The complete guide to grocery shopping in Erie

Grocery shopping in Erie used to be shaped by personal preferences. I remember the “battle of the aunts” arguing around the dinner table at family gatherings back in the 1980s. There was always a dispute between my mom and her sisters over which supermarket was best: Loblaws, Giant Eagle, or Shur-Fine. Mostly, they argued about the quality of prepared foods and the value of their clipped coupons.

In today’s economy, things are a bit more complicated. Where people buy food, how often they shop, and what they’re able to afford can be influenced by geography, income, transportation, and access to information. For many households, navigating local grocery options means balancing cost, quality, and convenience while also keeping an eye on sales and seasonal pricing.

In Erie, budgets matter, and choices aren’t always evenly distributed. Long-standing neighborhood markets sit alongside national chains, while smaller specialty stores and discount options play an essential role in filling gaps. Understanding what each store offers—and how residents make use of them—can make a meaningful difference in how far a grocery budget stretches week to week.

Food access isn’t only about what stores exist, but about whether people can realistically use them. Discounts, assistance programs, and local resources often determine how families stretch their grocery budgets. Understanding these options helps reduce confusion and lowers the barriers many residents face when trying to put meals on the table.

This collection brings together information meant to support smarter, more informed grocery decisions in Erie. Whether someone is looking for value or variety (or great prepared food or coupons), the goal is to make local grocery shopping easier to understand.

Inside a grocery store's dairy section — Image via Shutterstock

The most affordable grocery store in Erie

A lot of everyday Americans, including myself, agree that one grocery store in particular is the most affordable grocery store hands down. That’s because the whole shopping experience is engineered around saving money.

Unlike bigger supermarkets and big box stores that carry tens of thousands of items, this market keeps a very limited selection of mostly store-brand products—often under 2,000 items, compared to 30,000-plus at a traditional grocer. Less variety means simpler ordering, fewer suppliers, smaller stores, and lower labor and stocking costs. Those savings get passed on to shoppers in the form of consistently lower prices.

The best grocery stores for holiday shopping in Erie

If you haven’t already started, it’s nearly time to get your holiday grocery shopping done.

This year, especially, it’s important to a lot of people in Erie to stretch their dollars while supporting stores that feel dependable, and while making sure the food on the table lives up to the occasion. With rising costs affecting families across the nation, Erie shoppers are paying close attention to where they spend their money, and they’re choosing stores that deliver real value without sacrificing quality. In a season centered around tradition and generosity, finding a place that balances affordability with fresh, reliable ingredients matters more than ever.

To learn which places residents trust most, we asked Erie locals where they prefer to shop when preparing for their holiday meals. The results are in, and the top three spots chosen by Erie voters have earned their reputation through cost-effectiveness and genuine loyalty from their customers.

Erie’s oldest bakeries and markets

Growing up in Erie, I developed a deep, nostalgic relationship with food. The food that means the most to me isn’t fancy food or fussy food, but the food of childhood memories. The origins of these meals came from our ancestors, whether they arrived on boats from Italy, Ireland, Germany, or Eastern Europe. If you grew up here like me, you know that Erie’s oldest bakeries and neighborhood markets are where to find the good stuff. These institutions are time capsules, historical landmarks (whether officially or unofficially), and community centers all rolled into one.

Before grocery delivery apps and grab-and-go everything, Erie’s families relied on these mom-and-pop staples both for everyday meals and to make the holidays special. Many of these shops have been in operation for generations, passing recipes and a sense of neighborhood pride down through the decades.

Since we’re all getting ready to plan our holiday feasts, I’m more than happy to share Erie’s oldest bakeries and markets still standing strong today, reminding us why buying local really matters. Whether you’re craving the perfect Italian rolls that taste like your grandmother’s, or the perfect hand-butchered cuts of meat, these spots deliver. Take it from someone who lived here for 25 years and still dreams about pepperoni balls: the heart of Erie will always be found in the places that have fed us for generations.

Erie’s community-owned market

Unlike traditional retailers driven by outside investors, the Erie Food Co-op is owned collectively by local member-owners who believe that access to healthy food should remain in the hands of the community itself. Each member-owner has a voice and a vote, helping steer decisions that impact the store’s direction and its partnerships, as well as its role as a community center in Erie. It is a model rooted in shared investment and shared benefit, where every dollar spent circles back into strengthening the community.

For more than forty years, the co-op has demonstrated what can happen when residents unite to create a resource designed for people rather than for profit. Whether someone chooses to become an owner or simply shops as a guest, every visit supports local farmers, local businesses, local nonprofits, and community partnerships built from the ground up.

At its core, the co-op is committed to nourishing the well-being of the community, supporting local farms and makers, and ensuring that healthy food is not a luxury but an accessible right.

International markets serving Erie

In Erie, we love good, comforting food. But nothing beats a good meal wrapped in family tradition. That’s why we surveyed Erie locals to find the best international markets in town, where residents can grab their favorite go-to goods to create meals for family gatherings, special occasions, and the upcoming holidays.

We reached out to Erie residents for some feedback, and it became apparent that these two markets are the best in town, at least according to the folks who took our poll. Check out these wonderful markets if you haven’t already.

Erie’s farmers’ markets

After asking Erie residents where they prefer to get their fresh produce throughout the year, some felt passionately that Mason Farms carries the best and freshest produce. As a person from Erie who has been shopping at this establishment for decades, I concur.

Other residents felt the importance and impact of the East Avenue Pay-What-You-Can Farmers Market. They feel that the market’s socioeconomic impact makes it the best farmers’ market in town.

In the spirit of fairness, and because each received the same number of votes from our readers, we believe that both make a tremendous impact on Erie’s community and deserve the title of the best farmers’ market in Erie.

But because Erie has so many wonderful farmers’ markets throughout the spring to fall season, we added a list of all we could find.

Food banks and free meal programs in Erie

Times are incredibly tough for some, especially around the holidays when our wallets get a lot tighter. This squeeze disproportionately affects Erie’s poorer residents. According to the most recent data, around 25% of Erie residents are below the poverty line.

Thankfully, local ministries and charities are working to help families fill their bellies and their fridges and rebuild safe, stable homes. Volunteers across these services understand the growing need for support, and that support comes in many forms: sometimes it’s a warm meal, other times it’s a box of groceries, and it can even be a donated bed or kitchen table that allows a family finally settling into housing to feel grounded again.

These services give hope to people who are doing their best to move forward, including parents juggling bills, seniors living on fixed incomes, young adults starting over, and neighbors who’ve hit an unexpected rough patch. These programs can help restore dignity and stability. And behind every pantry shelf and hot meal are volunteers, nonprofits, churches, and community members committed to ensuring no one has to navigate hardship alone.

Free community pantry boxes in Erie

This network of food pantries across the city has become an essential support system for locals who are facing tough times. These free boxes, supplied by caring people across the community, are where people can count on getting fresh produce, pantry staples, and even some toiletries and personal supplies.

Erie’s network of free food pantries is a lifeline woven by volunteers, donors, churches, mutual aid organizers, and everyday people who want to make sure no one falls through the cracks.

These resources were originally shared by the Erie Mutual Aid Network, a public Facebook group. There is also a Little Free Pantry Facebook Group in Erie that has around 6,000 active members.

These small outdoor pantries are stocked by the community and free for anyone to take or leave non-perishable food items, toiletries, diapers and wipes, and basic necessities.