The supermarket has a variety of options Their shirmaal bread is phenomenal The people are also friendly and helpful read more

My review here is only with respect to the meat store in this place. Pros: Amazing goat meat quality One of the ver few places we get goat meat in Rochester Probably the only place we get minced goat meat in Rochester They cost just the right amount. Cons: Extremely inconsistent with the availability of the meat. I have been here at every time of the day and week in the past 5 years and it's just a gamble as to when it will be available. Tips: Call and check if they have what you want before you go. read more

Took a recent friend here with her daughter who just came over from Afghanistan. They found all their basic essentials there and it was nice they could find what they needed there so close to our neighborhood. Only thing is they were looking for Qaimaq (A type of Afghan cream) you mix for breakfast and they didn't have it. They also have a good assortment of teas which I always like looking at. The store was also clean, well organized and the aisles were easy to get through which is always an added plus. read more

Desi Bazaar / Bamiyan Kabob is my new go-to spot in Rochester for a cheap, quick and tasty meal. Desi Bazaar is primarily an Afghani/Pakistani/Indian grocery store with an attached kitchen that serves up kebabs, samosas, chicken wings and rice. While I suspect the owners originally expected mostly take-out business, they have added a newly renovated dining area which is actually really nice. With that said, there is no official menu. Instead there are pictures of the various meal combinations (#1-16) hanging from the ceiling. Since the restaurant shares a similar name to the popular Toronto restaurant chain, it comes as no surprise that the menu is also similar. This includes beef, lamb and chicken kabobs served as a wrap or served with rice and salad. They also offer lamb shank, curry and chicken biryani. For about $8.50 you get two generous skewers of meat, a small salad with yogurt dressing and a giant heap of rice. It's served with a spicy red salsa sauce which compliments the meat well. I found the meat a little less flavorful as compared to the Toronto chain, but still very good. Everything tastes pretty clean and healthy. Very little salt and butter. Some nann bread would have been a nice addition to the meal, but the rice is usually enough to satifsy my carb craving. They also offer vegetable and chicken samosas, which are a little greasy, but delicious. Overall, this is a great place for a lunch or an informal dinner. Don't be fooled by its nondescript appearance, since they serve up some good food at a reasonable cost. I'll be sure to come back soon. I'm officially a "regular." read more

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Bamiyan Kabob is the restaurant attached to Desi Bazaar. I was in the area and needed a place to stop for lunch and this establishment looked interesting. The food did not disappoint! I got a beef dish (pictured) but don't remember the exact name of it, but it was delicious with ample portions. The spicy meat was complimented by a flavorful rice and a modest salad. The drinks were self serve and besides the basics (Coke, etc.) included some interesting international soft drinks. The dining area was adequate but nothing to write home about. I will definitely be back to try more of their menu! read more

Desi Bazaar - Grocery Near Me - Rochester, New York

We came here because we heard the lamb shank was something we had to try! They were not kidding! This is now our second time here and we were so please the first go around that we are trying new items. The restaurant is quiet, clean, and really nice. You order at the counter and pay at the front register for take out or you cam order and eat in the restaurant to the right side of the grocery store. The price is comparable and the quality has been really good. We love spice bazaar for groceries but got excited to see another grocery close to us. I have to say, there is not as much of an option and the prices can get high but they have a butcher and you can buy goat, lam, beef, and chicken. For basics or if you're in a pinch for something they have enough of a selection but if you want to actually shop, I would go to spice bazaar a few blocks down. read more

Writing about the market here btw... There is a large Indian population in Rochester, especially in neighboring to the store, Rustic Village Apartments. I swear, 7:00 p.m. you'll see cricket games on the field, graceful saris across lawns, women and children sitting outside on summer days, smells of curry and garam masala in every hallway, and you'll seriously feel like you've traveled to India. What's awesome is that there's a supermarket right next door within walking's distance for those who want to try out making Indian/Pakistani food or see where the locals shop. I love it b/c I've always wanted to make indian food but this place enables my interest and hobbies b/c the prices are inexpensive, diverse in selection, and authentic to the dot. The lady behind the counter is super nice and will give you recommendations if you ask. If you're halaal, I believe this is the place to go. They even sell some veggies and produce here. Place is a little small but i'ts such a gem to find anything you need here to ensure a good Indian meal prep ahead of you. Things you must absolutely get here: 1. Spices. Duh. IF you want bulk spices like cardamom, garam masala, coriander, curry, etc you best just come here. Honestly if you get a garam masala, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, cumin and just throw that into anything you make, you'll basically look like a pro. 2. Teas. Good black teas with milk surprisingly are best here in this store. I feel Indian black tea is superior to AMerican black tea. It is super fragrant and goes so well with whole milk and hint of honey. Delicious. Pick up any of the black tea brand bags- get the red box in the top left corner and you got the most popular brand of the Indian people. 3. Whole milk yogurt. Of course... if you want good Tikka Masala or good indian meets you can't cook without good Indian yogurt! Get the gant 5 lb tub or only 6$ and it goes SOOOO well with meats and it goes well with scoops of orange marmalade with berries in the morning. The yogurt is delicious here compared to a Wegman's or any American brand I've encountered. 4. Basamati Rice. Just saying. you can't make good indianfood without good fragrant fluffy Basmatic Rice. Can't go wrong with anything here for the rice. 5. Atta Flour. Ever wondered why chaapatis and those Indian flat breads just tasted more wholesome than anything we make? Anything we make from normal flour just becomes like baked pizza crust. Atta flour is actualy super super whole wheat and honestly it makes healthier muffins and food b/c it's heartier and a tougher durum flour. read more

True rating: 3.5 stars Desi Bazaar is a halal butcher + Indian/Middle Eastern food/spice store + Middle Eastern/Indian take out restaurant rolled into one. The owners are helpful and friendly. I come here often to find the Shan masalas that I can't locate at the India House grocery store. I also buy meat here and it has always been fresh. The butcher (one of the owners) has advised me on what cuts to get for certain Indian dishes. The mini food counter in the back (named Bamiyan Kebab) is a hidden gem. If they have fried chicken drumsticks and/or samosas, get one of each. If you love fried chicken, you might want 2 drumsticks. They are well spiced and deep fried to perfection. They also offer a variety of kebabs and rice dishes. The kebabs come with a mountain of rice, a little iceberg salad and an interesting tomato-y dressing. The kebabs here tend to be quite mild but juicy. If you love spicy kebabs, you will need to add some chopped green chillis (which they sell there in the small basic produce section next to the butcher area). You can eat in if you would like - the entire space next door is a simply decorated dining area. But I recommend taking it home as the dining in setup seems awkwardly executed as of my last visit. Overall, it is a regular stop in my grocery shopping routine and random weekend lunch pickup spots. While the grocery store offers mostly the same things as other Indian grocery stores, Bamiyan Kebab is the closest thing we have to an Afghani restaurant so I must recommend you check it out. read more

Desi Bazaar - Chicken samosas - Grocery Near Me - Rochester, New York

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This place has the best chicken biryani ever! They always have fresh, clean, delicious home made style dishes. If you like spicy food this is the place to go. read more

the story is good y can find what you need but the rest is not good at all I ordered 4 Afghan Boloany for my my friend. in Sid was not cook well we put in the garbage read more

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Pretty tasty fried chicken, you have to trust YELPER Naz for fried chicken. I also went for the recommended samosas I favored the potato over the chicken. The shell was inconsistently crisp and tender, I longed for a dipping sauce. I sauntered around the market which had some very interesting and dusty items. The meat looked good and the spices could be a great reason to stop by. read more

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Best amazing Afghan food, why has this place not gotten more reviews?! Yummy, healthy and tons of flavor.

Best falafel pita sandwich I've had in a long time. Bread was so soft. The samosa was great. We didn't see the free tea until we finished our food. I can't wait to come back. The wait for the food was a little long but it was ok because we got to check out the grocery store. I picked up some cardomom tea for home so it's cool how it's both a grocery store and a restaurant. I will have to pick up some tea biscuits and dates next time. read more

Amazing hole in the wall type restaurant! I come on my overnights here and it's just awesome middle eastern food I recommended this to all my co workers and friends and they all message me back with positive feedback. Come check it out and enjoy the culture keep it up guys and all the best! read more

Bad customer service especially the people who is working in the back the meat section. They have no experience with customer service they're very rude especially when you called and asked about the turkey and lamb leg. We will take our business elsewhere since we paid double the price for halal meat. Everything is overpriced. read more

This is a resource for those whipping up some Indian, Pakistani, or other south Asian cuisine, and they prominently advertise carrying Halal food. There's a good representation of bulk dried items and spices (although they don't carry tamarind - a curious omission). They also stock the largest variety of those just-open-and-heat prepackaged Indian /Pakistani dishes I've seen. (These are great to whip out when the desire or time to cook isn't there - not only are they fast and easy, but they taste good too.) They have a small frozen food section and a fresh meat section, and they carry snack-type foods and some general grocery items. They also rent films - most, if not all, products of Bollywood. It's a small place, but I can find things here that I can't elsewhere, and everything is so inexpensive I wonder how they stay in business. They recently started accepting credit cards, which has made shopping there even more convenient. If you live in Rustic Village, they're within easy walking distance. - and, how cool is it that they turned away a would-be robber by leaning over the counter and punching him in the nose?! read more

Desi Bazaar is a small grocery store catering to Pakistani, Afghani and Indian ingredients. Its a good place to pick up Halal meat and the only place around I know of to get fresh goat. Cheap lamb too, and a decent assortment of offal from what I can tell. They also do a little takeout business, serving solid Afghani-Pakistani? (pretty sure) style dishes. I've had the beef and chicken shami kebab and both are amazing. Packing tons of spices, not necessarily hot but bursting with flavor. The basmati with fried carrots and raisins was also a new experience for me. Their samosas aren't bad either, and at 99 cents a piece you can't really go wrong. I have yet to try the curry dish, or fried drumstick and few of the other kebabs, but I will certainly be back. Lunch runs about $7 at Desi, which isn't too bad for two huge kebabs and a mountain of rice. read more

Some of the best kebabs I've had in Rochester, definitely a winner! The store has a good variety of items too, including one of my favorite teas, which was a very exciting find. read more

Desi Bazaar - Kebab plate - Grocery Near Me - Rochester, New York

Desi Bazaar and their next door restaurant Bamiyan Kabobs are just wonderful. I used to work at a company located in Corporate Woods just down the street and hit up both of these businesses about every other week. Now my visits are not as often but I'm always very happy with my experiences. The grocery store is small but wonderful, jam packed with all kinds of Indian/Middle Eastern goodies, including a Halal butcher/meat section. I've bought a little bit of everything from them over the years and love their selection. I should note they do not have any fruits/vegetables, but I'm perfectly fine with that. The restaurant is accessible from the right rear corner of the store where the order counter is also located. I've had dine-in lunch there on many occasions and have had take-out many times as well. The food has always been excellent. The only thing I've had any issue with is their, unexpectedly available, fried chicken. It's super yummy but the rub they use is super salty. read more

Desi Bazaar is a Pakistani/Afghani (and maybe Indian) grocery store cum delicatessen. It is a great place to pick up fresh halal meats (goat, lamb, beef, chicken), and other grocery items. The highlight of the place I would say is, apart from fresh meats, the delicatessen, that serves buriyani rice and other dishes well prepared by an outstanding chef. This business is SOLID and I have frequented this place for the past few months. This is a must try - food seem to be home made, and of much better quality than what you will find in Chaat House, also nearby. Enjoy! read more

It has a dining area attached to the store but you won't notice until you order food at the counter. We shared 5 beef samosas, and lamb shank. The samosas were fried to golden brown and came in a basket. Make sure you take them out and lay in a single layer otherwise the bottom one can become soft due to the heat. The beef filling was savory and flavorful. The lamb shank was cooked to perfection: the meat was tender and I had no problem using a fork and a spoon to tear them from the bone. The sides included rice and veggies (iceberg lettuce, 3 slices of tomato and 3 slices of cucumber). The rice was fluffy, lightly seasoned and not greasy. There is tap water available if you ask, or you can buy beverages in the store. In the end, we put our plates at the designated area and went to the cashier to pay. The price was affordable and no tip included on the check. I assume because they don't operate as a real restaurant/have a license for selling cooked food. Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise. read more

The best lamb shank and chicken leg ever! The lamb curry is also a must have. My boyfriend and I visit their for food so often now they know what we like to order. read more

Desi Bazaar - Chicken legs - Grocery Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Defiantly a hidden gem with very tasty food. I have had the beef and the chicken kabobs both were very good the beef being the tastier of the two. read more

The review here is for the grocery store, not the kebab shop. The natural comparison here is to Spice Bazaar, which is just a few minutes down the street. Desi Bazaar has a different emphasis: it's Pakistani (I think) rather than Indian, so there are halal goods and an emphasis on more Middle-Eastern food. The store's also quite a bit smaller, but still has a decent selection of dry lentils and spices. Rice is available in smaller bags, which is a plus in my book, and this place actually has a wide selection of fresh bread (including more Middle-Eastern pita), which isn't available at Desi. All in all a bit of a schlep from downtown but I'd go back. read more

Good, standard kebabs. The quality is consistent. You can choose to get either a platter with meat, rice, vegetables or a pita. Both are great. My favorite pita here is the chicken tikka pita - large, fresh, perfectly spiced, cool and refreshing yogurt raita-type dipping sauce. They're very accommodating and will also prepare larger orders to-go. read more

The sum of it's parts allows is greater than the whole come into play here. As a cafe, the menu is limited. Yet, the fried chicken wings and samosas are delicious and cheap enough to make many a repeat customer. My recommendation for the best menu item is easily the lamb shank. Insert common foodie terms like juicy, tender, moist, flavorful etc. As a grocery store it is pretty small but they do have good ethnic variety and are cheaper than similar stores in the area. The butcher too is very accommodating and has never imposed minimum orders on me for my minuscule orders. I particularly love the chicken here as they look as though they have not been genetically altered. read more

I can't believe what you get for the prices at Bamiyan kabob. The rice could use more seasoning and the salad could be better than iceberg but I'm not complaining because there's also FREE TEA in the corner in addition to the yummy grilled meat! The Afghan-style floor seating which is great if youre like me and have two small kids. The baby can crawl while we eat. There are some good ideas happening at this place but they dont always follow through. For example beautiful square white plates but served on red plastic Mcdonalds-type trays. A decent dining room but no music....you dine to the distant sound of meat being cut on the other side of the store. It's a little strange to dine with no music whatsoever until you actually do so. As for the store, the name of the place is tricky. No longer owned by Desis, it offers much more than just Desi food. I found that a lot of the random things I like to find in halal stores were available. Someone mentioned tamarind missing, I saw it when I was there. The meat is good and decently priced. The place is clean and the customer service decent. read more

Tasty kabob cafe and conveniently attached to middle eastern grocery store. Shop while you wait for food

It's a cozy place to eat. Love how they served free tea.

WOW! Good food - good people. I went with 5, Number 7 combos - chicken and ground beef kabobs and added chicken samosas, all for the lunch club at work. Fantastic stuff, delicious, fresh and different. Everybody raved. I'd give Desi Bazaar 10 stars if I could. We'll be back. read more

Consistently great indian food for great prices. I've eaten her a number of times and have not once been disappointed. The food is always consistently good - great flavors, reasonable portions, and very very quick services. The #7 is my to go (a mixture of a beef kabob and tandoori chicken) and is what I would recommend. I'd say its probably the best indian food you can get in Rochester (and its halal!) read more

This place is run by very nice people and one of my favorite stores to visit. Everything that I have tried at the food counter in the back has been very tasty and fresh, but the SAMOSAS! The samosas are the best I have ever had (chicken are my favorite), and are at their best straight from the fryer. After trying these, samosas moved up among my favorite foods. Be prepared for some spicey with the kabobs, for anyone who is sensitive. I usually do take-out, but they also have a sit-down room in the back which is kept clean and is nice, and good wait service. Whenever I am living somewhere else I miss this place's inexpensive, fresh, authentic, delicious meals. There is a pretty extensive spice and staple section too which I use a lot. Very good prices here as well. The place also has a halal butcher, but I have only gotten ground goat once which was ground fresh and very good quality. In the corner is a small produce section which is lacking and doesn't seem to have much turnover. Some deserts (baklavas and other stuff I am not familiar with) are available near the register, but I have not tried any of them. Some frozen products are available to the left. read more

It's a good grocery stores with delicious foods. I tried kabob and lamb shank are my favorites Persian foods!

Desi-bazaar is a great place which has clearly understood the demand of its clients for even better service. Desi has many hard-to-find things from many Mediterranean countries ranging from Iran to India and turkey. There are many traditional ingredients, dairies, breads and sweets. There is a great restaurant at the back which serves hot food seemingly Afghan cuisine, however suits what Persian people cook as well. The meals with rice might not be the choice for American people (as there is a lot of rice), but it has the exact amount of rice we make as side dish of Persian meals. There is a nice dining place in the restaurant. The cute thing is that it also has two areas in the dining place where clients can seat on a carpet and have their food (the traditional way for having traditional foods in many middle eastern countries). Also, it has yoghurt drink(Doogh -- Ayran )!! yayyyy.... hard to find in Rochester. It also has dates, Gaz (from Iran) and so many traditional ingredients of middle eastern cuisine. Food has acceptable price ranging from 7 to 11 for the meals with rice and salad. The rice is overall really delicious and Chicken Tikka ensembles Persian juje-kabob. Overall, I'm thrilled that I found this bazaar after all. The only drawback is that the breads were not fresh, but given the fact that they get many of these items from Toronto for a small population of Turkish,Arab,Afghan,Indian and Turkish people in Rochester, it's acceptable. read more

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Everyone is extraordinarily kind and helpful at Desi Bazaar. The samosas are pretty great too! I can't wait to try the rest of the menu.