A Guide to Adelaide’s International Grocery Stores

From European to Asian, we’ve explored some of Adelaide’s international grocery stores for a taste of the world, no passport required.

Review by Carla Caruso

Maybe I’m showing my age, but these days few things excite me more than a visit to an international grocery store.

I wander the aisles like a kid in a candy shop, hunting down specialty items and unexpected flavour combinations you won’t find anywhere else.

While international grocers were once a haven for migrants seeking comfort foods from home, major supermarket chains now cater more broadly to global cuisines. Even so, these smaller stores still hold a special appeal for foodies and anyone who loves discovering hidden gems.

Now that my twin sons are twelve and their tastebuds have matured, these shops have also become ideal hunting grounds for adventurous after-school snacks, including the spicy kind.

Here are a few international grocers we explored recently, along with the treasures we brought home.

JL Choice Mart (36 Wright Court, Adelaide)

Opening in September 2025, JL Choice Mart has already earned the nickname ‘Asian Costco’.

Touted as Adelaide’s largest Asian grocer, it offers a carefully curated range alongside fresh food prepared daily in its in-house kitchen – from cold dishes and hot meals to sushi, bakery items, fresh produce and meat.

There’s even live seafood swimming in display tanks, plus Instagram-worthy treats such as peach-shaped Tai Qi ice creams, matcha-flavoured KitKats and Mixue fruit teas.

Microwaves are available if you want to eat on the spot, though we took our haul home.

A feel-good bonus – a message on the wall near the checkouts reads, “Always keep a kind heart and light up wherever you go.”

Gaganis Bros (9/13 Bacon St, Hindmarsh)

This much-loved Greek institution hasn’t changed since I shopped here with my Nonna decades ago, and that’s part of its charm.

Perfect for those who like to buy in bulk, it’s a far cry from the slickness of the major supermarkets.

Housed in a warehouse opposite Coopers Stadium, Gaganis sells cheese, smallgoods, oils, coffee, spices, baking supplies, nuts, dried fruit and alcohol, plus Greek mountain-grown oregano and its own gourmet dips and odourless garlic.

Alongside Greek staples, you’ll also find Spanish, Italian and other international products, plus cookware, BBQ accessories and winemaking equipment. The aroma of coffee and spices alone is worth the visit.

Omega Foods (33 Adam St, Hindmarsh)

Just two minutes down the road from Gaganis, Omega feels like its younger sibling – smaller, tidier and a little under the radar unless you’re part of the Greek community.

Out front is a blue-and-white Santorini-style church, complete with lit candles. Inside, shelves are lined with olives, cheese, herbs, spices and sweets, alongside Greek magazines and newspapers.

You’ll even spot the melty European chocolate brand, Milka, you rarely see elsewhere. Opa!

Mozaika (2/19 North Terrace, Hackney)

Dubbed ‘your one-stop East European minimart’, Mozaika is a small family business packed with imported, local and homemade goods from Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria, Belarus, Georgia and beyond.

We picked up Russian and Ukrainian dumplings, avocado tea and zefir – marshmallow-like treats made from whipped fruit purée.

Next time, I’m eyeing the berry juices and red caviar. Mozaika is open daily until 7pm.

IKEA (397 Sir Donald Bradman Dr, Adelaide Airport)

Okay, it’s not technically a grocery store, but IKEA’s food section is always worth a wander.

From Swedish sweets and snacks to plant balls, vegan caviar, lingonberry juice, and bilberry jam, many items are seasonal or limited-edition.

The food can’t be bought online, but with IKEA next to the airport, it feels like going on holiday without leaving town.

Mercato (88 O’Connell St, North Adelaide)

Italian food icon Mercato has relocated from Campbelltown to North Adelaide with a serious glow-up.

Now housed in the Eighty Eight O’Connell development, it pairs luxury surrounds with a restaurant, bar, seafood butchery and an extensive Italian wine store.

It’s a long way from the humble deli founded by a couple, Imma and Mario Caporaso, in 1972. We grabbed takeaway pizza, arancini and rum-infused baba cake after a busy Sunday morning, eaten outdoors.

Open seven days a week, the superstore wouldn’t look out of place in Rome – or Milan. 

Other international shops in Adelaide worth checking out:

• Bottega 1995 (1/44 King William Rd, Goodwood) – European fine food and wine for when you’re feeling a bit posh.
• Chile Mojo (395 Magill Rd, St Morris) – a go-to destination for hot sauces and Mexican ingredients, from energising yerba mate drinks and crunchy mealworm snacks (!), to dulce de leche ‘milk jam’, tender cactus in brine, and the ever-popular Takis chips.
• Forza Continental (135 Holbrooks Rd, Underdale) – its old-school anchovy zeppoli are a must-try.
• Glynburn Gourmet (Shop 4, 143 Glynburn Rd, Firle) – a spot beloved by the local Italian community for groceries and specialty items.
• Jai Shiv Fruit and Veg Shop (3/489 Marion Rd, South Plympton) – a bustling spot for fresh produce and Indian groceries.
• Salam Supermarket (Daw Park, Gilles Plains and Felixstow) – offers a wide range of groceries, fresh produce, halal meat, Middle Eastern and South Asian ingredients, and pistachio-filled treats.
• The Dutch Pantry (72 OG Rd, Klemzig) – a treasure trove of Dutch favourites, including croquettes, burgers, spiced biscuits, oblong chocolate sprinkles, rusks, King peppermints, and liquorice.

SEE OUR PAST REVIEW OF THE DUTCH PANTRY HERE

Further recommendations from the Play & Go community:

• The German Pantry (45 Mt Barker Rd, Hahndorf)
• Futake (144 Grote St, Adelaide) – for Japanese fare
• Pacific Big Butchers (1/63 John Street, Salisbury) – offering a variety of Polish sweets, meat, cheese and condiments
• Josephine’s Asian Grocery (Unit 2/2A Hampden Rd, Mount Barker) – for Filipino goods
• Latino House (Shop 2/105 Main North Rd, Nailsworth) – Latin American products, of course
• Mini Mart Serbian Food (105 Crittenden Rd, Findon) and Mini-Mart Pooraka – for Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian and Slovenian cuisine
• The South African Place (670B North East Road, Holden Hill) and SA in SA (Shop 1, 233 Sir Donald Bradman Dr, Cowandilla) –-hello South African groceries, biltong and boerewors, and 
• European Grocery (50 Hawson Ave, North Plympton) – stocking Polish and Eastern European food.

See our Top Parks & Playgrounds Around Adelaide

All photos by James Elsby and Carla Caruso for Play & Go Adelaide. 

At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.

As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently. All photos are by Play & Go (unless specified).

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