Authentic taste of paans with good variety and staff is also very nice and welcoming…read more Highly recommended to explore this joint.

I love meetha paan (meetha means sweet). It's the perfect refreshment after a meal. It's hard to…read morefind places that make this in the city. My cousins and I came across this little "dhaba" or hole in the wall place after dinner one evening and I'm so happy we did. It was just what I needed. Paan is a digestive snack. It's the perfect combination of cardamon, rose petals in sugar syrup, fennel seeds, and other spices which are wrapped inside a fresh betel leaf. It is an acquired taste but you have to give it a try. I would recommend all to try it at least once and this place makes it well. Make sure to ask for meetha or sweet paan.

i don't go to this place a lot but when i do i always enjoy it. the variety of spices and costumer…read moreservice is great. the prices are also great i'm going their later today.

There are a number of similar names for this small, but mighty, establishment floating around on…read morethe internet: Ninth Avenue International Foods, Ninth Avenue International Market, International Grocery & International Food, Ninth Avenue International Grocery, or just what's written on the sign: International Grocery. Whatever the actual name, it seems that this Mediterranean specialty store has been open since 1947, run first by the Smitsis Family, and then the Karamouzis (including brothers Sotiris, Dinos, and Panayiotis). The Karamouzis moved it a few doors north to its present location in 1983. The neighborhood around the store has evolved a great deal over the years, but inside, old world charm persists. Everywhere you look there are bulk bins, barrels, and sacks brimming with: - Spices: all the staples needed for Mediterranean, Indian and North African cuisines, including za'atar, dried tamarind, cloves, allspice, rock salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, red pepper, black mustard seed, etc... - Dried fruits: pineapple, apricots, raisins, figs, diced orange peel, dates, etc... - Dried nuts: cashews, macadamias, almonds in every form, walnuts, pistachios, etc.. - Grains, beans, lentils, and flours - Coffee I love that International Grocery has stuck with bins and barrels for all these years. Bulk bins were the norm when the store first opened and are so much more environmentally friendly than the ubiquitous single use plastic packaging we see nowadays. Environmentally conscious folks are increasingly coming around to appreciate bulk bins and I wouldn't be surprised if they became the hot "new" trend in coming years. If you stick with something for long enough, it comes back into fashion, right? The wonders don't end with all those glorious bins, however. Far from it. Improbably, all of the following (and more) also neatly fit into a store the size of a suburbanite's two-car garage: - Olives -- about 10-15 kinds by my last count, but I've seen even more varieties at times. I love my crisp, green Castelvetranos and black Kalamatas; the Progeny loves her pimento-stuffed Manzanillas. - Antipasti (mushrooms, artichokes, giardiniera, gigantes plaki) and preserved lemon peel - Feta (Bulgarian, Greek) and other cheeses - Tzatziki and other spreads - A variety of fresh and packaged pastries (baklava, kourabiedes, koulourakia) and halvas - Olive oils, pomegranate molasses, carob molasses - Pita breads and pasta - Rose water - Amardeen (an apricot leather used to make a Syrian drink of the same name) Prices are quite fair and the owners + staff are kind, generous, gentle and gracious. When my 10-year old privately expressed interest in the orange peel to me, one of the owners overheard and offered her some to try. They didn't look at all askance when she delightedly opened various bins to sniff the beautiful aromas within. (I did teach her to waft the smells to her nose by hand a la chemistry lab, instead of sticking her head into each bin.) As much as I detest the areas around Port Authority -- it's one of the dirtiest, smelliest parts of NYC -- I do go out of my way for International Grocery and will for as long as we're both around.

Another good & cheap Asian veggie market on Mott St. They have fewer things than their competition…read morenext door, but tend to be open later. Also, if it's possible, the veggies here look /even cleaner/ than at Won Chong, but that may be a trick of the harsh fluorescent lighting they've got going on. I made out like a bandit with over a pound of baby bok choy, a knob of ginger, and spring onions, for $2 flat. (The guy appears to have rounded DOWN!) And after cooking it, I can vouch for everything being nice and fresh. I bought some organic bok choy at a farmer's market that wasn't this good. And cost $3-4 a pound. How does that work!?

Heavenly Food Market is a great addition to Midtown Manhattan. The space is brand new, very clean,…read moreand well-maintained, with some indoor seating available if you want to sit down and eat. The portions are generous, especially for the area, and the prices are surprisingly reasonable compared to many nearby lunch spots. Everything felt fresh, and the service was quick and efficient. Between the clean space, good portions, fair prices, and convenient location, this is definitely a spot I'll be returning to.

I went into this Heavenly Market this morning at 9:35 to get a lottery ticket, mistakenly thinking…read morethe "Open 24 hrs" sign (same neon blue and yellow as the lottery signs -- should've looked closer) was a lottery sign and I could purchase a ticket. Three young women were behind the registers but grouped away, chatting. None of them acknowledged my presence or moved to help me (no one else was at the counter). I waited patiently. A minute later, another young woman came to the counter but took care of the coffee machine, not me. A fifth woman approached, said ,"hello" to me, loud enough for the other three women to hear, but continued with the bags of Doritos she seemed to be stocking shelves with; however, my "hello" response to her, made loud enough for the three young women to hear, seemed to galvanize them toward the register. The first young woman said to her compatriots, "Someone wait on her." I was shocked. I haven't been treated that rudely since I shopped in Lord & Taylor one Christmas in 1998 -- and we all know what happened to Lord & Taylor. I asked the young woman who finally deigned to look at me if I could buy a lottery ticket and she dismissively responded that they didn't sell them. I told her I thought I saw a sign in the window and she scornfully said, "There's no sign in the window!" and then she turned away. Even so, I thanked her -- but of course did not receive a "You're welcome." I think the powers that be at Heavenly Market need to know about this encounter, and their cashiers need some serious remedial training. No customer should be treated so poorly. I will post this to my Instagram (as a local novelist, I have a LOT of followers) AND I told my PT team at NYU Langone on 38th St. about the encounter. I know many of them use this deli, but there are plenty of delis and markets on 2nd Avenue, the same distance from NYU. Money talks and it can also walk.

Yeah Max S. is definitely right but since he has an old review I will just explain. The 5 stars I…read moream giving is for the original guy who was here at this location with Halal cart. he has since sold the business and now there is another dude there. I mean food is still good but the deals are not as sweet as they were 1 year ago. The other money would really give you alot of rice, chicken and all that with a soda for $5.50. Always like some of the white sauce too, but not too much. Salad thrown in there was always pretty official too. THe new guy if you wanna check it out now is probably like a *3.7* rating, this last guy who originally had the Halal cart was 5-stars all the way. -midtown lunch- Yes, I am in it

Samuel L Jackson would exclaim "mm mm MM Bitch!"…read more Talk about some tasty ass food for a low price. * Yellow or Brown Rice * I get a mix of Chicken, Lamb, which is superb, and the guy throws in a couple falafel balls w/ salad * Your choice of white sauce, hot sauce, and Yes, kids - even Hummus. * Soda ======= $5.50 It's always fresh. Not a lot of people know about it. And... you simply can't beat that. And for my artery-unclogging portion of the meal, I do a healthy walk to Tudor Park and consume my tasty meal out in the fresh air.

small takeout joint. no tables, etc. just grab and go. place seems to be built for delivery folks…read moreand taxi & app drivers who need calories or caffeine. menu is Halal--with most eats being protein over rice, gyros, and a couple of vegetarian options. food is prepared on a grill in front of you. ordered a chicken over rice ($7)--hefty portion of grilled chicken and veggies over rice with your choice of hot sauce, white sauce, etc. got a samosa ($1.50), too. chicken over rice was packed neatly, seasoned well, and hit the spot for dinner. the samosa was pretty decent. definitely would stop by here if i were in the neighborhood and didn't feel like making dinner. definitely a solidly good option when you want something quick that's not fast food.

Mi-Ne Deli is a cafe-shop located near one of my old classroom buildings. Because of the location…read moreand the delicious barbecue pork buns, I would stop in every Wednesday before class. They're decent in size, flavorful, and juicy. The people who work there are also very nice and will make sure to pick out the best-looking one if you ask. They're also kind enough to warn you that it's hot. I also noticed that there is a shop with fun products for sale and a small restaurant in the back. I believe they sell curry. This was the best spot to pick up a snack before class every week and since I graduated it's a shame that I won't be able to come back weekly. I will do my best to come by and pick up a bun now and then when I'm in the neighborhood or have spare time. NYU students this is the place to go. The prices are fair too.

My friend bought a Sonny Angel blind box from here that turned out to be a counterfeit :(read more

Local small Japanese grocery store located in the 6th Ave Village. They have almost everything you…read morewould want from a Japanese store. They have prepared food, just heat and serve. They have a microwave on the premise. Store is very friendly. Prices are reasonable. Come and visit.

Eggs are high priced and even hard to find now, but I'll splurge on the eggs at the small but…read moremighty Dainobu, which also happens to have a fantastic selection of fresh produce and take away hot and cold Japanese delites.