This review is for Wholesome Choice's food court, namely the first shop there, under "FLAMEDANCE". + Nice, welcoming, helpful staff. + Yummy meals. Good meat variety. - I was hoping vegetables come with the meal. I realized I'd have to sacrifice one of the portions for veggies. - I asked the server for clarification on the veggies. I couldn't make out his answer, but he was already walking away. - They don't bag your food. Beware sauce spilling out the container. + Free samples while you wait or decide your meal. + Affordable meals. + Pleasant ambience. + Ample parking. I got: $14.99 Flou-bak falafel W + $16.99 Combo 3-ite + 10¢ bag + tax = $34.56 read more

If you are looking for fresh, authentic Middle Eastern breads and a solid variety of quick-service food options and grocery this spot is a fantastic find. The Bakery Highlight: The absolute star of the show is the freshly made Barbari and Sangak bread. They bake it right in front of you, and getting it straight out of the oven is a game-changer--it tastes absolutely amazing. The Bread Pricing: They have a tiered pricing system for the fresh bread to keep things fair: First 2 pieces: $2.99 each Additional pieces: $3.99 each Pro Tip: Do yourself a favor and grab the Kashk Bademjan (eggplant dip) from the market. Pairing it with the warm, fresh Sangak bread is an incredible combination. Middle eastern desserts available too. read more

Wholesome Choice - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

This store has become much better than it used to be. The assortment has grown a lot, and now there is a very large variety of products. The store is clean and well organized, which makes shopping there pleasant. The only downside is the smell in the meat department. Unfortunately, it doesn't smell very good, and I have noticed that this smell is there almost every time I visit the store. Another thing I really like is that they sometimes have a very delicious sweet cottage cheese with raisins called "Love Kiss." It's really tasty, and I wish this product was available in the store more often. Overall, the store has definitely improved a lot compared to before. read more

Wholesome Choice sold these mangoes for $1 per box and we were tempted to buy them because the price was a great deal. However, when we cut them open they were all rotten inside. Wholesome should improve their quality assurance before selling their produce. read more

Wholesome Choice - this the package - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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My go to for quick, high quality Persian food. The food court area has all types of ethnic food, but the longest line will always be for the Persian food. Despite the demand, the food is prepared quickly and the quality is consistent. The koobideh has plenty of authentic flavor and is made fresh to order. They provide a healthy amount of butter rice that is always more than enough for one person. There are tables in front of the supermarket although this is more of a grab and go type place. They offer large trays for catering and this seems to be what the majority of customers order. read more

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came here first time .Lot of variety dishes and meat fish vegetables . Huge grocery store .Reasonably prices. Bought marinated meat . Nuts and cooked rice . Food was fresh and good quality . read more

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11/22/25 For the many times I've visited this supermarket, I thought I already dropped a review. As a matter of fact, I think I may have from a while back coz I remember writing about their freshly baked sangak. How a customer actually let me taste a puce of what they purchased. Did Yelp delete my review? In any case, here we are returning to the scene of the crime. I love this market but it's so far. The prices are definitely better than most & the variety is phenomenal. They even have many kinds of stalls that serve Japanese, Chinese, Persian/Mediterranean foods. There are plenty of tables & chairs for outdoor seating to enjoy your meal or snack. The cashiers/staff are courteous & friendly, many are seen replenishing the produce. Today is an exception because it's the weekend before thanksgiving & it's hella busy. Their sales are awesome, Roma tomatoes at $0.49/lb, 5 bulbs or garlic for $0.89 and the Fuyu persimmons are $0.69/lb-- took advantage of this in a flash! Parking is shared with many businesses do it can hairy on prime times. If it was closer, this would be my first choice to shop for groceries. Watch out for your fellow grocers who do not seem to respect personal spaces-- some of them damn near shaved me as she passed me by, I might as well be in Alhambra or Monterey Park lol. I call it the "Land of Push & Shove". Thank goodness I've had my flu shot but I think I should've gone in with a face mask for health reasons-- fair warning. All in all, good shopping trip, next time I should go on a random weekday or maybe at opening time. read more

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This Persian and middle eastern supermarket is huge and great. Lots of choices and they also have Asian foods. Wholesome choice is a great choice for daily grocery shoppings. read more

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If I lived in SoCal, I'd be here almost every week. I moved away many years ago but for a brief period of time lived in proximity to this market and going back yesterday after at least 10 years was such a treat. The fresh bread and produce was better than I remembered and the prices were insane. $0.49/lb for tomatoes? Yes, please! I stocked up on the goods to make my family dinner while I was visiting. The selection of groceries and spices, breads and desserts and the hot foods section was better than I remembered. Highly recommend if you love Persian food and culture. You can try almost anything at a reasonable price. read more

This is an international store. They sell merchandises from Middle East, Iran, Turkey and Asian countries. I really enjoyed the variety of products. In this store, you can order lunch, buy groceries and pastries at the same time. lol There is a bakery located in this store. There is also a mini restaurant that they sell food like kebabs, stews. I give five stars for the variety of the Milka Chocolates they had. I visited on a Sunday. Store was busy and I noticed that they didn't have any self check outs open. They had only two registers open which can make things complicated, if you have only couple of items. Store was clean and well maintained during my visit. This location has a great parking lot. It was easy to find parking spots even on a Sunday. read more

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Local market full of Persian items and some Asian products. There is a mini food court towards the left side and has Chinese, sushi, Thai, and Persian food. I tried the beef koobideh dish and it was decent. However for the price...ehhh not worth it for the portions. The food was fresh but the portions were small and for 20 dollars...I am expecting more for sure. The service is great, but the weirdest thing happened. The cashier let some woman cut me because she was just paying for bread, but also talk to her and kept talking to her while I just wanted to check out. All in all, it's close but I don't think I would come back read more

Not sure why the barbari bread I bought late at night was moldy the next morning!! This has never happened with my purchases here before. Very disappointing. It was the barbari bread from the stores bakery right at the entrance. The bread that is on the other side of the store at the exit is wayyyyy better!!! That bread is made in a fire oven from Iran, taste super authentic and is perfect. I think they are new because they were not there the previous visit. This place has great prices for fresh produce. They have a robust ready made food section it feels like a food court as they have so many different foods and cuisines. For middle eastern people this is a great place to buy groceries we are familiar with. For non middle eastern people I would recommend to go down the aisles and find some gems! read more

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This is primarily a grocery store that caters to our Persian population. You can find all sorts of exotic items here. Specialty breads, gorgeous flowers, etc. Additionally, their produce department is truly phenomenal. It's also seemingly always teeming with people and it's bumper to bumper shopping carts. I'm personally not a fan of their meat department. They also have a whole section of buffet food vendors which sadly have changed in the last decade and the quality disappeared. Plenty of free parking and they make the most out of their footprint. read more

I purchased Mishima Reserve Wagyu from Wholesome Choice that was labeled "HALAL." After contacting the producer directly, they confirmed in writing that their beef is NOT halal-certified at all. This is a serious issue for anyone who relies on halal labeling for religious reasons. Selling a product as halal when it isn't is completely unacceptable and misleading. I've shopped here for years, but this experience destroyed my trust. Wholesome Choice needs to fix this immediately and make sure their halal labels are accurate and backed by real certification. read more

Wholesome Choice - Email from Mishima Reserve - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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Had to come back twice for the kataiffi dough. Other than that, the items they have are great! They have a wide variety of Asian items and middle eastern items. You can get all the items for the Dubai chocolate here. If u come here, get the SANGAK!!! Workers are helpful, but they didn't really know what I was talking about even w the pics I showed lol. They tried tho read more

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This store has been ripping off customers by displaying a sales price for a product and then charging regular (higher prices) at the cashier. This happened to me twice, first time I caught it and had to wait for the manager to credit my card ! A 20 minutes process, but worth it since the over charge was over 25 dollars. The second time was today and I missed it, Persian cucumbers were advertised as 49 cents per pound and charged at 99 cents per pound. In trying to break down the new competition they are in a wholesome way Screwing us the customer! After 20 years you would hope they learned honesty and customer services! None to be found in this outfit. read more

One has to really understand this store before rating it. To most people, it is compared to a traditional grocery store. But to those like us, it is a delightful experience every time we shop there. their choices of goods, staff, and all the nuances of having some incredible offerings, all in one place, that you just don't see often. They do all of that with a smile and good prices. Thanks to the ownership, management, and all frontline employees for giving us such a fantastic choice. Wish you much continued success. read more

I like coming to Wholesome Choice to get food spices. They have a wide selection of produce too. Recently they placed self-checkout registers for fast and easier check-out for those with less than 10 items maybe. read more

Wholesome Choice - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

We bought sangak bread from this place, and honestly, it was a disaster. Some parts were super thin, some were thick, and none of it was baked properly. It was basically raw dough in spots and overall just really low quality bread. We've never had bread this poorly made before. And their cakes were no better--stale and not tasty at all. Overall, it was just a big letdown. read more

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We went here for Mother's day lunch and I just love this store, they have everything and all different cultures of food here. We stopped in to get persian food one of our favorites. It was not that busy shockingly, we got our bread at the front fresh and delicious. But funny experience, they have behind the persian food they have Indian food and many other different foods to choose from but this guy was giving out samples, then I barely could understand him I think he said do you want to try something I thought he meant a sample he proceeded to grab a tray and add food but I was so confused thought it was for someone else cause he walked away and talked to someone else, then baby girl got a sample and we walked away to grab some more things we wanted. I stopped at the persian place first and I ordered the chicken and beef Koobideh. When I got back to pick up our order that guy from the Indian food area ran up to us and said you forgot your order, I said we never ordered anything? He stormed off it was so weird? The chicken usually is so juicy and delicious but this time it was not it was small dry and tasted weird, but the beef was perfect. The rice is always delicious buttery and amazing, I also asked for a side of the Tadik crunchy rice and onions. We enjoyed our meal outside of the store and had a really nice lunch it was such a beautiful day too. I did take 1 star off this time for the chicken not being good Hopefully next time we stop in the chicken tastes better cause that was not how I remember it tasting before. But the service is nice and always with a smile. Thank you for our delicious meal and all the delicious foods here. Have a beautiful day, be kind to everyone :) Aloha read more

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I've been shopping at this grocery store for years. Produce here is inexpensive and not bad quality. Same with the meat and fish. I like the variety of brands I wouldn't find at another store. The prices have been going up over the years but that's the same as everywhere else. They do give a discount for UCI students which is nice. Employees here are somewhat friendly, depends who you get and on what day. But you do have to be careful here. Watch your stuff! I've seen people steal things out of cars in the parking lot while the owners are putting things away. Don't just leave things in your cart and walk away even in the store. I think because the aisles are small and crowded people purposely come here to target shoppers and that's unfortunate. read more

Decided to come here after eating dinner next door. They have a wide selection of Persian, Indian, Turkish, and other ethnic food products here. Most of it seemed reasonably priced. I got baklava from their bakery section to try. I had never tried Dubai chocolate but one of the staff convinced me to try their in house version since it was significantly cheaper than the imported one. $4 vs $12. It was tasty. The chocolate was rich. I didn't taste too much of the pistachio despite being covered in it. read more

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Very bad costumer service and I wait 15 min to get mortadella i give up and go to mission ranch even now you cant get number for service at deli too read more

This Persian store has it all! Clean aisles, endless unique foods, fresh lavash bread, beautiful bouquets and friendly staff. I consistently have a lovely time every visit! It can get crazy busy at times so it's best to visit first thing in the morning if you can. read more

One of the worst and most unhygienic stores I've ever seen. We bought bread and found a piece of a glove inside it (see the photo). Absolutely terrible. read more

Wholesome Choice - Piece of glove in bread - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

This was my first visit for the last 10 years to this store. I did not come there as they sold me an expired cake back then. I tried to give this store another chance after 10 years. I purchased 1 box of Lobya plov, and it was charged $18.99 as a Chicken Kabab. I did not get the Baghali Plov with the Lamb Shank. Instead I got just a Lamb shank for $13.99 without rice. The ad shows Baghali plov with the lamb shank for $9.99. I am very disappointed to be duped like that. read more

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Wholesale Choice Market / Iranian Market - Great Experience! Good selection of products with fresh and tasty food. The prices are affordable, and the quality is impressive. Convenient parking available -- overall, a pleasant shopping experience. Thank you read more

Wholesome Choice - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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I'm writing this review to help the store. What kind of okra stew are you guys selling? It's simply very water down tomato water and they give you these GMO small miniature okra. Something I've never even seen. They're about a centimeter long. It just does not taste natural. Please fix this and use a real okra. read more

I visited the store again recently, much better quality. Thank you for fixing the issue. As always, we enjoy all all the other products you offer. read more

Wholesome Choice - Haleem - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

I am not too sure why this market does not have at least 4 stars. Great market with a very diverse amount of produce. Yes, it's mostly Persian food that is sold especially the bread that's made on the house. Overall reasonably priced. This place can get pretty packed too! Large variety of Asian middle eastern, and European food. There's also a UCI discount-yay! They have a pastry shop and a food court too! read more

There was spoiled and unsafe food at the shawarma place inside the wholesome choice. The rice was sour and covered the beneath . When I asked for chicken with salad, the owner hid the spoiled, overly salty ground beef underneath a small portion of chicken and wrapped it in paper inside the box. When I opened the container, there was a very strong and unpleasant smell. This food was not safe to eat and could have caused food poisoning. read more

Wholesome Choice - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is AMAZING!!!!! I ate as much in the mediterranean area as I could and everything I tasted was between good and great! I'm so impressed by the food options, prices were fair, and the employees helpful. If I lived closer, I'd never cook again- this is a must try for the hot bar items. read more

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I had a very disappointing experience there today. I was waiting in line to check out. After the customer before me finished, I was next, and I had already placed my five items on the belt. The cashier, Irisa, looked at me and the customer behind me. She asked the lady behind me if she only had one item, and when the lady said yes, the cashier let her check out first. I couldn't believe this happened. When I asked the cashier why she did that, she kept repeating that the other customer only had one item. I am very disappointed with my shopping experience today. A cashier should understand how to treat customers fairly, and this was completely unacceptable. read more

This review is only for the bakery. A store employee suggested that I try their in-house Dubai chocolate ($3.99). The pistachio Kataifi filling was SUPER STALE. It must have been sitting there for weeks. I tossed it out after one bite (The chocolate part wasn't very good either). I was complaining about this to my mom- who THEN told me that she never buys anything from their bakery anymore, because she bought a Napoleon pastry one time and it was also super stale. I wish she would have told me before I made the mistake of buying something there. SO I guess I am giving you fair warning- avoid the bakery items. read more

I got 3 combo boxes from Indian food vendor inside the grocery store yesterday (01/30/2026). My family shared them for our dinner, then later in the middle of night, we all got food poisoning from these Indian food. I personally spent more than 2 hours on the toilet, as well as multiple throw-ups. My family did not do any better than me also. What a miserable experience it turned out. We don't eat Indian food very often, and we will probably not going to have it again for a very long time. And even if we do, it won't be from the same vendor from this Persian supermarket, for sure. I wonder how many other people got the same food poisoning experience like ours. If so, I hope you would share yours here too. read more

It's like a little vacation coming in here. I spent $100 on dates, feta, tahini, pita bread, some fruit, vegetable, dried nuts, rice I found jarred Ginger to go with sushi. I've been looking for that for a year. Had to bypass most of the produce it was too crowded . The food court is fun with lots of tastings. I bought the best feta cheese I've ever had. French! Could be Cleaner. The prices were higher than Ralphs for most things. read more

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Over the years, the quality of wholesome food has noticeably declined compared to what it was 10+ years ago. This grocery store, with a strong selection of international products, stands out for its range of Persian items, as it's a Persian grocery store. Despite shopping here for five years, I hadn't tried their food since my last sampling experience was disappointing--it tasted burnt. This time, I reluctantly tried a sample they offered, but it was even worse. I ended up throwing it away because the small piece of chicken and meat was dry and burnt, while the soup tasted like it came from the bottom of the pot and was completely flavorless. To me, samples should be fresh if they're meant to attract customers to a product. Persian cuisine is known for its rich flavors and freshness, neither of which was present in the sample I tried. The staff here is friendly and warm, especially Ali at the register, who goes above and beyond. Be sure to use any coupons and register your phone number for rewards. Prices are a bit higher than at other Persian grocery stores in the LA area, so it's also a good idea to check expiration dates on items. The store itself is quite packed, with narrow aisles that make it hard for two carts to pass each other, and customers often bump carts or get stuck. Plus, some customers aren't always attentive, which can lead to accidental cart collisions. read more

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There has been a Wholesome Choice Shopping Cart sitting in our neighborhood for the past 6 days. The neighbors have repeatedly called the store to come pick it up and 6 days later it is STILL here. Every time we call, we get passed around as each WC employee from cashiers to managers PROMISE to pick it up and ask for the location or address YET AGAIN - but it's still there. Four days ago, the person stated an employee had just left with a tow truck to retrieve it - but it is still on the corner of our street, so not only are they not taking responsibility for their carts, but they are also lying about their attempts to pick it up. I think this corroborates the reviews here which state that their customer service is terrible. Their concern for the surrounding neighborhood is non-existent. Day 7 and the shopping cart is here. read more

Wholesome Choice - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Very dirty and saw a rat running in the other night Never stepping a foot there, very bad and rude service Chaotic and unorganized, their food tastes bad as well from the food court. 0/10 read more

Not much has changed about the Persian restaurant food section since my last review from 10 years ago...EXCEPT: - portions for non-Persian customers have shrunk -greetings for non-Persian customers went on mute -my friend went went after my speaking Farsi got a generous portion. I will update again in 10 years I suppose. Hopefully it won't be worst than where it's headed read more