Grocery shopping on Sao Miguel & best stores for people with food allergies
A lot of you asked me about where to go grocery shopping on a small island like Sao Miguel, so I have collected (almost every) grocery store on the island. I sincerely hope you will find this useful, since I have spent a lot of time – exactly 3 days – on this topic.
My experiences about grocery stores
Grocery stores for people with food allergies
The grocery store chain Continente is on the top of my list. Continente got first place from me, because they are my favourite chain, and my favourite store is the Continente Modelo in Ponta Delgada. This is one of their biggest stores, with a huge sortiment. For me it is paramount to find a store where I can shop gluten-free products. This is the only store where there is a separate section in the store dedicated to people with food allergies. The Continente Modelo is located in the Parque Atlantico shopping mall. Another reason I like Continente Modelo so much is that it’s open every day until 11pm.
In the same shopping mall I have also found a small „BIO” store. Due to its size the sortiment is not too big, but you can find here a few basic ingredients for gluten-free and lactose-free dishes. This small store is located next to the Continente.
I have made a few pictures in Continente Modelo of the gluten-free and lactose-free products
Since Furnas does not have any large supermarkets, I usually go grocery shopping to Ponta Delgada. The produce in Continente has a far better quality, than the SOL*MAR in Furnas. I personally don’t like SOL*MAR that much due to its discounter, Tesco-like fashion. I had often problems finding products which are readily available in Continente. The meat section is not very impressive, and there is no section for people with food allergies.
From all the small grocery stores in Furnas SPAR is my favourite. Even if the store itself is relatively small, the gluten-free and lactose-free offering is outstanding. The fruits and vegetables are very often even nicer and fresher than those in Continente.
The grocery store chain Casa Cheia is the favourite of the natives. I am not a regular shopper in their stores, but I think they are more like a discounter with lots of local produce.
Fruits and vegetables
There is a market – Mercado da Graca – in Ponta Delgada which sells beautiful fruits and vegetables. Opening hours are 7am – 2pm Monday to Sunday (the market is closed on Sunday). Next to the entrance there is a small shop selling cheese specialities and Azorean delicacies which might be interesting for tourists. Highly recommended.
Why are overripe fruits and veggies never on sale?
Due to the efforts of Sao Miguel Island to be more self-sufficient, overripe fruits and vegetables are not being discarded and never go on sale before their best before date. Most produce arrives to the island by boat, which is an expensive form of shipment. Therefore, it is understandable that the grocery stores try to minimize waste and avoid markdowns on local produce and produce that has been brought to the island. I would like you to please keep this is mind, when shopping on the Azores. I think the self-sufficiency of Sao Miguel is amazing, and find that the people who live here are proud of the produce that they grow on the island.
Other grocery stores
Liberty American Store – store selling US groceries in Ponta Delgada and Riberia Grande.
Recheio – grocery store in Ponta Delgada.
Map and list of grocery stores
I hope this list and the map of stores will help those who are visiting Sao Miguel. Please send me your experiences about grocery shopping on the island so the list and the map can be extended or corrected, if necessary.
List of grocery stores
| CONTINENTE MODELO RIBEIRA GRANDE Rua Adolfo Coutinho de Medeiros, 9600 – 516 RIBEIRA GRANDE Opening hours: 8:00 – 23:00 | MEU SUPER Rua Dr. Filipe Cunha, Bloco 1, R/c PONTA DELGADA | SOL MAR Avenida Avenida Infante Dom. Henrique, 97 9500 – 764 PONTA DELGADA Opening hours: 8:30 – 20:00 |
| CONTINENTE MODELO LAGOA R. Direita da Atalhada, 9560 – 414 LAGOA Opening hours: 8:00 – 23:00 | MEU SUPER Rua da Grota Henrique João nº5, PONTA GARCA | SOL MAR CAPELAS Rua da Grota da Cadima Estacao de Servicio BP 9545 – 108 CAPELAS Opening hours: 8:30 – 20:00 |
| CONTINENTE MODELO PONTA DELGADA R. da Juventude 38, 9500 – 211 PONTA DELGADA Opening hours: 8:00 – 23:00 | MEU SUPER Rua Dr. Frederico Moniz Pereira, nº 49FURNAS | SOLMAR CENTRO DA VILARUA SIMOES DE ALMEIRA, 44 VILA FRANCA DO CAMPO Opening hours: 8:30 – 20:00 |
| Continente Modelo Fajã de Baixo Rua do Loreto, 1, 9500 – 452 Fajã de Baixo Opening hours: 8:00 – 23:00 | MEU SUPER Largo do Município nº POVOACAO | SOLMAR FAJA DE BAIXOAVENIDA DUARTE VIVEIROS, 1 9500 – 441 PONTA DELGADA Opening hours: 8:30.20:00 |
| MEU SUPER Rua Trindade, nº 50LAGOA | SOLMAR LIVRAMENTO Rua Padre José M. Barcelos, 1A 9500 – 725 PONTA DELGADA Opening hours: 8:30 – 20:00 | |
| SOLMAR PROVOACAO Rua Padre Joao Medeiros, 1 9650PROVOACAO Opening hours :8:30 – 20:00 | ||
| Casa Cheia Largo São Sebastião 6 Rabo de Peixe | SPAR Regional nº139 Candelária | SOLMAR RIBEIRA GRANDEESTRADA DA RIBEIA GRANDE, Km 8 960 – 102 RIBEIRA GRANDE Opening hours: 9:00 – 21:00 |
| Casa Cheia Rua Cardeal D. Humberto de Medeiros Arrifes | SPAR Lg. do Rossio, nº34 Capelas | SOL MAR SAO GONCALO Rua de Sao goncalo, 223 9500 – 343 PONTA DELGADA Opening hours: 9:00 – 22:00 |
| Casa Cheia Rua Cid Laval, 92 – Ponta Delgada Rua Mercadores, 13 - Ponta Delgada Rua Cid Laval, 92 – Ponta Delgada Estrada Regional, 29 B – Ponta Delgada | SPAR Rua da Igreja, nº2 Fajã de Cima | SOLMAR VALADOS Rua António Resendes Tavares, 9 Arrifes 9500 – 367 PONTA DELGADA Opening hours: 9:00 – 21:00 |
| Casa Cheia Rua Cidade da Ribeira Grande 25 Ribeira Grande | SPAR Rua Maurício António de Fraga, nº1 Ponta Delgada | SOLMAR VILAFRANCA DO CAMPO Avenida das Comnidades Emigrantes 9680 VILA FRANCA DO CAMPO Opening hours: 8:30 – 21:00 |
| Casa Cheia Rua 25 de abril Lagoa | SPAR Rua das Águas Quentes, nº23 Furnas | |
| Casa Cheia Rua Teófilo Braga, 8 Vila Franca do Campo | SPAR R. Direita nº60 Nordeste | |
| Casa Cheia Rua Padre José Tavares, 12 Furnas | ||
| Casa Cheia Rua Cooperativa Santo Antão Ponta Garça | ||
| Casa Cheia Rua Inf Sagres, 20 Povoação | ||
| Casa Cheia Rua Doutor António Alves Oliveira, 16 Nordeste | ||
| Casa Cheia Rua Ribeira, 2 Água de Pau | ||