Oh man this review is hard to write. The owners are great guys. Amin is super friendly and the grocery store is top notch. But their deli food is... disgusting. I threw fourteen-ish dollars away on their fesenjan today. I couldn't finish it. It has a horrible acrid-chemically after taste. I've tried their kubideh and found it extremely bland. They made abgoosht once, and it was fantastic. Their rice is enjoyable. But their khorests are disgusting. Their kubideh is dull and unfulfilling. The store is great, the owners are great, their hot food is horrible. As a comparison, the new Persian restaurant on Center St is amazing! Their fesenjan was so amazing, I experienced the same elation I had when I experienced Phó for the first time. I want this store to do well, I love it, but, they need to step their hot food game up. read more

Great place to buy Persian groceries and amazing Persian restaurant. They catered our wedding eve party in 2019 and everyone is still talking about how good the food was! The employees are super nice and helpful as well! read more

Highly recommended for casual dining and catering too! We visit Middle East Market for a quick meal and love the koobideh and chicken thighs. The stews and crispy rice are good too. And the mast moosir yogurt is good too. Basically, you can't go wrong. We recently coordinated with Amir to cater an event and everything was delicious, hot, evenly cooked, and ready at the expected time. Pricing was reasonable too, so we'll be looking forward to using Middle East Market again!! read more

Consistently the best chicken thigh kabobs over rice, with a grilled tomato and a raw white onion (yes, a raw white onion). The jasmine rice is delicious with saffron as a top layer. Some may be put off by a raw white onion, but the crunchiness, and the strong taste-- like cold heat--makes my mouth come alive. Anticipating the taste gets my saliva juices going. Maybe it's a chemical reaction, but taking a bite of the onion enhances the taste buds. The chicken thigh is tender and flavorful. It's a very simple meal, tasty right through to the raw white onion. read more

The ghormeh sabzi was super good. I love that they have veggie versions of many dishes. My boyfriend also loved the falafel wrap and he is picky about falafel. The gheymeh was a bit salty and needed a bit more water but the spices in it are great. My mom loved both the koobideh and barg kabobs. Their online order system is a little weird and I think there was a small mistake in our order but it still worked and we got our food on time and everything was wrapped nicely. I wish the staff was a little more warm and happy but they are definitely ok. Would absolutely recommend and order again. read more

Great service, excellent stews and desserts to try. I only wish I lived closer to this market.

Best Chengeh (Steak Kabob) in the Bayeast! The New Family Owner knows business very well and they have great customer service! read more

Middle East Market - Best Chengeh in the Bayeast! - Grocery Near Me - Berkeley, California

Delicious take out. Nice people. Food ready on time, reasonable priced. Particularly liked the fried eggplant.

The best chicken kabob with bone. The only issue is they never get the order right make a minor change in the order everything gets messed up. Otherwise the size the taste and quality makes me go back . I hope Amir the manager would read this and next time get my order right. I like to live to see the day. read more

This is a wonderful, local market/restaurant/eatery. The owner, Amir, is a sweetheart and you can tell he loves his job. He's always smiling and very hospitable. The market: Super clean and well organized. They have basic pantry items, teas, seasoning/mixes, and some frozen items (ice cream and ready made foods). The market is definitely on the smaller side, but I've been lucky to find what I'm looking for every time I've gone in. The restaurant: Food is fresh, generous and delicious. The restaurant is casual, a few tables with counter service. You can order in or get take out. Lots of families and older folks on the weekends; sometimes, I've gone in and it's hard to grab a table. I love all their dishes but my favs are the beef koobideh, joojeh chicken and baghali polo (rice with dill and fava beans). After growing up in Tehrangeles, I've tried a few Persian restos in my time, and this one does not disappoint! Definitely go check it out! read more

Amazing, quick and friendly service. Large portions, good quality and fresh food. Ordered koobideh with an extra skewer. Perfect portion for 2 people. I drove here from San Francisco and was very happy with everything I purchased. The gentleman at the register (unfortunately I forgot his name) was very nice and welcoming. I will definitely be back to try more items on the menu! Keep up the excellent customer service and good quality food. read more

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The overall experience from calling in my order, ordering humus at the store and the consumption of the food was good. No wait times at the store, quick service, cashless transaction, and hot food. I ordered the chicken thigh plate and a side of humus. It's great. read more

5 stars for making available scrumptious and variety of Turkish delights. It's SO GOOD

Always the best. Delicious menu (dolmas and falafel wrap so goood) and just super cool employees. Love this spot and happy they're on San pab and university read more

Delicious food, and amazing customer service :) Went during lunch hour and it was very busy, people were sitting at every table. Even with the large crowd I was helped quickly and the guy helping me is always very friendly. I always order the chicken thigh kabobs. I look forward to trying the other items on the menu. The food is absolutely worth the price in freshness, taste, as well as portion size. I definitely recommend calling in your order ahead of time, as the wait can be a bit long if there is a crowd. read more

Middle East Market - Prices as of 6/6/16 - Grocery Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great food! Chicken kebob plate is my fave, they have some really delicious stews as well. The staff is very attentive, friendly and the food is delicious! Great neighborhood market/restaurant. read more

If you like sweets. You. Must. Go. Here. I stopped by for some baklava and ended up with a baklava roll and two little chocolate rolled up pistachio and rose petal treats. They were all so good I ate them in the car before I got home to have them with the tea I bought. . The guy at the counter offered me some tea on the house but they had just run out so I said I'd be back. Really great hospitality and amazing sweets. I can't wait to try their restaurant that I was surprised to also find! Seriously I wish I had taken a photo of the things I got because I have no idea what they're called and they were gone before I knew it! read more

Good stuff, that's all I can say. I wasn't even planning on it, but we were doing a late lunch, and the other choices in the neighborhood were all closed, so we decided to try some of the cuisine in this quaint middle-eastern market/cafe. I enjoyed the kabob, accompanied by basmati rice. My friend had a wrap, and we both enjoyed it tremendously. In addition, the atmosphere (a couple of tables set up near the deli counter of a market) was enjoyable and lent itself to animated conversation. read more

Middle East Market - Some kind of wrap - Grocery Near Me - Berkeley, California

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A local Persian friend told me the food here is delicious. So I stopped by and got the chicken stew and rice with barberries. Oh wow! It was soooo good!!!! So good that I came back a couple days later for more. The newish owners are really sweet. It is like stepping into their home. That's why it's really special here, aside from the food being really super good. A total treasure! read more

This place is amazing! And they were super in helping me find just the right thing and choosing between brands and varieties.

Oh man, this place has really improved with the new owners. The market is great. I was able to find what I needed to make gormeh sabzi and I brought home some treats for my partner to buy. They also serve food. This food was freaking awesome. Rice, koobideh, dolma just like nana used to make. I was in heaven eating there. Nice, reasonably priced, home cooking type of food It was also nice to be able to find some of my favorite desserts to share with the lady. The staff were super nice also. read more

True middle eastern deli/ market. But you have got to go here for the Turkish Delight, baklava and halva to die for. I like the stews and especially the tahdig stew. This is not a restaurant per sae, it is a grocery/deli with a huge menu but with minimal seating so you may not get to sit especially at peak meal times, but don't let that stop you. Go there, eat here!! read more

I really miss shopping here in person, great atmosphere and staff, Amir is just a sweetheart, and such a great selection of hard-to-find products and spices, but the show goes on despite the pandemic, and now that I know they deliver, I'm totally there. Thanks, everyone! read more

If you want delicious Persian food and the friendliest service, this is your place. Everything I have had here has been SO satisfying. I'm the girl who 99% of the time only eats chicken breast however, I always order the chicken thigh here and it is amaaazing. No ligaments, no cartilage, no fat. The koobideh is moist and flavorful and the charred tomato, well, it's a charred tomato. Who doesn't like that? read more

This place is top notch in every regard. I tell everyone about this place but I'm building up the strength to tell my Mom...since she may get hurt that I am getting my home cooked Persian food fix somewhere else. Yum... read more

My hubby and I stopped by for dinner on a Sat night. Most of the tables were taken and I eyed one against the wall. Another customer, waiting for take-out, kindly offered us his table near the aisle. Although kabobs are the specialty, I wanted something warm and hearty since I was recovering from a bad cold. I asked about the fesenjan and the young woman gave me a sample. It was sweet with a nice tang due to the pomegranate molasses. I ordered it with chicken which were chunks of chicken breast cooked till dry. I like my chicken juicy or moist. I shredded the chicken pieces and smothered it with sauce, like one would do with pulled pork. It went nicely with the generous serving of white and saffron basmati rice. My hubby ordered the lamb shank and said he'd had better. Like the chicken, the lamb shank was overcooked, and the flavor was too mild for him - he preferred my fesenjan. It came with herbed rice that may have included mint. Maybe the meat was overcooked b/c it had been sitting or cooking all day. The portions were generous and the service was friendly and helpful. I also felt a sense of community from the other patrons. Although our experience did not otherwise live up to expectation set by the reviews, I would come back to try the kabobs and falafel if I'm in the neighborhood again. read more

Every time I walk in, I am so grateful we have Middle East Market in our community. We can find all the essential and high quality ingredients we use for our Persian food at home. Recently I placed a catering order and they were very helpful with quantities and answering questions regarding dietary restrictions. When we went to the store to pick up the food it was very easy process. They made sure we had all the supplies needed and the food was warm and ready at the pick up time. Definitely recommend the Koobideh kabob and Joojeh (chicken thigh) kabob as well as Ghormeh Sabzi. read more

If your looking for Persian food.....this is the place to get it! It's the best I've tasted in years! Customer service.....totally Awesome! One of my new favorite spots! read more

I love these place outstanding products have been vegetarian most of my life they have my favorite vegetarian options thank you Be kind to all Love you guys read more

Absolutely the nicest, most pleasant staff of any establishment in Berkeley. Good selection of Middle Eastern groceries and a good deli/bakery section. Tables available for dining in, or you can do take-out instead. read more

First of all Amir is the most hospitable and personable owner I have ever met in any restaurant. With that out of the way here it is my review: This is a middle eastern grocery store that also serves hot food. They have wide selections of cookies, breads, spices, pickled veggies (my favorite) at a reasonable price. They also have vegan saffron/ pistachio ice cream! I am not kidding u but I ate 75% of it (see the photo) 1.Food: many options for vegetarians/vegans: -Ash-reshte (noodle soup with lentil, chickpeas, some veggies etc). I have tried this soup other places, I would say it should have been a bit thicker. It was ok. -Fesenjoon: Pomegranate sauce (or Molasses) with crushed walnuts. Comes with perfectly cooked saffron rice. This tastes kind of sweet and tart. You have to try it so see what I mean. It was delicious. -Ghorme Sabzi: Green veggie stew (like Spinach, parsley, cilantro, fenugreek etc). kidney beans and dried limes which gave it a zesty taste. This is also served with rice. Tasted just as I expected yum. -Falafel Warp: this needs no introductions. We didn't order it so I don't know if tastes good. I just wanted to mention it as a vegetarian option. -Salad-Shirze: chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumber with lemon/mint dressing (similar to Salsa but not spicy). This was good. -Shole-zard: this is a dessert. Basically saffron rice pudding (without dairy). Was really delicious. I have tried this other places where it lacked either saffron or almond. But this one was perfect. I loved it. They had other desserts like bakhlava which we didn't get to try. Will go back for them. For the meat eaters they have the usual kababs. Everyone around us was getting either beef or chicken kabab and seemed like they were enjoying it. 2.Service is excellent. Food comes out fast. The owner was very nice to explain the menu and make suggestions. 3.Price: reasonable for the portion and quality of the food. 4.Parking: on San Pablo Ave, it's always hard to find parking. I will be going back to try other items...... read more

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My Friend took me here last night with a group of about 10 people. We got there a bit later than they were expecting us but they still accommodated us and they had such good service. The young man I didn't get his name, but I think is the son of this family owned business, he was just really cool and knew exactly what we needed in terms of a family style dinner. The food came out very quickly and we had time to look around the market which had such good items that were not only quality but really special items. From the rose water to the pistachio saffron ice cream. This place is very special because the items in the marketplace such as the herbs are at such a good price but also because each item is in there for a reason. I'm definitely going to be back for some treats since there desert selection is also wonderful. Once the food arrived, we had a feast, from the pomegranate stew to the lamb and beef kabob. Forgive me I forget the names of the dishes but the food was incredible and for that price my goodness this place is a gold mine. I do hope that if you are looking for some delicious Persian food and deserts you come here. I just had the food last night and I'm already craving it again today. I might order takeout. It was so good. read more

I came here this weekend with the intent to not buy anything, but then I saw Maz Maz ketchup chips from Iran (yes, ketchup chips are a thing there). "MUST BUY," I thought to myself. Then I saw shallot yogurt (mast moosir), must buy that to eat with the chips. Then I saw their ghormeh sabzi. Ended up eating a second lunch here. This place is a family-owned business, and you see everyone there (two cousins, grandfather, etc..). Amir is great and very hospitable. Their produce selection was limited when I was there, but I'm sure it's because it was Sunday but their other products were ample. Strongly recommend this place not only for speciality items but also for their delicious ghormeh sabzi and warm vibes. read more

Great little spot for middle eastern groceries AND especially good koobideh kabobs! Also love their yogurt sides. Their food is actually better than the sit down Persian restaurants I've been to in Berkeley. Highly recommend this spot! read more

While my husband was putting my daughter inside the car, I decided to check out this middle eastern market with my son quickly. The staffs were super nice, have lots of groceries selection and they sell sweets and food. Our tummies were full otherwise I would have loved to try out some middle eastern food. read more

We have gotten food here for takeout a number of times always excellent Food is always fresh and hot Parking is limited so that is a little intimidating when you want a meal The tables have expanded but not a truly great way in restaurant Food choices are excellent There is also a great grocery to purchase the making for Persian/Arabic food This is wonderful now that Zand on Solano has closed Zand catering is still available read more

Had takeout there and it was very good. The koobideh is moist and flavorful. The rice was good as well. My husband had the ghemieh and thought it was the best he had in northern ca. Can't wait to walk around and shop for groceries. If it goes well then I know I'll be adding a 5th star. We'll be back for sure! read more

This place is awesome. Great food order out or eat in. We did some grocery shopping some hard to find items were here so that was awesome. Then we ordered ate. Also be sure to order the tea it has cardomon. They have FALAFEL! read more

Stews, chicken wrap! Green stew with rice. Taddic beef with lamb with rice! Bacquvla for desert

A mom and pop (and son!) shop that specializes in Iranian (and some middle eastern) foods and goodies. I specifically came here for Norooz items and wasn't disappointed. Even when left to the last minute they had the essentials and then some. I also ordered a chelo kabab dinner here. My favorite was the chicken breast kebab - seasoned nicely :) The prices are extremely affordable for the amount of food you get, and the quality i s the same as any persian restaurant in the bay. Instant warm nostalgia hits me in the shop - which means it's fairly authentic in it's own way. The customer service is personal and friendly, it's nice to support a local family business in addition to enjoying food from my mother's homeland. I will definitely be returning for both market items and kebab/hot food take out! read more