All About POAPorto Alegre

Where to buy what in Porto Alegre

Malls, the Mercado, Independência used furniture, and the one street you need.

Supermarkets

  • Zaffari / Bourbon: same group, among the most traditional supermarkets in Porto Alegre.
  • Carrefour: several sites across the city. The Nacional brand is being replaced after Carrefour bought Grupo BIG.
  • Bistek: a Santa Catarina chain expanding in Porto Alegre.
  • Mercado Público: excellent for meat, cheese, spices and traditional products.
  • Feiras Modelo: good for fruit, vegetables and fresh produce in the neighbourhoods.

Home

There is no IKEA. For furniture and household goods there is Tok&Stok, Mobly, Leroy Merlin, Mercado Livre and OLX. Used furniture and antique shops are easy to find in Bom Fim and other central areas. Facebook Marketplace is widely used.

On Sundays, Brique da Redenção brings crafts, antiques, records, used objects and a lot of people walking the park.

Malls

The main ones are Iguatemi, Bourbon Country, Praia de Belas and BarraShoppingSul. Besides shopping, they concentrate restaurants, cinemas and services, and they are good options on the city’s many rainy days.

Clothes

Moinhos de Vento and Iguatemi concentrate shops and known brands. Centro has more popular options and lower prices. Cidade Baixa and Bom Fim have several thrift shops and independent stores.

Outdoors / bikes

Porto Alegre has good specialist bike and gear shops. Before you buy used, check prices and provenance. Register the frame number and spend on a decent lock.

Books in English

The English-book supply is still limited. Local and mall bookshops have some, but most of the stock is in Portuguese. If you read a lot in English, Kindle ends up more practical.

The traditional Feira do Livro happens every year in Centro and is worth a visit.

Hardware

For small repairs, neighbourhood building-supply shops usually do it. For renovations and larger projects, there are big stores such as Leroy Merlin. And in many buildings, the condo WhatsApp group is a good source of plumbers, electricians and other trades.

When everything is closed

Sunday night: mall food court, some Zaffari, delivery. Do not count on a 24-hour pharmacy without checking first. Panvel has branches with extended hours. Confirm.