Grocery Shopping in Antigua: XPZ, Epicurean & Every Store Compared
Antigua has a solid grocery scene for every budget and location. Epicurean Fine Foods leads on range and quality, with two locations including a marina store at Jolly Harbour. XPZ is the budget-friendly local favourite. First Choice Foods has 80-plus years in the business. Oops Supermarket covers Cassada Gardens. Bring a reusable bag, prices are in EC dollars (EC$2.70 = US$1), and card payments are widely accepted at the bigger stores.
Grocery Shopping in Antigua: XPZ, Epicurean & Every Store Compared
TL;DR: Antigua has a solid grocery scene for every budget and location. Epicurean Fine Foods leads on range and quality, with two locations including a marina store at Jolly Harbour. XPZ is the budget-friendly local favourite. First Choice Foods has 80-plus years in the business. Oops Supermarket covers Cassada Gardens. Bring a reusable bag, prices are in EC dollars (EC$2.70 = US$1), and card payments are widely accepted at the bigger stores.
Landing in Antigua and wondering where to buy groceries? You're not alone. "Epicurean" and "XPZ supermarket" are two of the most searched grocery terms on the island, which tells you people want actual answers, not just a phone number. Whether you're stocking a villa near Jolly Harbour, provisioning a yacht in English Harbour, or grabbing snacks before a beach day, knowing your options saves time and money. Antigua has more supermarkets than first-time visitors expect, each with its own price point, strengths, and ideal use case. This guide covers every major store so you can walk straight to the right one.
What Is the Best Supermarket in Antigua?
No single store wins on every front. Epicurean Fine Foods is the top pick for quality, range, and yacht provisioning. XPZ and First Choice Foods offer the best everyday value. Oops Supermarket serves the Cassada Gardens neighbourhood. Your best store depends on where you're staying and what you need.
The good news is that Antigua's grocery infrastructure has improved considerably. The larger supermarkets carry international brands, fresh local produce, good wine and beer selections, and even hot food counters. Prices are higher than North America or the UK because most goods are imported by sea, but smart choices across the right stores keep costs manageable.
The main players are:
- Epicurean Fine Foods (Friars Hill Road, St. John's; and Jolly Harbour Marina, St. Mary)
- XPZ Supermarket (Sir Sydney Walling Highway, Piggotts)
- First Choice Foods (Anchorage Road, St. John's)
- Oops Supermarket (Old Parham Road, Cassada Gardens)
Browse the full Food & Groceries directory on AntiguaSearch for a complete list, including smaller neighbourhood stores across the island's six parishes.
Is XPZ Supermarket Worth Visiting in Antigua?
Yes. XPZ is one of Antigua's most popular supermarkets for budget-conscious everyday shopping. It stocks fresh produce, local Caribbean staples, packaged foods, and beverages. The friendly, community-rooted atmosphere makes it a genuine local experience as much as a grocery run.
XPZ Supermarket is located on Sir Sydney Walling Highway in the Paynters/Piggotts area, a short drive from St. John's city centre. The store has a compelling backstory. After a devastating arson fire destroyed the original building, XPZ closed for three years. When it finally reopened, the turnout from the local community was so overwhelming that the store had to close early on the very first day because it simply couldn't manage the volume of shoppers. That level of community loyalty says something real about how much Antiguans value this store.
XPZ stocks a wide variety of local Caribbean specialties alongside international products. It's a great place to pick up local snacks, spices, fresh produce, and beverages you won't find elsewhere. Staff are generally happy to point out local picks you might not recognise. If you want a genuine slice of how Antiguans actually shop, XPZ delivers that experience alongside good prices.
Hours run from 7am to 9pm daily, which gives you more flexibility than some competitors. That late closing time is especially useful if you're arriving in the afternoon or need to restock after a day out on the water.
Look for weekly promotions on local products. The deals change regularly and can offer real savings on Caribbean staples.
Epicurean Fine Foods: Antigua's Largest and Most Complete Supermarket
Epicurean Fine Foods is the benchmark for grocery shopping in Antigua. It stocks over 28,000 items across two locations: the main store on Friars Hill Road in St. John's and a satellite store at Jolly Harbour Marina in St. Mary. Yacht crews, villa owners, and anyone doing a serious weekly shop all gravitate toward Epicurean.
The main store on Friars Hill Road is Epicurean at St. John's. The range here is genuinely impressive for a Caribbean island: fresh meats with the best selection on the island, fish and frozen seafood, an in-store bakery producing breads, cakes and desserts daily, a hot food and meals counter for takeout, thousands of canned and packaged goods, health and beauty supplies, an excellent beer and wine section, baby items and formula, and a pharmacy open from 8am to 10pm every day. The main store itself runs the same hours, 8am to 10pm daily, which makes it the latest-closing full supermarket on the island.
The Epicurean at Jolly Harbour is the satellite store, located in St. Mary inside the Jolly Harbour Marina complex near the main entrance. This location runs from 8am to 9pm daily. It's positioned perfectly for yacht crews provisioning before heading south, and for guests staying in the Jolly Harbour villa community or the broader Bolands area. Note that the pharmacy is only available at the main Friars Hill Road store, not at Jolly Harbour.
Epicurean's scale means it can cater for restaurant supply and major yacht provisioning orders, not just household shopping. The 28,000-item range includes gourmet sauces and spices, gluten-free products, seasonal produce, and a wide selection of international foods from North American and European brands.
Epicurean hot food tip: The takeout lunch counter opens around 11:30am daily. You get a choice of meat or fish, plus a starch (rice, potatoes, or pasta), plus salad or local vegetables, for just a few EC dollars. It's some of the best value on the island for a quick, satisfying meal.
Prices at Epicurean reflect the quality and breadth of stock. It's not the cheapest option for basic staples, but for villa owners doing a full weekly shop or yacht crews doing a complete provisioning run, it's the most efficient single stop available in Antigua.
First Choice Foods: 80 Years of Island Grocery Heritage
First Choice Foods on Anchorage Road is one of Antigua's most respected supermarkets, and the history behind it is part of the appeal. The company backing First Choice has over 80 years of experience in the food business. That institutional knowledge shows in the reliability of the stock, the range of local produce carried, and the loyal base of regular shoppers.
First Choice Foods opens at 7am Monday to Saturday, closing at 9pm. On Sundays it opens at 7am and closes at 7pm. Those early-morning opening times make it one of the best pre-beach or pre-boat provisioning options on the island.
The Anchorage Road location is slightly removed from the heavy traffic of St. John's city centre, which means easier parking and a calmer shopping experience. Reviewers consistently praise the good parking space and the out-of-town feel compared to the busier central stores. The range covers fresh fruit and vegetables, meats, fresh fish and seafood, dried goods, household essentials, and baby items.
First Choice is widely described as the second-largest supermarket in Antigua. Local pricing on staples is competitive. Chicken, local vegetables, spices, NZ cheddar, beer, and wine all tend to be reasonably priced. It gets notably busier at the start and end of each month when paydays cluster, so if you can time your shop to mid-month you'll have a smoother experience.
Sailors and yacht crews operating out of the marinas sometimes make the trip up to First Choice for large provisioning runs because the pricing undercuts some of the marina-adjacent options. A taxi there and back with a full load is often still worth it cost-wise compared to relying on the smaller shops near the dockyard.
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Oops Supermarket and the Best Neighbourhood Stores
Oops Supermarket is on Old Parham Road in the Cassada Gardens area of northern St. John's. It's a neighbourhood supermarket aimed primarily at local residents in that part of the island, and it does that job well. For visitors staying in or passing through the Cassada Gardens area, it covers daily essentials without the need to drive into the main commercial zones.
Beyond the major chains, Antigua has a healthy network of smaller neighbourhood supermarkets scattered across its parishes. A few worth knowing by location:
For English Harbour and Nelson's Dockyard visitors: The Covent Garden Supermarket on Dockyard Drive in English Harbour is your closest full grocery option if you're staying in the St. Paul parish area. It's compact but well-stocked for the area, and the location means zero driving for yacht crews moored nearby.
For gourmet deli and wine: Roca in Bolands, St. Mary, is Antigua's first gourmet deli, wine shop, and café, operating under the award-winning Rocks Group. It's not a full supermarket, but the selection of premium cheeses, charcuterie, fresh seafood, and prepared dishes makes it worth a detour for villa entertaining.
For fresh local produce near Falmouth: C.E. Bailey's Supermarket in Falmouth is a family-run business close to English Harbour. It carries fresh local fruit, vegetables, and herbs. A solid choice if you want locally grown ingredients rather than US-imported produce.
Other St. John's options: BJ's Supermarket on Bendals Road, Gloria's Supermarket on Whenner Road, and the smaller Perry Bay Supermarket all serve specific corners of the St. John's parish. If you're staying in a villa or apartment in a residential neighbourhood, chances are one of these stores is within a five to ten minute drive.
East coast and north coast visitors: If you're heading to Half Moon Bay, Devil's Bridge, or the Willikies area in St. Philip, stock up before you go. The eastern part of Antigua is stunning but sparsely served by supermarkets. The same applies to the far north in St. Peter parish. Plan your provisioning from St. John's before making the drive.
Essential Practical Tips: EC Dollars, Cards, Bags, and Opening Hours
Do you need EC dollars for grocery shopping in Antigua? Not strictly, but it helps. The Eastern Caribbean dollar has been pegged to the US dollar at EC$2.70 per US$1.00 since 1976, making conversion simple and predictable. Most larger supermarkets accept Visa and Mastercard. Cash is preferred at smaller neighbourhood stores and market stalls.
Here's everything you need to know before walking into any Antiguan supermarket:
Currency and pricing: All supermarkets in Antigua price in EC dollars. The fixed peg means the conversion never changes: divide any EC price by 2.7 to get the US dollar equivalent. A EC$27 item costs US$10. US dollars are accepted at most larger stores, but you'll often get change in EC dollars. Having some EC cash avoids any rounding ambiguity.
Card payments: Visa and Mastercard are accepted at Epicurean, First Choice, and XPZ. Smaller stores and market vendors typically prefer cash. Contactless payment is available at the larger chains.
Plastic bags: Antigua took decisive action on plastic shopping bags with national legislation that targeted the five types of plastic accounting for 90% of plastics released into the environment. Within the first year alone, the ban contributed to a 15.1% reduction in the amount of plastic discarded in Antigua's landfills. Bring a reusable tote bag in your luggage. Virtually every supermarket sells reusable bags at the checkout if you forget. Cardboard boxes near the checkouts at larger stores are also fair game for carrying your shop.
Opening hours summary:
- Epicurean (Friars Hill): 8am to 10pm daily
- Epicurean (Jolly Harbour): 8am to 9pm daily
- First Choice: 7am to 9pm Mon–Sat, 7am to 7pm Sun
- XPZ: 7am to 9pm daily
- Oops Supermarket: neighbourhood hours, confirm locally
What's good value and what's expensive: Fresh chicken, local vegetables, spices, local rum, beer, and Caribbean cheese tend to be well-priced. Imported cereals, olive oil, toiletries, sun cream, and specialty European goods can cost double what you'd pay at home. Many long-stay villa guests pack some non-perishables in their luggage specifically to offset costs on the expensive items.
Sailing Week provisioning: Antigua Sailing Week draws crews from around the world, many of whom need to provision boats quickly on arrival. Epicurean at Jolly Harbour is the closest full-service option to Falmouth Harbour and handles large provisioning orders regularly. English Harbour crews can use Covent Garden Supermarket for quick top-ups or arrange a taxi to Epicurean for a comprehensive shop.
Conclusion
Antigua punches above its weight when it comes to grocery shopping. Epicurean Fine Foods sets the standard with its 28,000-item range, two well-placed locations, and late evening hours. XPZ is the community-rooted budget pick with a loyal following and a good story behind it. First Choice Foods brings 80 years of island food experience to a well-stocked Anchorage Road location.
Ready to find a grocery store near your villa, marina, or accommodation? Browse the complete Food & Groceries listings on AntiguaSearch and find every supermarket, deli, and specialty food store on the island.
Frequently Asked Questions
What currency do Antigua supermarkets use? All supermarkets in Antigua price in Eastern Caribbean dollars (EC$). The EC dollar has been pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate of EC$2.70 to US$1.00 since 1976, so the conversion is stable and easy to calculate. US dollars are accepted at larger stores, but using EC dollars avoids any rounding issues on smaller purchases.
Do Antigua supermarkets accept credit cards? Yes. Larger supermarkets including Epicurean, First Choice Foods, and XPZ accept Visa and Mastercard. Smaller neighbourhood stores and market vendors generally prefer EC cash. It's worth carrying some local currency for flexibility, especially if you're shopping at smaller community stores or buying from local vendors.
Do I need to bring my own shopping bag to Antigua supermarkets? Yes, and it's worth packing one in your luggage. Antigua implemented a national ban on single-use plastic shopping bags as part of environmental legislation that targeted the plastics most commonly entering the natural environment. The ban contributed to a 15.1% drop in plastic discarded in Antiguan landfills within its first year. Most supermarkets sell reusable bags at checkout if you need one on arrival, or you can use the cardboard boxes available at larger stores.
Which Antigua supermarket is best for yacht provisioning? Epicurean Fine Foods at Jolly Harbour Marina is the top choice for yacht provisioning, thanks to its position right at the marina entrance, its comprehensive range of over 28,000 items, and its experience handling large orders for boats. It stocks fresh meats, seafood, bakery items, beer, wine, specialty goods, and all the basics. The main Friars Hill Road store is used by crews taxiing up from Falmouth Harbour and English Harbour for full provisioning runs.