There are plenty of supermarkets in Bali if you know where to look but when you first arrive on the island, it can all be a bit confusing.
So, we’ve put together this guide to all the best supermarkets in Bali, so that you can find your groceries easily and get on with enjoying your holiday!
Convenience Stores
Before you go hunting for the best supermarkets, it’s worth checking nearby convenience stores to see if they have what you need.
Some of them stock imported goods and others stock fresh produce and while they probably won’t be cheaper than the best supermarkets in Bali, there’s no need to drive, find car parking, etc. to use your nearest convenience store to buy groceries.
Typical chain stores include Indomaret, Alfamart, Mini Mart and Circle K, but there are many independent outlets on the island too.
Markets For Fresh Produce
One thing we would stress is that you don’t have to use any supermarkets in Bali to buy your groceries here.
Most local people will use the local markets and while they can be a little intimidating for first-timers, you will find some of the freshest produce in these places and for much lower prices than at the supermarkets in Bali.
Don’t be afraid to haggle when shopping in these places and keep it friendly with the locals as you do. Your food will taste better when you avail yourself of a great selection of local goods at fair prices.
Supermarkets In Bali
There are some parts of the island that you can go to that have a wealth of supermarkets, such as Sunset Road in Kuta and in other parts of the island, you may find that you have to hunt around to find a supermarket of any kind.
For example, you won’t find many supermarkets in North Bali or in Amed in East Bali. However, we’ve got a good guide below to the best supermarkets in Bali and an indication of where you might find them.
Bintang Supermarket (Seminyak, Ubud and Denpasar)
Bintang means “star” in Bahasa Indonesia and thus, there’s no connection between the Bintang Supermarket and the Bintang beer company, they’re just both “stars”.
While there are three branches of this one of our best supermarkets in Bali, for us, the branch on Jalan Raya Seminyak in Seminyak is the best as it’s just been completely revamped.
However, the peak hours, at Bintang Supermarket, tend to last throughout the whole day and it might take a little longer to stock up your villa with food here than at some of the other locations here.
Grand Lucky Supermarket (Kuta, Legian, Sanur and Seminyak)
Grand Lucky is a great place to go when shopping for the first time as tourists in Bali and they stock a lot of the products that you might miss from Australia.
They have a full range of groceries and in addition, this supermarket sells kitchen equipment and has an awesome in-store bakery that sells bread and pastries in the European style. It’s all very delicious.
We’d go to Grand Lucky if you and your friends or family are missing the supermarkets from back home as it’s a very modern shopping experience renowned for keeping expat shoppers happy.
Coco Supermarket
These are more like upscale versions of local marts than full-blown supermarkets in Bali and they can be found all over the island.
The chain is very well known for its competitive offerings of beers and wine and they cover most home essentials at each location too.
However, if you want a set of complex ingredients, you might want to try one of the bigger supermarkets in Bali, instead.
Pepito Supermarket (or Popular Supermarket)
The Peopito chain can be found all over Bali and it’s probably the most popular of the best supermarkets in Bali. However, in Sanur, they’re branded as Popular Supermarket rather than Pepito, we’re not entirely sure why.
It’s worth noting, however, that if you’re on a tight budget, Pepito Supermarket is fairly expensive.
You are paying for quality though and we’ve found that their fresh seafood is first rate and there’s no long wait between the time the seafood hits the shelf and when it’s sold.
Frestive Supermarket (Canggu and Seminyak)
Frestive is one of the more recent supermarkets in Bali and currently, its offerings are centred around the beach towns of Canggu and Seminyak.
Their fresh produce items are often a bit cheaper than at other supermarkets in Bali, but their imported goods tend to be rather more limited and more expensive. So, what you save on fresh fruit and vegetables might be spent on other items.
One thing we’ve noticed about this chain is that it tends to have a deal with Chicken Run and there’s usually a takeaway rotisserie chicken available for a very sensible price near the front door.
Papaya Fresh Gallery Supermarket (Kuta)
If you want gourmet cooking supplies and the highest quality sushi and sashimi products, in particular, this is the place to go.
They do have a discount hour on all fresh food starting at 9 p.m. each evening and it can get super busy at that time of day.
An Australian recently described this place as a “cross between Cole’s and Kmart”. It’s not just one of the best supermarkets in Bali, it’s much more like Western supermarkets and stocks clothes, cosmetics, and even scooters at reasonable prices.
It’s like a department store and a supermarket fused into one and we’ve noticed that buying groceries here is super easy as there are very few queues or crowds in Hypermart.
Alive Wholefoods (Canggu or Umalas)
Alive isn’t so much a supermarket as it is a bulk-buying store for wholefood products and if you want cheese, organic meat, seafood, etc. then you can find it for a reasonable price in Alive as long as you want to buy a lot of it.
They have a new store that should be opening in Seseh soon but for now, they’re only open in Canggu or Umalas which means you might have to travel a little to shop in Alive.
Tiara Gatsu (Jalan Gator Subroto, Denpasar)
This is one of the most authentic local supermarkets in Bali and a place where you’re much more likely to run into locals picking up some shopping than in other supermarkets here.
The good news is that this means lower prices and they’ve got a huge car park outside which makes picking up your shopping easy.
We like their food court too which offers hot meals for super cheap prices!
Pande Putri (Sanur)
This small local supermarket has several branches dotted around the Sanur area and the big advantage of shopping here is that the prices are much lower than in other supermarkets in Bali but the goods tend to be Indonesian rather than imported.
Nirmala Supermarket (Bukit Peninsula, Uluwatu)
This place is part department store and part dollar store as well as part supermarket and the prices are very low.
It’s a cool place to shop if you’re not dead set on specific brands and the onsite bottle shop is good value too.
Foodmart Supermarket (Beachwalk Mall)
There’s only one branch of this supermarket on the island and it’s in the basement of the Beachwalk Mall.
It’s surprisingly good value for money despite the upscale location and though there’s not a huge variety of choice in the products it sells.
FAQs
What Supermarkets Are In Bali?
There are lots of supermarkets in Bali most of which are local brands such as Pepito, Frestive, Alive Wholefoods, Coco, Grand Lucky, Bintang, Nirmala, Foodmart, Pande Putri, and Tiara Gatzu.
There was a Carrefour here but that was closed down during the pandemic and, for now, there’s no news of the French food giant returning to these shores in any form.
Has Bintang Supermarket Been Rebuilt?
Yes, there are actually several branches of this supermarket and only one burned down, but that branch has been completely rebuilt and is considered to be better than ever, now.
What Can You Buy At Bintang Supermarket?
You can buy most products that you would expect to find in a supermarket, drinks, chicken, rice, fruits, vegetables, meat, etc. You may even find some clothing or other products on sale there at times.
But though it’s a great spot for stocking up on snacks and groceries, you will find it easier to buy non-grocery items elsewhere than in the supermarkets in Bali.
Where Do Balinese People Buy Groceries?
Some Balinese people will opt to visit the best supermarkets in Bali but the majority will buy things like fresh meat and fresh fruit from their local markets.
Buying groceries from local markets has a cost advantage over supermarkets in Bali, but it’s fair to say that you won’t find many imported products in them and that visiting a wet market for the first time can be a bit of a shock to the system if you’re used to the sterile environments provided for shopping in the best supermarkets of the West.
Does Bali Have Supermarkets?
Yes! Bali has supermarkets. There may not be as many supermarkets in Bali as you’re used to back home but there are more than enough for you to get a wide selection of goods for the best prices.
Grocery shopping at your local supermarket in Bali is every bit as convenient as it is anywhere else in the world and you will find imported goods alongside local flavours conveniently located in the same kind of layout as you’re used to in your own country.
Final Thoughts On Supermarkets In Bali
You can find plenty of supermarkets in Bali and for the main part, they stock nearly everything that you need and want to be able to cook delicious meals and manage your home.
Not everything is easy to find here, particularly good quality cheese, but that’s part and parcel of living on a fairly remote island.
Overall, supermarkets in Bali are very much like those you are used to in your home country and if you explore a little, you should easily be able to find one in your neighbourhood.
