I've started this list of the various MAIN grocery stores•market chains around Costa Rica - especially so people thinking of moving to Costa Rica can get a reality check both on what all they can & can NOT find - but also the reality check on PRICING!!!
MY FAV store is AutoMercado as they have many of the Gringo•Expat goodies•things I might have a craving for & they are by far THE BEST one-stop-shopping for holiday foods like for Thanksgiving & Christmas (but what's cool is MANY of those things you can get YEAR-ROUND in Costa Rica!!). They're a more upscale store & usually are more expensive - but they have the HIGHEST QUALITY & largest selection. Heck, I can now even get Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream (though that often ranges between $8-$10 for a PINT!! [but in all fairness - ice cream costs LOTS more to ship with the refrigeration & it is a luxury item so the tax is higher]). & their level of Customer Service is AWESOME!!! (recently I was at the AutoMercado in Escazu up from Scotia & I asked in the produce department if they had something hard to find [can't remember what it was but it was something like Arugula & they didn't & the guy ASKED ME if I wanted him to CALL THE OTHER NEARBY STORE to see if they had it in!!!! AMAZING!!! In my 9+ years living in Costa Rica - I have NEVER had a store ASK ME if I wanted THEM to call!!! Heck, even when I asked store managers to call other locations for me at other stores, almost always they were shocked at the concept!!!]).
In time I'll post here some of the popular items it's still hard to find:
#1 - GOOD - not real expensive PEANUT BUTTER!!
FYI - WALMART OWNS a LARGE percent of grocery stores • super markets in Costa Rica. (well - Walmart Mexico. Same scenario throughout Central America):
Maxi Pali (28)
Mas X Menos (29)
Pali (151)
Walmart Supercenter (formerly Hipermas) (8)
I THINK they also own Maxi Bodega but I didn't see it on their list
TOTAL Retail Stores = 216
WalMartMexico.com.mx/directorio_costarica.html
AUTOMERCADO
facebook.com/AutoMercadoCostaRica • AutoMercado.co.cr • 2-257-4242 • cliente@AutoMercado.co.cr
PICTURES of a sampling of the gringo products you can often find go to: SarongGoddess.com/Other/AutoMercadoCR
The largest selection of gringo products/things from the U.S. (hence higher prices of course). NICE store with a GOOD butcher department for meat (packaged OR - ASK for the quantity YOU want!!) and seafood (the BIGGEST selection of seafoods!!)(I WOULD buy my meat here!!!!). They also have frozen KOSHER MEATS. GREAT for gringo HOLIDAY fixin's like Turkey, Stuffing, Pumpkin Pie Mix (year-round), cans of Cranberry (year-round).
MY FAVORITES - Amaretto Liquer Cake (BEYOND Linguasmo!! Also Jamaica Rum, Black Forest and Contreau), MALTED (for Malted Milk!!)!!!!! Jared Horseradish (at AM I find that in the refrigerated section - near the chilled bagels, cheeses (NOT the cheese stand alone gourmet section. I find their Horseradish to be a bit stronger than the other stores though I still like it STRONGER!! SunRa uses Wasabi instead to add to things as that is usually stronger and lots cheaper than horseradish!), Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream (though this varies from $7-$10 for a PINT!!! But sometimes ya just GOTTA HAVE IT!!).
STORE CARD
Auto Frecuente ClubAutoMercado.cr/auto-frecuente
The way I understand it, for every 300 colones you buy at AutoMercado - you get a point which you can exchange for various things.
You can choose from a small rebate after you've accumulated a certain amount of points (YOU have to ask to cash it in) plus discounts for some other businesses (including 20% OFF at one of MY FAV ROMANTIC restaurants Le Monastere!! Also off car rentals, hotels, stores) & cool things greatly reduced (like wine glasses - 4 for some really cheap price) • Exclusive Discounts & Promotions.
DELIVERY/EXPRESS:
Order online & have it delivered to your door!! This is especially great when you're coming back from being away &/or for Tourists with kitchens where they're staying.
AMIDomicilio.com - 800-800-2886 (note to North Americans - you do NOT put the "1" in front of this number)
SPECIALS:
20-30% discounts WEDNESDAYS
MAINLY on Meats • Veggies•Fruits & Alcohol & some different items.
LOCATIONS - AutoMercado.co.cr/aam/showEmpresaLocalizaciones.do;jsessionid=0727CA744FE84C7D59707350AA9FF299:
Alajuela (2-431-2420)
HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 7am-10pm. Sun. 7am-8pm
LOCATION: de los Tribunales de Justicia 800 mts al Norte
Coco (2-670-2232)
HOURS: Sunday-Thursday - 7:30am-9pm. Friday-Saturday - 8am-10pm
LOCATION: Centro Comercial Pacífico, frente al Banco Nacional en Playas Del Coco - Sardinal de Carrillo
Curridabat (2-253-5306)
HOURS: Monday-Saturday•Lunes-Sabado - 8am-10pm. Sunday-Domingo - 8am-8pm?
LOCATION: Centro Comercial Plaza del Sol, carretera a Curridabat
Escazu-San Rafael (2-588-1742)
HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 7am-10pm. Sun. 8am-9pm
LOCATION: 200 meters Sur/up the hill from the Scotia Split in Plaza Atlantis
Escazu – MultiPlaza (2-201-6174)
HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 8am-9pm. Sun. 8am-8pm
LOCATION: As you come in at the main entrance (off the Rotunda) - it's the entrance on the Right - by Scotia Bank
Heredia (2-262-2833)
HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 8am-9pm, Sun. 8am-?pm
LOCATION: Carretera a Barva, 500 norte de la Comandancia de Heredia
Herradura (2-637-8440)
HOURS: Sunday-Thursday - 8am-9pm. Friday-Saturday - 8am-?pm
LOCATION: Centro Comercial Plaza Herradura, entrada a Playa Herradura
Los Yoses (2-225-0361)
HOURS: Monday-Saturday•Lunes-Sabado - 8am-10pm. Sunday-Domingo - 8am-8pm
LOCATION: Carretera a San Pedro, frente a Barrio Los Yoses
Moravia (2-297-0635)
HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 7am-10pm, Sun. 9am-?pm
LOCATION: del antiguo Colegio Lincoln 800 m. oeste, cruce Moravia -Tibás
Pozos de Santa Ana•aka Lindora (2-203-5335)
HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 7am-10pm, Sun. 8am-??pm.
LOCATION: on the road heading towards the Airport - Frente a Residencial Lindora, radial entre Santa Ana y San Antonio de Belén.
Rohrmoser – Plaza Mayor (2-232-5555)
HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 7am-10pm, Sun. 8am-8pm?
LOCATION: Centro Comercial Plaza Mayor, Boulevar Rohrmoser
San Jose-Central (2-233-5511)
HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 7am-8pm, Sun. 8am-3pm
LOCATION: Avenida 3 and Calle 3
Tamarindo (2-653-2414)
HOURS: Sunday-Thursday - 8am-9pm. Friday-Saturday - 8am-10pm
LOCATION: Centro Comercial Garden Plaza, contiguo entrada a Tamarindo Heights.
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FRESH MARKET
facebook.com/FreshMarketCR • FreshMarket.CR • 2-258-2626-Corp
Basically an upscale/expensive Mas x Menos (similar products but for LOTS more $$) but in a NICE, clean, spacious, gringo-ized environment that’s open fairly late!!! Fresh Baked Breads•Pastries (GOOD Croisants), nice Deli, fresh Flowers, Plants. I was there late one night just before they closed and they were handing out free bread (since it was the end of the night). Sometimes they have Wine Tastings.
HOURS in Most Locations: Daily 6am-10:30pm
LOCATIONS - FreshMarket.cr/tiendas:
Cariari (2-239-2224)
LOCATION: En el Centro Comercial Plaza Cariari, ubicados 125 metros al sur del hotel Doubletree - OR - 1 block before the Cariari Country Club
Curridabat-Guayabos (2-271-4709)
LOCATION: Ubicado 100 metros este de la Embajada de Italia en Guayabos
Curridabat-Pinares (2-272-0545)
LOCATION: in front of•Frente a la Farmacia Fischel
Escazú-Centro (2-228-2695)
LOCATION: Up the Scotia Split about 7 blocks - on your Left - at the light where you to Right to go into Centro Escazu (you're NOT supposed to turn Left there but . . . [otherwise - a block before turn Left at ChiChi's bar. Turn Right at the stop sign and it's on your left]) in Centro Comercial Monte.
Escazú-behind Paco Plaza (2-588-1162)
LOCATION: En el Centro Comercial Paco en Escazú, frente al BAC San José, carretera a/the Old Road to Santa Ana
Escazú-Guachipelín-Multipark (2-215-0452)
LOCATION: en el Centro Comercial Multipark, contiguo a Construplaza
Heredia-San Francisco de (2-260-8847)
LOCATION: De la iglesia de San Francisco de Heredia 150 m sur y 800 m suroeste Plaza Comercial Multiflores local #12
Heredia-San Pablo de Heredia (2-238-4103)LOCATION: Del Restaurante La Casona de mi Tierra, 500 metros al este
Rohrmorser-West•Oeste (2-296-5176)
LOCATION: Plaza Mayor - 100 metros al West•Oeste y 200 metros al Norte.
Rohrmoser Nunciatura (2-291-8952)
LOCATION: Frente a la Nunciatura
Sabanilla-El Cristo (2-273-3590)
LOCATION: Costado Oeste del Cristo
Santa Ana – East of the Cruz Rojo/Red Cross (2-282-2909)
LOCATION: 1 block Easte•Este of the Cruz Roja•Red Cross
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GRANOS Y MAS
Alajuela - It is a fairly basic "warehouse" type place where you can purchase large quantities of rice, corn and beans, ketchup etc.
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JUMBO
facebook.com/JumboSuperMercados • 2-247-2300
Bigger and more products than their sister store PeriMercado. Promotions are similar
HOURS: Daily 7am-9pmSPECIALS: Wednesday•Miercoles Fresco - Fruits and meats on sale at 25-50% off. Saturday•Sabado - - Fruits, vegetables and chicken - 25% off CarritoEnlinea.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=13
LOCATIONS:
Alajuela: 2-442-1953/ 2-441-6660
Cartago: 2592-1652/ 2592-1606
Desamparados: 2-250-6845/ 2-219-0962
Guadalupe: 2-221-0329/ 2-223-8469
Liberia: 2-665-7002/ 2-665-7004
Moravia: 2-240-6484/ 2-240-6328
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MAS X MENOS
facebook.com/MasXMenosCR • MasXMenos.co.cr
Customer Service (WalMart Corporation): 800-8000-722
Now owned by WalMart. More of a Tico market though they have some great things like the ONLY place I’ve found Bryanas salad dressing. Light blue building (ya can’t miss it).
Bag Boys/Empacadores here ARE employees hence you aren’t supposed to take tips BUT, I’ve found when they bring them out for you – they often sort of wait around for one (so I guess you don’t try to tip them IN the store).
LOCATIONS: http://MasXMenos.co.cr/loca.htm
Escazu - San Rafael - (2-228-0954) - HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 6:30am-MID, Sun. 6:30am-10pm. LOCATION: Just West of the Scotia Split
Rohrmoser (2-231-3815 / 2-231-3852 / 2-231-3936 / 2-231-3978 / 2-231-3691) - LOCATION: Plaza Rohrmoser – The main road in Pavas – 200 mts West of the big blue AYA office.
Sabana (2-248-0968 / 2-248-1396) - LOCATION: 100 Mts. North of Sabana Park
Christmas Season: till Dec. 31 – Sun. 6:30am-mid. New Years Day ’09 – 9am-7pm.
At Más x Menos, the supermarket said it will extend its Sunday hours to midnight until December 31 and will open until 10pm
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MAXI BODEGA
MaxiBodega.co.cr/localicr.htm • MaxiBodega.co.cr
I FINALLY made it to a Maxi Bodega (in Grecia) and I think the best way to describe it is it's a mini-WalMart where you can find everything from food to appliances and many things in between - but it seemed cheaper than WalMart - at least in Costa Rica (and many cheaper quality products as well)(NOTE: They are OWNED by WalMart - Mexico)
LOCATIONS:
Alajuela (2-443-6196) - LOCATION: Plaza Ferias
Cañas (2-668-7550) - LOCATION: Se ubica 300 mts oeste del redondel de toros.
Ciudad Quesada (2-461-1333) - LOCATION: Plaza San Carlos
Desamparados-El Cruce (2-259-9185) - LOCATION: San Miguel and Aserri
Grecia (2-494-1955) - LOCATION: In the Grecia Mall. (or Tico directions - Se ubica contiguo al Centro Comercial Plaza El Ingenio, sea 900m hacia el Nor-Oeste del Parque Central, carretera a Sarchí)
Guapiles (2-711-1615) - LOCATION: 100 mts oeste de la Estación de Servicio Santa Clara. Sobre Autopista Braulio Carrillo.
Jaco - LOCATION: Antigua Coca Cola, costado Norte del cementerio
Libería (2-665-1796) - LOCATION: Contiguo al mercado Municipal
Limon (2-758-1318) - LOCATION: Contiguo Mercado Municipal
Nicoya (2-685-6203) - LOCATION: Sobre Ruta Nacional N° 21, en intersección principal de entrada a la ciudad de Nicoya
Puntarenas (2-664-0248) - LOCATION: 1km West de la Planta de Sardimar
San Isidro (2-770-3929) - LOCATION: South Carretera InterAmericana – across from Restaurante Brazilia
San Ramon (2-445-9615) - LOCATION: 200 mts North del Hospital
Tibas (2-236-8237) - LOCATION: Costado Norte del Cementerio Tibás.
Turrialba (2-556-9410) - LOCATION: Frente al campus de la Universidad de Costa Rica
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MEGA SUPER
facebook.com/CorporacionMegaSuper • www.MegaSuper.com •
2-246-0400-Cartago • 800-MEGA-800
My impression of it is it’s more basic/generic/Tico style products BUT, I was surprised to find . Popular with Ticos. IMPORTANT: Bag Boys here are NOT employees (no salary, no insurance) so PLEASE make sure to tip them (I tip them if they’re just bagging me (2-200-300-colones or so depending on how much) and more if they’re taking it out for me (2-400-500-colones or so). If I don’t have much to bag or don’t have much $, of course I bag it myself or at least give them 100 colones (I’ve found MANY of them are Nicaraguan).
SPECIALS: Looks like they have 25% off Fruits and Veges on Thursday. 30% off Chicken•Pollo on Sunday.
CARD
HOURS: Couldn't find them yet
HOLIDAYS: Samana Santa•Easter - Holy Thursday•Jueves and Good Friday - 9am-7pm. Saturday-Sunday•Sabado•Domingo-Normal
LOCATIONS - they have LOTS so best if you go to it yourself - www.MegaSuper.com/supermercados.html:
Santa Ana/Pozos (on the South side of the Pista where you get off for Santa Ana and the Airport)
San Antonio de Belen (Mall)
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PALI
Pali.co.cr (I'm not finding a Facebook page)
(website is currently not working if you type it up but if you google it - parts of it still open and work)
Customer Service (WalMart Corporation): 800-800-0722
My impression – it’s at the bottom of the food Chaín of low-end products. DEFINITELY generic/Tico style products. Popular with Ticos. I’ve actually found some cool kitchen chachkis here (in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua I got these WAYYY COOL purple funky square plastic plates for SOOO cheap!!). Bring your own grocery bags to bag your groceries as they just put things back in the cart after they've scanned them and you step aside to a counter and bag/box it yourself (they do have some bags you can BUY). I've found they don't usually credit cards or U.S. $s in Costa Rica.
LOCATIONS - they have over 100 locations throughout Costa Rica so I'm going to let you look them up off their HARD to navigate "map" at Pali.co.cr/pali_en_costa_rica.htm
Escazu - Central (2-288-1372 / 2-288-1373) - LOCATION: 100 mts. North and 50 mts. West of the church/park.
Santa Ana – Downtown (2-282-4805 / 2-282-4456) - LOCATION: 200 mts. North of the church
Pavas (2-231-7730 ) - LOCATION: 600 West of the American Embassy
Rohrmoser (2-231-4125) - Del antiguo Rancho Luna, 400 mts. North of Pavas
Ciudad Colon (2-249-1773 / 2-249-1769) - East of the Municipalidad on the road heading OUT of town - towards the Pista/highway
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PERIMERCADO
facebook.com/PeriMercados • Peri.CR
Corporate Office - 2-247-2300 • mercadeo@GessaCR.com
My impression of it is it’s more generic/Tico style products. Popular with Ticos. IMPORTANT: Bag Boys here are NOT employees (no salary, no insurance) so PLEASE make sure to tip them (I tip them if they’re just bagging me (200-300-colones or so depending on how much) and more if they’re taking it out for me (400-500-colones or so). If I don’t have much to bag or don’t have much $, of course I bag it myself or at least give them 100 colones. They are owned by Gessa - GrupocoMecaCR.com/soluciones-de-empaque/retail/gessa-supermercados.html - which owns a bunch of markets - PeriMercado (22), Jumbo (6) - facebook.com/JumboSuperMercados, Super Compro (31) - facebook.com/SuperCompro (mainly in Guanacaste and Puntarena), Cadena Diboyco (3) (a few stores in Turrialba) - Diboyco, Turribásicos and Bógaro and Saretto's.
SPECIALS DAY: TUESDAYS - where you can save up to 40% off select fresh VEGETABLES and MEAT!! PLUS - you can save 25% off Vegetables during the rest of the week!! They have some of cheapest specials BUT, if it were me, I'd immediately clean & freeze the meat. Check their website and Facebook page for the specials.
"Peri Frescos" is the Tuesday Meat and Veggies Sale.
"Peri Ofertas" is the things on sale for the MONTH
Peri.cr/index.php/ofertas • facebook.com/PeriMercados
RULES: These offers are valid while supplies last. Maximum 3 units or 3 kilos per person, per product, per day for each different product identified on offer. Offer does not apply to fresh packaged products.
EXAMPLE from March 17, 2015
LOCATIONS - Peri.cr/ubicaciones.html:
Cartago-Paseo MetroPoli: 2-573-1506
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