The Tastiest Grocery in Columbus

Buehler's Fresh Foods

★★★★☆ 4 (18) • $$

"Wow. I did not know what to expect when I searched for a grocery store around here. Not wanting to go to Walmart, I wanted something smaller and a bit more local and personal. This is huge! And that's not a complaint. It's certainly smaller than Walmart, but it is quite large for a grocery store. I wish they had these near me. Good selection, decent prices, very good service. Lots of prepared foods and baked goods. I will try to swing by next time I am on 71.There is an attached restaurant, plenty of parking, and easy access to the highway."

The Hills Market

★★★★☆ 3.8 (85) • $$

"I pop in here every time I'm in the area. I love the salad bar but always leave with a few bottles of wine and several bags of ground coffee. It's never been crowded on my handful of visits and the staff are genuinely kind and helpful. The one thing I wish for is a few more sales. I'm a sucker for sale prices."

De Store

★★★☆☆ 3 (2)

"Deli sandwiches are great. Dude that makes them is super nice and cordial. I recommend starting with a small because the portion of meat you get is huge. Reminiscent of a deli I frequented in New York City.*Chicken sandwich is pictured as a breast but really is a chicken patty."

BJ's Wholesale Club

★★★★☆ 3.7 (12)

"We got a deal on an annual membership so checked it out. Only been in once or twice since, and left without buying anything. Not renewing. Just not impressed- but we already have a Costco membership, so if you don't belong to a warehouse club already it might be a good option for you. Stopped in one last time to see if previous experiences were outliers. I just find the prices to be the same or higher than Costco, and often the same as any old grocery store. Today milk and eggs were the same (or more expensive) than Kroger. Very small prepared food section compared to Costco. Lots of clothes for little kids, but nothing up past size 7 that I saw. There were a few clearance things that had okay prices, but nothing else stood out. I got a bulk container of snacks, just because I wanted that particular thing, but almost left at checkout because the price was just not great. Service is fine. I like the aisle signage. They have smaller packages than Costco for some things, which works out better sometimes. Parking and access is good. Not busy at all at noon on a weekday; Costco is always busy and gets crazy at peak. Odd to see a store with so few customers and so many open checkout lanes. So, that's good for you getting in and out, but doesn't bode well for the company.It just doesn't work for us. Farther away than Costco, costs the same or more, doesn't have anything that makes it worth a special trip."

Giant Eagle Market District

★★★★☆ 3.6 (167) • $$

"Well dang! I usually go to the Ge on Sawmill or the one in Dublin near Perimeter. Lovely stores on their own, but I was advised to go to this one as it was supposedly the best on in Cbus. They weren't lying!!! I felt my inner bougie rising up while perusing the store. The mushroom station caught my eye immediately as I had not seen that in the other GE's. Clean store and really nice and helpful staff (shout out to Heidi at the door and Bonnie at the register). I think it is worth it yo check out this location for your shopping needs."

Jerry's Jamestown Market

★★★★☆ 4.3 (9) • $

"Jerry's is a great local hometown market! Offers a really good selection of meats, produce, deli offerings, annual flowers (in season), and the usual "need to grab-and-go" items. The market is made SO much better by the efforts of the man in charge - aka "the meat manager" - who routinely and regularly takes the time via Facebook to tell customers about the weekly specials. Our small, rural community of Jackson OH is devoted to Jerry's Jamestown Market - and well it should be."

Kuhlwein'S Farm Market & Deli

★★★★☆ 4.4 (49) • $

"Love this little gem on our home road, Walker! I look forward to coming in every time and even better yet it supports local."

Littleton’s Market

★★★★★ 4.6 (8)

"I have never not had a pastry that is amazing here. Always sooooooo tasty. My favorite thing is their carrot cake scone. It's not dry like a regular scone and has such fresh and tasty flavors. One of the best pastry places in town."

Kelly's Market

★★★★☆ 3.5 (13) • $$

"This is a small neighborhood market, and old school grocery. You could do all your shopping here, but it's gonna be a little expensive. But, they have a good selection for their size. Lots of stuff crammed in these aisles. I got some unusual Christmas candy I haven't seen anywhere else, plus some pickled eggs, which it looks like they make there. Plus, Rhett looks to be a lot of other housemade items: egg and ham salads, fried chicken livers, raw turkey gizzards, an old-school custard pie, etc. A good selection of the standards, plus a nice selection of unusual, if not gourmet, food items. Super service. I stopped myself from walking out of there with an armful of delectable foods."

Kroger Food and Pharmacy

★★★☆☆ 2.5 (17) • $$

"So before this experience I would've rated this kind of middle-ing, just a Krogers you know? But my roommate was looking for bratwurst hamburgers that were frozen but hadn't seen them in the case. We asked two different employees both of whom didn't know where it would be and directed us to another person. I would've given up at that point but my roommate stayed focused. We went to the front where we did finally run into the store manager who first called a meat employee on his wallow talkie and the meat employee said where the brat burgers were located and it was the same place my roomie had already not been able to locate them in. Instead of just re sending us to do a better job looking he went to look himself He came back with both varieties or the brat burger with a smile and no sign of irritation at the inability we had to find things that had apparently been right in front of our faces.A+++++"

Salam Market and Bakery

★★★★☆ 3.6 (12) • $

"Solid import store. They have a pretty wide selection of Arabic and Middle Eastern foods, spices, breads, and treats. I wandered the store looking for unique items and walked away with camel's milk, spreadable cheese, date cookies, marinated eggplant (canned), and when the owner saw my selection, he insisted I have some bread (which he threw in for free). Everything I bought was quality, the bread was fresh, fluffy, and went perfectly with the eggplant and cheese.Cant say that I had a fully encompassing experience, but what I had I enjoyed. Certainly worth a stop, especially if you are looking for some off the beaten path fare, whether that be raw ingredients or canned/preserved/premade."

Grandma Faye's Grocery

★★★★☆ 3.8 (39) • $

"Super conveniently located with their own parking. Lots of interesting souvenirs and random grocery items. They serve sandwiches and fried foods along with pizza. We ordered a pizza with pepperoni on it, it's a good size, but honestly one of the least appealing pizza I've ever had in my life. I had some and it was like eating a giant rock that sat in my stomach for the night. Maybe I'm not used to pizza, or maybe my stomach shrunk from not eating during this trip, not sure what. Everyone was friendly. They have a lot of interesting grocery items that are clearly from Walmart, that they resell for your convenience. They do have enough things to cover you if you're in a pinch."

KV Market

★★★★☆ 3.8 (4)

"No this is not your Kroger Superstore. My first impression was there were sections that seemed a little bare like either they had a run on items (it is the pandemic) or they were waiting to be resupplied. But their steaks were nicely trimmed and they had harder to find items like salt pork and bones and chitterlings (not into that). There were also sausages that appeared to be not encased like brats which had interesting ingredients that I am interested to try on a future trip. It was a larger store than I anticipated. Yet some areas like the meat and deli were much smaller.Very clean but we were there for Punjabi Oven which I will post separately. It is too far away to come regularly but it is not that far from my favorite pizza, Deschlers and my new favorite bakery, Buckeye. So I will return"

Pumpkin Seed Bulk Food

★★★★★ 4.9 (8) • $$

"I have been here a few times but this is the first time I tried their deli. I did not know what I was missing. The half sandwich was so large, I barely finished it. Everything was fresh and tasty.The rest of the store is filled with bulk food items and many exotic herbs and tonics.The staff is friendly."

The Plains Piggly Wiggly

★★★★☆ 4 (1)

"nice employees and clean store always there for you when ya need help good location close to home but in plains so you also have Dollar general dollar tree to shop and also have McDonald's subway Gigi home style restaurant to eat at also my dad goes to VA clinic and doctor their in plains and also the VA office is right there to so extremely convenient for all my family to shop eat go to library and also visit friends and family so we really appreciate the piggy wiggly store we have shopped Big Bear there and all other stores before piggy wiggly came their thanks for reading my short story"

La Michocana Mexican Market 7

★★★☆☆ 3 (5)

"Good food and good service, very authentic.Fresh ingredients used. Seems like only locals know about this spot."

Russian Home

★★★★☆ 4.3 (11)

"We needed to go to the UPS store. I had always wanted to stop into this store since my friend's Russian husband raved about it. It's way too hot today with too many errands to buy today. But they have all this neat food which heretofore i only saw in San Francisco, Pittsburgh and Washington DC. Prices for what I want, the various frozen pelmini, weren't too high. I am used to Pittsburgh pierogies. These are smaller.There is so much stuff crammed into this store, stuff that is simply not available elsewhere. You want bread, they have it. And jars and jars of stuff that looked yummy. I was delighted that such a small store had so many good things. I definitely will return."

Lucky’s Market

★★★★☆ 4 (7)

"My dream has finally come true and I couldn't be happier. I've been living in the Victoria Village for roughly seven years and from day one I longed for the day that a new grocery store would take over this corner. Let's be honest, the entire neighborhood was on the same page. Thankfully this May Lucky's officially opened its doors and it's honestly already changed my life - seriously. I love that I can walk over to grab a random item I forgot, or to even save a few pennies on coffee, but maybe spend a few more on something special. This Lucky's has a small parking lot that it shares with the CVS directly across from them. When walking in, you'll pass signage showing daily deals, seasonal items, etc. Once inside the place it is very clean and organized. I like how it flows starting at the produce section and ending with alcohol. The check out is easy with both self check outs and traditional ones. Everyone has been really nice and helpful. I've grabbed everything from herbs and veggies to brownies and other items that catch my eye. All high quality. I have no doubt that I'll be a frequent flier here. Thanks for giving us what we needed so badly!!"

Old Man's Cave General Store

★★★☆☆ 2.5 (40) • $

"Just like some of the other stores in town. Pretty basic with necessities. They also have ice cream. It's soft serve that they pump a flavor into and then it is now that flavor."

La Michoacana

★★★★☆ 4.1 (7) • $

"Love the food here!! The burritos? Yum!! I've been here several times now, and I'm definitely stuck on these great flavors. A friend and I usually split a pork burrito and meat bowl. I'll start with the establishment/location. This joint is in the heart of the Whitehall/Columbus area. Yes, many years ago, Hamilton Road was chuck full of businesses, restaurants and shopping stripes. However, over the last 20 years, things have changed: businesses closing; higher crime; demographics. Since I'm all for the hidden gems, when a friend told me about this place, I was excited! First time I walked into this grocery store, I got confused. I didn't see any tables - was I in the wrong place? I had to ring up my friend and have him direct me toward the back left corner of the shop. The eatery part is not big. A few tables. Three or so booths. And a small stand with the register. That's it, nothing to gawk at. The service had always been good. Polite and fast. Both times my friend and I have gotten a pork burrito and #48 (starts with an M, but I forget what it's called!). The burrito has consistently been fantastic. Moist juicy pork. Great mix of toppings. You can taste the different components, too. That's a big deal-breaker for me: so many Mexican places serve burritos that have a homogenous taste. Nothing standing out. Not the case here!Here goes my best attempt to describe #48: it consists of thin strips of steak and chicken and freshly cooked small shrimp. Red and green peppers are mixed in with the protein. Mozzarella cheese is sprinkled on top. The cool part? These ingredients are tossed in a black bowl and pushed into the oven. Everything cooks in the bowl. The outcome is all flavor, every bite! The meat is lightly seasoned - the perfect amount. Oh yeah, almost forgot! When you're seated, a giant basket of chips and three types of salsa are brought out: the normal red salsa; a green Tomatillo dip; and orange tinted hot salsa to top it off. Authentic Mexican, folks :D"

Santiago Supermarket

★★★★☆ 4.4 (54) • $

"I ordered a bunch of things from Santiago recently including tamales, birria tacos, birria ramen, al pastor tacos, and chips and queso. The tamales were tasty-- they have 3 diferent types and I got one of each. They were all a bit spicy so that's something to beware of because it wasn't expected.The queso was warm and creamy, it was a queso blanco, but there wasn't a large portion.I liked the tacos, but the birria tacos were served open face and without a side of consomme, definitely a little disappointing.The birria ramen was super rich, delicious, and cheesy, but very oily. The noodles themselves were cooked so much that they were quite mushy. I also wished that it came with some cilantro and onions or other veggies in it.I might order from here again, but it probably won't be my go-to if I'm craving birria."

North Market Poultry & Game

★★★★★ 4.8 (15) • $$

"Working in the North Market, I get asked a lot about what is good to eat. Well, damn near everything, of course- but I usually point them down to North Market Poultry & Game's Kitchen Little. "It's the best food in Columbus!" I say, feeling fairly secure in my pronouncement.See, I've never shopped at NMPG itself- the meat counter- but I have learned the not-very-well kept secret that is Kitchen Little. That unassuming little glass case holds a king's ransom of flavors. It's embarrassingly hard to pick what to eat from day to day.You can't go wrong here, but a few of my go-to staples are the meatloaf (usually chicken or turkey, always delicious, moist, and perfect), the chicken cutlet whose fried-chicken appearance hides untold wealth of flavor, or the chicken and waffles- the aforementioned chicken cutlet on a Taste of Belgium waffle, drowning in Frank's Red Hot Sauce (if you're smart about it).People like to throw around the phrase "home cooked" but if you cook food this good in your home, you need to marry me. This is food that exemplifies Columbus- unpredictable, amazing, local, and responsible. Throw in the friendly staff, the sampling, and the general atmosphere of the Market- which I love- and you have a winning combination. It's been said before by writers far more professional than I, and they were right: if Kitchen Little was its own stand-alone restaurant somewhere in town, it'd be a sensation.As it is, I kind of like the homey, back-kitchen feel. This is food that will forever change your overall opinion of prepared food counters, even if you already think highly of them.And, yeah, do yourself a favor and get some o' them good duck fat fries. You won't even need ketchup- it'd just ruin the flavor.The only complaint I can muster is that sometimes people get there before I do and buy up all the best stuff. That's definitely an acceptable loss for me- because it means Kitchen Little is getting the attention it so richly deserves!"

Olivesburg General Store

★★★★☆ 4.4 (9)

"This was a great little place. Actually it's not little it's really huge. There were a lot of Knick knacks from everything you could ever need, like baby stuff, candles, (tons of candles), tshirts, and a deli. They have a huge beer, wine, and liquor section in the front corner. I'm looking forward to going back."

Mohican Country Market

★★★★★ 4.7 (12)

"I've dined here twice and have also ordered pick up - food is fresh and portions are generous! I recommend their salads & soups & the pulled pork sandwich. You can order ahead & pay with venmo or credit card. Very nice staff. They sell grocery items and have a large inventory of outdoor furniture made from recycled materials."

Midway Market

★★★★☆ 3.5 (13)

"Very convenient. Good subs and pizzas. Their prices are better than expected on all convenience items. They seem to have the exact stuff I'm missing just when I need it. Perhaps they're reading my diary. Staff is always nice and they have free air for tires as well as propane exchange. Highly recommended."

Come and Go Center

★★★★★ 4.7 (3)

"Stumbled on this driving by. Stopped in for a drink and lottery tix. Pretty much a convenience store/small neighborhood grocery. Plus, a food counter in the back that smelled good and had a decent amount of carry-out business (looks like some tables in the front of the store on the side.) Breakfast and lunch available; not sure how late that part is open. Decent selection of the usual drinks, snacks, a few grocery items. Friendly, fast service. Decent prices."

Rittenburg North Market

★★★★☆ 4.3 (3)

"Rittenburger meats have listened to locals and opened up a meat store that also sells some common items like sauces and chips but focus is on meats or various cuts. From deli to ribs, burgers to steaks. Very clean location and friendly staff. Hours vary on holidays. One thing they need to do is label the two doors in and out because the out door is right next to register and meant to be one way. If I wasn't visiting family I would stick up on more meats to bring back. I miss the flavors since I grew up here."

Park to Shop

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (41) • $$

"Wow. Wow. Wow. Its so big! It has so many items to choose from! The staff is really helpful, too. We were looking for a Chinese Market in Columbus and this one is it! Its huge! (Bigger than Trader Joes,smaller than KrogThere is fresh produce. Its very reasonably priced. A very long row of frozen foods. There is fresh meat-even live crab and biggest live frogs I have ever seen. They sell chicken, rabbit, duck....just about anything you could want to make an authentic Asian meal."

Market District

★★★★☆ 3.8 (24) • $$

"Oooh, we are gettin' so fancy here in Bexley with a grocery store of our very own! No, that Kroger doesn't count. Just no. This Market District Express is a smaller, two-story, more neighborhood-y type of concept store instead of the other behemoths in town. While I certainly miss the never-ending selection of those bigger stores, I actually love having a place where I can quickly and easily run in to buy food for dinner and get right out. The layout of the store is hit-and-miss. The first floor is good, but ooooh that second floor... it's rough. First, let's talk about the elevator. I've been to lots of two-story markets in other cities and countries, and they use cart elevators to efficiently get everyone where they need to go. But not us -- we have a single elevator that causes so much commotion and confusion. My other big irk with the second floor is that damn restaurant. If it were spectacular, I wouldn't be angry that it's taking up 1/4 of the store. But it's not. Side note: In the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the Giant Eagle CEO declared The Table was the best restaurant in the Columbus area. She probably shouldn't have done that.While the selection at this MDE isn't grandiose, what I really appreciate is how they are constantly getting new products that the customers want. I'm also really pleased with the gluten-free selection! The prices here are ridiculous. Period. The star of the Bexley MDE is the people. They are outstanding! I'm in here 3-4 times/week, and every single person is incredibly friendly and helpful. I also love how efficient they are -- there's never a long wait, and the cashiers are fast. The entire staff is always out and about and are eager to assist -- no one is running away or shiftily dodging their eyes away from you. So, there are some ups and downs with the MDE, but in the end, I have a fab grocery store at the end of my street!"

Japan Marketplace

★★★★★ 4.5 (6)

"Been coming here for years, and it's changed a little over that time but not much. Off a corner of Kenny Mall, with a nice courtyard and benches. Belle's Bakery, sweets and a few lunch items, packed at peak. J Avenue, a small Japanese gift shop with a blend of elegant and quirky items. Tensuke Market, fairly small Asian market with sushi and other ready-made items, fresh seafood, snacks, dry goods, and more, also busy on weekends and other times. Akai Hana, upscale Japanese dining. Sushi Ten carryout, and Tensuke Express fast casual, mainly ramen. Today we hit Belle's, J Avenue, and Tensuke. Busy but with fast-moving lines. Interesting tasty food, to eat here or take home. An often-overlooked corner of Columbus that has been around for decades. Check it out."

Local Roots Market and Café

★★★★★ 4.8 (47) • $$

"We love this healthy market for their organic and gluten free options, with products that are difficult to find elsewhere. The meat from local farms is especially appreciated. Friendly team as well - everything about this place is great."

Cook's Oakland Park Iga

★★★★☆ 4 (10) • $$$

"The best fried mushrooms ever! These things are huge and look like big chicken nuggets from.the outside. Try the chicken and homemade potato salad too."

Kroger Food and Pharmacy

★★☆☆☆ 2.2 (9) • $$

"Needed to make a pitstop. Parking lot is small and crazy- people not paying attention, and/or not knowing how to drive. Inside, a bit hectic (but it was Sunday afternoon.) Small compared to newer Krogers. Obviously not as big a selection, but they had the cold drinks we wanted. We had to use the restroom, and it was a disaster. Dirty, smelly, awful. And had clearly been that way awhile. No thanks."

Giant Eagle Market District

★★★★☆ 3.9 (31) • $$

"I regularly do my grocery shopping at Giant Eagle Market District. It is always very clean and organized. They recently reorganized the store and provided customers with an updated list of where everything was and they had workers around the stores to help assist customers. They have a wide selection of options. I have a friend who is gluten free and she said their gluten-free section is one of the best in the area. The wine/liquor/beer section always has a wide variety of options as well. This Giant Eagle actually has their own bar and their carts have cupholders which allows customers to have a drink while they shop. Their fresh food options (sushi, homestyle cooking station, pizza and sub, and wok stations) are fantastic.The only drawback is the parking lot. Since this GE has such central location, it is busy pretty much all the time which makes the parking lot kind of a mess but there is nothing they can do about that. Their pharmacy is always fast and efficient as well."

The Hills Market Downtown

★★★★☆ 3.6 (100) • $$

"Before I say anything, I must mention that I'm biased to their hot food bar (their chicken and pork is really good!!).This grocery store is the only one in the downtown area, so it's more expensive. It does have most staples at higher prices. It has a nice wine & beer section, some fresh breads, a decent cheese section. There is also a really large prepared foods section. They have a salad bar & prepared salads as well as cooked chicken/beef. They also have Charmy's, the Persian kitchen. Honestly the star of the show, and the reason I'm rating them as a 4 is the hot food bar. Particularly the meats. Sometimes I just grab a pound of meat (10.99 lb) and make my own meals at home with it. The meat is so tender and usually has a really nice sauce or spice, I would say restaurant quality or better! As long as you know what what you're getting into and what the best offerings are, I think this is a reasonable "grocery store". A plus is the friendly employees!"