Kroger Vs Publix: Who Has The Best Grocery Store Sushi?

If you love sushi, the only thing that can beat a slab of raw fish made into a roll is when it's affordable. What was once a splurge, is now very accessible as grocery stores have started regularly carrying the tasty meal. Both Kroger and Publix have fresh sushi sections with grab and go, made daily sushi rolls. Which store is the best place to go for your dose of the Japanese dish? I taste tested a combination roll as well as a poke bowl from each grocery store to make the determination.

I am someone who could spend a pretty penny on fresh sushi and sashimi or go as far to reach for some gas station sushi. Know that I have experienced some of the worst and best sushi available in the U.S. This gives me some pretty unique credentials and I am a pretty good judge of raw seafare. Thankfully, Kroger and Publix fall somewhere in the middle of this wild range of sushi quality, but which big name store offers up the best grocery store sushi? I've looked at the defining qualities of each, and this is how the two superstores stacked up according to the sushi departments.

Grocery stores have really expanded their offerings when it comes to prepared and pre-made meals, and a lot of big name stores offer sushi now. Kroger has pushed out quite a lot of sushi in recent years, and Publix has recently started building bigger stores for more of these kinds of offerings. Both grocery stores contract out their sushi departments to franchises, and both feature live sushi chefs in select locations.

Publix has contracted sushi makers from AFC Sushi in the majority of the stores that carry fresh sushi. Kroger does make its own sushi in some stores, contracted from Snowfox, but customers have also seen fresh sushi being delivered to locations daily. These hand deliveries reportedly come from larger locations that do have sushi chefs stationed there. In my experience, every Publix I have ever visited has had a sushi chef present during peak business hours. While I have seen some Krogers with a sushi station equipped for a sushi chef, I have seen it without a chef during the same time ranges.

When it comes to choice, Kroger has the advantage. It offers so many variations to its sushi rolls and more types of sushi. Both Kroger and Publix can be counted on for sushi bowls and basic rolls, but Kroger also carries onigiri and more specialty rolls. If you are trying to feed a group of people, Kroger is also the place to go for bigger trays of sushi. Whether you want a single roll, a tray of three rolls, or an entire platter that will feed four people to satisfaction, Kroger has it. This is likely due to the fact that Kroger sells a whole lot of sushi, so it's able to make more daily and still profit.

If you are someone who knows what they like, and you like a basic roll like a California or spicy tuna roll, then Publix will fit the bill just fine. For those who want options or have no idea what they'd prefer, Kroger has a range of combination rolls that allows customers to try a few different kinds for less. Choice can be a curse for some, though, so if you'd rather not stress about choosing the perfect roll, keep it basic. Considering Kroger carries at least three different variations of a crunchy roll, be prepared to browse.

I'm incredibly comfortable chowing down on a sushi roll from either grocery store. I will say that the tuna rolls at Publix have looked a bit dull to me at times. I like a bright red or purple tuna coloring for sushi, and Publix can sometimes be on the pale pink or grey side. As for this taste test, both stores had good results when concerning the freshness and quality of the fish and veggies.

Since Kroger gets a bit more creative with its rolls, it's easier to notice the vibrancy of the rolls right off the bat. One roll in the combination roll from Kroger that I taste tested had sliced avocado spread over the rice, and I couldn't have asked for better avocado. The color, texture, and all around taste was that of a perfectly ripe, fresh avocado.

I did notice a stark difference in the stores' poke bowls, though. Publix had a far superior poke bowl. With better fish and better ingredients. Kroger's poke bowl incorporated long cut cucumbers, crinkle shaved carrots, and a whole lot of lettuce that severely overshadowed any other aspect of a poke bowl. All in all, I would say that Kroger typically wins out on quality, but Publix has its shining moments that makes this qualifier a near draw.

Sushi is perfectly paired with an order of dumplings or a calamari salad, and neither grocery store leaves customers hanging in this department. Shopping at Kroger when you're in the mood for sushi or something sushi-adjacent is nice, because the vastness of options extends to appetizers that go so well with the yummy meal. Publix also carries some of these offerings, but doesn't have nearly as many options as Kroger.

Publix usually stocks dumplings, seaweed salad, and calamari. You can typically get a pair of spring rolls there as well. Kroger, on the other hand, has all of these appetizers and then some, like pork buns and inari sushi. Kroger also carries saucy chicken and rice bowls that are kept in the sushi section and could be considered another kind of appetizer.

A lot of these appetizers to the sushi are typically around $5, which really isn't bad. You'd be paying twice that for dumplings in a restaurant, and both Kroger and Publix do a great job with taste and quality.

Grocery store sushi is already going to be a bit more affordable than ordering a sushi roll elsewhere, especially considering you're not expected to tip. Both Publix and Kroger make sushi very accessible with Wednesday sushi deals. Both stores' sushi sale happens year round and is available anytime the sushi department is open, typically from around 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. or whenever they run out in the evening. It's only the basic rolls that are on special during the sale, like the California rolls and the spicy tuna, salmon, and shrimp rolls. At Publix, the sushi is marked down to $5, whereas Kroger's base rolls are $6 on Wednesdays. The savings are around $4 — not bad at all.

Regular shoppers at these stores are well aware about the ongoing sale, and rolls go quickly. Shopping at a location with a live, in-house sushi maker will help you secure all the sushi you want. Going in a little early, or after the lunch rush leaves will help avoid a crowd of customers picking at the stock as well. I have seen some Publix sushi makers even take orders for the sushi special when stock runs low.

Even though Kroger prices its special at a dollar more, I find these specials to be of equal value. Publix rolls, even at a base level, are a bit simpler. The extra dollar is well worth it, at least to me, but you still can't go wrong with Publix's cheaper and more basic roll, either.

One of the worst things about grocery store sushi is when there isn't any. When you're set on sushi for lunch or dinner, it's a huge bummer to get to the store to see the section devoid of your favorite rolls. While this has happened to me at Publix, Kroger has yet to keep me yearning. This is especially true on sushi Wednesdays, as there is more demand for sushi. Publix tends to slack on the availability of its other sushi rolls on these days, filling the display with mostly $5 rolls. Kroger does stock a good amount of the store's $6 rolls, but does not scrimp on the other sushi, either. If anything, there is a bit more sushi at Kroger on these days.

Kroger seems to have a healthy stock of sushi, even at later hours. It seems to keep a little bit of everything stocked up as well. Publix does run out of things often, especially on sushi Wednesdays. You can always ask about a roll or sushi product you don't see, though. Pro tip: you'll have better luck heading in around lunch time or a couple hours after if you don't want the castaway rolls that didn't make everyone else's basket. It'll be slim pickings if you show up after 7:30 p.m. as well.

I've been buying grocery store sushi for quite some time, and I do not recall Publix ever having more than two sauces topping its rolls. The store has a spicy mayo sauce that is drizzled on its spicy rolls and a sticky brown sushi sauce that usually accompanies its crunchy rolls. Kroger, however, has a range of sauces and quite a lot of rolls have two sauces that combine as a topping. The standard spicy mayo and sushi sauce are there, but I've also seen the store get creative with sriracha and occasionally other mayo-based sauces. This could, of course, depend on who is making the sushi at that location on a given day.

I am a sauce girlie, and I definitely take notice of sauce on food. I haven't met a Kroger sushi roll that I don't like, and quite a lot of their taste comes from the sauces drizzled on top. For the DIYers out there, Kroger also sells bottles of each of their sauces in the sushi section. Of course, this also means you could keep a bottle on hand to load up any other store's sushi rolls, a real asset for at-home sushi beginners.

When grocery shopping, service doesn't usually come into play much until you get to the very end, and maybe not at all if you've got the acceptable amount of products for self checkout. However, there are certain departments that involve employee interaction and a certain level of customer service. The sushi section can be one of these areas, particularly at Publix.

Quite a lot of locations have sushi makers in-house everyday, and depending on how interactive the maker is, they will go above and beyond just pre-making and laying out the sushi. If you are looking for a particular roll, the sushi maker will sometimes be willing to make it right then and there if you ask extra nicely. This is especially true on sushi Wednesdays, when the rolls sell out quickly. I have been to stores during the rush, and the sushi maker keeps a list of what each person would like to purchase. Of course, they do not have to do this, but it is a kindness that doesn't go unnoticed.

Alternatively, I have never seen this happen at Kroger. While that doesn't mean it never does, a lot of Krogers don't have a live sushi maker, or really anyone you can speak to about the stock.

If you're a sushi lover, you know that prices can range pretty heavily, even at grocery stores. Overall, you'll get a better deal at a grocery store, though, and prices are largely dependent on the ingredients of each sushi product. This is absolutely the case at both Kroger and Publix, and a lot of the time the prices align pretty well with each other. Both large grocery stores offer a basic tuna or salmon roll for $8.99, which seems to be a base standard. A California roll will run you $6.49 at Kroger, though, and $7.49 at Publix.

With that being said, Kroger has a wider range of prices than Publix, but that is mostly because it has more kinds of sushi rolls and products. Rolls at Kroger also tend to be more complex, which lends to a higher price as well. Both grocery stores may carry a crunchy roll, but Kroger's has added ingredients. This lends a slightly higher price tag, but you are still very much getting your money's worth.

When it came to the poke bowls I taste tested, though, I found the opposite. Kroger's poke bowl was much more affordable at $9.99, but contained more lettuce and less other ingredients compared to Publix's $13.99 per bowl. Kroger's bowl was more akin to a salad with some raw tuna and salmon, whereas Publix's felt like a real poke bowl. This was reflected in the price, and I felt both were a good deal.

For the most part, Kroger and Publix are very comparable when it comes to the nutrition of the sushi each store offers. Since all of the rolls are basically made up of the same few ingredients, they logically have similar values for nutritional content and calories. That is, until you start getting into the more complex rolls, which Kroger offers in excess.

Kroger has a bit more going on with its sushi, like various sauces and toppings, whereas Publix has seemed to adopt a more basic approach with one sauce and occasional topping. For this reason, you'll probably get off lighter in calories going with Publix. The sauce on the sushi will be the biggest culprit of adding empty calories. The majority of the other ingredients you'll find in a sushi roll have quite a bit of value. Cucumber, avocado, seaweed, imitation crab, and the various raw fish available make for a rounded meal full of healthy fat and protein.

Both offer brown rice rolls (they're not awesome, though) if you are cutting calories and want to enjoy a full sushi roll. A white rice roll without the added sauce or crunch topping, from either grocery store, will still be a filling meal with a lower calorie count.

First things first, I would not say "no" to a sushi roll for either Publix or Kroger. Both bring quality, fresh sushi to the table at a reasonable and affordable price. The Wednesday sushi specials make eating sushi even more accessible, and they offer a nice weekly treat for sushi lovers. However, I have to say that Kroger wins the title of best grocery store sushi in this context.

Not only does Kroger bring out all the stops in availability and range, but every roll I've ever had from Kroger has been packed with flavor and perfectly fresh. Publix has had some quality issues, even if its poke bowl was the best part of this particular taste test. If you're in the mood specifically for a poke bowl, opt for Publix, but any other sushi craving should be sated at Kroger for best results.

It's a close race here, and your choice of grocery store sushi could be purely situational. I would say that if you are making a special grocery store trip just to chow down on some sushi, head over to your closest Kroger. However, if you're going grocery shopping and sushi happens to be on your list, Publix is a great way to go.

I'm a sushi lover, especially when it's affordable. I've tried a large range of rolls from both Kroger and Publix, and from a few different locations of each. Some locations are better than others, especially when it comes to the sushi offerings, but I have found enjoyment and stability out of both grocery stores' sushi departments. When doing my side-by-side taste test, I took all bias out by writing down my initial thoughts of each bite of different sushi. I selected a combo roll and poke bowl from both stores. I ate the rolls in whole bites as they are meant to be eaten, but took care to taste each individual ingredient of the poke bowls. After inspecting the taste and quality of the ingredients, I tried the bowls with a little bit of each ingredient in a bite.

Though the rolls came with their standard sauce, ginger, and wasabi, I ignored the optional additions to focus on the sushi at its core. I tried a bit of each roll and bowl back-to-back, but also saved a portion of each to test further apart to compare, so as to not be biased by the order of tastes. By taking into account the taste of each part of the sushi rolls and bowls and then how they act together, I was able to determine clear differences in the grocery store sushi.