I’ve moved between cities many times in Vietnam and always need a new smoothie blender. I have purchased the same lime green Sunhouse blender at least seven times now from different supermarkets in Vietnam.
Blender hunting and the general inconsistency of supermarket product variety have led me across Ho Chi Minh City to search for more than ramen and rice. Along the way, I’ve tried various local and regional products, snacks, and drinks.
The supermarkets below are scattered throughout Ho Chi Minh City. Using the Grab App is the best way to get around. Some are much better than others, especially Mega Market and Lotte Mart. These are my two personal favorites.
1. MM Mega Market (District 2)
Address: Google Maps • Website
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free and convenient parking | Need a motorbike (or Grab or Gojek) to get here from Thao Dien |
| Rarely crowded | The coffee selection is limited |
| Easy access from Thao Dien | |
| Much bigger selection than the Tops Market and WinMart inside Thao Dien | |
| Several ATMs right in the front lobby |
Mega Market in An Phu (District 2) is one of my favorite supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh. Visually, it has similar vibes to a Costco or Sam’s Club.
Every time I come here, it’s relatively quiet and easy to maneuver throughout the store. I am usually in and out in 20 minutes with everything I need.
Try grocery shopping during the day (during the week). If you can, avoid weekends—it can get very crowded.
Everything you need for a short vacation or to live long-term can be found here.
Non-food sections include toiletries, clothes (good for budget socks, underwear, and tees), cups/bowls/silverware, cleaning supplies, office supplies, kitchen appliances, etc. They also have a pretty big towel section, so it’s a good spot to pick up budget towels of all sizes and colors.
As far as food, there’s everything; too much to get into. Notably, they have a pretty sizable frozen food section. I found a wider variety of frozen fruit here compared to other supermarkets. (For those smoothies in my lime green blender.)
The motorbike parking lot is outside, easily accessible, and is wholly covered by a metal canopy. It’s also free.
This makes it a bit more convenient than many other Vietnamese supermarkets, which have underground parking garages (a bit more effort getting in and out) and a 2,000 to 5,000 VND parking fee.
The actual fee isn’t much, between $0.08 and $0.20 USD. But, since you can pay with a credit card at most places, you won’t always find yourself with cash or small bills on your way out.
There are three other Mega Markets in Ho Chi Minh City, but they are all far out: District 6, District 12, and Thu Duc.
Related: Best Luxury 5-Star Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City (With Map)
2. Lotte Mart (District 7)
Address: Google Maps • Website
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Everything under one roof for all your shopping needs | Not easily accessible outside of District 7 |
| Big selection of non-food items | Located at a bit of a hectic intersection |
| Good prices | |
| You can easily combine food and/or coffee with your shopping experience |
I first discovered Lotte Mart while living in Da Nang in 2018.
When living in Ho Chi Minh City on Tran Xuan Soan Street in District 7, this Lotte Mart was my go-to for weekly grocery runs. Besides Mega Market, this is my other favorite supermarket in HCMC.
It is inside a mini shopping center with some fast-food restaurants on the first floor, like Lotteria and KFC. There’s also Highlands Coffee and Phuc Long Coffee & Tea, both popular coffee brands in Vietnam.
What I like about Lotte Mart is that it’s comparable to Walmart and Target; you can practically get everything you’d need here. All of the branches I’ve been in have a pretty big selection of non-food items, and this one doesn’t disappoint.
You can get your socks, underwear, T-shirts, electronics, appliances – a bunch of stuff, really. I like to get knit shorts, tank tops, socks, and T-shirts here, all for great prices.
There are several additional sit-down restaurants upstairs on the third floor.
If you plan on staying or living in District 4 or District 8, it is possible to get here and may be worth it because of the size and selection. I also went here while living on the east side of District 8 in 2019. If I lived in District 4, I would use this Lotte Mart as my go-to for grocery shopping.
3. Emart (Go Vap)
Address: Google Maps • Website
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free parking | It can get very crowded |
| Big selection of food and non-food items | Out of the way unless you are in or near Go Vap |
| Clean | |
| Starbucks, KFC, and other stores inside |
This emart is on Phan Van Tri Street in Go Vap District. I came to check it out the other day and was blown away. It’s huge, and they offer a wide range of products, to say the least.
There’s a full grocery store and rows upon rows of clothes, appliances, electronics, and everything in between.
I actually went here to get my lime green blender. The sales lady did try to convince me that it was the worst blender to buy (in all fairness, it is the cheapest in the store), that it couldn’t break ice cubes, and instead pointed out a Panasonic five times the price.
Little did she know, I had test-driven this baby numerous times already. I love purchases that work out much better than their price suggests.
I need to say that I went on a Sunday during the afternoon, and it was intensely crowded; I have personally never seen such a chaotic disaster inside a supermarket.
The number of people inside shopping, loitering, or just wandering around was as much a spectacle as the size of the supermarket itself. So if you can, avoid going during the weekends.
Like Mega Market, the motorbike parking lot at emart is right outside, with rows of individual canopies. Parking here is also free.
Related: Best Budget Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City (With Map)
4. Emart (District 2)
Address: Google Maps • Website
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| In a quiet area of Ho Chi Minh City | A bit out of the way, depending on where you’re staying |
| Rarely crowded, clean | The area itself can be a pinch more expensive |
| Better selection of coffee compared to Mega Market | Paid mall parking |
| Large selection of food and non-food items |
This emart is located in the basement of Thiso Mall Sala, an upscale up-and-coming shopping mall in District 2. I really like the Sala area of Ho Chi Minh City.
It is usually far quieter over here than most places in the city, and there are many places to grab a bite, coffee, or tea. The air also feels fresher over here. The mall itself has one of the higher-rated Pizza 4P’s in HCMC, Starbucks, an indoor golf club called Hidden Castle, stores like Calvin Klein and Uniqlo, and some restaurants.
If you’re looking for great pizza in District 2 and elsewhere in the city, check out my guide on the best pizza places in Ho Chi Minh City.
Sala Park is nearby. It’s a nice, breezy area on the riverbank nestled among condominiums, coffee and tea shops, restaurants, and stores.
The emart is easy to access from the parking garage. It is pretty big (not as big as the emart in Go Vap), very clean, and well-organized. Shopping and navigating the store is easy.
Since this location is in the basement of a mall, there is a parking fee. I paid 5,000 VND the other day.
This emart might be just a bit out of the way, depending on the district you’re staying. It’s not bad if you come from District 1, District 4, or Binh Thanh. Bit farther from District 3, District 7, and elsewhere. If you’re traveling outside your immediate area, look into using the Grab App.
5. An Phu Supermarket (District 2)
Address: Google Maps
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy access within Thao Dien | Smaller overall selection of items compared to other supermarkets |
| Selection of ATMs right outside | |
| Rarely crowded, laid back | |
| Wider selection of coffee than in other stores (Shop at Mega Market, get coffee here) |
The An Phu Supermarket is a smaller supermarket on Thao Dien Road inside Thao Dien in District 2.
It has a wider variety of items than you’d find inside most supermarkets but a smaller selection of products overall. For example, many large supermarkets carry the same coffee products, but here, they have several different options I haven’t seen anywhere else.
There is a motorbike parking lot outside. But this grocery store is so laid back that you can actually pull up right out front and be in and out in 10 minutes or less. Nice and easy
There are also a few ATMs out front, which is very convenient. One of them is an HSBC ATM.
HSBC is one of the better ATMs in Vietnam. Each ATM has a maximum daily withdrawal of 10,000,000 VND, compared to other ATMs, which allow between 2 and 6 million. Here are the other HSBC ATM locations in Ho Chi Minh City: Google Maps.
6. Co.opmart (District 1)
Address: Google Maps • Website
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Close to Bui Vien | Not walkable from central District 1 |
| Full selection of food items | The interior feels a bit dirty and junky |
| Decent selection of non-food items (appliances, cleaning supplies, clothes) | Paid parking, congested parking area |
While this Co.opmart is technically in District 1, it’s a bit out of the way from the touristy area unless you stay near Bui Vien. If so, it is less than a 10-minute walk away.
This Co.opmart is located on Cống Quỳnh Street. This can be a pretty busy, trafficky little area.
The supermarket has two floors, with the second floor having clothes and a cafeteria-style eating place.
It looks small initially, but the first floor goes back quite a bit. On this floor, you’ll find everything food-wise that you need, including sections for appliances and other things.
This Co.op and the next one on my list have a similar vibe. They have an almost dirty or junky feel inside, but the food and products themselves are fine and exactly what most other grocery stores carry.
They have a lot of foot traffic to keep up with, as they’re both in very busy, touristy locations.
For a cleaner, more spread out, take-your-time shopping experience, I’d go to emart in Go Vap, Lotte Mart in D7, or Mega Market in D2.
The parking lot is right next to the supermarket but is also a bit cramped. Parking costs 5,000 VND.
Related: Best Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City for All Budgets (+ Map)
7. Co.opmart (District 3)
Address: Google Maps • Website
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Closer to different parts of D1 compared to other Co.opmart | The interior feels a bit dirty and junky |
| Full selection of food items | Congested parking area |
| Decent selection of non-food items (appliances, cleaning supplies, clothes) | Paid parking |
This Co.opmart is technically in District 3, but it’s much closer to certain touristy areas of D1 than the previous supermarket.
This branch is located on Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Street.
This is the nearest and best supermarket if you’re staying anywhere near the War Remnants Museum or Turtle Lake in District 3. It’s a great area to stay when visiting Ho Chi Minh City. It’s more peaceful than nearby District 1 but close enough to all the best attractions.
It is the same deal as the Co.opmart above: there’s a good overall selection of non-food items and plenty of food, yet it has the same rough-around-the-edges vibe as the other one.
Related: Best Hotels in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
8. Annam Gourmet (District 1)
Address: Google Maps • Website
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Central in District 1 | Small |
| Very clean and high-end | Not a huge selection |
| Free motorbike parking right out front | More expensive than other supermarkets |
| Nice, but slightly expensive place to eat (with a view) upstairs |
Annam Gourmet is a fancier supermarket located in downtown D1 on the corner of Hai Ba Trung and Dong Du streets. Many of Ho Chi Minh City’s best hotels are located nearby, including the Sheraton Saigon, the Hotel Continental, the Park Hyatt, the Lotte Hotel Saigon, and many more. Dozens of hotels are within walking distance.
If you are staying anywhere near the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House, the City Hall, the Ho Chi Minh Statue, or Nguyen Hue Street, it’s about a 5-minute walk away.
This store is the smallest on my list but is a good spot to search for higher-end products with more variety than the bigger chains.
It has two floors, with a delicatessen and bakery upstairs. There’s also a small sit-down restaurant where you can people-watch and admire the view of Hai Ba Trung Street.
There is also an Annam Gourmet in Thao Dien.
My Favorite Supermarkets in HCMC (FAQs)
What happened to Big C in Vietnam?
The Big C supermarket chain in Vietnam was sold to Central Group, and the company began rebranding all Big C stores (within Vietnam) into either GO! or Tops Market.
What happened to VinMart Supermarkets in Vietnam?
VinMart supermarkets and convenience stores were rebranded into WinMart on January 15, 2022.
Do supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City accept credit cards, or should I carry cash?
All major supermarkets in HCMC accept credit cards, including Mega Market, Aeon, Lotte Mart, emart, Co.opmart, and Annam Gourmet. Convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, Circle K, WinMart, Ministop, and FamilyMart also accept credit cards.
Are there any Ho Chi Minh City supermarkets offering hotel delivery services?
Downloading one of the popular and easy-to-use apps is the best way to go. I recommend Grab or Gojek, though 7-Eleven also has an app that offers delivery. Grab and Gojek both offer taxis, food and grocery delivery, and package shipping. Personally, I use Grab every day. (For groceries, look for Mart or GrabMart in their app.)
