Best U.S. Grocery Stores? Where Florida Favorite Publix Ranks

Miami doesn't play when it comes to grocery shopping. We're picky about our produce, loyal to our local staples (and go wild over viral ones), and proud of our supermarket standards. While other cities debate over who has the best grocery store, here in Florida, we've long known where to go when we want a delicious sandwich for lunch, a bakery that never misses, and staff who somehow always remember where the marinara is.

So when a new nationwide ranking set out to determine the best grocery chains in the U.S., using thousands of Google reviews from major cities to settle the score, we weren't surprised by the results. According to a 2025 analysis that scraped and reviewed data from 3,000 locations across the country, Publix came in at No. 2 with a sky-high 4.50 average rating.

Wait, People Needed a Study to Know This?

Publix isn't just a grocery store. It's a lifestyle. It's where you grabbed a Pub Sub before a beach day, stocked up on snacks before a hurricane, or ran into your high school teacher still wearing their work lanyard in the frozen aisle. For Floridians, Publix is embedded in everyday life. But now, there's data to back it up. The study ranked 30 major grocery brands by calculating the average Google rating of each store, only counting locations with at least 1,000 reviews to weed out one-off flukes. Publix beat out buzzy national names like Aldi, Whole Foods, and even Wegmans, falling just behind Trader Joe's, which topped the list with a 4.65.

Publix Pours, Burrito Bowls, and Beer on Tap

Over the years, Publix has quietly evolved into a hybrid grocery store, food hall, and casual hangout, and we're not mad about it. Some locations now offer beer and wine on tap, acai bowl counters, burrito stations, and poke bars, so you can grocery shop while sipping sauvignon blanc and snacking on a tuna bowl. If you're lucky enough to live near one of these upgraded stores, congrats. You've reached peak suburban luxury.

Miami Already Knew

This isn’t the first time Publix has earned national praise. People love it so much that every new location across Florida practically goes viral, whether it’s got beer on tap or a deli that feels like a social club. And now, the rest of the country is finally catching on. Earlier this year, Publix tied with Trader Joe’s for the top spot as America’s favorite grocery store, according to the 2025 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) rankings.

So yeah, this time Publix technically came in second. But here in Florida, we know better. From the "BOGO" deals (buy one, get one free) to the bakery cookies to the staff who somehow always know where everything is, Publix isn't just where shopping is a pleasure. It's a way of life. We'll let Trader Joe's have the gold medal this time. We're too busy enjoying our fried chicken in the car to care.