ALDI Picoas — Supermarket in Saldanha, Lisbon

This is a branch of Aldi, the German chain, on Rua Filipe Folque in Saldanha, with São Sebastião station serving the neighbourhood. What you notice first is the scale: it is a compact city store, not a big out-of-town one, and it covers the basics without much room to spare.

The shelves carry a solid lineup of German goods, the sort of thing that brings regulars back, and there is a well-stocked pastry selection at prices that stay reasonable. Bottled drinks are cheap, with a small 10 cent deposit on top; the bottle return machine works, which is worth knowing if you are carrying empties around the city.

The layout takes some getting used to. Items sit scattered around the store in a way that can feel incongruous, so you may find yourself doubling back for something you passed. There is also a bazaar section for new arrivals and a clearance area for products nearing their expiration date at lower prices.

On cost, the everyday essentials are fairly priced and the clearance shelf is where the savings sit. A basket of basics lands in the €10–30 range. Checkout is the slow point: there are no self-checkout lanes, so the queue to pay can run long at busy moments.

Staff manner is friendly and helpful, which softens the wait. The store suits a quick, practical shop rather than a browse, and the clearance shelf rewards a look before you commit to the full-price version of anything.