NOTE: Most of the shops mentioned here are marked on the map. Click here to view.

Please remember that things change. Shops run out and never restock! I try to keep this up to date, but if you know something I don't, please tell me!

This page is about the availability of Western food in Liuzhou. Chinese food is everywhere from supermarkets to street markets and hardly needs any guide. By western food, we mean those things which are more commonly used in Western cooking. So, although olive oil is widely available, it is included here because it is not usually used in Chinese cooking.

Availability of Western foods is still limited although it is much better than ten years ago when there was only one shop selling very little.

Unfortunately, there is no one shop specialising in western foodstuffs. Back in July 2007, Nanning's western food store opened a branch in Liuzhou. In a shambolic display of utter commercial ineptitude they opened their shop in an obscure housing block in the north of the city and issued zero publicity. When very few people went, they came up with the brilliant idea of saving money by only opening two weeks each month. Of course, no one could ever remember which two weeks. After six months the place closed down.

So today, you have to visit a selection of outlets and see what they have! But remember, what they have today, they may not have tomorrow. Chinese shops are notorious stocking goods which sell like the proverbial hotcakes, then never restocking!

The shops below are all located in the central area of the city. This is for two reasons. 1) This is where I live and these are the shops I know! 2) This is an area everyone gets to know.

The are in order more or less north to south.

If you know of any other shops selling anything interesting please contact us with the address and what they sell. Many thanks.

Supermarkets

The two most important supermarket chains in Liuzhou are Lianhua and Nanchang Supermarkets. They carry a very similar range of goods at almost identical prices. They also seem to run out of stuff and restock at the same time. Presumably, they use the same suppliers.

Lianhua Century Mart has been in Liuzhou the longest. Previously owned by local company Jiayong, it has several branches around town, ranging from the huge flagship store on Fei'e Lu near the railway station to little corner shops. The one pictured above is in Jiefang Beilu, near the city square and the Traditional Chinese Hospital. It is a useful general supermarket but has a very limited range of western goodies. Things to check out are their olive oils, sausage meats and bacon*, yoghurts and if the omens are favourable, cheese! They stock several kinds of "cheese", most of which are processed gloop, but they do have cheddar cheese. This always runs out first, but they hold back on restocking, presumably in the hops of selling the gloop. It doesn't work. They also stock frozen cod. They did once, several years ago, have avocadoes for about a week. I bought the lot and they never restocked! They also have dried chick peas /garbanzo beans. Lianhua also has a larger store on Fei E Road near the railway station. It stocks the same stuff - just more of it!

Nanchang Supermarket calls itself Nanchang Department Store and indeed the branch on the south side of Liujiang Bridge is a real department store which includes a supermarket apparently designed by a maze maker.  The branch in the city centre is under Liuzhou Square and is only a supermarket. There are three entrances - two on the south side of the square itself and a third at the northern end of the underground shopping mall. The foodstuffs they stock are virtually identical to Lianhua. They do the same cheese and bacon, but have a wider range of olive oils. This is, I believe, the cheapest place to buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (By the way, none of Liuzhou's shops seem to know the difference between EVOO and Pure Olive Oil, so they charge almost the same for the latter although it is of much lower quality and should be about half the price!) They also have both black and white peppercorns which come in their own little grinders. Disappointingly, the freezers which promise "Frozen Pastry" contain no such thing. In fact, most of the "English" signs in the shop are amusing nonsense.

Vogue Health and Beauty

Almost next door to Lianhua Supermarket is Vogue Health and Beauty. A casual observer would think this is a cosmetics and personal hygiene product store, and they would be correct. However, head to the back of the shop and you will find a strange selection of western foodstuffs. They are strong on soft drinks and mixers (tonic water etc.) and breakfast cereals. They also have a range of pastas and sauces. Dried fruits and biscuits (cookies) are also featured. They also carry a lot of Japanese goods. As with other places, the range alters from time to time, so it's always worth a look if you are passing.

Taifeng Bakery

Just round the corner from the 'butter shop' is what used to be "Cherries Cake Shop". It recently reopened in a shrunken shop on the same site as before, albeit under a different name, Tai Feng Foods. It is the only place I know which does real bread. Sugar-free bread! If you know different please let me know!

They do a wholemeal bread with added grains and more plain varieties. Supply is limited, though. Look for 法包 on the labels or ask for fǎ bāo.

The shop is at  is at 28 YingShan Jie () See map.

Cheese and Butter etc.

From Vogue, head down the pedestrian street to where it is bisected by Gongyuan Lu and turn right towards Pizza Hut. Cross to the other side of the main road and continue into the side street. Here you will find what we call the 'butter shop'. This was the first shop in Liuzhou to sell anything resembling western foodstuffs. They have Kraft Singles for ¥16. They also have Philadelphia Cheese at ¥25 for what looked to me like a fairly large block. (Can't stand the stuff myself. But then I like cheese!)

They also sell butter. Real butter from real cows! It's in the fridge just beside the cash desk. If you don't see it, ask for .

They also have pasta, real curry powder and curry paste made in India, Tabasco sauce, canned red kidney beans, tuna, black olives, flours, baking powder and dried yeast and other odd things. Always worth a look. They mainly supply restaurants and hotels, and have a shop in Guangzhou from which they bring stuff in. They are friendly and will try to satisfy reasonable requests.

OK where are they? Click here to see a map.

Department Stores

Liuzhou's oldest and perhaps, most important, department stores lie next to each other. First. diagonally opposite McDonalds is Wuxing or Five Star Department Store (五星商业大厦), opened in 1952, and which gives its name to the whole area.

What is less well known is that it has a small supermarket attached. In the picture above, behind the tree, under the red sign is what looks like the entrance to a CD / DVD shop. But continue through the CDs and you reach WuXing Supermarket. Mind your head!

There is another entrance down the lane to the right of the department store (where the illegal pet market is at nights).

As usual the supermarket stocks mainly Chinese goods, but does have a small selection of fruit juices and has a range of canned tuna and pasta sauces. It also stocks muesli. However, it is best for supplies of biscuits (cookies). It's always worth a look when you are in the area, but make sure you can't find the same goods elsewhere. This place ain't cheap.

Across the way, towards the main road is the second department store, Gong Mao (工贸大厦). Hidden away at the back of the basement is a supermarket. which has an ever changing range of western goods. It is strong on sweets (candies) and biscuits (cookies) but also has a good, if expensive range of olive oils. There are a few different coffees (although some of the coffee specialists around town are a better source). It has a range of canned tuna and crab meat, wine and balsamic vinegars, pasta and steak sauce. As with Wu Xing, compare with other places before buying. A lot of their stuff is available elsewhere at much lower prices.

Five Star Chain

This newcomer can be found by walking down the pedestrian street from McDonalds towards the river. When you can't go any further, turn left and the shop is on the next corner (corner of Shuguang DongLu and LiXin Lu). It is notable for its range of organic cereals and pulses and a rather pleasant organic green tea. It also has a good selection of chocolate.

If you continue along Shuguang DongLu heading towards  Dong Men (East Gate), there is a shop at No. 177  which has a selection of western foodstuffs.  It is the second shop from the left (next to the orange shop) in the picture below.

The chaotic shop has a bizarre selection of stuff. They get things in, sell them and never restock, but replace them with something totally different. It is good on nuts and beans, sardines, liver paté and odd sauces. From time to time they have Heinz baked beans, Bovril, Canned lentils and other delights. There is a small fridge at the back of the shop which usually contains butter (salted and unsalted) and Danish Camembert. Definitely worth a weekly inspection but always check expiry dates.

Wines and Spirits

There are a few places which sell French or Australian wines (but beware of fakes), but the best selection is probably that in the basement of Gong Mao (see above). For spirits and other liquors, Gong Mao also has a separate shop on the other side of KFC which has a good (for China) range of whiskies, vodka, gin, brandy etc. WuXing also has a small selection on the ground (first) floor of the main department store (beside the entrance on the corner opposite McDonalds). Lianhua also has a small selection in their liquor store which lies between the exit and entrance to the main supermarket.

Gong Mao Liquor Store (through the blinds)

See more food shopping here

If you know of any other goodies, please let me know.