3 Stores That Will Satisfy Your Craving For “Hard-to-Find” Grocery Items in Guadalajara, Mexico

We’ve all had that moment when we’ve simply hit a wall with the local cuisine and standard grocery offerings and we miss our old treats dearly. The problem is, where on earth do we find them in Guadalajara? Trust us, they’re out there, waiting for your hungry eyes to feast upon them. Here, we’ll review three stores that will satisfy your cravings for those “hard-to-find” specialty items. Keep in mind that the things you seek often carry high price tags given that they are imported and uncommon now that you’re here in Mexico.

If you don’t go to Goiti for the phenomenal baked goods, then you’ll want to visit them for their torturous inventory of “hard-to-find” grocery items when the desire strikes you. This is where you can find cans of pumpkin pie filling, Indian foodstuffs, Betty Crocker cake mix, a large selection of pastas and cold cuts, organic goods like chicken stock, specialty seasonings and condiments, graham crackers, Altoids, an extensive wine selection, gluten-free products, different types of milk and canned beverages, and so many more items. Located on Avenida México in Colonia Terranova, west of Avenida Adolfo López Mateos Norte, Goiti also boasts a food bar in the entrance where you can have a hot meal before or after you shop. They accept credit cards and have their own dedicated parking lot.

La Casita is a jam-packed, wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling foodstuffs heaven, and they are currently expanding into another building across the street. They, probably more than the other two on this list, attempt to carry anything and everything a foreigner in this country might want. In fact, the store is so full that you’ll need to watch your step so that you don’t trip over anything. Beers, wines, several different brands of sauerkraut and pickles, meats, candies, baking supplies, chips, jerky, different types of Bob’s Red Mill flours, the list is endless. Inside is a delicatessen where you can order massive sandwiches and other delicious items prepared for you. Located on Terranova in Colonia Lomas de Providencia, at the corner of Calle Ricardo Palma between Calles Manuel Acuña and Gral Eulogio Parra, they have a few dedicated parking spots and accept credit cards. For those of you closer to Chapalita, it appears as though they have another location in Avenida Niño Obrero near Avenida Guadalupe.

Our third option is actually a large grocery store chain, not a smaller specialty store, but we’re including them on account of the impressive stock of specialty items they carry. At Superama, we’ve found a reasonable assortment of gluten-free, kosher, and organic items, pastas, pie crust, imported beer, snack foods, and pre-packaged frozen items like Annie’s gourmet meals, among other things. We’ve visited the location on the corner of Calle Manuel Acuña and Avenida Aztecas in Colonia Residencial San Jorge, just northeast of the roundabout there, which has its own meat, seafood, and baked goods counters inside and dedicated parking lot outside, but there is another store located in Turín in Colonia Lomas de Providencia between Avenida Ruben Dario and Calle Alberta. They, as do the other two, accept credit cards.

In the interest of being thorough, Aladino’s gets a nod for also being geared towards specialty items, but their inventory seems less varied and lacking in healthier options. They are located in Avenida Montevideo in Colonia Providencia at the corner with Avenida Pablo Neruda. You can find dedicated parking and they accept credit cards.

Do you have a tip for our readers on where to purchase those “hard-to-find” grocery items here in Guadalajara? Let us know with a comment!