Written by Rachel Lucas
One of my favorite things about living in Irvine is that if I get tired of the food I’m getting at one grocery store there’s always another one to go to. And there’s such a wide variety of grocery stores to choose from! Whether you walk, bike, or drive there are many options for groceries. Before getting into the list of stores there are a few things to know.
There are several different types of stores in the US where you can buy groceries/food items. Convenience stores and gas stations sell small daily items like snack foods and soft drinks or tissues and newspapers. You typically wouldn’t want to purchase a large amount of groceries here as they can be pricey and also don’t carry all of the items you might typically want. Grocery stores are where people in the US buy most of their food and toiletries. Here in California single-use grocery bags are banned so you may want to bring or buy your own reusable grocery bags. If you forget, grocery stores still have bags you can purchase for ~10 cents each. Department stores offer anything from clothing to furniture to groceries. Walmart, Target, and Costco are some of the largest chain stores nearby to UCI. Many department stores contain other things inside as well including pharmacies, banks, and fast food restaurants. California also has an abundance of farmers markets operating year-round. Farmers markets are a collection of booths that are typically set up one day a week for a set period of time. They sell fresh home-grown produce, artisanal items, flowers, and many other things. In terms of paying for items, cash, or credit/debit cards are accepted almost anywhere. Even apple pay, android pay, and Samsung pay are accepted at a wide range of places. At farmers markets its typically good to have some cash as not all booths will accept cards. In general, its good to always carry a little bit of cash just in case, even though most places in the US accept cards.
I’ll mainly go over options for grocery stores here, but I’ll throw in a farmers market or two at the end ☺. Here is my list of some grocery stores in and nearby Irvine. This list is not all-inclusive and there still may be more grocery stores to explore that you might like better, but these are just some options to get you started. Google maps of locations are given in the links.
Within Walking Distance
Albertson’s is the largest and closest grocery store within walking distance. It carries most generic American grocery items, toiletries, medicines, and a few other necessities. https://bit.ly/2MIbDKB
Trader Joe’s is conveniently located across the street from the student center in University Town Center. It doesn’t necessarily carry name brand grocery items, but it carries many delicious food items at good prices. Trader Joe’s doesn’t carry many, if any, toiletry items or items beyond groceries. https://bit.ly/377ZI2l
Target is a large department store but has a small location located in the University Town Center near Trader Joe’s. It carries a small selection of groceries including fresh produce and snack food items. They also carry some clothing and items like pillows and lamps that may be useful around the home. https://bit.ly/2YgXppM
Further- Driving, Busing, Biking, Ridesharing
Whole Foods is a short drive from campus. They specialize in high-quality groceries with an emphasis on organic and natural foods so many items in this store are more expensive than Albertson’s or Trader Joe’s, for example. They also carry some fresh pre-cooked food items that may be purchased. https://bit.ly/3cHe9vo
Ralphs is a chain grocery store similar to Albertson’s. It carries many grocery items as well as toiletries and medicine. Its selection is slightly larger than Albertson’s. https://bit.ly/37amiaH
Wholesome Choice is a grocery store that carries a variety of grocery items including many that are common in different parts of the world. It is very reasonably priced. Wholesome Choice also has a food court inside which sells cooked food. https://bit.ly/30lANqv
Walmart is a large chain store in the US that sells many inexpensive groceries. They carry most generic American grocery items as well as some others. Walmart also sells many other items including clothes and household items. https://bit.ly/2zcj6Pb
Costco is another large chain store in the US. They also sell many inexpensive groceries and toiletries and are known for selling in bulk. They sell items in addition to groceries including electronics and clothing. Many times, Costco also has foods to sample which can be fun. https://bit.ly/2zfvBti
Sprouts is an American grocery store which, similar to Whole Foods, carries more natural, organic, and high-quality grocery items. Again, because of this, it is typically more expensive than generic stores like Albertson’s and Trader Joe’s though some of its produce and grains can have prices comparative to generic chains. https://bit.ly/2XH3wo8
H-Mart is a Korean supermarket carrying many Korean groceries not typically found in American grocery stores. There is a small bakery inside which sells Korean pastries, fried chicken, and pizza. H-Mart is also located in a plaza with many delicious restaurants and tea shops. https://bit.ly/2MCO3z2
99 Ranch Market is a Taiwanese-American supermarket selling many Asian and American grocery items. Located next to a great Korean BBQ place as well as other shops/restaurants. https://bit.ly/3h5U1GE
Mitsuwa is a Japanese marketplace that sells many Japanese groceries. There is a variety of little shops inside selling things like skincare products and there’s a small food court as well which has some pretty great food options. There is one in both Irvine and Costa Mesa. The link is for the Costa Mesa location as it is closer to campus. https://bit.ly/2AeB1Fn
Smart & Final is a supermarket chain that sells produce, meats, and packaged foods. They offer discounts on bulk items. https://bit.ly/2MHBa6H
Tokyo Central is a Japanese supermarket that offers imported food, cosmetics, and clothing. Personally, I’m a huge fan of the wide variety of chocolate offered here. There’s also a small buffet-style food area which offers a selection of pre-cooked foods. https://bit.ly/2YikNCX
Farmers Markets
Saturday Farmers Market is a decently sized farmers market located within walking distance from campus. It happens every Saturday from 8 am – noon and offers a wide variety of groceries and goods. I’m a huge fan of the many free samples offered there. https://bit.ly/3fcoukr
Great Park Farmers Market is another farmers market offered on Sundays from 10 am – 2 pm. It has a wide selection of fresh foods and artisanal goods as well. https://bit.ly/2AYaZ9a
Irvine is also a great location for getting groceries delivered. Many stores offer their own delivery services for a fee. Other options include Amazon Fresh, Instacart, and Shipt, all of which are great options if you don’t have a car or don’t have the time to go to the store.
In terms of coronavirus, it is always best to be checking the news, emails from the school, and even at specific locations to keep up to date on any changes/requirements. Because of uncertain times, there have been changes in store hours, certain food availability, and personal protective equipment requirements. For example, at the time of writing these face masks are required at grocery stores throughout California. The school is very good about sending out COVID-19 email updates and should keep you up to date on requirements like these but news outlets are always a good resource as well.
Stay safe and happy grocery shopping!