell them ALL to make sure the meat isn't spoiled!! Will never return!! read more

I've been coming here for years, and although I've noticed some changes lately, it's still a decent place to shop for ethnic (latino) foods at a great price when making specific dishes. No place else in the area seems to have fresh chorizo, although it is in a casing I have to remove when I get home, it's still very good. I did have a hard time finding fresh tortillas though - maybe they were out, so maybe next time. read more

I can't say enough about this place. They are always stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables, along with a large assortment of meat. It was just what I needed to stock up for a few weeks. read more

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Compare has become my first stop on my weekly grocery store run, but there's usually a second stop somewhere else as Compare doesn't quite have everything I need. The four things I like most about Compare are the produce, the bakery, the meat department and the focus on Latin American staples. The produce, which is primarily conventionally grown, has a lot of turnover, which means I'm not stuck purchasing wilted and bruised vegetables. The prices on produce are fantastic - staple items for the American kitchen and especially the produce commonly found in Latin American cooking are often half the price of the average supermarket. There's almost always at least on excellent special on fruit - last night I found gorgeous apples for $0.99/lb. The selection is great, too. Fresh herbs, plantains, cactus, avocados, ginger, greens, a wide variety of fruit, peppers, etc. - you name it, they probably have it and the probably have a lot of it. The only items which you may struggle finding are the less common Asian produce items such as Thai basil, han shimeji mushrooms and galangal. The bakery in Compare is located in a space leased out to a smaller vendor. This also seems to be the case with the kitchen/restaurant, the barber and the tax accountant. For the bakery, you grab a plastic tray and tongs and select from around two dozen different pastries, most of which are Latin American. They have plain rolls, cookies, pastries stuffed with anything from cream to fruit jellies and my favorite, churros. Pay for the baked goods at the bakery counter. As much as I like the bakery at Compare, do note that across the shopping center parking lot from Compare is an even better bakery, so if you aren't in a hurry, consider stopping there first. The meat department is huge. They have a very large selection of pork, beef, and chicken with excellent weekly specials. Like the produce, they appear to have rapid turnover, and I've never had a problem finding fresh meat and poultry. I especially appreciate that they sell cuts of meat and scraps which can be used for stock at a very inexpensive price. Chicken backs, cheap pork necks, beef bones, etc. allow you to throw on a huge pot of stock on a Sunday morning and freeze gallons of homemade stock for much less than if you purchased canned stock or if you purchased the ingredients you needed for the stock at another supermarket. You'll also find the exotic cuts of meat that you'd only find in an ethnic grocery - oxtail, stomach, intestine, feet, etc. What you won't find is prime, aged beef - this isn't a high-end butcher. For Latin American ingredients, you'd be hard-pressed to find anything you needed that Compare doesn't stock. Spices, dried chilies, hominy, crema, cheeses, candy and soda - Compare has it all. The store isn't fancy. They aren't spending any money to give you anything other than a bare-bones grocery store experience. There isn't an olive bar or hardwood floors or the sushi "chef", rather it reminds me of a Kroger 25 years ago - function over form. The employees are very helpful, and though many may not be native English speakers, their English language skills are more than enough to offer you a friendly and quick check-out as well as answer any questions you might have. If you are having any problems communicating, look for a high-school student to help you. The younger employees have excellent English and Spanish skills and although they might not be able to explain how you might cook an exotic ingredient you are curious about, they can reach out to an older employee and translate on your behalf. The staff is generally more helpful and friendly than other competing grocery stores, but you do get the occasional grumpy clerk or the newcomer that doesn't have any codes memorized or can't tell cilantro apart from parsley. Give Compare a try if you haven't shopped there before. Allow for some extra time to explore - you are likely to find a lot of things you've never seen if you, like me, are a native North Carolinian who is embracing the boom of Latin immigrants we've seen over the past fifteen years. read more

Super Compare Foods - Grocery Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I love coming to this store because I feel like I have just been transported to another place. I love listening to bachata while shopping and have found so many foods and ingredients from Latin America and the Caribbean. The produce section is amazing with so many fresh items and the prices are so reasonable. I found coffee from the Dominican Republic and am very happy with this import. read more

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This is the grocery store I visit when I need all the Latin products other supermarkets chains in NC don't carry. We're talking sugar cane, salchichon, queso para freir, tamales, chorizos, fruit pulp, etc.. Some folks might find it interesting (or gag like my husband ) if they see their meat department. Not because it's filthy, actually Compare Foods is very clean. Along with the usual chicken, beef parts they also sell parts of the animal you otherwise wouldn't see at a Harris Teeter / Kroger meat section. Take for example turkey necks, tripe (mondongo), molleja (gizzard), cow tongue, and ox tail to name a few. They also sell many of the items you would see in regular supermarket shelves just a little cheaper. I used to live in Miami and many products that I used for cooking are not sold at Food Lion or the like. Compare Foods is worth the drive when I need the necessary ingredients to make an authentic Latin home cooked meal. read more

Love this Compare Foods location, it's more than a regular supermarket it's like a marketplace. They have a beauty salon, a jewelry store, a little shop that sells everything you need for a quinceanera, a bakery, and more. My favorite part is the hot food section they have behind the produce, by the deli. They sell warm cooked dishes, mainly Mexican and Dominican. I am particularly excited about the Dominican food given the dearth of our cuisine in his area. I was especially surprised one day I was craving yuca and chicharrones and they actually had some here. They also serve things like pernil, arroz con habichuelas, guineitos, carne y pollo guisado, empanadas, maduros. You can get a pretty sizeable plate of food including rice, beans, plantains, and meat for $5. I haven't been able to find that anywhere else since moving here from NYC. I've also had their tamales which are good and only about $1.25. They have seating there if you want to enjoy the ambience of facing the meat or the produce section. As far as groceries I agree with the other reviewers as far as variety and prices. I feel like I can't go wrong here. read more

Super Compare Foods - Yuca con chicharrones, so good - Grocery Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The other reviewers have already hit on the great points of this place, so I guess I'm just "fourthing" all the great praise! Some friends told us about it maybe 6 months ago, but we kept putting off going as we were comfortable going to the usual Kroger and Whole Foods. That will never be the case again. This place is amazing! On a mission to find good magoes and pineapple, I was more than impressed by the wide selection, cheap prices, and quality of the produce. Needless to say, we walked out with more than we planned. Most notable was a trip over to the bakery section where we found huge, cheap, and delicious pastries. I had no idea what most of them were, but the one we got (a sphere cut in half with sugar on the outside and pineapple sandwiched between) was the perfect amount of sweetness. I even liked that it was drier than typical pastries. The several mile run I will be taking later today will become more necessary as trips to Compare Foods continue... The next time I go, I'll be sure to bring a pen and pad to write down the names of interesting produce so I can find fun, new recipes that use such unusual ingredients! read more

We like this supermarket a lot! +'s: It has a large produce section. It has a larger international/latin product section. A discount aisle. It is nice and clean Usually busy. Inexpensive. It has hard to find things such as: castor sugar (superfine sugar), passion fruit pulp, and frozen tamales, etc. -'s: A little bit further away from us. All in all, a good market we like a lot. read more

While Compare Foods is quite the drive for us it's definitely worth going, especially if you're going to be near the area! Right off 85 in a no-frills shopping center, Compare sells pretty much anything you need if you want to be making Mexican, Central American or South American cuisine, with smatterings of ingredients and packaged foods found in Africa, the Caribbean and even more! From masa to nopales, tamales to Jamaican demerara sugar, Compare is like a little food-based vacation. The produce selection is very nice, and prices are quite affordable - if you're looking for sweet limes, sour oranges, or big stacks of dried peppers at varying levels of heat, this is the place for you. There is a small deli counter with hot prepared foods and a corner of the store almost entirely devoted to tortillas, plus Compare also carries a wide range of typical grocery goods like washing detergent, sodas, crackers, spices, herbs, and so forth. Compare also houses a beauty salon, and a small bakery which offers both breads and a wide variety of sweets from elaborate confections to simple cookies and pastries along with some of the best flan I've had in Durham. Whether it's a quick bike ride from home or a planned journey, Compare Foods is worth your time and a great value for your money! read more

Super Compare Foods - Skull cakes for the holidays! - Grocery Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

You can find me almost every Sunday at Compare foods. I go here for produce as well as "ethnic" foods. The quality of produce is some of the best around, and the prices are just ridiculous. .69/lb for jalapenos, 10 limes for .99, cilantro for .33...you just can't beat it. You can usually find some great deals on proteins, but sometimes they can look a little off. I can end up leaving with about 8 bags of groceries for under $30. However, if you are looking for more American frozen and prepackaged items you might want to stop at Food Lion or Kroger. The prices on those items tend to be higher than usual. read more

My neighborhood listserve periodically complains about the lack of "real" grocery store in our immediate vicinity. Because people are just too snobby to shop at Compare. You won't buy all your groceries here. But you will be happy about the super-cheap produce, extra-fresh meats, and the in-store bakery specializing in Mexican pastry. read more

I love Compare Foods and specifically Super Compare Foods. Super Compare is two to three tiems the size and the regular Compare which, in my opinion, make it about a zillion times more fun! I go to CF for the produce and sometimes to get specific spices or chili peppers. I do not do most of my grocery shopping there. I am big into juicing, and if you are too I highly recommend CF for getting your produce. Cucumbers there are .79 (and .50 if you can get them on sale). They are larger and generally of better quality than what you will find at other grocers. I know the Harris Teeter by my house charges about 1.19 for cucumbers. I recently got red leaf lettuce at CF for a little over a dollar and saw the same thing at Harris Teeter for 2.49! The produce can be a bit hit or miss at CF. The cucumbers seem to always be on the mark, but sometimes I end up having to go elsewhere to get the remainder of my produce. There are weeks when everything at CF looks spectacular and weeks when a lot it is simply not available or not of good quality. However, it is worth the trip. If you hit the jackpot on produce - which is more likely than not - you will be glad you took the time to go. read more

How did I go so long living in Durham and not shop at Compare Foods? This supermarket is chocked full of fresh produce, countless spices, household staples, and much more. The bakery pumps out yummy smelling goodies that look almost too pretty to eat. This is my go-to stop for peppers, herbs, beans, rices, and frozen treats. Want to roll up your sleeves and make homemade tamales? Compare Foods has you covered. The prices are affordable. Open space to roam. Friendly staff. Add this to your grocery store circuit if it is not already. read more

The variety of products is incredible! I'm from Brazil and it's really hard to find Brazilian products in this area. But they had a great selection there! read more

Excellent produce selection with unbeatable prices. If you need cheap hispanic foodstuffs, this is the place to go. There's also a fair amount of Caribbean and African products. I usually leave with a few pounds of jalapenos, several pounds of loose beets ('dirt' cheap), and various dried chiles that are great for homemade sauces. Word up! read more

This grocery store is awesome. Having a Dominican mother and wanting my "specialty" Latin ingredients my mom taught me how to cook as a child, this is the place for me. Their meat plans are wonderful too, especially since a couple of them have goat meat in them and I love to make curried goat. Also, they have a wide array of everything else I may need for my my cooking requirements. But, one thing I didn't see mentioned, since I don't drive and normally take the bus for shopping I DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT WHEN I SHOP AT COMPARE. All I have to do is call them and as for their van to come pick me up, since I always do over $100.00 in shopping I am not sure if there is a spending limit for that service, and then when I am finished shopping I can go to the customer service desk and ask for the van to pick me up from the store to take me back home. That is one service no other grocery store, that I know of, provides. read more

Well, after reading all these glorious reviews I couldn't wait to shop at Compare Foods. When we first walked in I thought that maybe we were in the wrong place. It's rather filthy. I'm sure no one has mopped the floor since the day they opened. However, the shelves, and produce were quite orderly, more so than any other place I've seen. So my first advise is to wear blinders. Their produce is beautiful and worth putting in the effort to keep your eyes up and concentrate on anything but the floor. As far as prices for produce, fish, and meat it's pretty fair, and the variety is what will keep me going, but be wary of anything else. I bought a bottle of Aussie shampoo there, and then we had to go to another grocer's for what Compare didn't have, and I found the same shampoo for $1.00 less. That's a huge difference in price so I was a bit disappointed about that. The bakery area, again not the cleanest, is chock full of amazingly delicious pastries. Here again you have to overcome the filth factor and keep your eye on the prize because not only is it fresh baked, but the prices are very low, and you'll feel like you won the treat. We do want to go back and try the hot food they serve, but again, we have to prepare ourselves accordingly and wear blinders. read more