Great topic for a thread.

I always go out exploring and check out the local grocery stores, and when time allows also scope out local farmer's markets and the like. Living where I do, Wegmans is of course the gold standard to which all others are compared.

Of all the places I traveled to, Montreal in particular and Quebec in general have stores that continually make a good impression. Within a few miles of YUL there is a large number of what I would call specialty and gourmet food stores, but what the locals would call nothing more than normal.

Even driving north out of Montreal into the Laurentians, stop in any small town IGA store and the offerings and presentation are top notch compared to what I see anywhere else.