Melbourne
10 Best Food Stores in Melbourne
This Melbourne comparison brings together supermarkets, specialist grocers, market food stalls and convenience stores. Use the shortlist to match your trip with the ingredients, meal options, location context and shopping format you need.
Our method for this guide
This selection of food stores in Melbourne weighs each business's reputation, which anyone can check online, against how much of its work is devoted to this service. Those that do exactly this, and have done it well for years, come first.
Featured positions are clearly marked and only offered to businesses that already earned their place in the guide.
Complete list
10 Food Stores in Melbourne Compared
Urban Express, Mini Supermarket & Bottle Shop
Urban Express, Mini Supermarket & Bottle Shop is a Melbourne convenience store combining everyday groceries, snacks, healthy products and bottle-shop items. Delivery, in-store shopping and on-site services make it suited to quick top-ups, while its broad mix includes both necessities and less expected finds.
Notable strengths: Combines a mini supermarket with a bottle shop and a broad range of healthy products
Quick access to snacks, drinks, groceries and everyday essentialsGround Floor/580 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004, AustraliaRoyal Food Martz
Royal Food Martz is a Melbourne convenience store for students, nearby residents and anyone needing everyday goods. It is described as clean and well stocked, with a broad variety of products and friendly service. The store is conveniently close to the University of Melbourne and offers a student discount.
Notable strengths: Offers a student discount
Students and local residents needing everyday essentialsShoppers looking for a convenient, well-stocked store690 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaLaManna Supermarket
LaManna Supermarket is a large independent grocery destination with spacious aisles, fresh produce and a substantial selection of premium domestic and hard-to-find Italian products. It also brings food and dining into the shopping experience through a café, Roman-style pizza, patisserie, deli offerings and indoor food stalls. It suits shoppers seeking Mediterranean ingredients and a broader culinary outing than a standard grocery trip.
Notable strengths: Large selection of hard-to-find Italian products
Shoppers seeking Italian and Mediterranean ingredientsVisitors wanting groceries alongside café and prepared-food options10 English St, Essendon Fields VIC 3041, AustraliaFredericks Queen Victoria Market
Fredericks Queen Victoria Market is a Melbourne grocery stall known for Tasmanian scallop pies, available in curry and wine varieties. It also offers green smoothies, juices, protein drinks, ginger shots and ice cream, making it a practical stop for market visitors wanting either a hot snack or something to take home frozen.
Notable strengths: Scallop pies come in curry and wine varieties
Market visitors seeking Tasmanian scallop piesPeople wanting smoothies, juices or protein drinksShoppers looking for a snack to eat hot or take homeQueen Victoria Market Shed A, Victoria St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaTANG - The Asian Food Emporium
TANG - The Asian Food Emporium is a Melbourne CBD Asian grocery store with a broad range of products from across Asia. Its shelves include Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Southeast Asian groceries, from rice, sauces and noodles to snacks, beverages, fresh produce and frozen foods. The store also has an alcohol section, making it useful for everyday cooking as well as harder-to-find ingredients such as Taiwanese stinky tofu.
Notable strengths: Covers products from multiple Asian cuisines
Home cooks seeking Asian pantry staples, fresh produce or frozen foodsShoppers looking for products from Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisines185 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaSpring Street Grocer
Spring Street Grocer is a Melbourne gourmet grocery store combining specialty groceries with gelato, ready-to-eat meals and hot food. Its selection includes cheeses, chocolates, condiments, snacks and ingredients, while gelato flavours such as pistachio, salted caramel and Earl Grey add a dessert focus. It suits post-theatre treats, pantry browsing and informal takeaway eating.
Notable strengths: Pairs a broad gourmet grocery section with a prominent gelato offering
Shoppers seeking gourmet snacks, ingredients and pantry goodsVisitors wanting gelato or a late-night dessertPeople looking for ready-to-eat or hot food options157 Spring St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaPrahran Grocer
Prahran Grocer is a Prahran grocery store near Prahran train station, selling fresh produce, meat, fruit, vegetables and flowers. It suits shoppers wanting everyday groceries alongside fresh blooms, with staff described as friendly and willing to explain products patiently. The store is also associated with convenient parking and affordable pricing.
Notable strengths: Combines grocery shopping with fresh, fairly priced flowers
Shoppers seeking fresh groceries and flowers in one stopPeople who value patient help locating or understanding products85 High St, Prahran VIC 3181, AustraliaALDI
ALDI is a Melbourne grocery store selling everyday groceries, meat and dairy, along with fresh fruit, drinks, snacks and rotating special buys. It suits shoppers seeking affordable essentials and a focused shop, particularly travellers, students and city residents stocking up on basics.
Notable strengths: The range combines grocery staples with changing special buys
Shoppers seeking competitively priced everyday groceriesPeople looking for essentials and rotating special buysTravellers needing basic food near Melbourne’s CBD501 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaWoolworths South Melbourne
Woolworths South Melbourne is a large supermarket at South Melbourne Central, offering in-store shopping, online grocery delivery and pickup. Its range covers fresh produce, bakery items, prepared foods, pharmacy products and everyday household supplies, with parking and tram access supporting practical grocery trips.
Notable strengths: Large store with a broad grocery and household range
Full supermarket shopping tripsOnline grocery delivery or pickupFresh produce, bakery and prepared foods111 Cecil St, South Melbourne VIC 3205, AustraliaWoolworths Melbourne Square (Southbank)
Woolworths Melbourne Square is a two-level Southbank supermarket with fresh produce, meat, fish and a broad grocery range. It supports in-store shopping, pickup and delivery, with bakery, prepared foods and on-site services also listed. The layout separates much of the fresh produce from the rest of the groceries across two floors.
Notable strengths: The store is arranged across two levels
Southbank shoppers seeking a full supermarket rather than a small-format storePeople wanting delivery, pickup or in-store shoppingShoppers looking for broad fresh-produce and international grocery rangesShop 1/10 Hoff Bvd, Southbank VIC 3006, Australia
The numbers on the map match the positions in the list.
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What these food stores can help you find
- Specialist ingredientsTANG covers Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Southeast Asian groceries, while LaManna focuses on Italian and Mediterranean products.
- Gourmet browsingSpring Street Grocer combines cheeses, chocolates, condiments, snacks and ingredients with gelato, ready-to-eat meals and hot food.
- Full grocery shopsWoolworths South Melbourne and Woolworths Melbourne Square offer fresh food, bakery, prepared items and broad everyday ranges.
- Quick essentialsALDI, Urban Express and Royal Food Martz suit focused top-ups of staples, snacks, drinks and household basics.
- Market food stopsFredericks Queen Victoria Market is notable for Tasmanian scallop pies, smoothies, juices, ginger shots and ice cream.
How to choose a Melbourne food store
- Start with the cuisineChoose TANG for multiple Asian cuisines, or LaManna for hard-to-find Italian and Mediterranean ingredients.
- Decide whether you need a full shopA supermarket is more suitable for fresh produce, bakery, prepared food and household supplies than a convenience store.
- Allow for the experienceLaManna adds café, pizza, patisserie, deli and indoor food-stall options; Spring Street Grocer adds gelato and hot food.
- Check practical cautionsBring bags to ALDI, allow for limited seating at Spring Street Grocer and consider fresh availability at busy times at Melbourne Square.
Frequent questions
Which listed store has the strongest Asian grocery range?
TANG - The Asian Food Emporium is described as covering Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Southeast Asian products, including fresh and frozen foods.
Where can I find Italian ingredients?
LaManna Supermarket has a substantial selection of premium domestic and hard-to-find Italian products, alongside Mediterranean groceries.
Which options offer delivery or pickup?
Woolworths South Melbourne and Woolworths Melbourne Square support delivery and pickup, while Urban Express also lists delivery.
Can I combine grocery shopping with prepared food?
LaManna offers a café, Roman-style pizza, patisserie, deli and indoor food stalls; Spring Street Grocer offers ready-to-eat and hot food.
