Doing groceries is a chore for many, and a joy for some. I tend to be on the latter side of the spectrum. If done right, knowing where to find the finest products at the best prices, it could be quite fun to say the least. Naturally, it is difficult to get up to speed about shopping in a new city and let alone a whole new country. For those of you who are new to Nizhny Novgorod (or Russia), what follows is a short guide to shopping in this fine city. That being said, it just might help out a few “shopping veterans” too as I already ran into some locals who were not aware of some of the spots I listed below.
Everyday Needs, Everyday Markets
Smetana, pasta, “Korean” salad, bread and all your other simple everyday needs can and likely should be bought at one of these simpler markets that you can find all around the city. They are literally everywhere and offer similar products for similar prices. I tried my best to rank them from cheaper to more expensive, however, take this with a grain of salt. It is best to just download their respective apps and be on the lookout for their promotions/discounts before going out to shop, as that awesome pelmeni you have been craving may be reduced to half price in your nearby Pyaterochka but not in Magnit.
Chizhik (https://chizhik.club) – Likely the cheapest place in town for groceries. There are only a few around, and just one in the old city centre area. They do not have a huge catalogue, but it is possible to buy most of your basic needs at ridiculously cheap prices.
Magnit (https://magnit.ru) – Likely the most common “cheap” market found in town. It is everywhere, and they almost always have some discounts going on. Sells a huge variety of items too.
Pyaterochka (https://5ka.ru) – Most common “normal” market found in town. Though to be fair, it has the best prices too if you can go in at the right time and find the right items on sale.
Hypermarkets for Serious Shoppers
Sometimes, and especially if you are a foreigner with “unique” demands from your shopping spree, the aforementioned markets just do not do the job for you. You need more, way more! Let me know introduce you to a bunch of much bigger markets, hypermarkets as some may call them, in Nizhny Novgorod.
Auchan (https://www.auchan.ru) – With some prices rivaling even that of Chizik, this enormous hypermarket may just be the best place to shop in town. It sells anything anyone can ever need, at very decent prices.
O’key (https://www.okmarket.ru) – Much like Auchan, but even rarer than that one. It sells everything at decent prices.
Perekrestok (https://www.perekrestok.ru) – Belongs to the same company that owns Pyaterochka. A much bigger and slightly more expensive market.
METRO (https://www.metro-cc.ru) – To my knowledge, there is only one of these in the whole city. It offers wholesale prices for many products, some that you cannot even find anywhere else. That being said, portion/package sizes are sometimes quite wild, making this a less ideal place to shop for a normal household.
EUROSPAR (https://myspar.ru) – Easily my favourite place to shop in town. Sure, it is not cheap per se, but the ease of access, product catalogue, and overall experience is hard to match. They are quite “premium” in the sense that you can find many imported and hence expensive products here. What really makes it special for me though is its rather popular hot food section, where you can buy anything from a super cheap but delicious shawarma to baked salmon. All for reasonable prices despite their high quality. Oh, and their bakery section is hard to compete with, yes, I am looking at your fresh garlic bread! Last but not least, they have smaller joints, simply called SPAR, around the town as well but I always opted for bigger inventories.
Specialty Markets
Okay, let us say that you are still not satisfied, you still cannot find that one hot sauce you crave, or you miss certain spices. Fear not, for the list is not over! The following few shops are quite specialized in products of certain countries and could give you a decent chance at finding that one unique item you have been looking for.
Sakura Market (https://sakura-market.ru) – They are the best Asian market in town though the prices are there to match their popularity and uniqueness… If you are okay paying a few dollars for a simple instant noodle, you should go here. I did that a few times due to my Samyang cravings but admittedly there comes a certain financial regret after all such impulse buys.
Best of India (https://bestofindia.ru) – You should go to this place, in the very heart of the town, to get your Indian spices sorted out. They are not that cheap, but you pay for genuine products from a country known for its spices.
Lee’s Food (https://leesfood.ru/catalog/gastrokiosk/) – Though it is a Korean restaurant, and not a market per se, Lee’s Food also has its own small selection of Korean goods to sell.
Online Shopping
For some people out there, shopping refers to electronics and the like and not food. There are three websites that work quite wonderfully in Russia, and they can sort you out for any non-food item that you wish to buy. Though my own experience with them is limited, almost all my friends are quite fond of them and their prices. Basically, you order what you want, and they are brought to a “delivery point” near your selected address. This means that you do not even have to know Russian to use this system, as no annoying phone call from a pissed off deliveryman will come to you, asking where exactly your apartment is. You will be notified when your order is ready to be collected, go there, show what you ordered, prove your identity, and get your items. Easy. Though the last one can deliver to your place as well, as is more traditional elsewhere.