Rome has amazing grocery shopping.
However, buying food in Rome is a lot like buying food in Manhattan.
Unless you are lucky enough to be near one of the very small number of superstores,
You are generally buying most of what you need from small suppliers
With two to six stopovers being necessary to get what you need.
Deco Gourmet is a supermarket - so it is bigger than a corner bodega
Or convenience-store-like minimart.
(Rome has hundreds of those - and often that is where you go to get stuff fast.)
However, it is significantly smaller than a real supermarket.
There are tons of beverages, tons of wine and tons of dried pasta.
After that the selection turns thin fast.
Vegetables are fresh enough in their plastic packages but no great shakes.
Meat choices are limited.
Charcuterie choices are somewhat more expansive.
It is by no means a reliable place to go shopping and get everything on your list.
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That said, I have found some good stuff there simply because the overall quality of Italian groceries is sky-high in general.
I have taken home wonderful cheese, amazing wine, and some decent canned fish.
The charcuterie stand has some interesting options.
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However, if you are doing serious shopping and you are willing to walk,
Deco is not where you want to go.
There is a farmers market several blocks away with amazing vegetables and meat.
Several blocks away in a different direction is a CONAD which is easily twice the size of Deco with twice the selection.
The general area is dotted with very good butchers, very good bakeries and very good natural food stores.
So you can generally do better than Deco
By either going bigger by hitting a real supermarket (CONAD)
or going smaller by shopping at market stalls and specialty stores..
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I would give the better grocery places five stars,
Deco Gourmet would still rate a four.
If you look hard and have a discerning eye,
You can fill your bag and be relatively happy with your purchases. read more