Discovering local delicacies is one of the things I enjoy most about travelling. And I don’t just like discovering them in restaurants, I also love checking out the food on offer in local shops.

If you are staying at Casa Mimosa in the Agaete Valley, a quick glance at Google Maps will show you that there is nowhere nearby to buy bread for breakfast. That is one of the charms of this place: maximum tranquillity. So much tranquillity that there are no shops.

That’s why it’s important to plan your trip to the supermarket in advance. Ideally, you should do your first shop as soon as you land, as soon as you leave the airport in your hire car. On the way from the airport to Casa Mimosa, you will pass at least five well-stocked supermarkets. I always recommend stopping in San Isidro (Gáldar), 8 kilometres before you reach Casa Mimosa. This way, your food won’t have to spend too much time in the boot of your car if it’s hot.

Where to shop in Gáldar

Leaving Gáldar towards Agaete, you will find the exit to San Isidro on the right-hand side of the road. If you take this exit, you will immediately see three large supermarkets at the top: Hiperdino, Mercadona and Lidl.

Hiperdino is my favourite because it is a 100% Canarian-owned company. According to its website, 45% of its regular stock is of Canarian origin and more than 60% of its fruit and vegetables are locally sourced. In general, it has a wide variety and good prices. The San Isidro branch is quite large and is ideal for late shopping as it is open until 10 pm.
Mercadona is a chain from Valencia. It is also competitive in terms of prices, but it achieves this partly by reducing its range. It has less variety and many own-brand products. This does not mean that the quality is lower: Mercadona’s own-brand, Hacendado, has a very good reputation. However, if you are looking for a particular wine or a very specific product, you may not find it.
Lidl is a German chain. If you come from Germany and can’t do without your leberwurst and sauerkraut, this is your supermarket in Gran Canaria. Both Lidl and other German chains (Aldi, for example) adapt their product range in their Canary Islands stores and, obviously, they don’t only stock German products. However, I like my money to contribute to local development and strengthen the economy of the place I am visiting. That’s why I tend to spend my money in Canarian businesses when I’m in the Canary Islands. When I’m in Berlin, where I live, Lidl is my favourite supermarket because they have the best fruit and vegetables at very good prices.

Where to shop near the airport if you land late

If you don’t have time to get to Gáldar to do your shopping before 10 p.m., I recommend you do it when you leave the airport at Alcampo or Carrefour.

Alcampo is in the La Mareta Shopping Centre, about 9 kilometres along the motorway towards Las Palmas. If there is no traffic, you can be queuing at the deli counter in 15 minutes. You will see it from the motorway because it is next to IKEA. Take exit number 7 to ‘Parque Comercial / La Estrella’.
Carrefour: If you don’t like Alcampo and still have some time, the other option is Carrefour in Hoya la Plata, as you enter Las Palmas. Although it is already in the capital, this Carrefour is very easy to access from the motorway and you can’t miss it. Take exit 0 to ‘Hoya la Plata / Pedro Hidalgo‘. Both Carrefour and Alcampo are hypermarkets and therefore sell not only food but all kinds of things. If you’ve forgotten your beach sandals, swimsuit or hat, you’ll find what you need here.

Where to shop in Agaete

If you are staying at Casa Mimosa or any other accommodation in the Agaete Valley, you will be pleased to know that there is also a supermarket in Agaete which, although with less variety and less competitive prices, can help you out on a day when you don’t feel like driving to Gáldar. This is the SPAR in La Palmita, a Dutch and Canarian franchise that can be found all over the island. You will find it halfway between Agaete and Puerto de las Nieves.

If you feel like taking a walk to San Pedro (just over a kilometre away), you will find Bar La Palma, where you can not only have a beer on the terrace while admiring the mountains, but also enjoy the best avocado salad in the valley. And it is no coincidence that it is the best, because they make it with avocados from the valley. Right here, in the bar, you can buy them in season. Not only avocados, but also oranges, mangoes, tomatoes and any other fruit and vegetables grown in the surrounding area, as well as coffee and anything else you might need for your pantry.

Where to buy agricultural and artisan products in the north of Gran Canaria

If you are a cheese lover like me, you will love the Mercado de Guía (Guía Market). Some of the best cheeses on the islands are made in the north of Gran Canaria, especially in the areas around Guía and Gáldar. The most famous of these is queso de flor, followed in popularity by queso de media flor. Don’t expect to find flowers in the cheese. The name has to do with the production process, which uses vegetable rennet from thistle flowers. Depending on whether you buy it in summer or winter, the cheese has a different consistency and degree of acidity. The cheese sold in winter is made in summer, and vice versa. My favourite is the one made in summer and sold in winter. It’s the creamiest. A delight. If you find the one made in Los Caideros (Gáldar), don’t hesitate to at least try it. It’s one of the best.

Obviously, they don’t just sell cheese at the Guía Market, but also artisan bread made from potatoes or corn and all kinds of local delicacies. A stroll through the market is well worth it. It’s a pity that it’s only open from Friday to Sunday until 3 pm.

Would you prefer to find your shopping done when you arrive at Casa Mimosa? For your convenience, we can leave some basic products ready for dinner and breakfast. Just let us know and we’ll be happy to organise it.