The Local newsletter is your free, daily guide to life in Colorado. For locals, by locals.
Colorado grocery stores don’t have a good reputation. In fact, two of the state’s biggest grocery chains, Safeway/Albertsons and King Soopers, are poised to go on strike over unfair labor practices. (King Soopers employees already went on a 12-day strike in February.) But despite several Denver-area shops repeatedly landing on an annual ranking of the worst grocery stores in the nation, we still think there’s a lot to love about the Mile High City’s grocery scene—especially when it comes to small, local businesses.
Whether you’re chasing down the perfect pierogi or want to sip some wine while you shop (yes, really), the metro area’s grocery store lineup is diverse and underrated. Here’s our guide to the best markets in Denver to tick off everything on your list.
GW Supermarket
- Where: 2200 W. Alameda Ave., Unit 18, Denver (Athmar Park); 12303 E. Mississippi Ave., Aurora; 6600 W. 120th Ave., Broomfield
- Hours: Hours vary by location; check website.
With more than 20 stores nationwide, GW Supermarket (which stands for Great Wall Supermarket) is one of the country’s leading purveyors of Chinese goods, although you’ll find flavors from all over Asia on its shelves. Shoppers flock to GW for its wide range of produce, such as jackfruit, Hami melon, and kabocha squash, as well as seafood like cuttlefish and crystal crabs. But we’re drawn to the vast dry goods selection, with offerings including bulk coffee, all manner of cooking oils, and candy.
All three GW locations used to be called Pacific Ocean Marketplace—a local store that was sold to GW in 2022. Our editors’ verdict? Not much has changed, other than a small price bump.
H Mart
- Where: 2751 Parker Road, Aurora; 5036 W. 92nd Ave., Westminster
- Hours: Daily, 9 a.m.–9 p.m.
What started as a small immigrant-owned shop in Queens has since grown into the largest Asian grocery brand nationwide, and locals head to Aurora and Westminster to reap the fruits of H Mart in Colorado. There, you’ll find endless packs of ramen, dumplings, seafood, and fresh lychee that you’ll struggle to find elsewhere. The Aurora location is significantly bigger and features a vast selection of produce, while Westminster’s includes a food court and a liquor store (which is your cue to stock up on sake).
Natural Grocers
In 1955, young parents Margaret and Philip Isely opened the first Natural Grocers on West Colfax Avenue with just $200 to their name. Today, the health food chain is still headquartered in Lakewood, and 45 of its 169 stores are located in Colorado. We especially like the grocer’s own brand of goods, which are made without artificial flavors, synthetic color additives, or added artificial preservatives. But Natural Grocers also carries a number of other Colorado-based brands, like Golden’s Bonfire Burritos and gluten-free baked goods from Colorado Springs’ Outside the Breadbox.
Lucky’s Market
- Where: 3960 Broadway, Boulder; 425 S. College Ave., Fort Collins
- Hours: Daily, 7 a.m.–9 p.m.
Trish and Bo Sharon, two chefs from Boulder, were tired of having to visit multiple farmers’ markets, health food stores, and conventional chains to find everything on their grocery list, prompting the couple to launch Lucky’s Market in 2003. There, you’ll find organic produce, made-in-house offerings like kielbasa sausage and beef/bacon burgers, and even those big brands you don’t want to run to Walmart for, like Cheerios. At the Boulder location, you can also visit Lucky’s Bakehouse Cafe (with breakfast offerings like scrambles and burritos) and Lucky’s Bakehouse (don’t skip the croissants).
Leevers Locavore
- Where: 2630 W. 38th Ave., Denver (Highland)
- Hours: Daily, 7 a.m.–9 p.m.
Leevers Locavore in Highland turns grocery shopping into an experience. The fully employee-owned shop starts with an on-site bar when you walk in (meaning you can sip an IPA while you shop). There’s also three on-site restaurants: a grab-and-go deli, Basil Doc’s pizza, and One Two Three Sushi. We’re especially drawn to the local goods on the shelves, from retailers like Honey House Honey and Hävenly Baked Goods. But whatever you go to Leevers for, we recommend stopping by on Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., when you’ll be treated to live music from local musicians like blues band the Delta Sonics.
Tony’s Meats and Market
Tony Rossaci’s grocery résumé started when he was just nine years old; he worked at a small corner market in Detroit making $3 a week. After serving in the military and starting a family, Rossaci moved to Denver, where he opened a store of his own in Centennial—the original Tony’s that’s still there today. Since then, Tony’s Meats and Market has expanded to two other locations (in Littleton and Castle Pines), and one of Rossaci’s sons, Daniel, is the market’s current CEO.
At this family-owned business, the butcher shop shines, with much of the meat, such as the Western Slope lamb, being sourced from local Colorado ranchers. But the bakery department is also a worthy stop if you’re in search of cannolis and macarons.
Sprouts Farmers Market
With 34 locations in Colorado, Sprouts is far from a small, local business—but we think it’s a great option for those with dietary restrictions. Labels on the shelves make it easy to shop for special diets, from gluten-free to plant-based and keto. We also like Sprouts’ community outreach: The chain has partnered with Denver Urban Gardens and Aurora nonprofit Project Worthmore to help train immigrant and refugee farmers. Our go-to locations? The new outpost in Aurora on Chambers Road and the Littleton store on Belleview Avenue, where you can find local produce from DiSanti Family Farms and Gotham Greens.
Chicago Food Depot
- Where: 1477 Carr St., Lakewood
- Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Specializing in European (specifically Polish) goods, Chicago Food Depot lacks the glitz of larger markets—but don’t let the no-frills atmosphere fool you. Inside, you’ll score goods that are hard to find elsewhere, like imported Polish cheeses and Lithuanian breads. The meat section boasts an impressive array of Polish sausage, ham, and bacon. But, most importantly, don’t leave Chicago Food Depot without a house-made pierogi, which comes stuffed with potato, cheese, mushrooms, and kraut.
Marczyk Fine Foods
- Where: 770 E. 17th Ave., Denver (Uptown); 5100 E. Colfax Ave., Denver (Hale)
- Hours: Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.
Marczyk Fine Foods isn’t budget-friendly, but we suppose that’s in its name. The prices you’ll pay at this family-run store (with two locations in Denver) are worth the return: The meat and fish are always high-quality, and you won’t find wilted lettuce in the produce department. The bakery department makes most of its goods in-house, including the lard-and-butter pie crusts, and the prepped foods are great picks for easy dinners (Supermarket News awarded Marczyk’s pork green chile the best ready-to-eat meal in 2017). You can even find the store when you’re traveling—a Denver International Airport location at C gates opened last year.
Nude Foods Market
- Where: 3538 W. 44th Ave., Denver (Berkeley); 3233 Walnut Street, Boulder
- Hours: Daily, 10 a.m.—7 p.m.
The average American produces around 485 pounds of plastic waste each year, which is about five times greater than the international average. If you’re trying to cut back, Nude Foods Market makes it a little easier. Matt Arnold, Rachel Irons, and Verity Noble launched the zero-waste grocer as a delivery-only service during the pandemic before opening a storefront in Boulder in 2021, followed by a Denver location last year. There, you’ll find produce, grains, dairy, chocolate, and even dog treats in reusable glass jars ($1.50 per jar, though you’ll get $1 back when you return them). Skip the fee by bringing your own containers.
