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.

Absolutely love this place! First found it when looking for some spices I'd never heard of before…read morefor a Palestinian dessert. International Grocery had these and many other spices, grains, nuts, flours, everything you can think of, from multiple cuisines from many cultures around the Mediterranean. They also have fresh halvah, and delicious spanakopita, freshly made! I got into the habit of buying several generous servings-- one for now, several for my freezer. What a great find!

The prepackaged items are fantastic, the service is kind, and the selection is decent. I had the…read moreKimchi Fried Rice, which had the ideal ratio of sweet rice, sour kimchi, and sunny-side-up egg. Everything came together with the runny yolk.

This Asian grocery store features a wide range of Korean specialties, including banchan, snacks,…read moreprepared entrees, various types of kimchi, and bags of rice in different sizes. Like any full-service market, they also have a fish department, along with fresh-cut and prepackaged vegetables, and a selection of meats. As with any grocery store, I strongly recommend checking expiration dates before purchasing. In their fish department, be sure to examine the clarity of the fish's eyes to ensure freshness. The overhead sprinklers in the produce section can sometimes oversaturate the vegetables, so it is worth inspecting those carefully as well. The employees are not particularly chatty, but if you need assistance navigating the store, they are helpful and will point you in the right direction. The aisles are generally well organized and well stocked during the weekdays. On weekends, however, the store is more crowded, and there have been times when specific items I was looking for were either limited or unavailable. The ambiance is okay, and the parking is easy, as it is in a strip mall, and there are plenty of parking spaces. There is a small eating area available if you would like to eat a prepared entree after purchasing it. A sign indicates they are happy to heat your said entree if needed, but I didn't see anyone available to assist. Given the number of excellent eateries surrounding the supermarket, we chose not to purchase and heat any entrees there. This grocery store is conveniently located for those who prefer not to travel all the way to Edison's Asian markets, particularly HMart. It's worth noting that prices here tend to be a dollar or two higher than at HMart. However, when you factor in savings on gas and travel time, it can often be more practical to shop locally.

I love Star Big Bazaar and have been shopping here for years. Their produce is usually well priced,…read moreespecially herbs. Fresh cilantro and dill will be 1/3 of what you'd pay at an American grocery store. Plus their selection is amazing given the size of the store. Their methi (fenugreek) is tasty. I also like their pepper selection. Lemons, limes, tomatoes are well priced and bulk beans, spices, nuts, and grains are on par. Their prices on packaged goods are slightly more than Edison grocers but their location is way better for me and worth a couple pennies for the convenience. Their prepared foods are crazy good and better than most restaurants. When you are standing in line, be sure to grab a bag and get some fresh samosas. They're so good that my family eats them in the car! I guess word is out about their prepared foods because they recently opened a little snack shop beside the grocery store. I haven't eaten there yet but my friends tell me it's really good.

I was in the area and decided to stop by and check this place out. I was actually pretty impressed…read morewith the selection, especially the fresh food items. There was a good variety and everything looked fresh. Price-wise, I felt it was a little more expensive compared to the Indian grocery stores I usually go to around Edison and Piscataway. But considering it's closer to the Princeton area, I can understand the difference in pricing. Overall, a good experience and a nice place to stop for Indian groceries if you're in the area. I would definitely stop by again when I'm nearby.

NEW HOURS from NOVEMBER 2021…read more 9 -- 7 Sunday 9 -- 8 the rest of the week Pretty good selection, they seem to have extensive fish and meat as well though I have only purchased packaged goods and some other groceries. Easy store to navigate, and is not crammed. Lots of smaller or end displays with changing stock, keeps it interesting. Fast checkout! My only issue with this store is that they are VERY LAX ON PRICE DISPLAY. I know I'm shouting, maybe Gigante will hear me (this listing is unclaimed). Happily the cashiers are friendly and help scan things, but this is a pain....just about half of my items last time had NO PRICE labels on item or the shelf! Stopped me from more spontaneous purchases so maybe not a bad thing, but annoying nonetheless.

Pricey as hell charge $10.49 for hellmans mayo!!!!! 30oz acme has it cheaper! Will never shop there…read moreagain!

Was in plainsboro and googled this place.. I actually wanted to eat something but saw most of the…read morechinese restaurants inside this asian shop. Went in and it was good . Lots of asian food, bakery , cakes etc. cakes were good . Got a mango mousse cake and it was good . Shopped in few other things . Service was good . Pricing wise it was ok. Lots of parking outside . Good location, very close to all other shops . Ok ambience !

This place has everything and more! I think they have an amazing fruit and vegetable selection,…read morewith lots of unique products that you might not be able to find at a typical grocery store. The meat and fish selection is also great, lots of varieties of meats/bones at an affordable price. Great selection of teas, spices, snacks, drinks, noodles! I enjoy going here and just looking down each aisle and seeing what new things i can try. The store is clean and nicely organized. It is nice that they have a little food court selling drinks and various to go dishes. Great place to come for a quick lunch or for a snack before shopping. Recently went here to get all my ingredients to make homemade pho! They had everything and more and we walked out with a full cart for less than $200. I will be back!

I've tried several things here since they opened. There's a lot to choose from, and now even some…read moreAmerican dishes for kids or less adventurous eaters. This time I chose the mango sticky rice. I've also had their dumplings, sushi, and something else-- I don't remember the name but it's a create your own situation that's actually fairly spicy. That one is right when you walk in, closest to the steps. The rest is pretty mild or allows you to choose your spice level. Somehow it is always clean here. They do a great job of that. I think they've improved the staffing as well. I went midweek and it was pretty busy, but the service wasn't slowed down at all. They had every station open too!

Enjoyed my meal from Ramen Umei; was very filling and it hit the spot for sure! Pretty clean food…read morecourt. Only reason why I knocked a star is wishing there were more variety of food.

Very happy with the selection, i found a couple things I couldn't find elsewhere BUT, check for…read moreexpiration dates. I'm not a strict date watcher but one item expired 3/25, the one i really wanted expired in 2024. Worth the trip just double check the shelf stable items before purchasing.

Little japanese market that has some chinese and korean products too…read more They did not have alot of things i was looking for but still interesting to see other imported products, Bit fishy smells as there is fresh fishes in small (?) spaces, but you can find verity of every grocery stuff

I really enjoyed my time in this shop. I was able to find a few things…read moreI have been wanting and couldnt find anywhere else. The staff was very friendly. I did go yesterday but it seems like they are either closed or have moved can someone elaborate please. It is really sad to loose this shop. Thank you again

From the owner: Turkish Market, Halal Meat, Grocery, Bakeryread more

I came for lunch hoping to find some quick sushi. I had no lines when I came. It's a quaint grocery…read morestore that has more than groceries. There aren't really tables inside. Be prepared to eat outside. The fresh food section is quite extensive. I saw their onigiri is fresh so I was enticed, I grabbed a spicy tuna and a mini chirashi. The onigiri does taste very fresh. However, I wasn't a fan of the tuna they used, it was a little dry. The rice was great though. Maybe I'd try a different flavor next time. The mini chirashi was great. For 10$ the fish portion is generous. You get a decent variety too. My only gripe is some pieces weren't as good as others. Definitely worth a stop for a quick meal!

The AC in here was truly a life saver. Staff is friendly and quick to help with anything…read more Loved the assortment of items that this place sells. You can pick up groceries, a quick bite to eat, even stationary all in one place! Everything was also very reasonable priced. They have little sales and a clearance item area as well. I ended up picking up chili crisp and a bag of instant noodles even though I came to pick up a light lunch. I ended up trying the salmon/ unagi onigiris and a yakitori. Both satisfied the craving but not the best.

As far as special occasion dinners go, this was pretty top notch. Obviously the price point doesn't…read moreallow for this to be an everyday thing but when you're feeling like treating yourself, I highly recommend a dinner here. We came here with a Saturday night reservation for the Kotobuki Omakase option. The team at Naoki sushi all works very well together and the entire experience was super special and went very smoothly. I love the simple atmosphere and decor, it is relaxing, bright and very authentically Japanese. There wasn't a single thing that wasn't delicious in its own way. The fish was super fresh and I'm still dreaming about the melt-in-your-mouth uni. You can tell that you get what you pay for here in terms of quality.

My husband and I decided to try the omakase dinner for his birthday as we've tried all the places…read morein our general area. This place is small and intimate with only 8 sushi bar seats and 8 table seats. A great vibe and ambiance to watch your sushi chef expertly prepare your meal. Unfortunately, a couple decided to bring their small children that were talking very loudly and had occasional screams. There is a place and time to bring your kids dining and fine dining isn't one of them. Our favorite appetizer was the chanwanmushi! They packed so much umami into such a small dish and the texture of the egg was like silken tofu. My husbands favorite piece of nigiri was the otoro as the tuna was so fatty and just melted in your mouth. Mine was the uni spoon which was a small dish of uni, ikura, caviar, and rice. The hand rolls were a highlight too! After the 6 courses are done you're able to order ala carte and I'm so glad I got an ikura hand roll. Service is impeccable and everyone was very kind and thoughtful. Overall a great experience and an omakase spot we would come back to.