I recently learned of this store from the owner of a new Turkish restaurant that opened in my…read moreneighborhood (read my review of Effes, should you like) because I noticed that he had an giant bottle of cured sumac. I asked where he got it because I've been looking for some (and by some I mean a lot) and am totally unwilling to spend $12.00 dollars for a little bougie glass bottle. He told me about Vintage Specialty Foods! Listen: once you've used cured sumac you can't go back to powdered sumac. Q: Wait. What?? What is sumac anyway? A: Sumac, from the Arab word summaq, meaning dark red, is a spice made of the dried berries of the rhus coriaria shrub. It grows wild and happy in arid rocky environments; think Sicily and parts of the Middle East like Iran, but also in North America. Sumac berries are ground into powder or chopped and preserved with salt (this is cured sumac) and used to flavor or finish beans, vegetables, meats, poultry and fish. I've even had shortbread flavored with sumac and it was O_o. Sumac has been prized by First Nations ancestors for its medicinal values since wayback days but its tart, floral and fruity taste--kinda like if sour cherries and sunlight plus a garden could be distilled into a moment--is a flavor that we highly prize in our current small plates-make it snacky-but-not-just-tapas zeitgeist. I learned that Vintage Specialty Foods has a small, yet solid Turkish spices section--both bottled and bulk. I grabbed at least half a pound of cured sumac :D I also got some isot or urfa biber https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urfa_biber and nigella seeds (known popularly as black seed or black cumin). Vintage is a lovely, well lit, jewel like specialty grocery, known for its bulk bins of dried fruits & nuts and enormous selection of candies (some which are sugar-free) as well as its teas, coffees and biscuits. (I got some gorgeous dried fruit tisanes and a giant bag of melissa, too!) In the back of the store you'll find a wide selection of olives, Turkish and neighboring nations' cheeses, yogurt and fermented milk products, as well as a small butchery. In the front of the store you'll find sweet buns, Turkish pastries, rusks, breads, and a coffee and tea station. The staff are calm and professional, if not super cuddly. Perhaps this is cultural? No matter, you're here for the goods not necessarily affection! I will say Vintage shoppers are a dedicated, focused bunch so if you're more in the mood to browse and contemplate purchases, you might feel a bit at odds at first, but soon enough you'll get into the opportunity to elevate your kitchen vibe and find yourself the very happy consumer of a number of tasty treats. Covid protocols: Everyone was masked up. It's up to you to be on top of your own six-feet apart measure--which is hard in a small shop--but can be done.

Beware, It's a Scam !!! The Staff is absolutely nasty…read more.Today they charge my EBT card two times for the same transaction. I show my online transaction to the Staff they just laugh on me . I already report fraud to USDA Office (202) 869-9984...Most of the customers are older peoples....Who knows what they doing to them ???

The Nut House is very similar to many of the markets in the neighborhood in that it is a little…read moreshop with an assortment of unique Eastern European and Mediterranean/Middle Eastern goods like compote, Turkish coffee, breads, Russian/Ukrainian ice cream, etc. In terms of size of the establishment, it's smaller than a super market and about the same size as a bodega/deli. I don't drink coffee but I've been told that the coffee is very tasty and the aroma of their coffee hits you as you walk in the door. The service is quick for the most part although as there is only one register, so there can be occasions where there is a bit of a line to get processed. I've bought bread and other small items and I've enjoyed my purchases there.

We stopped by the Nut House this morning and we were impressed with their wide selection of roasted…read morenuts, dried fruits and candies but even more so at how clean the store was and how reasonable were the prices. The cashier was also very nice which is not always the case in Brighton Beach. When you visit be sure to try one of their Turkish boreks with a cup of their $1.50 coffee!

Now with signage out front "International Food," it's more appropriate that "Taste of Russia"…read morebecause there's foods from many countries. Note, many of the staff may still only really speak Russian, but the assorted smoked fish and homemade prepared foods look fantastic. I, however, took home Half Sour pickles! They were delicious! Whether it's International Food or Taste of Russia, recommend you stop on by!

Their hot and cold items are the best in this area. Also the desserts are very fresh and delicious…read more Staff is usually friendly and polite. I always tip so they probably like me for it. They have big lines while their competitors seem empty I tried others just to scout, and I'm definitely not returning to them. Taste of Russia is their old name, changed to International because of the war started by Russia. However the people are the same, like relatives. So it's like a civil war, but in nyc, we're all friends w no hatred (except toward the leaders/tyrants

This market is "worth" knowing about. The photos are all from one vendor who has very high quality…read moreproduce. Ask for help as they are sensitive about product being touched & understandably given quality. This vendor is located at the furthest point. I believe this person is indigenous to the Americas and not Asian, although not 100%. Most other vendors are Asian, with overall good quality and incredible prices. Take the time to find them. The earlier in the day I suspect the fresher the product. International selection and more traditional items familiar to those of US. Many greens today, different squares, several varieties of mango, ginger and galangal, mushrooms, apples, melons, fresh water chestnuts & tomatoes....there was conch and crab also available today, along with some housewares. Bring your backpack, extra bags, cart and/or suitcase. Do not forget our local farmers at farmer's markets but the selection and circumstance may be factors in your visit.

I still don't understand how these stands have flown under the radar for this long. I just picked…read moreup 3Lbs of Beefsteak tomatoes for $1, and 4Lbs of green peppers for the same price. At the stand that I go to, there were also celery, cauliflower, string beans, plums, starfruit, and a half dozen other products on sale today, all at unreal prices. Go, find a stand with a long line (locals know where the fresh stuff is and line up there), and get in on the best bargain in the city...

One of the bigger outdoor fruit and veggies stand in Manhattan on the upper west side and they have…read moreeverything and much cheaper then Manhattan supermarkets and quality is good . While roaming along upper west side I notice the busy fruit stand and grabbed a few things before heading back home .Good selection of fruits and veggies and I was able to get apples , oranges , bananas, plums, baby carrots , tomatoes, celery , and a few other healthy items for under 40 bucks and the 2 stuffed plastic shopping bags are heavy but well worth it . Good stand to have in the area and from the crowd , it's not debatable. 4.5 stars on my yelp meter .

fruit stand on 23/ 2nd ave fabulous always - quality of…read moreproduct fresh - service excellent and nice family owned business .

I passed by this market and HAD to go inside! Everything was fresh and the prices were unbeatable…read more I got $2 strawberries (very fresh looking), $1 avocados and 2/$1.50 cucumbers! I will come by anytime I need fresh produce!

Excellent place. The produce, especially the fruit, was fantastic! I dont know if they were…read moreorganic, but they still tasted great

New Foods of India sells dry and frozen South Asian goods to satisfy all your pantry needs. They…read morealso have a sweets/mithai counter and samosas! There were signs for mangoes, but I think they sold out since I was there so late in the evening. The staff are exceptionally friendly. I was handed dates to snack on during my visit. They called me sister. They chatted with everyone about where their family was from. They added an extra ladoo to my order. They will haggle with you! They tried to give me their phone number so they could deliver. It was so fun and neighborhoody and delightful. Prices were reasonable and spices came in a variety of sizes to suit your needs. Store is organized and packed to the ceiling with spices, lentils, rice, tea, herbs, snacks, henna, and kitchen tools. It's well lit and clean, yet cozy. I am a big fan and this is a great replacement for going all the way to Jackson Heights! BRING CASH. Avoid credit card fees. They're also open late (9pm) Note there are stairs down to the store and it is not ADA accommodating or stroller friendly.

I have been on a quest for mithai and this place looks very promising!…read more This place is smaller compared to the Goliath Kalustyan's next door. Nonetheless, this place has quite the impressive curation of all kinds of herbs, spices, condiments, snacks, drinks, canned foods, cookware and more. They have fresh produce and of course a great selection of various mithai!!! The staff/owners were really nice and offered free mithai samples and fresh dates! It was my first time having fresh Yellow Barhi dates and I was amazed! The texture is super crunchy and crispy. Very sweet and delicious. Sampled multiple different kinds of mithai: barfi, coconut Cham Cham, milk cake, kalakand, soan papri, coconut cutlet, saffron peda, jeelabi, kaju Kati, Stuffed Gulab Jamun. Overall very sachrine (I expected that from mithai in general), kalakand and saffron peda are my favorites as they are more milky and decadent (they are made from milk as opposed to the other ones made with flour). Also got a can of Rasgulla - I've been meaning to try Ras Malai and Rasgulla and delighted to find both in giant can format!! The Rasgulla has spongy texture and very porous that's very fun to eat! The unique porous structure helps absorb all the rose flavored thick sugar syrup. It's definitely very sugary and overwhelmingly sweet, but sometimes you need that to hit the sweet spot (pun intended lol)

This is a cool Indian grocery store to visit. Apna Bazaar means 'our bazaar.' You will find fresh…read morevegetables, spices, rice, sweets, even herbal medicines. It's fun to look at Sri Lankan, Pakistani, Indian, and Bangladeshi products. It's a really big place and there is also a halal meat market attached to it.

This is a relatively clean and organized Apna Bazar. They have good inventory of vegetables, rice…read morebrands, and all the popular grocery products from India and Bangladesh. Big price cards in front of kost items. Aisles are marked with product types. I went to get some Maggi Noodles and Maggi Hot and Sweet sauce. I was happy to see the sauce had a $1 discount. The noodles had multiple bundle pack options. I also got a achar (pickle) jar as well. Checkout lane was relatively short. Didn't wait long. The lady at the register helped me with packing the items in the bag. The only eye sore for me was some of the mess right in front at the entrance.