If you approach Barkly Square Shopping Centre from Sydney Road going along Barkly Street, you'll…read morefind this oriental supermarket in the side walkway to Barkly Square. It isn't as well stocked as Asian supermarkets you might find in the city or in high Asian population suburbs like Glen Waverley, but I was so thankful when I found it because I was beginning to wonder where I would find oyster sauce and fish cakes in Brunswick (when I first moved in anyway...now there are a few shops like this one around). Aside from my aforementioned pantry essentials, these guys stock a nice selection of jasmine and green teas, and there's plenty to choose from by way of instant and pot noodles. In the refrigerated section, there are fresh noodles, tofu, egg custard buns, bean sprouts and lots of other good stuff. They even have some Japanese food items. I once spent a long time in the freezer section looking at the ingredients list on every single brand of frozen dim sum. It's not some strange fetish of mine; I was simply looking for some frozen dim sum (I think I was after har gow) that did not have MSG as an additive. Perhaps dim sum makers out there just don't make them without MSG, but Oriental Supermarket peeps...if you're reading this, perhaps you can look into this for me please?

Most amazing Indian food I have ever personally eaten! Highly recommend, really yummy Indian Food,…read morethe seafood curries in particular

It is nice to see variety in the block arcade and this cool spice store was a great addition; I am…read moresure you could find cheaper, but they offer many, many interesting options and if you are only 'sampling' prices will only be a few dollars... The staff are terrific and helpful, always appreciated; yet happy to let you browse undisturbed for the most part; a really interesting way to spend 15-20 minutes in the heart if the city.

On a recent trip to Melbourne, Gewurzhaus was my absolute highlight!…read moreI loved the selection of beautiful herb blends, gorgeous spice mixes, absolutely stunningly aromatic teas and the delight of so many salts!!! I went a little bit outrageous with the amount of purchases, but have not regretted a cent as they have all proven to be delicious and great quality. The service was brilliant, very attentive and answered all my queries - offered great suggestions for uses of the various smelly-yums and gave out scrumptious free tea. Now, I like to think of myself as a bit of a tea guru and I have to say that their Heavenly Lucky Tea is one of the best I have ever had!!!! Luckily they sell online, as I am almost out :)

My friend was looking for unique souvenirs to bring back to the US and found exactly what he wanted…read morehere. There are hundreds of spices for all occasions and you can buy as much as you need. The clerk helped him pick out a few Australian native spice mixes and we got several little baggies of them ranging from 20g to 40g. The bags even have a description of the spices and how to use them. I'm sure the recipients of these gifts will appreciate them. This is a cool place to hang out and discover some spices and funky gifts. It is dangerous though; it's very easy to spend a lot of money very quickly.

Never have I wished more for smell-a-vision as I have writing this review. A Melbourne friend…read moreposted on an Instagram photo that while I was in town I couldn't leave without visiting this spice merchant. Perhaps it was my inner-Catholic guilt but I couldn't leave our day on Lygon Street and surrounds without stopping in. Thank goodness because this is any home cook and food lovers heaven. Walking in, it is a olfactory feast. Subtle scents of spice lure you from the door and once you enter it's a veritable feast for your imagination. "Oh I could cook this with that!?". All the bulk spice holds are organised into loose leaf teas, salts, herbs and more. Each spice, herb or tea comes with a short blurb on it's history and what could use it for. You can purchase small bags by the gram or in jars (stored above the bulk holds). I was honestly surprised by the value. Being a specialty store I had primed myself for prices far more than the average $7.95 for most of the spices within the jars. The challenge was limiting myself for what I would take back to Brisbane with me. There is a customer scale to check and trust me (there's a 20g minimum when buying most in the smaller paper packets, which if you're into packaging might be the thing to send you over the edge) you'll be surprised at how much you've scooped in to a bag and how fast that .70-$1.90 per gram adds up. And the decadent experience doesn't stop once you're at the counter. Your purchase is simply and sophisticatedly packaged in a sturdy brown paper bag, adorned with their branded sticker and gently handed to you for safe travels home. Dangerous to discover there's online ordering...

wide variety of selection, very good pricing and great customer service , overall an amazing…read moreexperience

Having loved Asian food since I can remember, and having recently converted to all flavours Middle…read moreEastern, this is one of the best fresh and gourmet food finds of the area yet. One of the things I love Glenroy for is the variety of small, fresh food grocers, deli's and butchers. And now I've discovered Touch of Asia Pacific. Palaté perfection!! From your typical Asian sauces, soy, oyster, sweet chilli, and so on, tradish Asian veggies like the beautiful wombok and bak choy, to every spice you can imagine possibly coming from this side of the world, including my fave, Cumin. Authentic spices for curries, pickles and chutneys favoured in Sri Lanka, dips like tzatziki and hommus, all the different sorts of rice on the planet and a deli of gourmet goods. Seriously good produce and if you follow a recipe, it's so easy to make a genuine Middle East/Asian fusion gourmet dinner right at home! Prices are on the high side, but for produce this good I'm prepared to pay. Important: Address is listed as Pascoe Vale rd, but entry is to the side, in the alley between the Salvo's and the Fish Box. Located next to the car park between these two stores.

This is my go to for quality fruit, veg and flowers. It might be a little pricier than the…read moresupermarkets but it has more variety, stocks those harder to source ingredients and the produce is definitely fresher and lasts longer! They also have a wide range of flowers and some pantry items. The last time I was there they were also stocking Noisette breads, but also have others. A small deli fridge stocks antipasto items, some dairy and yogurt and there is also a freezer with gourmet bits and bobs as well. If you want quality and don't mind spending a bit extra, or are looking for that herb that Coles doesn't have, head straight to Toscano's.

love the variety Toscano offers at Vic Gardens, their produce is always fresh and not your standard…read morestock Coles items. I like their little deli section with different cheeses, the dairy products they offer, as well as the choice of flowers. I don't find the store much more expensive than Coles next to it.

Why would you shop for fruit and vegetables at a supermarket ever again? These markets have a great…read moreselection of local fresh fruits, vegetables, breads, fresh fish, cheese, fresh flowers and plants, and small goods. Not to mention great coffee and some quick breakfast eats while you strut around with your granny trolley. Buy what's local and what's in season. Everyone wins - wallet, stomach, stall holders and environment. Also, great for B-Grade celebrity spotting. I am averaging one a week here! Or perhaps I need new glasses...

An excellent market providing fresh fruit and veggies 50 Saturdays mornings a year…read more Prices and quality can vary a lot from vendor to vendor so I pays to do a walk through before you start your buying. Hang around till 12 for some great bulk buys.

The Kerrie Road shops are a fairly well known strip in Glen Waverley if you're a local, but if…read moreyou're not, you're more likely to completely miss them as you travel from The Glen to Knox down High Street Rd. And you'd be missing out on one of the area's best fruit and veggie stores. Inside, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the range, which includes organic produce. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable about their products, and if you're not sure where to find such and such, they'll usually drop what they're doing and rush to help you. They really value their customers in this shop. If you're in the area and you need fresh produce, I'd highly recommend checking it out.