Northern Virginia offers a wealth of options when it comes to shopping for food. Here are some tips on what’s best to buy where.
Harris Teeter
Owned by the Kroger Co., this 260-strong chain has 55 Virginia locations.
Insider Tips:
Shop For: The store-brand products here are less expensive than many competitors and are often lauded for their quality, especially the more upscale Private Selection label.
Get the Store Card: Harris Teeter is one store where it really pays to have a discount card. With the VIC card, the sometimes-lofty prices can tumble to become downright manageable. Collecting points with the VIC card also means savings at the locations that have gas pumps — you earn one fuel point for every dollar spent.
Go for the Prepared Foods: Harris Teeter devotees know what to look for. Don’t miss the sushi, made-to-order subs, and slow-cooked pork ribs. (You can even get prime rib for a deal at some locations, like in Aldie.)
Downside: Shoppers report that high prices compared to other local stores mean that there’s no excuse for the sometimes-poor customer service and stocking.
Wegmans
We’re lucky to be in the relatively small pocket of the country that boasts Wegmans stores. Celebrating 110 years of service in 2026, the chain has about as many stores as years under its belt, but it only expanded beyond its native Rochester, New York, area in the 1960s and first arrived in Virginia in 2004.
Insider Tips:
Shop For: A large cheese section, fresh breads, and high-quality prepared foods make this a competitor for Whole Foods, but with the conveniences of a typical supermarket, including a pharmacy.
Local Love: This might be a big chain, but you can find locally sourced produce here. Plus, you’ll find a wide variety of meats and desserts.
Get the Store Brand: With excellent basics like jarred sauces, pastas, and cereal, much of our favorite food is branded with the Wegmans logo.
Downside: Staples are more expensive here than you’ll find at some other local stores.
Aldi
Short for its original name of Albrecht-Diskont, this low-cost cult favorite has quickly taken over Virginia. Since it debuted in our state in 2018, it’s grown to around 75 locations, including six in Alexandria alone.
Why the mania? Employing a small staff at each store allows the company to pass its savings on to the consumer.
Insider Tips:
Shop For: The fact that the brand is European means that cheeses, frozen foods, and sweets like chocolate and cookies are not only high-quality but are often delights you won’t find elsewhere. We challenge you to locate a wider variety of Christmastime Advent calendars anywhere, including one filled with a different cheese each day.
Don’t Miss: We await twice-yearly Germany Week with bated breath. Look for quality Teutonic treats like spaetzle and strudel under the Deutsche Küche label. The rest of the year, shop the “Aisle of Shame” for the best weekly deals.
Downside: Even the company itself notes its “no-frills shopping experience,” which includes a quarter deposit required to use a shopping cart. But you’re here for the bargains, anyway.
Lidl
Though the first Lidl opened in Germany in 1973, you can count this as a local favorite — the American version of the 31-country chain is actually headquartered in Arlington. It’s no wonder that in less than a decade in the country, there are now more than 20 in NoVA.
Insider Tips:
Shop For: The sustainable seafood is a great value. Love Portuguese pasteis de nata (egg tarts)? Theirs are among the best around.
Head to the Bakery: Though many see Lidl as an Aldi knock-off (after all, it’s a minimalist German discount grocery store), fans will protest that Lidl locations are not only larger but also feature noteworthy bakeries. (You can score a croissant for 50 cents!)
No Cuts to Convenience: You’ll find big-name American brands here, alongside the private labels exclusive to Lidl.
Downside: Big stores with fewer employees can mean a cavernous feel and impersonal experience.
Whole Foods
Yes, the “Whole Paycheck” joke can be well-warranted, but often, the exceptional quality of the food available here deserves every hard-earned penny. With more than 500 locations in the U.S. and U.K., there’s much to love at this well-rounded store — as long as you know how to shop.
Insider Tips:
Shop For: You can find organic meat cut in-house, desserts like the famous berry chantilly cake, and one of the last bastions of that old standby, the salad bar.
It’s More Than Groceries: Depending on the store, you’ll find third spaces (think the sports pub and full-service seafood restaurant at the Fair Lakes location) where you’ll actually want to hang out. And don’t forget the Amazon lockers and easy returns.
Downside: While we love the cosmetics section, it lacks a pharmacy, making it a less convenient stop for some.
Trader Joe’s
Some of us still recall the days when Trader Joe’s was a great place for international snacks and little else. How times have changed! With only 11 Trader Joe’s locations in NoVA, the stores are often packed with shoppers, making them a tough sell for those who prefer to avoid crowds. Still, the company that calls itself “a national chain of neighborhood grocery stores” seems to employ friendly people across the board. Just try to leave without getting into a conversation with a staffer.
Insider Tips:
Shop For: Scoop up elegantly frenched bone-in pork chops, flavorful international freezer finds, and of course, the low-cost Charles Shaw–label wines (formerly known as Two-Buck Chuck).
International Flair: You can buy many ingredients typically found in ethnic markets all in one place here — think gochujang, chile crisp, balsamic vinegar, and truffle oil. Don’t miss the wide selection of cheeses and inexpensive fresh flowers.
Downside: Though you might find some unusual options like Cape gooseberries, the produce section is notably smaller than at many other stores. Some stores have dauntingly packed parking lots, too.
Safeway
Founded in American Falls, Idaho, in 1915, Safeway already boasted 750 stores by 1926. That was when M.B. Skaggs combined his original Skaggs chain with Sam Seelig’s West Coast grocery empire, becoming Safeway Inc. In the modern era, Safeway is owned by Albertsons Cos., which also includes Albertsons, Vons, and Balducci’s, to name a few.
Insider Tips:
Shop For: Safeway’s sale prices can best even those at discount stores. We especially like the markdowns on coffee and about-to-expire meat. Fifty percent off high-end burger blends? Yes, please!
Why We Love It: Despite belonging to a giant conglomerate, what we like best about our local Safeways is their intimate, small-town feel. Staffers tend to stay and are happy to help shoppers at the relatively smaller stores.
Downside: Items that aren’t on sale tend to be pricier than other midrange grocery stores.
Giant
This regional chain is a DC original that opened 90 years ago. There are now around 165 locations, including a whopping 58 in Virginia. You may have noticed Giant stores with a different logo when driving in Pennsylvania. They began independently of the local stores started by Rabbi Nehemiah Myer “N.M.” Cohen, but (confusingly) are now owned by the same company, Ahold Delhaize. In essence, it’s all Giant — but we think our local version has something special.
Insider Tips:
Shop For: The store’s Jewish heritage still shows in its excellent rye bread. Get a brisket in the meat section to braise for an enviable sandwich.
Why We Love It: It’s a great middle ground between the bargain stores and the more luxe options — and you can find some locations with a little extra, like the Vienna Giant, where baker Adam Wald has a following for his creative pull-apart cupcake cakes.
Downside: Posters on Reddit complain of understaffing that leads to long lines, especially at the self-checkout.
Walmart
Surprised to see this behemoth here? We couldn’t help but include it because of its diverse aisles.
You could say that we hate to love it, but the regular rollback prices don’t lie, and they’re often even cheaper than sales at more premium stores. Think of it as the Tinder of grocery stores — everything is here, from staples to quirky surprises.
Insider Tips:
Shop For: With size comes buying power. You’ll find everything from guacamole-flavored avocado bread to beef riblets, all cheaper than at most other stores.
It’s Got It All: No matter what you’re looking for — whether it’s Oaxacan string cheese or Japanese sweets — they typically have a budget-friendly version in stock.
Downside: There may be plenty of staff, but they’re rarely eager to help customers. Be prepared to brave the crowds. Lengthy checkout lines can often require extra patience as well.
Feature image courtesy Whole Foods Markets
This story originally ran in our January issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
