My go-to grocery store in the Durham-Chapel Hill area, with a good range of vegan options. And if there's anything I can't find here, I can just go next door to Whole Foods and grab it there :) After they (and many others in this shopping mall) closed briefly for flooding a few months back, they reorganized and updated this site to be better than ever! Although it's a relatively small store, they pack a lot into it, and the set-up encourages the flow of traffic to proceed in a predictable manner, which makes the shopping experience much more pleasant. They are very well-staffed, and even when its quite busy, the lines for check-out move quickly (and they have a lot of lanes). The music is at an appropriate level, too, which is always appreciated. My only complaint is that they seem to have stopping carrying the meatless meatballs, which as your local vegan is rather devastating (imo, TJs meatless meatballs are some of the best in class). I'm holding out hope it will return as they cycle goods through, however! Bonus: The employees do a yearly christmas dance? A delight. Video attached! read more

What I recommend: Stock up on frozen meals and snacks As a college student, if you're not shopping at Trader Joe's, you're leaving money on the table. This is one of the few places where you can buy frozen meals and actually feel like you're eating something good. They have options from just about every cuisine you can think of, and the food always hits. Is it the healthiest? Probably not. Can you do a full grocery run here? Maybe, but you'll likely need to swing by Wegmans or Harris Teeter for fresh produce. Still, when it comes to frozen meals, snacks, and quick bites, Trader Joe's is unmatched. You can fill your freezer for weeks and spend less than $100. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

I absolutely love this Trader Joe's!!! I've been told that it's actually one of the smallest but it also the only one I've ever been to so I cannot compare. The interior is like any other grocery store but somehow more relaxed. The employees are so friendly and so helpful. I'm not anxious anymore to ask a question because not once has an employee acted annoyed that I interrupted them and I love that! I love the flowers, the produce, and the cheese the most. But they always have new items to try and while some are better than others, I've never had anything bad. Coming here is not super convenient for me but I make an effort to come at least one a month since I enjoy it so much! read more

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A friend and I were in Chapel Hill this week, and we had to check out Trader Joe's before we returned to Wake County. Parking is still very tight, but we didn't have any problem parking on the other side of the shopping center. It was a very-short walk to TJs, and the walk was worth it. The store was well organized, and the crew members were very friendly. It was very crowded (espcially in the frozen aisle), but it was the Monday before Thanksgiving, so it was understandable. read more

Loved the set-up of this TJ. The people who work there were very friendly and helpful as well. There are a few handicap parking spaces on the right side of the building. As always, there are solid & fresh food options. read more

I enjoyed the brief time I was here. This location felt a little larger than what I'm used to. I ran in before an appointment. I wish I had time to browse but everything was stocked and there were so many holiday items out. Nice job Chapel Hill! read more

Trader Joe's - Meyers Lemon & Cream yogurt is the best! - Grocery Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

This is a great place to shop! Not only do they have great prices, but they also provide great service. The employees are always helpful and friendly. read more

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I do all of my grocery shopping here once a week for a few years and I've never felt compelled to write a review. Today's grocery shopping experience was rather unique. As I was checking out with an absolutely delightful human named Riley, I noticed one of their teammates came over to help bag my groceries. Alas she clearly had ulterior motives- she truly came over to grill Riley about work place semantics and talk down to them. Riley attempted to shift the conversation several times considering how uncomfortable and inappropriate a time that kind of conversation was in front of a client. It took far too long but eventually she walked away and I thanked Riley for being so kind and professional despite their embarrassment. I hope this review is seen by the right people and I hope Riley feels supported by the community members who see their beautiful energy. read more

I always feel stressed going into this Trader Joe's. It's hard to say why, but I find the cashiers to be hit and miss when it comes to being friendly. It seems the older ones are as bit nicer but most younger ones are short off and struggle to interact normally. Not all... just more times than not. The store is as a busy one and people generally fly through it. read more

How could anyone not LOVE this store! Right now, TJ's has so manny cool items for the holidays. Not only food but lots of gift ideas or nice plants. I love so many food items they have to offer but in particular the spinach and cheese tortellini. My granddaughter will only eat this brand so I go often just for this. I also really enjoy the coffee. Their ground TJ brand is bold and robust. It's fresh and always delicious. I have so many favorite things I get from TJ's that it's too many to list. They have the most helpful and friendly staff out of any store I've ever visited. I always enjoy going to this store to shop and try new items. read more

I love Trader Joe's and I was extremely happy there was one close to me when I moved. Due to COVID-19 this location is monitoring the amount of people in the store so we can all social distance properly. The teammates have really gotten a system down and even have shaded areas while the customers wait. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

As good as ever! Large produce section at this one. They had a giftcard raffle for local students, which was nice to see. Crazy busy sometimes, but lines always move fast! read more

Super busy spot. Great TJ stuff, with as couple of Southern bits not found elsewhere.... read more

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Trader Joe's never ceases to amaze me. Though small, the prices are totally reasonable. Especially in comparison to the big chain that surrounds the triangle area. During the pandemic, TJ has maintained all precaution when it comes to their customers. Of course masks are required, but the extra step of limiting the amount of people has surpassed my expectation. This photo was taken on a Saturday afternoon (prolly one of the busiest days), and it took me only about 10-15 mins to get in to do my weekly groceries. That's a big WIN for me because I know that I am not only safe but also getting the best prices. Will I be back? Def! A weekly staple for me. read more

Trader Joe's - Line outside to ensure safety and capacity in store - Grocery Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

what's not to like about Trader Joe's? I moved from Los Angeles and I made sure that when I moved a Trader Joe's would be nearby! This one does not disappoint! read more

This location is fantastic! Due to the pandemic, you may want to make plans to go early. I was there early and the line was quite long -- but don't worry! It moves pretty fast! The staff is taking the protocols seriously and do a great job making sure everyone is taken care of. This is by far one of the most spacious Trader Joe's that I've been to. Everything was on point! read more

Well I just had probably the best shopping experience of my life! I don't know if it's because I've been out way less since the COVID outbreak but I choose to believe it's because Trader Joe's hires the most awesome people. Shout out to Fred and Erin specifically! We all know how shopping has changed the past few months. Wait to go in, mask covering my face, messing with my peripheral vision, trying not to get in anyone's way. Do they have chicken? Do I really need chicken? So yes this visit was mostly for fun stuff; I was in the area due to taking my mom to the doctor and visitors are not allowed. So what's a girl got to do with her time - get spicy sweet pecans, cheap wine and Joe Joe's! Oh how I love Trader Joe's! The store is taking seriously the need for cleanliness but also kindness. As stated it was super clear that they value their customers and staff. Nice work guys. read more

I really love the store, the people who work there in the way it is managed. There's a couple of things I will stay away from though: Chicken. I bought the chicken today and though expiration wasn't until January 27 the under part of the chicken that was touching the Styrofoam was yellow and dry and nasty. I will not be buying chicken there anymore Olive oil. What's labeled as olive oil in my experience is not olive oil. I don't know what kind of oil it is but it is not olive.I'll stay away from the "olive oil". Dry roasted almonds. These nuts are rancid. They're rancid and then they've recently packaged them in smaller packages so bumped up the price up for rancid nuts. You're better off buying them raw and toasting them yourself. Other than that this place is great! read more

This Trader Joe's is great! They have a lot of options and the staff is so friendly and helpful. It was busy but I did not have to wait long to check out and they packed everything for me. I wish they had paper bags as an option but next time I will bring my reusables! read more

Trader Joe's - Mini haul - Grocery Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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I have always appreciated TJs, but I really developed a love for it during the COVID19 pandemic. I think I finally had a chance to fully appreciate the variety of food I can buy that's partly prepared that can fit in my fridge or freezer, and can be a fairly short prep time, delicious meal! Whew that was a long sentence! What's not to love! I have gotten all kinds of delicious desserts from here including mochi and kunefe. I do think that TJs has the power to make a lot of ethnic foods mainstream, and I can't wait for it to do that with its delicious kunefe (also spelled knafeh).. and then I could find it in even more places! The 'Trader Giotto's' frozen pasta and gnocchi are truly delicious, and so are all the frozen Indian foods! I have to give it to the staff here especially during the pandemic. They did an excellent job of maintaining the number of people in the store to a minimum by requiring (socially distant) lines outside. They also organized a system of passing along cleaned shopping carts from one shopper leaving to the next one coming in! The TJs here in Chapel Hill goes above and beyond, and I love it! read more

Trader Joe's - Trader Joe's Alfredo pasta and chicken tikka samosas! - Grocery Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Love everything about this store! Be aware, as others have mentioned, the long lines due to covid precautions and limiting the number of people that can be present inside. I've found there to be a line no matter when I go- weekday or weekend. Takes about 15-20 minutes to get in so make your trip worth it! Great place to shop for seasonal snacks, frozen meals, cheese, and beer! read more

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There seems to be a cult of Trader Joe's that swears by this place. I remember meeting a family near Winston-Salem that was so excited that this place opened, they planned to drive to Chapel Hill to shop. Personally, I find it crowded and not always offering the best selection. They're owned by a subsidiary of Aldi, and like Aldi, it's hit or miss. Prices are decent for most items but can by pricey for produce and meat. If I'm in the area, I might pop in but it's not our go-to place to shop for groceries. read more

Trader Joe's - Part of the produce section - Grocery Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

A wonderful TJ's location just like any other! The location is great and their selection of product is superb. I highly recommend this location. read more

Food, service, atmosphere, prices. Red pepper tomato soup. Enough organic products. Treats their employees well and tends to get better, smarter employees. read more

I always like coming to this TJ's, because the prices are on-point and the staff is excellent. The wine guy here is really knowledgeable, and people will go out of their way to help you find what you need. TJ's is definitely one of the most cost-efficient grocery stores in the area, so it's great to have near a campus. read more

I love Trader Joe's! they have the best selection of healthy food that tastes great! I live in Cary so I also frequent the Cary location as well. read more

This store is just the best. I have visited Trader Joe's all over the country and this one is the biggest and brightest of them all! In addition to having friendly employees, they are incredibly helpful! I was having trouble finding something and an employee said he would find an answer and then come find me- he did! IN a store that must have had a hundred customers on a busy Saturday afternoon he found me a feel aisles from where I'd spoken with him and he gave me a specific answer about when a new shipment of this item would be in. I was so pleasantly surprised by this! I guess this goes without saying, but the food they sell is fantastic. The dry packaged goods, sweets, produce, meat, wine, flowers, frozen food, EVERYTHING is all great. I could list my favorites but that would take all day. This location is incredibly popular so the parking lot is very full. My favorite time to go is a weekday morning, but I just keep my expectations in check when I go on a weekend. read more

I never thought of using TJ's for a large alcohol and flowers order, but they were great! Of course the quality of the goods was good, but the customer service was even better. They happily took a lot of alcohol in returns, even though I lost my receipt. Thanks TJ's Chapel Hill! read more

I love coming to TJ's, except on the weekends when it's really crowded! Stopping by during the week is the best option if you don't want to play dodge em carts with the rest of the shoppers. The prices are excellent and the selection is too. Did you know that TJ is the brother of the guy that owns Aldi's? It's true! The atmosphere is as laid back here too, but in a much more playful way from the employees attire to well, just about everything! The frozen foods and snacks are favorite areas for the varied choices. I especially love coming here during the Christmas holiday season for some delicious gifts and snacks to have on hand. Now come on and build one in Durham! We've been patiently waiting long enough! read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Every week Trader Joe's contributes a carful of flowers that are past their "sell-by" date, but still lovely. Volunteers pick them up and bring them to a retirement community for distribution. One more thing to love about Joe! read more

I can't believe it's taken me two years of living in Durham to finally check out Trader Joe's. I do admit, I love me some Whole Foods but TJs is a great alternative when you are indecisive like me. When a friend suggested we go, I was hesitant because I planned on making a Curried chicken recipe and I wasn't sure if TJs would have all the ingredients. But they did..... and more! Got a bunch of yummy items, most excited about the cheese and hearts of palm, my all time favorite! I love how the parking lot is spacious and is so easy to get in and out of. What I also like is that it's clean, people are friendly and the lines are super efficient. Can't wait to go back again! Next time, I want to take a longer gander at all the frozen foods and wine selection! read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

They recommended wine and told us that we could return it if we didn't like it. We definitely did not like it (my husband is an advanced sommelier) and I was given a hard time and looks by the manager. The wine was really awful. They do have very good wines. They just need a better-educated staff. read more

It's a smaller Trader Joe's due to its location, and that makes shopping here on the weekends a nightmare. Since it's the only Trader Joe's for miles, and since the majority of Chapel Hill-ians fit the mold of people who enjoy shopping at Trader Joe's, this place is a madhouse on the weekends. Starting with parking, the lot is small, so you'll either wait forever just to find a spot, or have to make the trek from Boston Market or Starbucks. No big deal on a sunny day. On a rainy day, good luck. Forget about using a cart if you want to navigate at faster than 1 foot per minute. Or if you don't want to feel like you're in they way about 95% of the time. Once you are ready to check out, be prepared to wait at least 20 minutes in line, even though all the check out lines are manned. Since the place is so busy, it inevitably affects the mood of the employees. So don't be surprised if they are short with you - as mentioned above, weekends are crazy here. I mean, if you really insist on shopping at Trader Joe's, I guess you have no choice. As for me, I'll pass on coming here on a weekend in the future. Not worth it. It's too small, too crowded, and it kind of affects everyone's mood. read more

Wait a minute - did I really just give a supermarket five stars? Yes, I guess I did... I've been a fan of Trader Joe's since my days long ago living on the other coast. It was THE place to get those really good, albeit non-mainstream goodies, like their tubs o' meringue, their inexpensive but really good wine (gotta love Two Buck Chuck - {AKA Three Dollar Charlie in the Carolinas}), and Soy and Flax Seed Tortilla Chips. Excellent guacamole. Superior meats and wholesome jerky. Seriously good frozen pizza. The produce was always the freshest in town; their coffees were shade grown and fair trade before those became buzz words. And the folks working there were every bit as quirky and wonderful as their foodstuffs. And that's saying something! In fact, whenever I lament having left California, TJ's was always on my list of the top five things I'd miss. Imagine my delight when, five or six years ago, whilst visiting my brother on the central coast (and shopping at the local TJ's) I chanced upon a gentleman who was getting ready to open the first Joe's of the Carolinas, down in Cary... with promises of coming to Chapel Hill. Yeah, probably one of the highlights of my visit out west that year! (Not really, but... almost.) The year that they opened I gave all of my coworkers gift cards to TJ's for the holidays. Now I find myself driving a good few miles out of my way to get my Trader Joe's fix on a regular basis. My wife and I even keep a separate TJ's list on our refrigerator, for those items you can only get within those hallowed walls. And we still go often. Now if only they'd open one in Hillsborough... read more

Stocking up on wine at TJ's since 2010! Trader Joe's is inexpensive and has everything from great produce to a handful of household goods and a great cheese and meats selection. Trader Joe's for me is not a grocery store I visit weekly, but I place that I stock up on a few items monthly. They definitely don't have everything I need, but they DO have some fun and interesting items. You can always find a small mix of spices, nuts and dried fruits, good selection of coffee, beer, cheap flowers, dairy products and frozen foods: I love their mochi ice cream! The majority of the products sold at TJ's are their own products and there's usually an employee walking the store with a huge sign that says "how can I help you?!" You'll typically find not only food samples, but also wine tastings and they make the store kid friendly by putting out tiny kid shopping carts and a snack box. The biggest downside of Trader Joe's is the size and business of the store. It's popular, so even if you show up at 10am on a weekday, you'll be in for the crowds (weekends are almost unmanageable). The added fact that Durham does not have it's own store adds to the business--Chapel Hill get the CH and Durham crowd currently! That fact coupled with the fact that they don't stock all your essential kitchen needs, makes TJ's a place I go to only stock up on specialty products, but not my weekly grocery list. read more

Worst location for a great store. They need one in Durham desperately, so we don't have to drive over. Great frozen foods, decent wine selection, awesome fresh veggies. Unfortunately, it's in Chapel Hill. Or, we could go to Cary. Either way, it's crazy busy, because their foodstuffs rock. read more

Trader Joe's - Great snacks stuff for being shut in, possibly. - Grocery Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Had a few minutes and I was in the shopping center anyway, so I thought I would check out what this place was about. I explored the aisles to see what types are foods to expect here. One of their employees was stocking shelves and asked if I had any questions. When I mentioned it was my first visit, he was eager and excited to let me know about the Trader Joe way of doing things. I appreciated his information. Since I wasn't going to be back home in Raleigh until later that night, I didn't buy any perishables. I bought just a few items just to give them a try. I have a hunch I'll be visiting the Ralegh location soon. read more

I hate to do this to Trader Joe's but I'm truly disappointed with their produce. I went to Trader Joe's two days ago ( Friday ) to purchase strawberries. I got home immediately and put them in the fridge. Upon taking them out today to wash and eat I found about two strawberries covered in mold (and the rest weren't so hot looking either). I was thinking about returning them tomorrow for some kind of refund but honestly I don't even know if it's worth it. read more

Trader Joe's - The moldy culprits - Grocery Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Really missing the large selection of Trader Joe's location to choose from where we used to live in the PNW. Now our only two options are Chapel Hill and Raleigh. We live in Downtown Durham and are very surprised to not find one here. Whenever we want to go to our closest TJ's it takes a half hour of frustrating Chapel Hill driving so we don't make it to this small location even 10% as often as we used to shop at Trader Joe's. That being said I really don't understand why they aren't breaking ground on more locations in the Triangle. The line to get into this TJ's (especially in the horrible Summer, humid heat) is awful, WE NEED MORE TRADER JOES LOCATIONS IN THE TRIANGLE! read more

Cool: 1. Great prices! 2. Helpful, friendly staff. 3. Plenty of parking. Bah: 1. No location available in Durham! 2. Small store = limited choices i.e. small meat selection. 3. On rainy days, the shopping baskets are nicely dry because they're located under the awning, but the shopping carts (which are typically used more often by shoppers) are not protected from the rain. read more