In my dreams, I shop at Sainsburys Islington, in reality, I go to the rubbish Tesco at Liverpool…read moreStreet because I don't drive and can't face catching two buses each way to the holy grail of weekly food shopping destinations, Sainsburys Islington. We're hard done by supermarket wise us Shoreditch residents. Sure, there's a health food store here and a Tesco Express there but we don't really have our own supermarket. A thousand and one places to buy a vodka tonic? Sure. A place to stock up on food essentials? In your dreams. The closest thing we have is Sainsburys Islington and boy is it a good supermarket. Great deli and meat sections, a good range of produce, hard to find health foods and a diet busting bakery all conspire to make us Shoreditch residents wish we resided in N1 instead. This place makes a mockery of Tesco with its superior quality and similar prices and all things considered, it's probably worth non-Islington residents going to Sainsbury's Islington every week or so and just catching a cab home. It's that good.

Sainsbury's is my supermarket of choice. Even though Waitrose is just next door, I nearly always go…read moreto Sainsbury's. Why? 1) I am used to it and know I can get everything I am looking for there. 2) The quality of the food is high and selection is good. 3) I also sometimes buy their 'Taste the Difference' foods which usually deliver as well as the 'Basics' range (eg loo rolls which are great value). 4) Prices are good. The only downside to the Islington branch is that it doesn't have the best layout (long and wedge shaped) and the car park stuck at the back means you have to schlep your trolley in the rain through an obstacle course all the way around the side of the store past the crowds waiting for the bus along the pavement but this is a minor complaint really given the central London location. The Camden Town Sainsbury also has an underground car park but is a newer store. That branch also has an in store bakery which Islington doesn't. Weekends, especially Sunday, also tend to be a zoo so either be prepared for the crowds or go during the week. Bonus of the car park however is that you can visit the excellent market stalls in Chapel market and pick up some great bargains on fruit and veg as well as fish. There is an excellent fish stall in the market with much lower prices than you'll find in Supermarkets and probably fresher.

Open late and just a few steps down from both Queensway and Bayswater Tube stations.read more

This was my first and only Sainsbury's to visit during my 2nd week of September 2011 trip to…read moreLondon, which was my first trip to London, the UK, and Europe for that matter. The store is very small, about the size of a London Drug's in Canada or a Walgreen's in the US. There is not a lot of variety of products as compared to North American stores where you may typically find 3-6 brand names of a particular product or product line. The prices, accounting for currency conversion, are on par with those at a 7-Eleven or other convenience store. The store hours are from 0700 to 2300, though 4 different times, I was able to enter after 2300 and purchase items. The staff was friendly on each visit. The location is perfect as it is 1 block from London Underground's Bayswater Station, 3 blocks from the Queensway Station,and 2 blocks from the Hilton and Hyde Park Inn & Suites which is great for tourists. I do like this area and will be visiting the store again on my next trip. I recommend this for those whom are new to the area to get an idea about prices and such.

A Godsend to so many drunkard Londoners trying to get home from Trafalgar Square and Charing Cross…read moreit is almost untrue. Open 24hours they are a convenience store slightly on the pricier side because they can get away with it. They have a great selection of cold and hot snacks and the usual suspects you see throughout London in any other convenience store. The location and 24hour status make this Spar a hit every time

This is one of my best options I had for a cheap lunch time snack when I was working in the area…read more This SPAR serves almost everything you could want, from cold pastas, sandwiches, to sausage rolls, hot baguettes, pies, pizzas, calzones, chicken, fries, croissants, cakes, hot and cold drinks, and its all very cheap in comparison to any other cafes or food shops. If you time it right, you can catch a fair amount of food reduced after lunch, for example a hot beef baguette down to a pound, making this the unbeatable of cheap eats for a work lunch collection. Its also very close to Charing Cross and its tube station, if you are on the way to catch a train, and want to grab something quick and cheap.

I wish the clerks were helpful and paying attention to situations where help may be needed…read moreespecially when you have a market the many languages and patrons of all needs

Crowded and busy, this urban located Tesco has nearly everything you'd find in a full-size store,…read morethough of course the fishmonger and bakers are limited. Reasonable produce and dairy sections, of course a little size-limited. A really decent location, not even a hop skip or jump from the busy Piccadilly Circus. This is where the locals shop and I was able to pop in and grab what I needed before hopping onto the Underground. Prices seemed to be right in line with the Tesco Extras out in the suburbs and I found the staff to be efficient.

Perfect stop to find all your favorite British snacks and treats at an affordable price! I had to…read moretry Jaffa cakes, Flake, and the Cadbury chocolate of London. I heard it was better than the Cadbury chocolate produced in the states and I completely agree! I appreciate that this location has convenient hours (6am-12am).

"In London, everyone is different, and that means anyone can fit in." - Paddington Bear…read more When wanderlusting across Europe it's nice to know where the grocery stores are... I mean not all can Euro shake and always indulge in Michelin restaurants, right? In London, Tesco Metro, was my go-to for snacks, drinks, etcetera. Tesco Metro located all over London, and dates to 1919. The one on Dean St. was my stop while I stayed just up the road in Soho. In the end, the best part is that you're paying peasant prices and not inflated tourist prices. I mean the Medieval days of overpriced apples died with King Henry VIII, so it's safe to say you're getting your pence-worth at Tesco Metro! I loved the British shortbread fingers! Ta!

I've never seen a Whole Foods or any other grocery store be such a warehouse. Fantastic! Bulk…read morefoods, organic produce, pretty good pizza, salad bar, etc.! Many people associate Whole Foods with organic - which it is, but not everything here is organic. So you have to have that expectation. The prepared foods are top-notch. Hot bar, salad bar, soups, and pizza are nice... not cheap at $12/lb, but you get what you pay for. If you're a Prime member, pay attention to the daily sales. You can get whole pizzas on the cheap as well as some wine sometimes. I'll be back!

Many foods are NOT organic. As another reviewer wrote...the shop lures the customers with the idea…read moreof organic and then offers products like non-organic fresh soups in plastic bottles. Since there is nothing else in Central London, they thrive...but...what a :((

Good and fun!! Enjoyment throughout the store, as an American, it's so cool to see the different…read moresnacks there

This Co-Op is just a few blocks from Trafalgar Square and a place where Gayle and I found snacks…read morefor our Hotel. They also carry a number of UK newspapers, which kept me updated via my Guardian and Observer purchases. The shop itself is "convenience store" sized, a little windy and narrow aisle-wise, and felt like a bit of a treasure hunt finding what we thought we wanted. Self-checkout was straightforward and we were happy with our purchases.

12/13/2018: Amusingly, the night before, I was checking via the Internet for organic and health…read morefood stores . . . Waitrose appeared several times via YELP. Little did I realize my family lives just a few blocks from Waitrose. Upon walking towards the entrance and entering the grocery store, the ambiance and appearance were bright and cheery. The lime green hues were calming as well. Perusing through the isles was reminiscent to the Rainbow Market located in El Cerrito CA USA. The wine selection had quite a few different varieties including, lol~"The Rest Of The World" humorous labeling. The pastries were not labeled with the entire list of ingredients used making each pastry so, I was unsure what the ingredients used were. The common daily necessities such as organic milk and eggs were ample as well as diapers for my grand-daughter and TP located on the shelving were plentiful, too. Fruit and veggies appeared fresh as well which my daughter bought three bananas for my grand-daughter.

This store is HUGE! Deceptively so given it's location at the end of white cross street, surrounded…read moreby small food stores and boutique shops. I've been in here a few times when I've fancied a cheaper lunch than that offered on the street itself. Every time i've been in there the staff have been lovely, courteous and patient (which is a surprise considering some of the rude lunch crowd they get through). I normally do my 'side shopping' at the Co-Op on old street itself, but since that store is closed at the moment for refurbishment I ventured a bit 'up market' and I have to say, I'm glad I did. The selection of food, fruit and veg on offer is staggering in comparison to the co-op. Everything I've eaten from here has been faultless, which is surprising considering the first sandwich I bought was a cheese and celery (It sounds weird but I couldn't resist). One thing that suprised me was definitely the price, it was my misconception that Waitrose was very expensive when compared to other retailers. OH HOW WRONG I WAS! On the items i bought (sandwiches, fruit and other nic-nacs) Waitrose was consistently the same price or cheaper than it's counterparts. Need I say, I'm definitely shopping here again and I reccommend you do to!