Bill's Imported Foods is a wonderful shop located on a difficult block on Lake Street in Uptown. What was once a happening and vibrant street is now rotting away due to neglect and poor planning. It's saddens me to venture into Uptown although it still echoes with past glory, but those sounds are being muffled by urban blight. Bill's doors are now metal, but venture inside and you're transported to Greece. Their products are fantastic, and we loaded up on olive oil, olives, and fresh feta cheese. The staff was fun and resonated with the joy of Greece. Bill's has survived for decades on Lake Street. I hope they continue to thrive despite the trouble around them. I do wish the city could step in and help jump start a renaissance of Uptown. read more

Bill's is my favorite. Great prices, quality and selection. Truly my favorite grocery stop.

We love Bill's! This is the only place we buy feta, marinated artichokes, and olives! They have so much more, but these are our staples. They have the friendliest staff/family. Family owned read more

This isn't a fancy food store built for browsing. It's an honest to goodness import store with the best deals you will find on high quality goods especially olive oil, spices, and cheese. I love their cookies and candy too. Don't forget to grab a few bars of pure Greek olive oil soap. The location is super accessible by bus. You can parallel park around the corner for free, and it's easy to find a spot during the day. read more

Came here on a weekend afternoon with a friend, there are a lot of (Greek and Mediterranean) items here! Good variety and options, person working there was quite friendly. Tried their garlic-stuffed olives, a few of the cheeses, and some of the pastries, all very tasty! Prices are a bit high but I guess that's expected. read more

Great selection of international foods. very helpful and friendly staff. Only negative was finding parking on city streets.

Great pita, zahar bread, olives and other imported products like ajvar (made of eggplant and peppers). They also have halva, spices, candy, tahini...just about any Middle Eastern product you might want. Friendly people working there. I love small businesses like this one. read more

Best olives. The wine olives are incredible. Good people. Great imported foods. Home run. Grand slam. Jack o lantern. Fruibby booby snooby

What a fun store! Great selection and prices on olive oil and pastas. Some unusual and hard to find things too. Fresh feta, bulk olives, Greek pastries, they have it all! read more

Love that they have great tahini, deli items from various restaurants and bakeries, spices, olives!! Thanks for being here!!

This place is a gem that is missed by a lot of people. Proudly stocking Greek, Balkan, and "Turkish" products. They also has some of the best wholesale meat prices for retail customers. Nobody can beat their Lamb Shanks prices. The main attraction in this store is the huge cheese counter. Start with five or six different varieties of Feta and swing all the way to aged cheeses. You gotta try the Kefalotyri cheese. They have a slightly different spelling for this one but it is hard like Parmesan but taste is more like a mix or ... you figure it out if you go. There are also a large selection of the best olive oil you can find mass produced and bottled anywhere. The whole experience of visiting the store deserves a regular repeat. I am keeping it at 4 stars because "Mama" retired and went back to Greece. The store is now run by the equally pleasant and courteous son who will have to get more seasoned to earn the fifth star. read more

So much feta. Blocks of them. Makes me want to use them like Legos and build a fort or a castle big enough to climb into and live in. When I get hungry in the night I'll just reach out and scoop away some of the wall and eat it. Don't even need to wake up for that. They also have a ton of those Greek walnut cookies that so easily give you coke nose because of the powdered sugar. So good. So so good. Here is what I purchased on my first trip: 1 package of potato wraps (like a big square tortilla/lefse kinda thing 1 decent looking tomato 1 jar of spicy giardiniera Not sure why I told you that level of detail, but I suppose that after telling you of my feta house sleep eating desires I owed it to you. read more

Bill's Imported Foods - FETA!!!! - Grocery Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Fabulous selection of spices and dry goods. I buy my dried fruits here including coconut, raisins, and apricots. Like others have noted, you can't beat the selection and prices for these. Also really good things from their deli especially the spicy mixed olives and the many fetas. Pretty good place to stop when you're putting together charcuterie. Their pastries are from Hellas Bakery in Tarpon Springs, Florida-- fun fact I learned after telling the owner that I had had a really great koulourakia there over the summer. Imported, indeed. I don't go as often as I wish I did because it's closed on Mondays, and after 7pm which is usually when I do my food shopping, but no complaints, overall. read more

Bill's Imported Foods - Eclectic mix of imported foods. Really good deals on hard to find spices. And the olives are fantastic! - Grocery Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Please don't ever buy spices from anywhere other than Bill's. Or olives. Or feta. Just come here before you go to any mainstream grocery store - you'll save yourself a ton of money. Bill's has an impressive selection of Middle Eastern and European food items - dried beans and fruits, large bags of spices, olive oils (so many choices!), meats, pita bread, etc., etc. All are at amazingly low prices compared to what you'd pay at a larger store, and it's highly likely that you'll find something intriguing that you've never tasted before. Do yourself a favor and experiment. At prices this low, you really don't have anything to lose. The fresh produce at Bill's is a little dicey, so I'd skip this section, except for the 4 for $1 garlic bulbs. Also, this place doesn't really offer anything in terms of Asian grocery items, but that's what Nicollet Ave. is for, right? Definitely make a stop at the counter up front for amazingly low-priced cheeses and olives (feta for $4-5 a pound, olives starting at $4/pound). If you're lucky, they'll have samples of some of their baked goods waiting for you. While you're checking out, pick up a few pieces of candy, a bag of pita bread, or some baklava for the road. And try to make the woman at the front smile, if she's not busy scolding the other employees in that gruff, European, grandmotherly sort of way. read more

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The only place I go to re-stock on feta and a big tin of olive oil (you need to be cooking with olive oil more!). But I'm also here for lots of other hidden gems around the store, including frozen whole artichoke hearts, glyka (spoon sweets... fruits in syrups), Papadopoulos brand cookies, and my favorite ION brand Sokofreta bars. It's not all Greek in here, take a walk through the aisles and you'll be surprised by the mix of great foods and ingredients! read more

My roommate and I stopped in to look around because we live right around the corner. It was near closing. We chatted with the man working behind the counter that day (never caught his name and I feel bad) about being new to town and about their selections. Roommate gushed over the preserves selection, and I loved the prices for seasoning and the look of the Zaatar bread. We only bought one thing, but the guy then gave us two slices of baklava as a welcome to the neighborhood. That alone is DEFINITELY going to make me come back to them as often as I can. read more

Love Bill's, today they had greek music playing. It was so special and lovely to shop with an atmosphere like that. Love love their canned grape leaves, wouldn't buy them anywhere else. Kiki the owner is a doll. Just discovered their desserts! To die for! OMG Check them out! read more

I loved walking around this store and seeing all the different imported foods. The fresh food is mostly Greek (pastries, a huge feta selection, fish) but they definitely have foods in the grocery aisles that aren't Greek. I enjoyed the pastries that I got and will be back for more feta! read more

I've always passed by this place and thought what a weird looking place with a weird looking name (I don't think there's a Bill, by the way). A friend recommended this place, and now I shop here all the time! Bill's is a mid-size market with tons of Mediterranean products from so many countries. I believe it's a family owned place, at least it has that feel. Just to name some of the products: dried fruits, nuts, teas, spices, snacks, instant meals, pickles, rice, breads, olive oil, juices, sauces, dozens of cheeses, olives, meats, frozen products, jams, chocolate bars, pastas, candies, Nutella, deli hummus, and fresh desserts. I have even found some things that were South Asian (masalas, curry pastes, dals, besan, teas, etc.). Most of the store's products come from another country or are products reflective of a specific country's food. The prices are pretty reasonable, especially their olives and feta cheese. I love seeing so many of the products I used to see/consume when I lived in Turkey, so I also go here to get my Turkey fix. Check it out, cute place with good groceries and eats. Staff are helpful and polite. I definitely take advantage and always sample their many cheeses :). This place is easy to get to by public transit (21 or 4). The main cashier/store manager (I think she also might be the owner) is also one of the reasons I go back. She is one of the sweetest ladies I've met and is very maternal. I recently found out she is from Kalamata, Greece ("Yes, like the olive.") Definitely going to chat with her more :). Note: The brown paper bags they back your groceries in don't have handles, so I'd recommend bringing your own recyclable bag for easier transport of all your goodies :). read more

Bill's has character. I remember running up to the door right at closing time needing a 5-pound bag of rice. I saw the door locked, and peered in hopelessly. The gruff woman who owns it (or has worked there forever anyway) unlocked the door, and let me buy my stupid bag of rice. She's been working there 6 days a week many hours a day for years, why is she still nice? I listen to women who come there try to marry off one of her sons with the copious amounts of black Greek hair (on his head only). Anyway, we get rice, dried fruit, cheese (several kinds of feta, goat cheese), chickpeas, olive oil (now graduated to 3-liter cans), nuts, occasional random things (greek chocolate). Go to Bill's, it's good for your soul. read more

Bill's is a great local specialty grocer. There aren't that many of those anymore but this one's a beaut. You can even try out your Greek when you check out. Maybe you should practice first though. The best deals I've found are the olive oil (giant bottles for mere dollars), pine nuts (holy cow that's cheap!), and a great selection of spreads from hummus to eggplant to cheeses. A great place to shop for special dinner groceries or even for Greek-leaning staples like olives and feta. I dont even glance at olive oil at Rainbow anymore. It's also a great place to find a cheap ready-made dinner. Buy a tray of take-and-bake spanakopita, long bread sticks, some hummus and some dried fruit and voila--$15 dinner for two! read more

I had no idea a place like this existed in Minneapolis. I went for some pita bread and came home with a bunch of things I can't even spell. Highly recommended! read more

I forget how much I love Bill's. Now that I don't live in the area anymore I only get there on special occasions. I really need to remedy that... So I was fortunate enough to visit this past weekend and boy Bill's has changed! They've reorganized the store quite a bit and really added to the olive, cheese, meat, fish section. I headed straight to the cheese and my boyfriend went straight to the olives. We both walked away happy! Variety, great prices, unique items, and great desserts! I also LOVE the older Greek woman who works there and her long haired son is really helpful. Don't forget to pick up a free calendar too! That way you can dream of Greece all year long. (and why not pop into BLB after your shopping for a great tap beer?) read more

So many unique and hard-to-find foods, so many good things to say about this place. The Tirokomos family has built a great legacy here over the past 30+ years. Greek and more broadly Mediterranean groceries - spices, imported foods (e. g., olives), sweets, and more. But for me, it's all about the cheese... Feta from Greece (opa!), domestic, France, Bulgaria (the best, really) and now even from Hungary. Kesseri, Kefalotyri, and Mizithra too. If you're making spanakopita or just looking to temper a Greek cheese jones you need to check this place out. Parking can be a challenge, but it also serves as an excuse to get in a little exercise and explore the neighborhood. You will find the extra effort worth it, and if you're nice to the Tirokomos' and their help you might walk out with a sample Koulourakia or Kourabiedes (with a little powdered sugar on your shirt) too... read more

Bill's is amazing. I'm still not sure where the "Bill" came from. It is a small, Greek import grocery store. You can also buy CDs and knick knacks every once in a while. Not only does Bill's import from Greece, but they also have items from all over the Balkans. Once I had a shopping cart with Greek oil, Macedonian smoked meat, mango nectar from Turkey, cherry juice from somewhere in the Middle East, and chocolates and pate from Croatia. They have some of the best olive oil. The prices are very reasonable; however, they only accept cash and checks. They might not even accept checks anymore. Be sure to try the baklava; it is to die for. For my 20th birthday I got a baklava tray instead of a cake. read more

Something happened to Bill's! Either it grew or adjusted it's alignment to the sun. I don't know but it's quite spacious now...almost too much so...it starts to feel like I'm in my old high school gymnasium. Perhaps they will grow into the space. On to the good stuff. I like this Mediterranean deli it's not pretentious or pimped out with boutique styling. It's straight forward and simple and there's a wonderful family feeling. It's a great place to pick up fresh feta (Greek, French, and several others), a fine selection of olives, varied fresh produce (including monstrous dates both organic and conventional). They also carry dry goods spices, rice and so on. I do a bit of baking especially around the holidays and Bill's has a great selection of bulk nuts at what I think are fairly good prices. Particularly the 1 pound bag of pine nuts! (Rosemary pine nut shortbread, Pignoli cookies, or toss a hand-full on a salad without fear of going broke). Rounded out with olive oil by the gallon, frozen phyllo dough, and many other Mediterranean treats. It's a special stop well worth making and a place I feel good about supporting. read more

Nahila pretty much listed everything they have here, which resulted in a well deserved rotd. I'm not much for bottled dressings, but they had a Greek creamy one that I loved. I first discovered their products at St. Mary's Greek festival in Mpls. They are located in a heavily trafficked area, and they left University Ave.in St. Paul just in time. read more

Firstly, the one review that said everything for the most part in the shop is Greek is for the most part wrong. But for a Minnesotaan, everything would be Greek. Most of the brands that they sell are ironically enough Turkish. I know this because I am Turkish. One day I had a long chat with the little old Greek grandma about the selection and how awesome it was. She's an amazing personality! Anyhoo. There is a great selection of ingredients for pretty much everything that is going to be related to Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. The spice selection is very decent, and priced FAR BELOW regular supermarket spices where you pay $5 or more for a tiny jar. Here you get bulk sized baggies for that price. They have a number of different styles of baklava, I chose the traditional walnut one, and I have to say, it was almost as good as my late grandma's. Love the place. I moved out here from Queens NY, and let me tell you, Bill's gives any European market in Queens a run for it's money. read more

My experience with ethnic food stores has been somewhat limited. Mostly because I haven't the slightest idea what to do with most ingredients but also because of a gag-inducing bad experience in a certain asian market that shall remain name-less (Remeber Soph!?) Anyway, my sister and I ventured to Uptown one afternoon and stumbled upon this little gem. It truly is great. Tons of unique Greek ingredients and every dried fruit and nut you can imagine. My sister almost keeled-over when she saw the homemade baklava. We will be back for some of that. read more

Love this place! Nothing fancy here, just reminds you of a small market in NYC. Great Greek food such as a nice variety of olives, feta cheese, and gyro meat. The pita bread is delicious here too and you won't beat the prices! This is my go-to place if I want to make gyros. They do not take credit cards though so bring your checkbook or cash. Parking can be tricky too but if you just are going to run in and out, you can park at the superamerica on the West side. read more

Bill's Imported Foods is my go-to place for dried apricots (of which there are usually several varieties) and feta cheese (of which I get the French, which is the least salty). They have great baklava and other assorted pastries behind the counter. Lots of olive oils and other cooking stuff. Many types of coffee. Various types of cheap caviar that are worth a cracker or two. They'll let you try an olive and explain what the ingredients are. A medium-sized grocery with an off-the-beaten-track selection. Parking is problematic. Find someplace on Aldrich between Lake and 31st if you can. read more

Whenever I need black olives I end up here. I am a fan of oven roasted Moroccan or Greek black olives and here I can find them by the pound at a very acceptable price (I'd say about $5). Also to buy there capers, curry paste and dried spices (they sell them in bulks at reasonable prices). Also, I always get some of these $0.99 microwavable pouches of Bulghur, pilaf and similar which are super convenient and super cheap for lunch at work: tear open, microwave for 2 minutes and enjoy. Pretty good and satisfying!! My BF always gets some of those small salami (cacciatorini). Some are good some taste like Genoa salami, which I don't like at all, but that is my taste I guess. Next purchase in the small appliances department at home is going to be a slicer so I can come here and purchase all my favorite hams and slice them right before eating! Also good choice of juices and cookies more tuned to south European tastes One of the place to go to to hunt for Mediterranean and ethnic ingredients. NOTE: no credit card accepted! read more

Such a treasure! Stocked with everything, mostly Greek, you need to put together a middle eastern feast. This is one of the oldest ethnic stores in town. The olive and cheese bars will make you question if you should go back to the grocery store ones. The other thing I like to buy here are pomegrenates - they are gynormous and much cheaper than area grocery stores. Try making the Persian salad with pomegrenate, walnuts and green olives sometime - it is soooo good. The store has olive oil in all different sizes, and many frozen goodies that you can take home and bake. Frozen lahmajun - a thin crusty bread filled with a spicy beef filling - flopped for me, it did not turn out to be tasty at all, neither the bread nor the fllling. The prices are very reasonable here, and the service is friendly, with a great attitude. Kiki the owner is always present, ready to chat and will definitely make you smile. read more

A variety of spices and hard to find items in a well organized layout. We found some items we have been looking for for a while, and some we did not find. It was worth the trip, and we may make it back here. read more

Bill's Imported Foods - well orginzed spice area with some hard to find ones. - Grocery Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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SO MUCH AWESOME FETA! Review done. Just kidding. No, but really, if you want some awesome and slightly off-beat food to change things up a little, check this place out! read more

Love Bill's Imported foods! Wonderful selection of Feta cheese and olives at reasonable prices. They also have a large selection of bulk spices, dried goods and olive oil. Not much in the way of fresh produce but they have a few things and some specialty items like fresh dates on occasion. I always pick up some pitas and they have a great selection of sweet baked treats. Get some Baklava and don't forget to tell the sweet lady who works thee to have a wonderful day. read more

Great selection, prices and service. All the middle eastern foods you could want. No politics. Just good.

I always get my olive oil at Bill's. And they have a great selection of dried fruit and a selection of feta cheese that you will not find anywhere else. read more

Bill's rocks. Most of the good Mediterranean restaurants get regular visits from the Bill's truck so you know, if it's good enough for 421 or Gardens of Salenica, it's probably good enough for my house. The olive bar is the best around and much cheaper than Lund's and Byerleys. Perhaps Surdycks Cheese shop can compete for selection, but there is nothing at Surdyk's to equal the size and juiciness of some of those Bill olives. I love the selection of greek cheese (more than just feta) and salamis too. For cooks who do a lot of mediterranean cooking, Bill's is an essential stop. Good olive oil, in affordable gallons, capers in enormous jars and huge jars of red roasted peppers, bulk spices and nuts that are priced by the pound for what you'd pay for a tiny jar at a gourmet shop. Greek coffee and home made pastries round out the visit. And as the other reviewer mentioned there is a completely homey, family vibe here that you don't get at most gourmet food places. Oh another surprise at Bill's is the produce. Whaterver is interesting and in season can usually be found heaped in a pile near the olive counter. I've found dandelion greens and fresh artichokes on offer. read more

Truly a hidden gem! The outside is easy to miss. The inside is well organized and very clean! It's a treasure trove of imported items from a carrier you of locations. I go specifically for authentic gyro fixings. Also has lots of authentic spices, high quality olive oils, and a great variety of harder to find cheeses. Deli case has awesome bulk olives. Street parking can be hard to find on Saturdays. read more