Brisbane, Australia Woolworths…read more Wow talk about VERY clean grocery store! It was well stocked and they had Vegemite pastries. This store is very adequate to meet your grocery needs !

'Ello chaps! The…read moresign says Woolworths, but Ozzies call it "Woolies". Whatever you want, they got it. Groceries galore and a big selection.

Brisbane has come a long way over the years but it can still be frustrating trying to get a decent…read moremeal late at night. Hospitality workers, shift labourers and the inveterately disorganised know this fact only too well - if you end up trying to sort out dinner after the 9pm mark on a weekday you won't be able to get anything from the major supermarkets and your takeaway options will be seriously limited. That's why I appreciate the role of chains like IGA. To me, they represent the happiest compromise possible between a 24-hour convenience store and a full-blown supermarket. IGA Milton has an especially good range and boasts impressive opening hours: 6am - midnight 365 days a year (foreign readers from countries where 24-hour supermarkets are easy to find will have to excuse my excitement)! The deli here is quite gourmet, with a good selection of salamis and prosciutto as well as an array of olives. There are also some wholesome ready to eat salads and other heat-and-eat options like tortilla stacks. The nearby cheese selection showcases a well sourced selection of brie, camembert, blue and many others. I've even bought a very tasty pre-made sand crab lasagne from the refrigerated section. I suppose we have the area's high socio-economic status to thank for these epicurean touches.

Yep, I'm jumping on the bandwagon to rave about Baroona Road IGA. Such a sellout, aren't I? Hardly…read more Have you ever tried getting a park in Baroona Road Centro? It's a nightmare! My roommate laughs at me every time I say I'm popping down there for groceries and sarcastically wishes me luck getting a park, and he's not wrong. It's every man for himself when it comes to parking at this place. Horrible parking experiences aside though, this IGA is a godsend. The amount of times I've panicked when I've had nothing to take to work for lunch the next day or I've run out of milk and this place has saved me, I simply cannot count. One particular occasion I forgot it was a coworker's birthday the next day so I frantically rushed into Milton IGA at around 11pm and quickly swiped up a chocolate mud cake. It's a constant topic of conversation in my house how amazing the Baroona Road IGA's opening hours are. 6am to 12am every night; how does it get any better than that? Plus it's a TINY place, and yet I always seem to be able to find everything my heart desires. How do they manage to pack all that stuff into this tiny little space? Beats me, but they do. I prefer it to even larger supermarkets where they'd have about five hundred different brands of washing powder or mango juice because Baroona Road IGA always has what I need. For a small place, it has a ridiculously amazing selection of gourmet cheeses and healthy cooking options, plus a better range of caesar salads than I see in larger IGAs or Woolworths stores. Rather than go to Toowong's large and probably cheaper Coles, I prefer to go here. It's more convenient, and the selection is excellent. It's far better than any other chain grocery store I've experienced thus far. Everything is super easy to find whether you're in a rush or planning a larger shop. Because of Baroona Road IGA, I never go hungry. If you're a Milton/Auchenflower local, you'll find that you cherish and appreciate this IGA as much as me; if you survive the rat race of the car park out front, that is.

Location, location, location. This Coles is very convenience right inside the Mayer Centre and the…read morebus station is just right underneath. This is the Express Coles not a regular one, so don't expect to find everything you want there. It's a small place, so everything on the counter usually run out quick. They also have many self check out merchines. I remember there were a few time I couldn't find what I wanted to get (sorry it has been a while and I don't remember). The vegetable section usually is fresh but occasionally isn't but I guest it's almost the same as other grocery stores. The staff are friendly.

This is the closest thing to a decent general grocery store I've found in Brisbane so far, one that…read morehad decent selection, including (for once) almond milk, and some super cheap detergent. It was clean and the checkout efficient, and this central mall location is prime real estate. I'll likely be sampling the other Coles locations as well, but you can't beat this one for convenience.

When you've got a busy working day, knowing you've got a good lunch spot to go to is pretty…read moreessential. You give your head a break, you stretch your legs, and usually you think about something other than your work. After my first day at a new co-working space in a suburb I'm not familiar with, I was happy to get out. My new co-working buddies and I ordered simple but delicious food. My tuna sandwich hit the spot like a boss and kept me going until way past afternoon tea time. I will definitely be back

Every neighbourhood should be so lucky to have a one-stop gourmet shop like the Rosalie Gourmet…read moreMarket. Spending almost four years living only a few hundred metres from their front door (often adorned with bouquets of fresh flowers to take home), I'll not hazard a guess as to how much of my pay cheque has been spent on fresh loaves of sourdough, bunches of flowers, delicious cheeses or fresh produce from here. But what I will say is: all worth it. From ready-made take-home meals or ingredients for a jolly great cheese and chacuterie board -- they've got you covered. And now with the upstairs area converted into a cafe, there's even more reason to stop and enjoy the space. Pro Tip; Enjoy the Autumn days with a picnic basket of goodies from here and then stroll down to Gregory Park for a lazy afternoon with a good book.

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times. Walking aisles of supermarkets can be super…read morefun. Think of all the different packaging design to devour. No, just me? Okay then. Awkward. This super chic grocer is up there for me. Head straight to the aisles of jams, chutneys, and other such condiments. Packaging branding heaven. I used to live across the road from James Street Market (and still visit frequently) and yes, it is as dangerous on your back pocket as you might imagine but let's break it down. For a slightly higher price you're selecting top quality produce, specialty cheeses, sweets and other accoutrements. You've got access to a patisserie (French Twist), a florist, a butcher, a fishery and sushi bar. The produce is always fresh and the ability to walk out empty handed? Extremely difficult. Case in point: a friend and I were recently on the hunt for salted caramel for a cheesecake. Sure, we could have made it from scratch (and normally we might have) but to put it bluntly "Ain't no body got time for that!". We'd hunted a few different specialty stores we thought would be on the money but it was James Street Markets that came through with the goods. The staff member that looked after us found it on the shelf with such air and grace. There was no trouble for her to point us in the direction of the jar that held our salted caramel dreams.

Despite its namesake, the drawing card for Fine Fruit On James is actually its cheeses. Yes, yes…read morethey also have fresh fruit and vegetables but in general, I find Brisbane has such an excellent range of fresh fruit and vegies anyway, especially if you shop for seasonal produce. You can usually pick up a few unusual mushroom types at Fine Fruit On James - enokis, King Oysters, wood-ear mushrooms but Asian supermarkets usually cover the same range. I repeat, it is their cheeses which stand out against their competitors. They have everything from camembert in the Adelaide Hills to Spanish manchengo. I became a goats' cheese convert after sampling their 'Lingot Chevre De Pelussin'. They also stock a decent range of gourmet deli products such as ice creams, pates, dips, oils, sauces and vinaigrettes. For an indulgent grocery shopping experience, Fine Fruit On James is the place to go.

We have been greatly served a few times by Cooper in the checkout aisle. He deserves recognition…read moreand any rewards. Faultless service and packing.

Woolworths Ashgrove is one of the new layout stores and it is really good. They've got a wider…read morerange of products, large freezer section and the deli is fully stocked and actually decent! Tonnes of parking downstairs and a BWS on the way out to reward yourself for going shopping instead of getting Maccas (again) with a bottle of Pinot or cheeky 6 pack.

I love consistency. I can always count on finding exactly what I'm looking for when I find…read moreWoolworth's!

Even on vacation I seem to spend a fair amount of time doing the "hunting and gathering" thing for…read morethe family. Being a city boy, I usually find a good food market to do my "gathering" and skip the whole "hunting" part altogether. Found this place about an hour after our arrival in Brisbane and, frankly, have been back here no less than 4-5 times is less than three days. I guess when you travel with a teenage boy and twin 4 yr olds, you spend most of your time at the grocery store buying drinks, snacks, meals, souvenirs (Vegemite), etc. Relatively small by U.S. Standards, but if you live in a city where space is at a premium, it's to be expected. VERY clean and organized. Prices are pretty fair, and I've noticed they offer some decent sale prices as well. The fruits and veggies were excellent. The staff were helpful, although since I mainly used their "self check-out" my interaction with humans was limited . . . However, one of the clerks did smile at me, or was it a smirk???? I'm sure I'll be back numerous times before we leave.

OK here's my big Fortitude Valley secret…read more Not only can you usually find a park out the front on Marshall St, but the prices at Garboro are usually cheaper than Burlington. Yes, cheaper. I've done a few 'eggs for eggs' comparisons and Garboro tends to come out on top. There's some oddities about the place, the range is large but eclectic so sometimes you can't find something basic. Also, they often have things in jumbo size but not normal (I really don't need 1 kg of star anise...) They have a great range of asian food stuffs which also includes a decent Indian and Japanese section (often missing in Chinatown). The fresh food is limited to one fridge down the back, but what they have is very well priced.

Amazing. Hidden…read morearound the corner from Chinatown in the Valley is Garbaro's dainty warehouse full of joy. There's two entrances to the store (if you know where to look) and you can usually get a park on the street out the front which saves you traipsing back through the Valley with your bags full of goodies. Prices are very competitive and their range of products is extensive which their large customer base reflects.

A large supermarket where you can buy a wide range of products. However sometimes you find that…read moreit's difficult to find something. Service: And also for the shelves of international food, the product is not always in order.

This Woolworths is intoxicating. I know, I know. You're thinking, "What kool-aid have you been…read moredrinking to think a supermarket is intoxicating?" Well, for starters it's brand new and the lay-out, products on offer and lighting are, I'm convinced, all designed to make you feel comfortable and comfortable to spend up. From the farmer-market inspired fruit and veg section to the brightly-lit health and wellbeing aisle full of demographic-specific products like chia seeds, maca powder and protein concoctions, to the in-store sushi bar and cafe - this supermarket is a rabbit hole. One step through the doors and you're falling down a steep spiral of supermarket wonder. I popped in very quickly for only a few items and came away with half a trolley. Such is the power of shrewd marketing and specials (and lack of my willpower). For now, the novelty is still there and it's actually a decent supermarket to shop without frustration at other shoppers.

The best thing about this Aldi is it's not really in the middle of a large population so there are…read morenot normally many people in the shop! The other bonus is that weekly specials that are often sold out in other centres can be found here. Don't bother fighting the crowds at Carindale or Chermside, just pop on in here and get that cheap camping gear or knock off Le Creuset. There's 2 hour free parking underneath.

Popped into this Aldi to get some ingredients and to see if Woollies was more expensive. The minute…read morewe walked in I knew that this experience would be a disaster. It's tiny and has little or no meat in the deli and very little choice in vegetables (some mushrooms were so old they were going grey in the packaging). The cans of food were dented and about the same as woollies home brand. Quite disappointed as the one in stones corner is far better. As the person I was with said, "It was like waiting in que to enter the gates of hell and it couldn't possibly inspire anyone to cook anything creative. Just depressing".