A coworker told me about this grocery store being a great place to get Indian groceries and I checked it out one afternoon. The store definitely has a lot of Indian spices, sauces, dried / fresh / frozen food. I'm a beginner in Indian cooking and was bewildered when I walked into this store. I was there just to check out the store and didn't have anything in mind that I needed to buy but I'm sure that I will be able to find whatever I need for Indian cooking here. I ordered 2 items from the restaurant: samosas and gobi aloo. 1. The samosas were $1.29 each and were hot, flaky, good potato and peas fillings. The restaurant didn't have any chutneys, would have been nice to have gotten some mint or tamarind chutney for the samosas but no big deal. 2. Gobi aloo for some reason was extremely salty, and spicy even though I asked for mild. Even when I ate it with a ton of rice and naan it was still too salty. Need to ask them to hold the salt next time. Besides the extra seasonings, I think this dish would have been pretty good. read more

Small but good Indian grocery store.in Arlington Virginia area one can get all indian grocery items and fresh vegetables there.Parking spots are less but we were able to get parking. Overall good neighborhood store in case of urgency. read more

Seriously, the most dead indian store I have ever been to. I don't know if there should be a pre-requisite as to know english and know good customer service. I think they were able to cram all the needed groceries in 2x2 building. Tiny as hell but it's the closest grocery store to the DC area read more

What an awful experience. Every vegetable had visible signs of being rotten or spoiled. Some had obvious signs of fungus and even bugs. What is worse and the reason for even writing this review is the response I got when I showed him a rotten potato that was oozing black liquid. He said, "just pick around it." I showed him evidence of the surrounding potatoes which had similar signs, he said to me " this is part of selling vegetables." I used to be a frequent customer and didn't recognize this employee, but I will NEVER GO BACK. The health department needs to come inspect. I wish I had a picture of the oozing potato, but I couldn't stomach it long enough to do so. Here are the chili's though, which he also told me that they're in fine shape. Have a look read more

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This Indian grocery store is similar to most stores in the DC area - small selection of grocery items, manned by disinterested employees. Cleanliness level is questionable. They still do well because of the strong demand for Indian grocery in this area. I wish they could take lessons from local Korean grocery stores like H-Mart! read more

Okay, where do I start. I've been shopping here for years. I like the store because it's small easy to navigate and you can be in and out in 20 minutes. I haven't got a case of the "Delhi Belly" from here yet so that is a good thing. Mostly for achar and bitter gourd and bindi/okra aka that nasty slimy green vegetable that no one seems to like but me. Like most "ethnic" shops in the area. I'm going to PC and not point any group out directly. Check the dates wisely before you end up with something that expired six months or year ago. It happens to the best of us. As usual this place is hell a stocked with spices and lentils. Duh. You can also pick up some Bengali sweets that are just whatever. Oh yeah,depending on the time you make it in the can pick up some fresh samosas the side of chutney pretty cheap. You know they're good because the greases soaking through the paper bag. Aside from food you can also buy limited products. If you like incense yup they have it. Yup, it's hella cheap. The one product that I come here is for Dettol. Why because it kills and disinfectants just about everything on earth. Cleaning with it will literally keep your family members and roaches at bay. Seriously, I knew Dettol was good when I would start cleaning the the house and the sharp chemical smell was strong enough to chase my ex-husband out the house during the Super Bowl. Keep in mind if you own a feline do NOT use Dettol, unless you want to put your moggie in moggie heaven. Enjoy,shop and stock up for martial law or a zombie outbreak whichever may come first. read more

India A1 Grocery - Your DESI Auntie's cure all. - Imported Food Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I have literally been shopping here for decades because it has all the Indian spice, frozen foods and snacks that an Indian kitchen (in other words mine) requires. They also have the crucial Indian grocery items fresh on hand such as chilies, curry leaves, ginger-garlic, cilantro, yogurt, and native gourds and vegetables. Spice wall is amazing, with unusual selections like black cardamom and ajwain. Yes, you can get asafoetida powder here. All the spicy lime and mango pickle lovers will like this place. Frozen section has a local twist. Local home kitchen business has stocked this shop with packets of frozen chapatis for you to keep on hand in your freezer. The only odd thing is that if you bring your own shopping bag they don't like to bag groceries for you. Cheap disposable plastic bags? They'll give you them free and will bag your stuff too. Credit card purchases only for $10 and above. Parking spaces a bit tight. Opposite Macdonalds and next to Subway on Lee Highway. Doesn't get more American than that. read more

Just got off the phone from the guy working here on 8/29 at 6:45pm. He hung up on me whenI asked for his name. He knew he was being inappropriate and unprofessional. He was yelling at me on the phone when I asked what time he closed. I told him if he keeps yelling, he's not getting my business. DO NOT LET THIS BUSINESS TREAT YOU DISRESPECTFULLY. If you are a woman or dark skinned. DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY. THERE ARE OTHER GROCERY STORES THAT DO NOT YELL AT YOU FOR CALLING. Go to Indian spice. Go to Patel brothers. Go to India. It'll all be worth it. Do not go here. A simple yelp search for Indian grocery stores can put this disrespectful place out of business. read more

I was away from my familiar turf and went to this store in some desperation and was embarrassed that in the heart of America, there would be a dirty little "hole in the wall" with disorganized stacks of assorted articles with a roach or two still crawling on the shelves. The Clerk was polite but cheated me by charging me for a Pumpkin instead of two Potatoes, Certainly, someone running a Grocery Store ought to know the distinction between the two items, but greed and dishonesty deters me from going back to this store. read more

Seriously OVERPRICED and rude customer service!!! Would not recommend this to anyone!

Nice Indian store . Can get all Indian grocery with food. They have small kitchen in the side which is good . One stop for food and grocery . read more

Has what most Indian cooks need. Fresh samosas also really good. Food on the spicier side. Convenient location. read more

Extensive variety of spices, herbs, condiments, and staples. The selection of fresh vegetables was good. The attached restaurant was small, but smelled inviting, and I'd definitely have eaten there but was constrained by time. I took some samosas to go, and they were quite fresh and good. Next time I'll plan to have a meal. The staff was pleasant and helpful. read more

This place has almost everything you would want from an Indian Store-Spices, frozen food, some veggies to name a few. The vegetables section could use a boost. The space is tight and there might not be people available to help you while shopping. You'd be helped of you ask though. There's a small eatery called Minerva. Its part of the grocery store. They have a decent menu. Samosas are great. read more

During my first visit to this store, as I was waiting in line to be rung-up; the Jolly Indian Uncle-owner received a call from someone needing directions however; instead of giving them directions, he proceeds to hand off the phone to me and simply says, "Here, give them direction". I obeyed and gave the caller directions. When I handed back the phone, he smiled and said "Thank you, I hope you gave them the wrong directions!" I could not stop laughing after that. Despite that, A1 Indian Store has just about all the Indian spices, frozen foods, and other essentials you need with reasonable prices. The store is a bit small and in an awkward location, but overall a decent Indian store. read more

Here's the short story: This place is a super small store (only 2 aisles) on Lee Highway, right next to the Dominoes and Subway, that sells incredibly cheap Indian groceries. A little more details: If you're from NY, NJ, or anywhere else where you're expecting a Patel Brothers sized store, please don't forget this is an incredibly small store. Two aisles, one checkout register, and a few parking spaces. They have a whole wall dedicated to spices, vegetables (in the fridge), frozen foods, tons of rice options, dal, snacks, pickles, and other miscellaneous items. For sure it's just focused on the essentials and nothing more (which undoubtedly makes it easy to find things) -- but this is also why I'm docking it a star on Yelp. They also sell what I think are the best samosas in town... get this... ONLY for $1 each! Most people that shop their ask for 1 or 2 samosas when they're being checked out by the cashier... it's so cheap, fulfilling, and tasty. I usually get 3 because I'm a fatty. PS - they seem to accept credit card without a minimum :) read more

Since the Grand Mart on Arlington boulevard has gotten rid of a lot of their Indian groceries, I dove over here. While the shop IS small, they carried everything I needed and more. The staff is very friendly and helpful. read more

India A1 Grocery - Some great products they carry. - Imported Food Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

A-1 is smaller than the Indian stores I used to shop at in the NY area, but it's also cleaner and easier to move around -- so it gets my star of approval. The store is stocked with all the necessities you could want to cook up a great Indian dinner -- although last time I visited, many of the "fresh" veggies were wilting, so minus one star. Not only does A-1 have a good selection of spices and ready-made mixes, it also has some nice frozen entrees. I recommend the aloo parathas and the boxed vegetable manchurian. There are also some other fun things you can occasionally find here, like Lay's potato chips (masala magic flavor, etc) imported from India. Finally, if you see any puff-pastry looking squares on the glass shelves near the checkout, buy them. I think the owner calls them "vegetable puffs" or something. They're yummy! read more

Nice little store! I definitely want to go back and try what's on the rest of their menu. Their food is a little expensive, but their service was excellent, and they made an effort to make sure I was enjoying myself. They have some pretty interesting foodstuffs in their grocery section, and it was nice to sit at a table in the deli and get a little bit of homework done. read more

Yesterday was the first time I went to this store because of good reviews here. But it was a disappointing experience. I felt cheated after seeing the invoice. Box of Taj Mahal tea prominently mentioned the price as $6.99, the store charged me $10.99. Price sticker on shelf mentioned price of Haldiram snack as $3.99, but they charged $7.98. My request to all the buyers to cross check the prices at the time of checking out. I am giving one star only because I can't post a review without giving a star. They don't deserve even a single star. read more

India A1 Grocery - a box of taj mahal tea - Imported Food Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

We love Indian food and this place is perfect for stocking up on some our favorite items! We eat a lot of papadams and since you can't find those just anywhere we make a special trip to this store. We also like some of their pre-packaged side dishes and spices are sold in huge quantities, for a very low price. We always grab a couple bottles of lychee juice because it's absolutely delicious alone, or in a cocktail. I definitely recommend this place if you like preparing Indian food at home! read more

This first thing I heard about this place was the cheap samosas. They are delicious and definitely great for the price We come here for all our Indian grocery needs. They have all the basics from spices to coconut and from frozen dosas to yummy kulfis. One thing that you should definitely try, is the takeaway that you can order from the kitchen. The biryani is not greasy yet so amazing! The Chana batura and palak paneer are other things I have tried and recommend. The best part is still the price! This is indeed a small wonder. read more

Please avoid this place if you can. The place is filthy. I am sure they are in violation of multiple safety codes. We got samosas here and two ppl in our families had food poisoning, one had to go to the ER. I will be reporting them to the county. read more

My husband and I have been there for years. They have quick foods that we can take out. Also, they have instant curry or other items in a package. So, if you don't know how to cook Indian foods, you can get those instant packaged foods which you just have to heat and eat with cooked rice, etc. They also have good selections of incenses for reasonable price. As others stated, parking space is small, but if you are willing to walk a little bit, you should be able to find street parking for sure. read more

I usually don't go up this far on Lee Highway, but it was nice to find out about this grocery store from a friend. The store has a good section of spices and ready-made powder mixes such as tikka masala and such. They have a good selection of vegetables as well along with sweets like soan papdi. The store workers are friendly and jovial, which is important for businesses, especially for small local businesses. I will return to try out the samosas as my friend had suggested. read more

Being a TREMENDOUS fan of Indian fare, I repeatedly try to learn to prepare it properly. I have multiple cookbooks and recently took a lesson from an Indian girlfriend and her husband. I used to shop for supplies at Indian Spices and Appliances (strange name, yes), but then she turned me onto this store. Much better. The owner is friendly and helpful - explaining the different spices and even offering up recipe tips (and she gave them away much more freely than the restaurants that I try to extract them from). This is where you can buy HUGE sacs of Basmati rice, asafatida powder, curries of every imaginable variety, rose water, pappadams and just about everything else you could possibly need in order to execute your Indian recipe without the lame excuse of, 'well it only doesn't taste good because I was missing an ingredient.' read more

Found this store next to Artisan Confectionery on Valentine's Eve. I was pleasantly surprised to find a reasonably well-stocked Indian grocery in the area. Decent frozen food selection (garlic naan, samosas, etc.), many types of bulk lentils and hot mango chutney, etc. Friendly service. read more

Pretty decent selection of Indian spices and frozen foods. Minimal selection of fresh produce but has your basics (cilantro, curry leaves, thai chillies etc) They have a small restaurant attached to the store, but havent been too impressed with their food. They say they serve "hyderabadi" biryani, which is a certain type of dish served in South India, and it's nothing like what it's supposed to be. Good if you have a craving and can't get to a better restaurant, but stick to the spices and stay out of the kitchen. read more

Went there for the first time. Decent groceries but our attendant was not nice. He took care of me but asked the guy after me if he could wait. Completely ignoring my husband and I. He was not friendly at all. No thank you and no have a nice day. I live in Ballston and promise to never go back due to lack of customer service and the place is filthy! Super gross.... read more

A very white Irish girl who loves her potatoes comes here for samosas. Warm, spicy, velvety goodness. And the tall, dark, handsome men who frequent the place only add to the atmosphere. Add a little Bollywood on the screen to put you right with the world. Samosas and mango lassi for a quick lunch, then bring home the papadum, fresh vegetables for dinner. read more

This great little grocery and restaurant is walking distance from my house. I believe that they make the best samosas in the metro area. The kitchen turns out excellent and reasonably priced Indian standards to order, which you can carry out or eat at one of a few tables inside the store. Their channa masala (chickpea curry) is my go-to carry out. read more

Love this little grocery store!! We get all of our indian food items from here that we can't get at the regular grocery store. My favorites are the dosa mix and the samosas! Also they have mango fruittis! They even have limca!! They aren't super expensive. Good place to go get spices also. Parking can be difficult. They do have additional parking on the dominos side of the lot. read more

I've recently tried several Indian recipes and have found all the ingredients that you wouldn't find at a typical grocery store, not Whole Foods or Trader Joe's much less Safeway or Giant, I need here. They are always helpful about finding items and giving tips for cooking, storage, etc. I highly recommend. read more

Smaller grocery store, with a good selection of spices and dry goods like lentils and rice. I'm a sucker for pakoras and picked out several frozen bags from the freezer. read more

Great little store. Serves every need. Great service as well. Parking is a bit of an issue if this store or subway is crowded.

Visited it for the first time. Was happy to have found 9/10 items of the list. And its much cheaper than the 'Daily Spices' also along Lee HWY. I'll recomend going there. And myself will go there frequently. read more

Hands down the best biryriani I've ever had!! Try the biryriani and chicken 65. Staff is always super friendly.

dont ever go to this farce of a indian store. all i asked the ugly clerk w/ the cap behind the counter where another location is and he started yelling at me in front of other customers and embarrassing himself. i, as a customer, did not need to be treated with disrespect. he yelled telling me that it wasnt his job to inform me about anything and i should go find out myself. what kind of rudeness is that? i hope that NONE of you guys go to this store again and i hope their business is closed due to bankruptcy. this area does not need such rudeness and incompetency in the Indian community! it sounds like from the post below, its the same guy that told that customer that he hopes he gave the person on the phone the wrong direction. i hope he loses his business as that would make my day! read more

It's a small store, expected to be big one. I don't find good reason to give more than 3 stars. Decent place with fresh vegetables, frozen food and spices. It would be great if they can display the prices instead of hammering people with higher prices. read more

love this place. I am Indian and have been to lots of Indian grocery stores. Clean, simple, and they have basically EVERYTHING you would need, though its a small space. Agree with the samosa recommendations read more