Each of our rental condos comes with a modern and fully equipped kitchen. That means most of our guests will end up cooking at some point during their stay at Cabarete Palm Beach Condos. So, we thought it might come in handy to know where to go grocery shopping in and around Cabarete. This article will provide you with a list of the larger grocery stores in the surrounding area, as well as provide a few spots that will help you shop like a well-seasoned resident.
Supermercado Janets
If you ask the general question, “Where is the supermarket in Cabarete?” the answer most will give is, “Janet’s!” Located on the east side of town, Janet’s has been providing the staples (food, pet supplies, and odds and ends) to the people of Cabarete for the last 15 years. In order to keep up with the growing competition, the once quaint supermercado added a few hundred square meters to its footprint in March of 2015. Back in the day, we all had to drive to Sosua if we wanted anything “fancy” like rolled oats or flax seeds, but with the expansion came a huge selection of products on the shelf and now you can find many more items and brands that you would expect to see in a North American or European grocery store. In addition to food, you can also shop a revolving selection of household bits and pieces like light bulbs, extension chords, pots and pans, cheapy snorkeling gear, and even 2-top electric burners (and more). It’s also worth mentioning that Janet’s has a delivery van that serves the Cabarete area.
Hours: 8am-8pm Mon-Sat and 9am-12pm on Sundays
Notes: Accepts credit cards for purchases over $300 RD
Phone: 809-571-9770
Extras on site:
Cambio (money exchange counter)
Orange phone desk (payments, sales, and customer service)
Claro phone desk (payments, sales, and customer service)
Western Union desk (sending and receiving)
Janet’s Café (restaurant located upstairs)
Cabarete Spinning Studio (located upstairs)
Super Pola
Located in Sosua, Super Pola is the new kid on the block. The brand spanking new supermarket burst onto the scene in April of 2014 with bins packed full of bright shiny produce and shelves stocked with tons of imported goodies. If you can’t find what you are looking for at Janet’s, Pola (as is it called for short) is the closest alternative. There are several departments such as the deli, bakery, and bodega (liquor section) and each have products and brands you might not expect to find in a town like this. One of the major draws of this grocery store is the wine, beer, and spirits selection. Overall, the prices are fair and an array of offertas (specials) and reoccurring weekly specials surely sweeten the pot. Oh, and since Super Pola is part of the Ramos Groupo (the company that also owns La Sirena aka the “Walmart” of DR) you can use your La Sirena card to accumulate points good for discounts on future purchases. One thing to keep in mind is that although the presentation of goods and service is superior, Super Pola doesn’t offer as many household odds and ends as some of its competition.
Extras on site:
New Romance jewelry shop
Claro phone desk (payments, sales, and customer service)
Farmacia Carol (in the same complex)
Avis Rental Car (in the same complex)
Hours: 8am-10pm Mon-Sat and 9am-8pm on Sundays and Holidays
Notes: Accepts credit cards for purchases over $300 RD
Phone: 809-571-4000
Supermercado Playero
Located in Sosua and open since the 80s, Supermercado Playero is the furthest grocery store away from our condos, but perhaps the most all-inclusive. Until Super Pola opened, this was the go to Euro-style supermarket for those who wanted more than the essentials that Janet’s had to offer. Still, Playero is where you go when you want to get (almost) everything you need all in one place. That’s because it has the biggest non-food departments of the previous 2 mentioned. Playero’s household goods, toys and gifts, hardware, automotive, and veterinary sections go unmatched when it comes to the amount of product varieties available. The prices rival those of the aforementioned, and just like Super Pola there are plenty of daily offertas and reoccurring weekly specials that help you rack up points on your Playero card.
Extras on site:
Claro phone desk (payments, sales, and customer service)
Coffee Café
Hours: 8am-9 Mon-Sat and 8am-8:30pm on Sundays
Notes: Accepts credit cards for purchases over $300 RD
Phone: 809-571-1821
Supermercado La Rosa
Located in Sosua and open since the 80s, Supermercado Playero is the furthest grocery store away from our condos, but perhaps the most all-inclusive. Until Super Pola opened, this was the go to Euro-style supermarket for those who wanted more than the essentials that Janet’s had to offer. Still, Playero is where you go when you want to get (almost) everything you need all in one place. That’s because it has the biggest non-food departments of the previous 2 mentioned. Playero’s household goods, toys and gifts, hardware, automotive, and veterinary sections go unmatched when it comes to the amount of product varieties available. The prices rival those of the aforementioned, and just like Super Pola there are plenty of daily offertas and reoccurring weekly specials that help you rack up points on your Playero card.
Extras on site:
Claro phone desk (payments, sales, and customer service)
Coffee Café
Hours: 8am-9 Mon-Sat and 8am-8:30pm on Sundays
Notes: Accepts credit cards for purchases over $300 RD
Phone: 809-571-1821
Colmado
Colmado is a Spanish word that literally translates to “full to the brim” but in Cabarete a colmado is also the equivalent of a corner shop. They are literally everywhere! Most of them are pretty small and tucked away into a corner, although there are some larger ones. Sometimes they are simply a room in front of a house. Their namesake comes from the fact that they are all “full to the brim” with merchandise. Generally open from early in the morning to often very late at night. Each colmado is unique, so what you will find available for purchase will be just as unique. Some specialize in fruits, or cakes, or meat products, but you will always find something to munch on, a bit of clothes washing powder, and all the essentials to make a decent guisado (stew). Some double as a party spot at night, so if you are in the mood, throw back a few Presidentes or Cuba Libres with the locals, pull up a plastic chair and get ready to practice your Spanish!
BONUS TIME!
Check out this handy dandy flash card from Una Vaina Bien, a local Spanish professor who has all sorts of free downloadable goodies available on her website. Her lessons are affordable and she is Dominican-American, so she is 100% fluent in both English and Spanish.
*We should mention that if you have a specific recipe you are trying to stick to, you might have to be prepared to make a few stops to gather everything on your list. If you are on the more flexible side, you will find everything you need right at Janet’s.
**Please keep in mind these are some of the more popular grocery stores. There are tons of places that we left off the list in the name of brevity. Our intention with this article is to make sure you have enough resources to make use of our splendid kitchens 🙂
In the future we will have articles on specialty shops, bakeries, butchers, and veggie trucks. So, stay tuned.