Groceries

Albert Heijn – This is by far the most expensive but also the most convenient supermarket in the city since there are over 60 stores in Amsterdam alone with a large number spread throughout the city center. Their blanket coverage means you will never be far away from one of their stores. The largest branches can be found at the rear of Dam Square’s Royal Palace as well as Jodenbreestraat 21. You will find a fairly broad range of products in these larger stores but expect a massively reduced selection in the smaller outlets and the tiny ‘To Go’ stores. Alcohol is also available in the larger stores but again the selection is fairly limited to basic beers and wines. Most stores close at 22.00 daily however one branch in Central Station is open until 00.00 which is always good to know for life’s little emergencies.

Aldi & Lidl are recognized economy stores in the Netherlands. Selling a broad range of international products at cheaper prices than the likes of Albert Heijn, they remain very popular with Amsterdam locals.

Jumbo & Vomar – With regards to pricing, they are somewhere in between Albert Heijn and Aldi/Lidl. If you need to hunt out stores local to your apartment check out the following websites and click on the ‘Winkels’ or ‘Filiaal-zoeker’ buttons which mean ‘shops’ and ‘branch finder’, respectively, in Dutch. Simply type in the name ‘Amsterdam’ and hit the search button. Move the maps around to locate the nearest store.

 

Gall & Gall – If you are looking for alcohol other than basic beer or wine then head to this: the city’s major chain-store off-license. These outlets are often located next door to Albert Heijn stores or in shopping centers.