Which Supermarket?

[cereza]

If you are going to drive to the Algarve Shopping Centre or into Portimao then go into Continente for the best prices and deals (including fuel discounts) plus a good wine selection. That is the only shop where I've bought my favourite cheap white wine - Borba.

[Bruce Wallis]

We use them all....well all except Apollonia. Very good but quite expensive. They even make that place look like a branch of Waitrose! When you go there it's like watching the wealthy Brit retiree expats clinging onto their upper middle class shopping habits!

I think Intermarche is actually very good. A bit more expensive, maybe, but convenient.
We use Pingo, Pao Azucure (or whatever), Modello/Continente, Jumbo in Portimao, the big Pingo in Portimao.
and Aldi.

The bottom line is that it is fun to shop around, and we all have our favourites for our own different reasons.

I think that having a car will liberate you, Rich, and offer you horizons that you havent really explored around Carvoeiro.
Definitely the shopping, and certainly the wealth of nice restaurants in the surrounding areas.
Enjoy!

[pato]

Thanks to all of you for your replies - I think I am now more confused than ever.

As I am hiring a car for the first time and will more than likely get lost, I suspect I'll end up shopping in Spain

Stop worrying abouuut cost Rich, you must be loaded! go out and enjoy yourself for once regardless of the cost, if you want cheap though try the little Portuguese shop in Poco Partido.

[HampshireRich]

Thanks to all of you for your replies - I think I am now more confused than ever.

As I am hiring a car for the first time and will more than likely get lost, I suspect I'll end up shopping in Spain

Stop worrying abouuut cost Rich, you must be loaded! go out and enjoy yourself for once regardless of the cost, if you want cheap though try the little Portuguese shop in Poco Partido.

Cost not really an issue Pato, just where is the best place for steak and beer

Ps - I always enjoy myself - so do those around me

[pete-flint]

Nice one H.R. Intermarche is just up the road and you should find everything you need, the fish and veg have a good selection, also beer and wine at reasonable prices. What you would save elsewhere, you would spend on fuel. Another tip, take your bag for life (not the otherhalf) from a home supermarket, it's like Wales, they charge for carrier bags. Not that I'm tight,just saves piling them up under the sink.

[maccasa]

Best beer - Argus from Lidl in parchal, best steak - Costeletas vitel from Pingo (in packs or off the display)

[EMM]

The new layout has improved Intermarche but it is still reatively expensive and the queues !!.
For day to day we will stick to Ping Doce and Jumbo in lagoa ( cheap fuel ) with a trip to Portimao to the new Continente with a side trip to Aqua and its mega Jumbo which probably carries the best value and widest ranges of products in the Algarve.

[Bruce Wallis]

One good thing about Intermarche'...
They do the best French bread

The only place you can get French bread that doesnt taste like the usual Portuguese doughy stodge!

AND.....as I discovered this morning....they now do hummous!!

YES!!! The Wallis's are back!!!

[pete-flint]

One good thing about Intermarche'...
They do the best French bread

The only place you can get French bread that doesnt taste like the usual Portuguese doughy stodge!

AND.....as I discovered this morning....they now do hummous!!

YES!!! The Wallis's are back!!!

Hummous ! ! Thinking of growing your own veg ?

[sunman]

for Lidl lovers, and anyone who likes a laugh , volume required

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg7-RPLB5LU

[laserblazer]

Excellent. F word at the very end.

[steve]

Intermarche has a good butchers but fruit and veg is often poor and expensive. Prices tend to go up in the tourist season too and there are sometimes out of date items still on sale. The major drawback is the lack of any real customer service ethos. No attempt to open new tills when there are long queues and an often condescending or patronising attitude to problems at the self service tills which are often not the fault of the customer. On one occasion I put coins in the machine but nothing happened. The "assistant" bluntly told me that I had not put any money in and I had to be assertive to get her to open the machine. When she found the coins sitting there she made no apology or expression of regret.
We use Continente for our regular weekly shop and it wins hands down on quality, choice and value. For residents there are significant savings to be made via the loyalty card and the fuel vouchers.

[joeysoap]

That happened to me to at the self service checkouts in Intermarche. Was really surprised that when they revamped the store that they didn't make more room at the checkouts. 1 person being served, 1 in a queue behind that person and you have a pile up. I also lost coins at their self service desks.

where is the nearest Continente to Carvoeiro ? We usually shop in Guia once a visit, but it is a bit of a trek, if you are only going to Continente.

[EMM]

There is a brand new Continente in Portimao.

One route is to go to the Alvor turn off the N125 , Approx 400 metres on the Alvor road there is a left turn towards Portimao.
Continente is on this road just pass the big new intermarche.
If you know where the Aqua shopping centre is the Continente and Intermarche stores are both well signposted.
It takes us at least 15 min less than going to Guia.

[Geoff]

Pingo Doce at Lagoa ticks almost all the boxes....nice fruit & veg display, good deli, meat, fish & bakery counters...and always helpful staff, willing to correct my awful Portuguese accent....& the bakers do a quick & cheap cooffee/roll if you are in a hurry...may not have the range of Intermarche , but it's a lot cheaper, pleasanter and you feel you are in Portugal, not France or England!