Food shopping
If you’re shopping on a budget, you’ll find low prices at big chains like Lidl and Aldi. 60% of those in Marseille make these supermarkets their first port of call. They’re good places to buy basic non-food items, as well as fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy products. But if you’re on the lookout for alternatives and want to explore all the options, you’ll soon realise that there are great local grocery shops offering fresh, local, and sometimes exotic produce, still at reasonable prices.
If you’ve just arrived in Marseille, it might take a bit of time for you to get to know the good food shopping spots. But once you’ve found your local grocery shop, you’re on the right track. Saladin is the perfect place to buy affordable Middle Eastern and North African products. The store offers a wide range of products, including spices such as ras el-hanout, olives, and oriental pastries. The prices are competitive, and everything is of high quality.
In the 1st district, another good place to know about is Little Asia, a little gem of a shop for fans of Asian cuisine. You’ll find sticky rice, soy sauces, noodles, and also fresh vegetables to prepare Asian dishes. It’s a must-visit if you want to reproduce the flavours of Asia at home, from vegetable stir-fries, to ramen, to chinese fondu. The prices are much more affordable than in your average big supermarket. There’s also Tam-ky which offers mostly the same things, close to the Noailles market.
People coming from other countries sometimes have trouble finding their favourite products in traditional supermarkets. Luckily, Marseille is full of specialised shops to satisfy their desires. On the Place Jean Jaurès (La Plaine), you’ll find 1000 ans de saveur, a great place for quality Lebanese products. With cheese, Lebanese bread, spices, and henna, it’s a real slice of Lebanon in the heart of the city. In rue Saint-Michel, just near the Place Jean Jaurès, there’s also Les 2 Libanais, a Lebanese delicatessen with olives, cheese, spices, and burek.
For African products, head to Afro Market, rue Jean Roque. This shop is overflowing with specialities from West and Central Africa, and is unmissable for fans of African cuisine. You can find products that are hard to get elsewhere, like chili sauces, fresh vegetables such as plantain and dried beans, and spices and condiments. It’s a great place to get all you need to prepare a nice jollof rice, a mafe or a chicken yassa.
If you prefer to buy quality local products that have been ethically grown, you’ll find some independent grocery shops, like L’Epicerie Chez Adèle, which only offer fresh, local products. Or you can try small organic supermarkets like la Vie Claire or Biocoop, which have several branches in the city. These shops are perfect if you like eating healthily whilst supporting local growers. It’s important to bear in mind, however, that the price range is higher. You’ll find seasonal fruit and vegetables, dairy products, meat, artisanal bread and many other organic products. In the Cours Julien area there are a number of small grocery stores and farmers’ markets where you can find fresh produce.
In fact, Marseille is a city of local markets where you can discover a wonderful variety of products while supporting local agriculture. You can check out the “Markets” article of our guide to learn more.
In Marseille, shopping isn’t just about heading to the checkout in a big supermarket. It’s a real adventure, a mix of discoveries, encounters, and good deals. Whether you’re looking for Middle Eastern, Asian, African or local products, you’re sure to find somewhere to suit you. Marseille’s culinary diversity contributes to the richness of the city, with all the little food stores that’ll delight your taste buds and give you the chance to fill your basket with quality products.
Header photo : Léa PRADEL
