10/28/25 1:00 p.m…read more Walk-in/Take Out Food: Our food was delicious! Everything was so full of flavor, and the portion sizes were great for the price. It all tasted so fresh, and the baklava was absolutely to die for! My husband was unsure as to which one he should get, so the gentleman working recommended the selection of baklava that we got. I am so glad that he did because all of it was phenomenal. Service: The service was great. I definitely feel as if they went above what would be considered basic service and were all incredibly friendly and pleasant to interact with. They were quick and efficient and definitely knew what they were talking about. Ambiance: Being a smaller international-type grocery store, it was really pleasant and comfortable to be in. The selection can be overwhelming, but not in a bad way. There is just so much to choose from, and I feel like every time you go in, you will find something new that you didn't see before. The selection of items they have is incredible. It's not overly noisy either, and it smells amazing as soon as you walk in.

I wanted to guve this place 5 stars but it falls short on communication. The store staff is amazing…read moreand very helpful but I was never told that they kitchen closes at 3 and when I came back for the food I was told the kitchen is closed and I couldn't get my food. I drove 1 hour 15 mins just to come to this place. Other than that items are well stocked and there are alot of options. The prices are fine, some are a little high and some are less than other places.

i adore this store! it's cozy and is stocked with the snacks and asian groceries that i like at a…read moregood price! the owner is super friendly and quick!

I've been here several times, and I've had great service. The owner (that the other review said…read morewas not friendly) always says hello to me and asks if I need any help finding anything. Several times she has also given me free items to try and see if I like them. I'll agree that some of the freezer items could be labeled a little better with prices and/or dates, but I haven't really purchased any of those items. I typically come in for different noodles, sauces, and spices. I have found all the prices to be very reasonable, and way cheaper than trying to buy all these specialty items from Amazon or other online vendors. The store itself is a little small and cramped, but that's part of the charm. This is a great store with friendly staff and an awesome selection considering the small size.

An Ames Tradition Since 1973…read more The Ames Downtown Farmers' Market is located at the old Train Station and runs mostly during May to October on Thursdays and Saturdays. Besides the cool architectural backdrop and the sound of UP Trains whizzing by, you can expect seasonal fruits & vegetables, dairy, meat, jams/jellies, wines, baked goods, and crafts - all from local vendors. I also enjoy the people watching and the community energy. And wouldn't you rather be here than walking the "not as fresh" aisles at the nearby Hy-Vee?

Great authentic food and service! We ordered a burrito and split it since it is so big. Still very…read morefilling and the staff brought it in two separate dishes for us after splitting it.

Took our son and roommate there last night for dinner. Came recommended and what fantastic. Hands…read moredown the most authentic Mexican food we have eaten in years. The dishes came out hot, fresh, and full of flavor. We were served in a polite and quick manner and the ordering was easy at the counter. Heading there again before we head back to Kansas City. We loved the small store and the authentic decorations and supplies. The boys commented they now know where to get the chilis for the sauces they love to make. Thank you all for a great meal and fresh ingredients.

Good stock of asian food. Korean food is majority. Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese. I found…read morenatto in this store. Not all asian groceries carry this.

We looked all over for egg roll skins. Finally found them at Unimart. I will be going back there…read morebecause they are better than Hy-Vee ones.

This is one of my favorite places to buy gifts for my wife and is one of the strongest businesses…read moreon Ames' Main Street. Before there was a Wiliams Sonoma store in the state of Iowa Cooks Emporium has been selling high-quality cooking gear and offering classes in downtown Ames. While the location isn't huge you'll find the well-established brands (All-Clad, Le Creuset, Wusthof) that you trust right here. As someone who enjoys cooking, I can spend a lot of time browsing in here for kitchen gadgets. I do the majority of my business here around the holidays and they do a really nice job of wrapping gifts. They are very helpful in answering questions and guiding you toward the right purchase for your task or gift idea. As I write this review I can see many items that we've purchased from the Cooks Emporium. They are local, offer high-quality merchandise, and offer competitive prices on par with even online-retailers.

I love this store, but the employees are hit and miss…read more I am heavily tattooed (at least for Ames, Iowa) and sometimes there is a lady that is just rude and doesn't help me. I can tell it's because I'm young and tattooed by the look on the lady's face. Good thing she doesn't work on commission. If only she knew I graduated from culinary school four years ago and have been baking professionally since then, including wedding cakes. I'm not just some punk kid who can't afford your over-priced stuff. I usually buy my stuff on the internet - so much cheaper. But I love looking here and it's great for small buys (rubber scrapers) and "crap I need this right now and no one else in town is going to have it" impulse buys (mandoline). Great for seeing an item in person so you know what you want to order online.

This place is smaller than some that I've been to but they had EVERYTHING you could want! They had…read moregreen tea Kit Kats which are hard to find. I was so exited for find kimchi, endless types of dumplings and ramen, plus everything I needed to make pho from scratch! So excited I found this place and get creative with dinners.

I honestly do not make too many foreign types of food, but a friend and I were looking for a rare…read moretype of decaffeinated black tea, and we were hoping that we'd find some at some of the Asian stores in town. Sadly to say, we didn't what we were looking for. It was interesting to look through a bunch of new types of Asian cuisine that I hadn't known about though. This, and Uni-Mart, seem to have some of the best Asian item selections in Ames. It's not a huge store, though. There are about 4 aisles of items including tons of bulk-bag rice, tea, chocolate treats, soybeans, types of grains, and more. Lots of soy sauce varieties, too. There are also freezers with frozen food. Most of the food doesn't have English written on the packaging, but some of the packaging does have English to give you a general idea of what the item is. The interior isn't particularly modern, but it is clean. Some interior decorating would probably go a long way, but it's very functional. Some items didn't have prices marked on them, so if I was looking to purchase those items, I'd probably be pretty frustrated. Judging by the price tags, it looks like they may offer a discount if you pay with cash instead of credit cards. Some of the odder items I found included duck eggs, neat Cheetos packaging, and lots of varieties of rice that I've never seen before. It's definitely neat. They didn't have the tea that we wanted. In fact, I was a little disappointed by the tea selection; there are definitely much, much larger tea selections at all of the local grocery stores. I ended up purchasing some treats. The cashier wasn't particularly friendly, but she was very proficient and wasn't rude at all. Final thoughts: Definitely a neat store, and I'm glad that Ames has some Asian food stores to get some of the harder-to-find items in-town. It isn't the most modern-looking store, and it doesn't have a huge selection, but if you have a favorite foreign food brand and can't find it in the regular grocery stores, you might be able to find it here.

Curiosity brought me through the doors of Little Woods Herbs & Teas. I was looking for a matcha…read morewhisk to replace the metal one I've been making do with at home. We were greeted right away. The young lady behind the counter explained that they have a variety of herbs and teas and could mix and match any to our liking. They had a lot to choose from as well as hot and cold teas you could consume on the spot. I ordered a matcha. My wife and mother each had a chai latte. We enjoyed our teas at one of the small tables outside the shop and made the most of a beautiful spring morning in Ames. We visit Ames fairly often and will keep Little Woods on our short list. I am pretty sure I will still need a matcha whisk .

I love coming here not only for tea but herbs to make elderberry syrup for my family and they have…read morean amazing book collection! Such a gift to downtown Ames!

Best place to buy groceries in town, period. Maybe it's because I'm in there so often, but they're…read morealways extremely friendly, and it really works as a "one stop" place. They have the alcohol and spirits section, the health food section, a Starbucks, the hot food, Chinese food, and bakery section, and of course, the pharmacy and medicine section. The front desk also does postal services, and you can recycle cans and bottles as well. The store has always been beyond helpful. While I haven't always been met with an "Employee of the Day" attitude (which I would never expect), they've always been pleasant enough and extremely friendly. I use my reusable bags constantly, and cashiers have never had any problem with them. When I point out a price error, a manager is called over and the price is honored. In fact, I went to Starbucks (inside the Hy-Vee) the other day, and while checking out, the cup was knocked onto the ground and spilled all over the floor. I was mortified - to say the least. (Now I wait until I'm done shopping to get my Starbucks). Within seconds, two employees were there cleaning it up, and a manager asked me what coffee it had been. By the time I was swiping my card, he brought me another version of my drink - free of charge. Seriously, an amazing grocery store. When I have to travel around the midwest and go to other Hy-Vees for groceries or whatnot, I'm always sorely disappointed compared to this one. This one has spoiled me.

Well, you have a winner winner chicken dinner working at the deli. I had to tell the guy 4 times I…read morewould like bacon and toast. Then I went to swipe my card and he asks me (just toast?). No I want bacon and toast. Heavy sigh he had to enter that. Very depressing and shouldn't be working customer service. I would have gotten more enthusiasm from a dead person.

I love Wheatsfield, as it provides terrific food and lifestyle options without compromising my…read moreoverall experience. The overall vibe of the place is calming, which helps me in these hectic times. Private parking lot, great layout, helpful staff who know their store. Excellent produce. Terrific deli and meat market. Numerous options that you cannot obtain in most store. Located just West of downtown Ames. I try to stop here every time that I am in Ames, as I find items that I cannot get elsewhere, and they add to my quality of life. Some interesting food options always intrigue me too!

Great selection of natural foods. Pricey, but not more so than other natursl foods groceties. A…read moremembership helps. Good downtown location with plenty of parking. The employees are always helpful and very friendly.