Lidl

I came here out of curiosity and I have to say it was very much a cultural experience!
They sell mainly obscure overseas brands (which I’d stay away from) as well as some branded goods. For example, they have McVities Digestives and then they have an unknown branded Digestives at a fraction of the price.
That said, the fresh goods look decent enough — fruit, veg, milk and cheeses.
They also sell frozen goods although 80% of the freezer shelves were empty. Oddly enough there are random things in here like weed killer and cargo trousers.
Walking past the shop last week I noticed the gorgeous aroma of freshly baked bread so it seems they have recently installed an in-​store bakery.
Although some items are cheaper than mainstream supermarkets, I wouldn’t shop here frequently as it seems they don’t have everything I need. I stick to Tesco across the road or online shopping (Tesco, Sainsburys, Ocado).
Beware: queues are massive and you have to pay for plastic carrier bags.

Great price and good selection of European food and drinks.

I live very near this store, but it traumatizes me every time I go in. In fact, I have never successfully purchased anything in this store because the queues or the crowds are too much. The selection is also not great. Lots of junk food. And it is cheap, which is why I gave it more than one chance. But. Just. No.

I’ve never really been a particular fan of Lidl but it’s reasonable i have to admit. It’s like a really lonely supermarket which everyone knows of but wishes the hadn’t. There’s nothing particular to dislike about it, it just gives you that feel. It is cheap and so that may be enough for you, especially at times like these, so not much point in complaining really.
Oh and it doesn’t have much brands like other supermarkets so be expecting to find majority of the products belonging to them

Three stars is really too much in my opinion, only 99p can be worst than Lidl in the area.
Really cheap stuff, biscuits are ok, beers at good price but the rest is really tasteless or full of salt or sugar.
Unhealthy food for my taste.

Going to this Lidl is almost like coming home! You see, I am German and Lidl, being originally a German discounter, has loads of stuff that other British supermarkets don’t have, especially in the sweets department and in the cold-​cut department. In fact, on many of my shopping trips, I’ve come across other German expats who’re simply happy to find some of the things that you simply don’t get anywhere else.
But I also go to Lidl, because they do give me a good value for my money on products like canned vegetables, dry pasta, dairy products and even cleaning supplies like detergents and sponges.
Also, a trip to this particular location is always very exotic, as you are surrounded by the many nationalities that call the Finsbury Park neighbourhood their home!
…and since I’m already in the area, I always stop at the Happening Beigel right across the street to stock up on the most delicious Challah and bagels!

So after I blow most of my food budget at Waitrose for unnecessary food items, like organic Cumberland sausage, Spanish lemon lemonade, premade chicken tikka and other lovely things, I head up the Piccadilly Line to Finsbury Park. I get off and walk into Lidl to purchase my £1 HobNobs, 59p digestives and £2 sausage rolls. Its cheap and I love it. But beware of bumping into chavs purchasing all the cider.

Probably one of the worst Lidls I’ve been to — they can be decent enough and you can pick up good deals on decent food/​drink. This one seems crapped and just not very nice to be in.

CHEAP! Oh yes Lidl is so, so cheap. This of course brings a big smile to my face. Do not think for a minute though that shopping here is a mindless free for all. The narrow cramped isles, stacked on both sides with grocery items are in places poorly priced. So keep a keen eye as it is almost impossible to work out what costs what sometimes. I was caught out thinking a squeezy bottle of honey was 99p. When I arrived home and read the receipt, I noted the honey was priced at £2.99.
There is a lot of cheap junk food in Lidl’s, but if you are prepared to look, there are plenty of very good offers that the majority of high street supermarkets cannot match. You may need a translator too as there are many items on show that are from foreign countries without any English packaging.
My recommendation is if you are living within a borough or two and surviving on a tight budget, you’ll save a few pounds doing your shopping here.

I admit to aspiring to being a bit of an organic food fusser but eco warrior intentions are easily forgotten when offered a good deal on my groceries. And I’ll try anything once. But once may have to be enough for me and Lidl. It’s a far cry from Fresh and Wild but is a similarly claustrophobic shopping experience. The isles are crammed and narrow and I wanted to run screaming from the place after finding myself boxed by pushchairs in the sweet aisle, boxes of sugar laden goodies towering above me. Calmed by eventually being reunited with my friend I was pleased to find a few things I wanted and recognised, Heinz beans, Persil (mysteriously stacked on the same shelf), and a pretty good selection of fresh fruit and veg. And all so cheap! Which truck had it all fallen off the back of? I came away dead chuffed at having picked myself up a real bargain in a £1.65 bottle of Soave (amongst other things) only to have the wind taken out of my sails by discovering we’d paid a standard £5 for my bargain bottle on later inspection of the receipt. The price labels had been misleadingly placed, or perhaps I’d just been blinded by my sudden bargain induced greed. Go, but make sure you have you’re wits about you and dare I say it, only if the queue at Tesco across the road is out the door.

Hooray! Cheap food! Just outside Finsbury Park, ironically replacing the original socialist bookshop (see Bookmarks), proudly stands this supremely affordable supermarket. Here you can purchase cheaper European brands or still cheaper than elsewhere familiar names such as Heinz. Fruit and vegetables are a-​plenty and at ultra low prices. Pop here after a game of tenis in the park. On the downside, it is a bit cramped and the checkout pushes you through on a conveyor belt, but it’s worth it.

When this store first opened in Finsbury Park it was a godsend! The area didn’t have any supermarkets at the time, & Lidl stores seemed to be few & far between within the (relatively) central London areas. They have cheap fruit n veges, cheap cheese selection (!), frozen food, toiletries etc but also have weekly specials on offer — like camping gear/​wellington boots etc in festival season & so forth. Bear in mind this is not a large store by any means & is packed with people queuing to pay on most nights. And they have crammed it with as many ailes as possible making them fairly narrow. You have to purchase the plastic bags to pack groceries or provide your own — and this often caused many arguments from people who just couldn’t get their heads around the concept. Also the security at the store are pretty blunt — as in they think you’re a trouble maker & that’s you escourted out of the building! The one down at Clapham Junction is much larger & nicer, but this store has done well for the size… and lets face it — a bargain’s a bargain in these hard credit crunch times!

Being a Lidl this has the usual wonderfully eclectic range of bargains. You might pick up cheap pizza or vegetable juice, or an unusual gadget. Mainly food, but just about anything possible.
Being where it is the atmosphere here is as ahem interesting as the stock. In my experience there’s just as likely to be a ‘kick off’ here as down the road at the local football ground. OK, exaggeration maybe: it hasn’t happened on my every visit! Still the cramped narrow aisles do make for constant annoyance as you negotiate your way round other people’s pushchairs etc.
Enjoy the bargains and think calm thoughts