Ooh, new Waitrose in my area, recommend me your favourites please!

[dazedandblue]

A new Waitrose has opened near me and I'm heading over for a browse today. I haven't stepped foot in one for a long time!

What are your must-buy items? Best own-brand stuff, hidden gems, things worth the extra cost? Also any bakery/deli/cheese counter recommendations?

Basically don't want to just wander round aimlessly and miss the good stuff - give me your Waitrose wisdom!

At this time of year the own brand pineapple and coconut ice lollies. No junk in them and they taste like a Piña Colada.

Most of the Duchy Organic range is great.

The tiramisu in the fridge is the best supermarket one we've tried.

Torres crisps.

They do a Welsh goats cheese with ginger that is incredible. Can't remember the name off the top of my head but it starts with a P.

If you like red wine they do an organic primitivo with an orange label.....Terre di Fiano which is fantastic.

Wild Farmed fresh baguette with the green label.

For other wines and prosecco etc their blue label own brand ones are usually very good.

Caramelised red onion chutney

Birchall Great Rift tea bags

No 1 Madagascan vanilla ice cream

Colombian coffee shortbread

Lemon and coriander houmous

Their meat and fish counters often have great deals at mine. I love their caramelised nut milk chocolate. And their white chocolate ice cream. Their number one sherries are also delicious but I wait for them to rotate round to being on offer.

My favourite pizza: mushroom, bacon & mascarpone

Have a look at the offers on their website
they have half price, 1/3 and 25% off deals all the time
Get a ‘my Waitrose’ card/ on your phone for the free tea or coffee.
your new branch may have a desk for John Lewis click and collect which is useful.

No1 Lucious Lemon Curd
Waitrose White Chocolate Ice Cream
Croissants - the big ones

2nd the Colombian Coffee Shortbread.

I ate the whole pack in an afternoon. 😁

Get the loyalty card and app - free coffees, money off vouchers for stuff you actually buy like milk and butter plus free treats every month.

in terms of food -
All the fruit
baba ganoush
fish and meat counters - nice quality and often things v much reduced.

Colombian coffee ice cream.

Their essentials ketchup is better than Heinz

Jimmy's mocha iced coffee - so good in the heatwave

Bags of grated gruyère are useful for macaroni cheese, to mix with the cheddar, keep one in the freezer

Waitrose own brand chocolate digestives are better than McVities

Their Essentials range is often seriously cheap and good quality

Spend the money you save in their No1 range. The difference in taste is ridiculous

And definitely get the App and a card. The Treats they offer you are usually things you actually want

Essentials fish fingers
Frozen chopped onions and soffritto. They also do frozen chopped ginger, garlic, shallots etc
Their meat is better than most other supermarkets’ IME. Organic chicken especially. Look for yellow label discounts in the afternoons
No 1 white chocolate ice cream
Kellys miso soup and rest of that range
Pelargonia Aivar
Definitely the fruit - usually really good
Crosta & Mollica brand esp pizzas
No 1 greek yogurt- amazing
They do the best hot cross buns, in season
Fresh flowers are often good quality and value

Oh yes their essentials ginger nuts are the best

Interesting all the comments about treats and vouchers, I've been a member and regular shopper since they launched the scheme, and outside of the occasional coffee when they provided cups, never had a single benefit. Never get vouchers or anything at all!

No.1 range Ice Cream
Loved & Found Wine - about £9 a bottle
Butter
Bertinot bread
Essentials range mustards and sauces
No.1 dried pasta
No.1 fresh Pesto
Essentials range fresh fish
Drinks Bakery cheese biscuit nibbles
little pots of jelly to go with cheese that are by the cheese counter.

Duchy organic. Lemon tart. Olive oil hummus.

Oh yes the Cook’s Ingredients range is pretty good too. I buy the nam pla, ketjap manis, wok oil and various others.

Get the app and have a look online at reviews before / while you go to the shop.

Essentials range is good. SIL offen stocks up on it.

I also check the health and beauty aisle for offers on the luxe stuff, they usually have at least one offer. Their baby Charlotte potato salad, pork pies and scotch eggs. Cupcakes if in cafe.

Their herbs and spices are good.

Agree with pp about the fruit. Lots of choice, fresh and doesn’t go off. Their meat is good too but as pp said wait for yellow sticker items. Most of their own brand frozen stuff is pretty good.

90% chocolate. Waitrose own brand. It's the best one there is and I've tried them all.

I buy 4 bars a week. It's delicious. I even take it on holiday with me.

Their cashew nuts are better than M&S.

DH likes the fish pie and prefers it to Charlie Bighams.

The entire ottolenghi range! It is very expensive so I only buy it on offer but all amazing

OMG - my mouth is watering as I'm taking notes!!

I wonder if you're near me , we've just had a new Waitrose opened and I was going to have a mooch round.

Italian quick cook spelt - it's called Farro in Italy and is a Tuscan staple. It's an amazing grain to use in a salad, soup or treat or as you would arborio, for a risotto

You need to get the app - they don’t send stuff by post or email