Grocery Stores You'll Wish You Knew About Sooner

They keep our kitchens stocked and our bellies full, we stop at them multiple times per week, and quite frankly, it's hard to imagine life in the 21st century without them. That's right, we're talking about grocery stores. Beginning with mom-and-pop shops in the 18th century up to the retail giants of today, food markets are an integral part of American society. 

According to GOBankingRates, monthly grocery costs per individual in the U.S. range between $250 to $550. There's no denying that a large chunk of our paycheck goes toward the places that sell our canned goods, fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses. With many of the dominating industry players like Costco, Walmart, or Kroger visible at every corner, it's easy to look right past those smaller markets and grocers sprinkling the thousands of cities and towns across the nation. 

But these hidden food-toting gems are indeed out there — many of them bringing interesting histories, unique edible selections, bizarre sceneries, or heartwarming intentions to the table. Check out our list of grocery stores you'll wish you knew about sooner.

As a leader in international foods, shoppers searching for something different in their weekly grocery run need look no further than Super King, a small chain operating out of Southern California. Meats, rice, grains, imported chocolate, and exotic produce from around the world — including an international ice cream section, a giant scoop-your-own nuts bar, and a deli featuring delicacies like caviar and cheese — all serve to celebrate multiculturalism.

But perhaps what we love the most about Super King is that its shopper base is every bit as varied as its products. The Golden State is a melting pot of ethnicities, languages, and cultures, and Super King values and reflects this fact. In a Reddit thread discussing the beloved local market, one shopper shared their heartwarming experience in the produce section. Okra had just been put out, so the shopper naturally wandered over to admire its freshness. A handful of other people walked over to do the same, and soon after there was a small crowd surrounding the vegetable bin. Everyone was happily chatting, reciting the word for the vegetable in their native languages, and sharing home remedies and recipes. "Super King makes me proud to be an American," the user said. The praise doesn't get much better than that.

What is it about fun houses that appeal to us? Perhaps it's the artistic influences or the strange perspectives that challenge our senses. Maybe it's the hidden doors and passageways, the lack of predictability in an otherwise predictable world. One thing we know for sure is that a grocery store trip is straightforward — but what if it wasn't? What if someone took the concept of food aisles and turned it into a fun house encounter?

Everyone should experience Omega Mart in Las Vegas once in their lives. A market turned mind-bending immersive art experience, fridges open and shelves peel back to become portals and passageways to other parts of the store or hidden exhibitions and rooms. The many shelves, at first, appear stocked with standard ingredients, just like any other grocer ... until you look a little closer. Tattooed chicken and moth's milk are just a few of the unreal products waiting for you in-store. Sliced deli meats are arranged to look like famous faces and fresh produce is transformed into an array of instruments for making music. 

And the best part? Everything is actually for sale; so you can take your can of Meat Grass, purchase it as a memento, and still eat it later on at home. As for how it tastes ... well, we'll let you be the judge of that. Tickets beginning at $49 ($39 for locals as of September 2023) are required for entry into this miniature alternate universe, so plan accordingly.

There is something about the concept of one's food being produced locally that is undeniably attractive. Knowing that the salmon fillet gracing your table was freshly caught by a fisherman just a few miles down the road is a priceless culinary notion — one that most of us would like to experience more frequently. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find large-scale markets that adhere to a business model focusing on locally sourced products.

But the people of Washington State have a gem of a grocer to be found in Haggen, a small regional grocery chain that opts for fresh, Northwestern meat, produce, and plants as much as it can. Everything from its beef to its garden greenery is homegrown and raised in the local area, supplied by farms and ranches operated by hardworking families. With an impressive selection of health foods, including certified organic and gluten-free options, Haggen becomes a top shopping option for people looking for healthy alternatives who oftentimes run into hurdles trying to find what they need at regular markets. However, the phrase "you get what you pay for" definitely applies here; Haggen has a bit of a reputation for being pricey, so bear this in mind if planning a stop-in. 

Let's face it — groceries are expensive. And with a percentage of Americans struggling to afford adequate food, having cost-effective options is incredibly important. Cue Grocery Outlet, a nationwide chain with over 400 locations that is considered to be the country's largest super-bargain retailer. "Here in the SF Bay Area it's extremely helpful," said one user on Reddit under r/GroceryOutlet. "We find great deals on snacks my kids like, and especially things like cheese, yogurt, hummus, desserts. Sabra hummus is frequently 97-cents per container."

A number of unique strategies make it possible for the company to keep its prices low for consumers — namely, a combination of smart purchasing. Grocery Outlet jumps on closeout products that other retailers want quickly off their shelves for seasonal reasons, excess stock, and so on. Because the food is acquired at such a deal, the Outlet can then make it a bargain for you — the customer. The next time you need to fill your pantry on a budget, consider stopping in at your nearest Grocery Outlet to keep your food bill low.

In recent years, Hispanic-Americans have become the second largest ethnic group in the United States, making up about 20% of the total population — a staggering statistic when you consider that in 1970, this percentage sat at around 5%. All of this growth brings with it different elements of interlocking culture, including food.

While you're probably able to find the commonplace American brands of tortillas or salsas at any given grocery store, you'll likely be hard-pressed to find more specialized Latin-American items. And when you start searching for items like mango nectar, pan dulce, or queso fresco — which for a huge chunk of people, are considered to be a necessary taste of home — you'll be met with nothing but empty aisles when it comes to most major retailers. 

But El Super, a Southwestern string of markets specializing in Hispanic products, has dedicated itself to closing that gap. Offering sweets, spices, produce, and beverages traditionally sold in Mexico and South America, the affordable market brings a collection of products to the U.S. that much of its clientele may have left behind. In addition, the company's signs and labels are all written in Spanish, and its workers are usually bilingual, breaking down the challenge of language barriers and therefore increasing the feeling of comfort for its shoppers.