Where to Shop in Riyadh: Expat Supermarket Guide 2025

Let's do the Riyadh Supermarkets 2025 Shuffle!

If you’re an expat in Riyadh, you’ll quickly learn that grocery shopping is as much about identity as it is about ingredients. Where you shop says a lot: are you a Danube deli devotee, a Lulu spice hunter, or a Spinneys weekender?

The supermarkets here are enormous. I pop in for “just one thing” and come out an hour later with a trolley I never meant to fill. They’re designed to make you spend more than you planned — so half the time I prefer to order online and avoid the temptation altogether.

That said, there are things I love. The “make your own peanut butter” machines were a

novelty for me (hello Carrefour and Danube) — never seen them before Riyadh. And exploring the deli counters with new cheesy delights to sample. While people love to moan about groceries being expensive, it really depends on where you shop. Yes, there are cheaper fruit and veg markets if you’ve got the time, the appetite for bulk buys, and a big car. But for the average expat doing a weekly shop, supermarkets (and delivery apps) are what keep the fridge full.

For the odd top-up — fresh out of the oven Arabic bread, a bunch of herbs, a pint of milk — I’ll skip the hypermarkets and wander to my local baqala. Quality can be hit and miss, but sometimes you stumble on perfect peaches or surprisingly good cuts of meat. The bigger stores, meanwhile, can feel like a treasure hunt: meat from five different continents, aisles that make no logical sense, and whole rows dedicated to tuna tins. You do have to loosen your morals a little when you think about how far some of it has travelled… but that’s expat life.

Here’s the 2025 update: what’s changed, what’s worth the hype, and how to keep your pantry stocked without losing your patience.

Riyadh Supermarkets 2025 at a Glance

Supermarket	Price Point	Best For	Standout Features	Quirks / Things to Know
Spinneys	£££	Gourmet splurges, bakery, Waitrose vibes	Premium cheeses, deli counter, sleek layout	Not many branches yet; pricey for a full weekly shop
Danube	££–£££	Glossy family shops, deli counters	Sushi-to-go, polished displays, seasonal events	Busy on weekends; definitely not budget-friendly
Tamimi	££	American brands + a few British surprises	Safeway-style setup, Sainsbury’s pesto, loyalty deals	Higher prices than Carrefour/Lulu; not as wide a range
Carrefour	£–££	Everyday basics, bulk buys	Huge product variety, decent delivery app, Apple Pay	Substitutions can be random, refunds rare, veg hit-and-miss
Lulu	£–££	World cooking & multicultural staples	Indian/Asian goods, Morrisons products, cheap almond milk	Big, sprawling, and crowded; takes stamina
HyperPanda	£	Big family trolleys on a budget	Good bakery, bulk buys, strong on local produce	No frills — purely practical
Al Othaim	£	Budget pantry staples	Bulk rice, lentils, flour at great prices	Less variety, more about essentials

Baqalas & Specialty Stores

• Baqalas: The corner shops of Riyadh. Ideal for last-minute milk runs or when you just can’t face a mall.

• Asian & European specialty stores: Scattered around expat-heavy districts like Olaya and Malaz. Think Korean noodles, German chocolate, or proper Italian pasta when the craving strikes.

My favourite local corner shop aka Baqala

Marks & Spencer

It’s not the full UK experience — no sandwiches, Percy Pigs or “dine in for two” deals—but it’s still a little slice of home. Think biscuits, British tea, chutneys, and a surprisingly good freezer section. Prices are steeper than back in Blighty, but if you catch the yellow-label discounts you can stock up smartly.

Brits might chuckle at the slogan “This is not just food… this is M&S Food” because, truthfully, it’s not the best of M&S here. But when you’re craving proper shortbread or a packet of custard creams, it does the job.

Best for: A nostalgic taste of home (and a cheeky deal if you time it right).

Spinneys: Still the Shiny New Star

A year on, Spinneys still has that Waitrose-esque polish. The novelty has worn off, but the bakery queues haven’t. You’ll find premium cheeses, European sauces, and deli treats that make dinner parties sing. Rumour has it more branches are coming, and their prepared foods counter is quietly becoming a lifesaver.

Honestly? I went when it opened and haven’t rushed back. It’s not on my usual route, and I’d rather not lose an afternoon wandering aisles for fun. But when I want nice deli bits, Spinneys is where I’ll make the trip.

Best for: Gourmet splurges, bakery treats, and British Waitrose and Dubai vibes in the desert.

Danube: Glam With Staying Power

Danube hasn’t let Spinneys steal the show. Its glossy aisles, sushi-to-go counters, and salad bars are still a draw. It’s the place to feel a bit fancy on your Friday shop, and presentation is half the fun.

Best for: Weekly shops where aesthetics matter.

Tamimi Markets: The US Comfort Zone

Tamimi remains the expat old reliable — Safeway vibes with a Riyadh twist. It’s not the cheapest, but the American cereals, sauces, and snacks are still worth it. Randomly, they also stock some Sainsbury’s items (the day I spotted their pesto, I nearly wept with joy).

Best for: American imports with a few surprise British cameos.

Find Sainsbury's goodies @ Tamimi

Carrefour: The Everyday Hero

Carrefour remains the all-rounder. You can buy groceries, a toaster, and a tent in one trip. The delivery app is solid, though substitutions can be comical, and their fruit and veg delivery is… inconsistent. Refunds? Rare. Still, I order online from Carrefour the most because you can pay with Apple Pay — less faff when your bank card is linked to your partner’s account. Very Saudi.

Best for: Stock-ups and everyday basics, with a side of unpredictability.

Lulu Hypermarket: The Global Pantry

Lulu is a legend for expats. Indian spices, Filipino snacks, British biscuits, Arabic sweets — name a craving and Lulu probably has it. It also carries Morrisons products (yes, really), and I recently scored the cheapest no-sugar almond milk for 13 SAR. It’s busy, sprawling, and brilliantly multicultural.

Best for: Cooking global, shopping local.

HyperPanda & Al Othaim: The Budget Bedrocks

Both are no-frills and proud of it. Al Othaim is unbeatable for pantry staples in bulk, while HyperPanda’s appeal is in filling a trolley without emptying your wallet. The Panda store is worth a trip to pick up weekly items, great bread and veg and much less wealdy than its HyperPanda relative.

Best for: Stretching the riyals — especially rice, flour, and veg.

Giant bags of rice

Organic & Health Stores

Abazeer still leads the pack for organic goods — gluten-free flours, nut milks, supplements. Nature’s and smaller shops in Olaya are expanding too. Riyadh’s wellness trend is very much alive (if pricey).

Best for: Health foods, vegan products, organic basics.

Organic Organic Organic!

The App Revolution

Delivery apps are now part of Riyadh life.

• Lulu, Tamimi, Danube & Carrefour apps: reliable but substitution roulette.

• Jahez Fresh: great for meat and fish.

• HungerStation: not just takeaways — groceries and gifts too.

• DailyMealz, Talabat, The Chefz, ToYou, Lugmety, MrSool, Shgardi: all worth a scroll.

• Careem: still a ride-hailing app, but also delivers your shopping now.

Pro tip: Always send your driver a WhatsApp pin. It avoids that awkward “lost at the gate” call.

People Also Ask

Which supermarket is cheapest in Riyadh? Al Othaim and HyperPanda still lead on value. Lulu often matches them for produce.

Which is best for international brands? Spinneys for gourmet, Tamimi for American, Lulu for Asian and British staples.

Are organic foods easy to find? Yes — though they’ll cost you. Abazeer and Spinneys carry the widest ranges.

Is Spinneys worth it for a weekly shop? Not unless you’re feeling flush. Most expats rotate: Spinneys for treats, Lulu/Carrefour for basics, Danube for polish.

Mix, Match, Survive

In 2025, there’s no single “best” supermarket in Riyadh. Most expats develop a rotation: Lulu for spices, Carrefour for bulk, Danube for deli, Spinneys for indulgence, Tamimi for nostalgia, plus a baqala on the corner for bread emergencies.

It’s unpredictable—sometimes brilliant, sometimes baffling—but by 2025, Riyadh supermarkets have become one of its quiet expat perks: a global pantry in the middle of the desert.

Hungry for more practical tips? Don’t miss my guide: Surviving Your First Weeks as an Expat Family in Riyadh.