I find it's always the small, independent fruit shops that have the freshest and best fruit. There…read moreare few strawberries I've had that have topped the ones I bought at Fruit Fantasy & Deli at Stafford City Shopping Centre. They have a nice range of fruit and veggies and a small deli around the back that also has a good range for its size. There are dips, meat, breads, and cheeses to choose from to go with the very nice and very fresh fruit. Though it can't compete on a size scale with larger chains of fruit sellers and the likes of Coles and Woolworths, this little place has some great stuff at really excellent prices. A ridiculously large of behemoth strawberries only cost me $6 and at the rate I go through strawberries, that's exceptional value. Their produce is fresh and a really great alternative to chain stores if you like supporting local suppliers and sellers.

This fruit and deli might be in a suburban shopping centre, but it's worth every car-park fight and…read moreschool holiday group of teens that roll their eyes at you on your way into the Stafford Shopping Centre. Family-owned and run, there's a decent range of fruit and veg (specials are based on what's in season), deli goods including Roza's Sauces, meats, cheeses and sauces, and specialty items. Given it's Christmas, for example, there's a stack of Pannetone's available at the front of the store. The prices are fairly consistent and really no more than the two main supermarket players. But what you get here that you don't get elsewhere is the feeling that you're supporting someone local, produce that is seemingly fresher and some fancy #smugtrolley warm fuzzies as you take your eco-tote filled bags to the car.

Ashgrove is a bustling little shopping strip, in large part due to Ashgrove Fresh. I've been…read morecoming here for years and years due to their good quality produce at very cheap prices. They always have pre bagged specials outside such as red and brown onions for $1.99 per kilo bag, and are usually the cheapest and best place to buy tomatoes. The owners make sure they buy what is in season, so you may find locally grown mini roma tomatoes, so sweet they could be in a fruit salad, or crunchy peas grown and picked outside of Brisbane. Free range eggs are also significantly cheaper and fresher than the supermarket brands. There is also a very good deli selection of both dry and fresh goods. Fridges groan with imported cheeses, meats and olives and there are some great dried deli items available that are usually only seen in specialist import shops. The best part of shopping at Ashgrove Fresh is the staff, it's a family run business and it shows. I'm greeted by name and have occasionally walked out with a free bunch of flowers (they're already open Sun, take them!). I'm pretty sure THAT has never happened in a chain supermarket...

Has Ashgrove Fresh Fruit Markets had a make-over? I feel like their rocking a brand new look and as…read morea result they've taken the fresh-fruit offering to another level. There's fresh produce, deli cabinets of Roza's dips and sauces, loaves of fresh bread and several shelves of suitably smugtrolley ingredients. And it's still got that family-owned feel. There's a friendly face greeting you at the counter. It matters. It makes it a welcome place to shop, to stock up on fresh produce as you need it. Prices are pretty easy on the back pocket, too.

It's not often that such great fruit shops are located in a busy shopping centre packed with…read morechains, but this independent store is one of the best around. It's always full of customers even though it stands directly opposite Woolworths, and has plenty of produce on offer at great prices. My only complaint is that, due to its popularity, it's sometimes difficult to make your way through the busy aisles to whatever item it is you desire.

This is an odd little grocery store inside the train station. It doesn't have a ton of selection,…read morebut I was able to find some decent baked goods, vegetables, and some nice packaged bean salads. Pretty weak on my go-to selection of plant-based items; I couldn't find any tofu, nut milks, or even hummus. You find these things at virtually every food store this size in the U.S., but Australia seems to be a bit behind in that regard, so I'll cut them some slack. Their cashiers were game to help me figure out how to pay using my ridiculous-looking Australian currency, and I don't think they ripped me off. Certainly, it's a convenient place to grab some basics.

I was so happy to find a grocery store that sells fresh produce (fruits, veggies, meat) being there…read moreisn't a lot in this area. They have a deli where you can pick fresh fruit salads, salads and breads which is great!

I love this supermarket. Far better than woke mainstream supermarkets. Get treated well here.read more

There are a lot of smallish grocery stores around here, and prices for food are a tad high for my…read moreliking. This one did not have a ton of things to suit my niche areas of interest (nut milks, tofu, rice and bean preparations, healthy breakfast cereals). It does, however, carry some useful things, notably a local brand of prepackaged bean salads that make for exceptionally healthy and tasty light meals. I couldn't see it as more than a supplement to other grocery venues, but I'll likely be back now and then.

My Sunday isn't complete without a trip to the Gabba Fruit Market. It's a little bit out of the way…read morefor me, so I like to make one trip and stock up on all my fruit and veg for the week, so as to avoid shopping at Coles and Woolworths. The produce at the Gabba Fruit Market is fresher and often much cheaper than that sold in the supermarkets and if you shop according to what's in season, you can fill a couple of green bags for around $30. They also have a great sales rack, selling produce that's nearing its expiry. I hate to think how much the supermarket giants must throw out just so that they can have display shelves full of "perfect" or under-ripe produce, but it's so nice to see places like the Gabba offering its old produce to customers who are happy to slice off the mushy bits and, of course, get a bargain. The Gabba Fruit Market also sells a small range of packaged, canned and other goods such as dairy products and bread. They often have great specials on staples like canned lentils and dried pasta. Make this part of your weekly ritual too!

With a respectable collection of dry goods, dairy and, of course, all the fruit and veg you could…read morewant, this top-shelf greengrocer really is a practical alternative to the supermarket. You'll find reasonable quality fruit and veg at very cheap rices: eg. * Watermelon @ 69c/kg * 3 avocados for $2.50 * 1kg bag of red onions for $1.99 * 5 ruby grapefruits for $2 * Jap pumpkin $1.29/kg And the list goes on. The specials no doubt change but you can rely on finding a bargain here. Last I went there were some pretty good specials on dry goods, like two boxes of cous cous for $3 and jars of olives for $2 each. The counter staff are pretty nice, just watch out you don't get bowled over by one of the burly guys wheeling around stock in trolleys.

Coles is your basic supermarket here in Australia. They do have deals, but they come and go and may…read morenot last forever. My favorite is the 2 for $5 on Tim Tams. They have some pretty good ready made dinners, the bakery is good, and it's quite manageable. This one does get particularly busy, ESPECIALLY on Sunday nights. Don't even try Sunday nights, it's not worth it. They run out of fruits and vegetables quickly which is a bummer. Don't forget to get a flybys card if you are here permanently to collect points to use for promotions, it also works at other retailers like Target as well!

These guys mean what they say, located near the busway end…read moreof chermside these guys kick coles shiny red heiny in delivering fresh, tasty and cheap fruit and veg. I love coming here to stock up on their huge range of seasonal fruits and to peruse their amply stocked deli section. (Bursting with delicious odds and ends like banana chips, tasty yoghurts, italian pasta, sauces, dates and more...I am more than likely to be found here drooling into the olive bins.) The staff here are ridiculously nice and are more than happy to point you in the right culinary direction. Just perfect for your larder or picnic blanket, support local and buy fresh from fresh sensations.

This fruit and vege shop really understands visual appeal. Large tables overflow with fresh,…read morecolourful produce and they have good specials to lure you in. The staff are also really friendly and seem to have a good time, which always makes shopping more fun. This corner of Westfield may have Coles, but it also has Fresh Sensations, a butcher, a fishmonger and a poultry shop - making the supermarket kind of superfluous if you're buying for a meal.