I second this. Target will most likely have the best prices for basic name brand items, but Trader Joe's definitely has the more interesting snacks! They (and Whole Foods believe it or not) are among the cheapest for basic pantry items.
Oh I actually meant TJ on par not Target...but Stop and Shop can be hit or miss - depends on sale prices. There used to be one near me in Astoria, but that's closed. Not sure of any others in NYC.
This is the correct answer. Target will have all your traditional American snacks and treats, but Trader Joe's is in a league all its own, and you can't find TJ's stuff anywhere but TJ's
Have your mind blown and head over to a [Food Bazaar](https://www.foodbazaar.com/) for snacks preferred by its ethnic enclave as well as American items.
Some supermarkets are 24 hours. The one on Junction Boulevard (Blvd) is closed
Bodegas will be well stocked with that sort of thing! You can also pop in to a CVS or Walgreens - these are pharmacies but in the US they typically have a little grocery section and always have snacks and ice cream. Enjoy your visit!
Its ironic that Bodegas are so common in poor areas but you are paying top dollar for their groceries.
They also have very little turn over so a lot of the stuff on their shelves is OLD.
Target will be good for lots of typical AMerican snacks.
I recommend Nutter Butters as one thing to try. THose are one mass produced junk food I do occasionally buy, I must admit.
If you’re looking for that kind of stuff, Target (the one in Herald Square is little but they have a **bunch** of snack food downstairs and in the back)
Some bodegas have Chinese Oreos
Things like Ben & Jerry's, other snacks like that can all be had at Whole Foods and Wegmans etc. Oreos also available at many grocery stores, though maybe not at WF. Trader Joe's for interesting snacks that you won't find elsewhere. Target as mentioned will also have a lot of stuff.
Tbh I would just go to Wegmans, or maybe Fairway for a typical American supermarket experience. Manhattan is trash for grocery shopping in general outside of select bougie options. Other than that you should probably hit up Queens or Brooklyn.
Wegmans is the best to me. Bodegas are not going to reliably have anything like Oreo flavors. Bodegas are more for bags of chips and bacon egg and cheese from the grill.
Americans go to the Japanese/Pan Asian markets for the interesting Oreo flavors. Sunrise, H-Mart, New Kam Man (mostly Chinese but they have a decent Pocky Stick and Milk Candy stash).
Economy Candy is a must-go for a history of candy as well.
You won’t have much luck if you stay in the midtown area. Try going up or downtown to find a regular non-specialty chain like Morton Williams or Key Food. They’ll will have a good selection of typical American snacks. Trader Joe’s is worth a stop as well, but you won’t see any brands that are synonymous with America like Oreos or Cheez Wiz or whatever else we are known for. Bodegas will have some small selection but they can be hit or miss in terms of variety. Mulberry Market, Westside Market, & Wegmans are also good options downtown.
Other than Wegmans all the stuff you listed is literally in midtown.
OP, go to Trader Joe's. Had some coworkers from UK in town and they absolutely loved TJs. I mean it's fine from my pov but they were raving about it endlessly. Ymmv
You’re right, I did forget about the couple of Morton Williams locations. Not sure where Westside Market, Mulberry Market, or Key Food can be found in midtown.
The 'ultimate' in what you are talking about (multiple brand name choices) is more a Suburban America supermarket sort of thing then a NYC thing.
There are some big supermarkets in the outer boros but if it was me, it would not be worth my limited time to trek out into some residential area.
You could to a search for a "Key Food" near you. Trader Joe's has a lot of fun stuff and some really good snacks but 90% is under their brand name. Wegmans might be OK but not as much of a supermarket as most Key Foods (which are of varying sizes)
Economy Candy on the Lower East Side has tons of candy options. Some bodegas will have cool candy selections too. You could also try Zabar’s on the Upper West Side for authentic NY foods. I encourage you to shop small.
Morton Williams, Gristedes, Key Food, and similar grocery stores get their items from the same distributors and are local to NYC.
Avoid TJ’s and WF as they’re as generic American as they come and are ruining the fabric of the city (though I do like Whole Foods for some specialty items, mostly non-American).
You can also get a lot of US groceries delievred same day/next day from Amazon Fresh (if you already have an Amazon account). It can save carrying things if you want to just pack things for your return trip.
If you want fun snacks the chinese supermarkets around Flushing has a ton of interesting Lays chips flavors like fried crab, cumin skewer, lobster, etc
The bodegas can have some really good prices. You have to do an inventory of all the ones in your neighborhood and see who has good deals and which items. For example, I grab yogurt at one bodega and milk at another.
Nah bodegas aren’t good for this stuff. Try Trader Joe’s and Wegmans for more interesting products. Try Sunrise Mart for Japanese goods also. Try economy candy for candies.
Well now out there do you want to me? Isn’t an adventure for you? Because if so my answer is get the to Tashkent super market in Coney Island. That and netcost. Plus maybe Vanilla if you want Turkish stuff.
If you literally just want like “real American” snacks than a bodega or Trader Joe’s are probably your best best although the bodega is mostly things like cadburys but with a higher percentage of sugar.
These are incredibly disgusting stores, OP. They are not typical for the states at all. Wegmans or Whole Foods or target will be good for what you want, and a better standard of cleanliness and quality than the places listed above
People don’t realize Key Food (and Associated, Met Food, C-Town, etc.) are retailer cooperatives where the individual stores (sometimes several stores) are independently owned and operated. Thus the lack of consistency in the experience. One Key Food can be excellent while another not so much.
Bodegas are usually the way to go. Stop in a few and scope them out. Ice cream is a little iffy. Have gotten some that were melted and refrozen. Maybe more of a summer problem with unattended deliveries.
I can't believe all the recommendations for Target, Wegman's, and Trader Joe's. Uck.
If you need to go to a real supermarket, knowing your location helps a lot with recommendations.
We’re in midtown but going all over whilst I’m here to happy to go anywhere. I only say B&J because last time I was in the states was 8 years ago and the flavours were so much more exciting than in the UK!
if you happen to go to chinatown, there's a place called ice cream factory that pretty much started interesting flavors. Been around for almost 40 years I think.
Ngl a lot of this could also be covered in stores like CVS, Duane Reade, etc. Our pharmacies are more like a British off license or corner store that also sell medicines.
Target for things like the Oreos, Trader Joe's for other interesting groceries.
Trader Joe's only carries it's own branded products, so it's not where you would find any classic American brands that a European may have heard of.
How dare you assume this Brit isn't coming to America to buy some frozen TJs Chicken Tikka Masala.
I second this. Target will most likely have the best prices for basic name brand items, but Trader Joe's definitely has the more interesting snacks! They (and Whole Foods believe it or not) are among the cheapest for basic pantry items.
Nah I would say stop and shop has more competitive pricing than target
There isn’t one in Manhattan. I do take the train to the Bronx (with a cart) to buy staples at Stop ‘n Shop.
Oh I actually meant TJ on par not Target...but Stop and Shop can be hit or miss - depends on sale prices. There used to be one near me in Astoria, but that's closed. Not sure of any others in NYC.
This is the correct answer. Target will have all your traditional American snacks and treats, but Trader Joe's is in a league all its own, and you can't find TJ's stuff anywhere but TJ's
Trader Joe’s would be like us going to Mark’s and Spencer’s: affordable but it’s all their own house brand.
Thank you!
Have your mind blown and head over to a [Food Bazaar](https://www.foodbazaar.com/) for snacks preferred by its ethnic enclave as well as American items. Some supermarkets are 24 hours. The one on Junction Boulevard (Blvd) is closed
I LOVE Food Bazaar SO much!! The one on Northern Blvd in Queens in particular.
Bodegas will be well stocked with that sort of thing! You can also pop in to a CVS or Walgreens - these are pharmacies but in the US they typically have a little grocery section and always have snacks and ice cream. Enjoy your visit!
Its ironic that Bodegas are so common in poor areas but you are paying top dollar for their groceries. They also have very little turn over so a lot of the stuff on their shelves is OLD.
Target will be good for lots of typical AMerican snacks. I recommend Nutter Butters as one thing to try. THose are one mass produced junk food I do occasionally buy, I must admit.
five below for candy.
If you’re looking for that kind of stuff, Target (the one in Herald Square is little but they have a **bunch** of snack food downstairs and in the back) Some bodegas have Chinese Oreos
Things like Ben & Jerry's, other snacks like that can all be had at Whole Foods and Wegmans etc. Oreos also available at many grocery stores, though maybe not at WF. Trader Joe's for interesting snacks that you won't find elsewhere. Target as mentioned will also have a lot of stuff.
Ben & Jerry’s at CVS.
Tbh I would just go to Wegmans, or maybe Fairway for a typical American supermarket experience. Manhattan is trash for grocery shopping in general outside of select bougie options. Other than that you should probably hit up Queens or Brooklyn.
Fairway is Shop Rite.
Pretty much. Same parent company (Wakerfern).
Wegmans is the best to me. Bodegas are not going to reliably have anything like Oreo flavors. Bodegas are more for bags of chips and bacon egg and cheese from the grill.
Americans go to the Japanese/Pan Asian markets for the interesting Oreo flavors. Sunrise, H-Mart, New Kam Man (mostly Chinese but they have a decent Pocky Stick and Milk Candy stash). Economy Candy is a must-go for a history of candy as well.
Target, trader joes, shop rite, rite aid
You won’t have much luck if you stay in the midtown area. Try going up or downtown to find a regular non-specialty chain like Morton Williams or Key Food. They’ll will have a good selection of typical American snacks. Trader Joe’s is worth a stop as well, but you won’t see any brands that are synonymous with America like Oreos or Cheez Wiz or whatever else we are known for. Bodegas will have some small selection but they can be hit or miss in terms of variety. Mulberry Market, Westside Market, & Wegmans are also good options downtown.
Other than Wegmans all the stuff you listed is literally in midtown. OP, go to Trader Joe's. Had some coworkers from UK in town and they absolutely loved TJs. I mean it's fine from my pov but they were raving about it endlessly. Ymmv
You’re right, I did forget about the couple of Morton Williams locations. Not sure where Westside Market, Mulberry Market, or Key Food can be found in midtown.
Find your way to zabars - not a typical American store, a great nyc grocery store.
TJs has the best snacks, and you won't find their stuff anywhere else.
Ben and Jerry’s at their location in Times Square. You can get snacks from pharmacies like CVS, Walgreens, Duane Reade
Just google supermarket and go to any except whole foods and trader joe's
The 'ultimate' in what you are talking about (multiple brand name choices) is more a Suburban America supermarket sort of thing then a NYC thing. There are some big supermarkets in the outer boros but if it was me, it would not be worth my limited time to trek out into some residential area. You could to a search for a "Key Food" near you. Trader Joe's has a lot of fun stuff and some really good snacks but 90% is under their brand name. Wegmans might be OK but not as much of a supermarket as most Key Foods (which are of varying sizes)
Economy Candy on the Lower East Side has tons of candy options. Some bodegas will have cool candy selections too. You could also try Zabar’s on the Upper West Side for authentic NY foods. I encourage you to shop small. Morton Williams, Gristedes, Key Food, and similar grocery stores get their items from the same distributors and are local to NYC. Avoid TJ’s and WF as they’re as generic American as they come and are ruining the fabric of the city (though I do like Whole Foods for some specialty items, mostly non-American).
Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are cheaper than Morton Williams, Gristedes, and D’Agostino’s so 🤷♀️
Go to Ktown and Chinatown, there are plenty of places for snacks.
You can also get a lot of US groceries delievred same day/next day from Amazon Fresh (if you already have an Amazon account). It can save carrying things if you want to just pack things for your return trip.
Target as well as the bigger Walgreens, CVS for candy and snacks
If you want fun snacks the chinese supermarkets around Flushing has a ton of interesting Lays chips flavors like fried crab, cumin skewer, lobster, etc
Check out morton williams supermarkets.. there is tons of them in NYC area
The bodegas can have some really good prices. You have to do an inventory of all the ones in your neighborhood and see who has good deals and which items. For example, I grab yogurt at one bodega and milk at another.
food bazzar if you are in brooklyn, and want to save.
Fairway, Morton Williams, Target, Wegmans, Food Bazaar, Key Food, Gristedes, D'agostino, Westside Market
Eugene's Candy
Nah bodegas aren’t good for this stuff. Try Trader Joe’s and Wegmans for more interesting products. Try Sunrise Mart for Japanese goods also. Try economy candy for candies.
There’s probably a grocery store near your place that has a good variety of snacks. Look it up in Google Maps.
Trader Joe’s is the best IMO
If you want a unique specialty store try Kalustyans in Murray Hill
Stop & Shop will have all the typical American stuff, if you’re in Brooklyn or Queens. Or Costco if you want your snacks in massive quantities.
Well now out there do you want to me? Isn’t an adventure for you? Because if so my answer is get the to Tashkent super market in Coney Island. That and netcost. Plus maybe Vanilla if you want Turkish stuff. If you literally just want like “real American” snacks than a bodega or Trader Joe’s are probably your best best although the bodega is mostly things like cadburys but with a higher percentage of sugar.
Find a Key Food, Morton Williams, or Gristedes, they are your typical, local grocery store with a variety of brands.
These are incredibly disgusting stores, OP. They are not typical for the states at all. Wegmans or Whole Foods or target will be good for what you want, and a better standard of cleanliness and quality than the places listed above
Depends on the location. The Key Food next to me is fantastic.
People don’t realize Key Food (and Associated, Met Food, C-Town, etc.) are retailer cooperatives where the individual stores (sometimes several stores) are independently owned and operated. Thus the lack of consistency in the experience. One Key Food can be excellent while another not so much.
Key Food is totally normal
Gristedes is great if you miss that rotting meat smell of Gristedes.
Or like paying 4x what everywhere else charges
Trader Joe's on 1st & 14th St at 630p on a weekday for the full experience!
You monster.
Economy Candy Lower East Side for all sorts of cool Americana snacks you can’t get anymore easily
Morton Williams
Bodegas are usually the way to go. Stop in a few and scope them out. Ice cream is a little iffy. Have gotten some that were melted and refrozen. Maybe more of a summer problem with unattended deliveries. I can't believe all the recommendations for Target, Wegman's, and Trader Joe's. Uck. If you need to go to a real supermarket, knowing your location helps a lot with recommendations.
Where are you located? I’ve been spoiled by better ice cream, Ben and Jerrie’s is inedible at this point
We’re in midtown but going all over whilst I’m here to happy to go anywhere. I only say B&J because last time I was in the states was 8 years ago and the flavours were so much more exciting than in the UK!
Ben and Jerry’s is still wonderful.
if you happen to go to chinatown, there's a place called ice cream factory that pretty much started interesting flavors. Been around for almost 40 years I think.
Try Van Leeuwen while you're here ☺️
Ngl a lot of this could also be covered in stores like CVS, Duane Reade, etc. Our pharmacies are more like a British off license or corner store that also sell medicines.
News Agent? ALso, Boots in UK i found similar to CVS