Lots of reasons to swing by the Simply Balkan Market. For lunch or dinner, they have great sandwich…read moreand platter options where cevapi is the foundation you want to build around. Five sausages included with spiced onions and tomato slices. On weekends they have three types of stuffed savory pastry burak available. But you don't have to be ready to eat right then and there. Available frozen are whole burak that just need 30 minutes in the oven. You can call ahead and they will put it in their oven for you to pick up hot when you arrive. They also have fresh sausages made weekly on site as well as frozen ones. Fresh cheeses with feta from multiple countries on tap. As the name suggests it is also a market. Cookies, chips, coffee and drinks line clean and accessible shelves alongside the spices and canned ingredients for a wide range of regional dishes. Finally the family business is super helpful folks from the region who patiently walked this first timer through all they offer. They were also willing to hear about my trips to four Balkan countries and the nostalgia seeing all the food brought back.

I just heard about this yesterday, and had a light day so I got over today. Sweetie says it's been…read moreopen awhile; I just don't get over this way often. Bright and clean inside, loads of dry goods, snacks, drinks, frozen items, pastries, meats... Most of the pastries and sausages are made here. They can grill some kevapi up for you, or you can take them home. Since I'm heading to the Serbian Festival this weekend I figured I could wait, but I did get some spicy leek sausage for later. Also assorted baklava and other pastries, and a few odds and ends. Good prices. Great service. Friendly, helpful owners. Easy access off the highway. Plenty of parking, in the mall by the home store. Worth a detour.

Cockroaches! It had unique items but no thanks. Yelp requires more words so cockroaches!…read moreCockroaches! Cockroaches!

If you don't visit international markets of different types in Columbus, you are doing yourself a…read moreserious disservice. It's the cheapest and most accessible way to expose yourself to the culture of another country, and it can open your eyes to so many new types of lifestyles and cuisines. Sangam is an amazing place to start your exploration. They have an extensive selection of unique produce, home goods, beauty products, and more. I bought cashew juice, bitter melon, an amazing blanket, rose water, rose petal spread, fresh tamarind (very fresh), and multiple types of Achar. They have some beautiful and affordable area rugs that I can't stop thinking about, and I can't wait to go pick one up. They also have cases of toasted coconut water, which is better than ice cream if you ask me. Plan an hour to browse and expect to pick up half of your grocery needs and then some. ** Edit: By the time of posting, I went back and bought the rug. Also some toasted coconut water, cabbage, and cauliflower. Yay!

This is probably my new favorite Saraga. It's huge, though it feels like more of the space is…read moretaken up with ancillary features- there are several small restaurants, the bakery, and also a halal meat counter, beauty shops, tax office, pharmacy, and more, all off to one side instead of along the edges. Bright, open, pleasant. Rows and rows of things from all over, sorted by region but you may as well walk up and down all of them and see what you find. For example, I was looking for drinks, and of course they are at half a dozen spots for various areas of the world. I found new things, got old favorites. Checkout was quick on a weekday. Prices are, I assume, decent, though how do you judge the price of something you've never even heard of? Big parking lot. Separate entrances and exits- by quite a lot. Helping revitalize the southeast side.

Yesterday we visited this store for the first time, and we highly recommend it. We liked it very…read moremuch and will definitely be back. They have a huge selection of goods. It's a great place.

FINALLY an ethnic market in Pickerington!! A great selection of produce to pick from, and a pretty…read moreextensive frozen foods section that I look forward to pursuing more on my next visit. When GN first opened they did not carry my favorite candies: Coconut Milk Candies, so I had to keep making the trek up to Morse to get them. Heading to the new Indian restaurant next to GN, I figured I'd stop in and see if they had the candies - there was a severe back order all around Columbus due to the shipping congestion from the pandemic. They were stocked, I mean stocked full, of my Chun Guang brand, so I couldn't pass up buy a pack!