Mega is clearly far and away the best Asian market in the Bay area... having said that, I do have…read moresome complaints but will give it the 5 stars it deserves. Let's start with the good, or I should say best. The sashimi here is the best of any Asian market bar none. You could even say better than some Sushi restaurants (I won't name them). Even some of the newer Asian markets like T&T have disgusting sashimi... to the point you can taste the ice bc they hadn't fully defrosted it. The only nit I have is bruh... stop putting the frickin plastic sauce packets right on top of the fish. Why? Why would you do that? Stop it. Come on. Why in the actual F would you do that? Ok, I know this sounds more like complaints but I do really like Mega Mart to be clear. 2 other issues: #1. Dude... what're you guys doing with the panchan? When did you start adding so much sugar and sugaring the F out of the panchan. This is not how it should be. Old Korean grandmas are literally turning in their graves with this sacrilege. Maybe panchan sales are falling, but you can be damn sure I will never buy this again with the amount of sugar you guys add. Like why? Why 50% sugar... seriously, this panchan candy bar nonsense makes no sense! #2. What happened to organic natto? Like bruh. You only had 1 brand left that was organic. Sure I could go to Nijiya and have a choice of 2, but I'm disappointed you guys stopped carrying the only organic natto you had.

The store is clean and well organized and the checkout woman is so friendly! She greets everyone…read moreand is super kind. I dropped by for my usual mushroom run and decided to peruse the aisles. I was excited to see that they now have a "Vegan Vegetable Mandu" offering in the hot food section. I had to grab both options to test them out : Unlimeat Kimchi Mandoo and Unlimeat Vegetable Mandoo. Each package has 8 pieces and a packet of shoyu. After trying both, the kimchi version won me over a bit more. The other option is lighter in flavor, and I'm a fan of bold and spicy food. Adding the shoyu helps, but I could easily eat all the kimchi ones alone. I'm not sure I'd get them often, but I like having an option in the grab and go section for when I'm short on time and hungry. They also added some Pulmone vegan-friendly microwave dumplings to the frozen section, so I got those too. I noticed some plant-based bulgogi kimbap in the frozen section, but I decided to skip them because I'm iffy about the textures of frozen kimbap. I love when grocery stores have vegan-friendly options! I hope this means they'll start adding more vegan-friendly options in the grab and go hot food section. A tofu and veggie rice bowl would be nice!

Cute little shop I found after dinner in the area. There were a lot of cute kitchen knick knacks. I…read morepersonally came for chocolate though. I tried the cherry cordial. I never had a dark chocolate one and I may not go back to traditional milk chocolate. If Im ever in the area in again, I try some of their other seasonal chocolates.

For a guy that takes an inordinate amount of photos, I am surprisingly unobservant. This place is…read morejust three doors down from the Posh Bagel on Main St. How is it I just noticed this fantastic store? I mean, stores that sell candy and chocolate are my jam. But it was invisible to me. Until today, anyway. I am so happy I finally found it. Because Gourmet Works is much more than a store that sells candy and chocolate. In fact, as the name would suggest, it's more of a Gourmet food store and Gift Shop than a Chocolate Shop. But it's also a hella cool chocolate shop and that's the main reason I will be sure to return. Right when you walk in the door you are surrounded by an astonishingly large variety of items that would make the perfect gift for a loved one, or for yourself. Because, I ain't gonna lie, there were at least a dozen items that I considered buying for myself. I thought to myself, you know, I do so much for me, and it seems I rarely properly thank myself for my devoted patronage and self care. If you are interested in high quality gourmet gifts, Gourmet Works is definitely the place to go! They carry so many products you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Gourmet Salts, Dried Herbs, Pasta Sauces, Dried Pasta, Curry Sauces, Masala Simmer Sauce, Special Preserves and Jams. An impressive, well-curated selection. Then, at the back of the store you find the kind of Chocolate display case that dreams are made of. Oh my Lord! Just the Truffle side alone would be enough to melt anyone's heart. But the other side, with the astonishing variety of hand dipped chocolates is where I lost it. I saw the Almond Bark and stopped dead in my tracks. I stared at that Almond Bark. The Almond Bark stared back at me. We were locked into that stare down for what seemed like an eternity. I was sure neither of us would ever give in. But then I blinked. Somehow I became aware that the wonderful woman behind the counter was asking me if she could help me. As I regained my senses, suddenly I felt so embarrassed. How long had I been staring at that Almond Bark? How many times had she tried to get my attention? I had no idea. I tried to play it off like there was nothing going on between me and that Almond Bark. I casually inquired about some Chocolate Covered Caramels with Sea Salt on a totally different shelf in the display case. Then, of course, I had to buy a couple of those Chocolate Covered Carmels with Sea Salt, to cover up the whole situation with me and the Almond Bark. I purchased a couple ordinary, un-chocolate covered Caramels with Sea Salt too. The woman behind the counter couldn't have been more gracious. She didn't let on that she knew exactly what was happening and I wasn't fooling anyone with the whole Chocolate Covered Caramels with Sea Salt charade. So, my thanks to Gourmet Works, and the gracious woman behind the counter, Padmaja (her family owns Gourmet Works). It was such a pleasure to shop at your wonderful store! Mikey C says: I'm coming back for you, Almond Bark!

Great place for good working lunch and good coffee, and awesome chocolate chip cookies! Plenty of…read moreseating inside and outside with a good parking lot.

Stopped in for a breakfast sandwich. Ordered the egg and cheddar on ciabatta. The sandwich is made…read morewhen you order and mine was delicious. Matched this with a smooth cup of coffee. A satisfying breakfast to start the day. I must have timed the visit just right because I was there early and it was quiet with only a couple of other people looking over the baked goods. After eating (the place was nice and clean) and as I was leaving, there was now a line of people ordering and the place was busy and full. A good sign.

Right to the point: they have American Wagyu and sometimes A5 Japanese Wagyu beef at…read morereasonable-for-the-bay-area prices: $80 and $129 per pound respectively for ribeye. Oh - and American wagyu New York strip for $45 per pound! (If you are just getting into super premium beef it's really hard to beat $45 per pound.) Yes these photos are real. :)

The middle aged Korean guy possibly co/owner seems apathetic to his customers…read more Tried this placed for the first time and he comes out from the back with no word (greeting/welcome of any sort). He had that look like tell me what you want MF (my friend ;) so ai can go back and work on my meat. The ribeye was good. Good marble but pricey. This place is a distant from home, which I do not mind to get good quality meet However, his lack of customer service skill or lacking of a tongue would deter me from returning.

Yummmyyyyy Sammy!!! There isn't an Zanotto's close by where I live so I took an advantage to pass…read moreby when I got off work early on Saturday. I did a BYOS with ciabatta, turkey, LT, red Onions, mustard, mayo, avocado it was soooooo good! I def want to try some of their other cuts next time

I forgot how much I love the deli counter at Zanotto's. A regular lunch date gave my the…read moreopportunity to revisit a forgotten gem for quick food. I had a delicious truffle ham baguette and ordered a loaded up chicken salad on rye. I couldn't leave without adding the anti-pasta, pesto pasta salad, and the pea and cauliflower salad. All were so delicious and fresh. And warming up the grab and go baguette made it ooey-gooey delicious. There was a bit of a crowd on a Monday morning, but the staff was fast at making sure each new guests was served promptly and sent back on their way. It was a more pricey lunch for 3 (luckily, one of the sandwiches was split between 2 people). But if you don't mind paying a little more for quality food, and much less than a restaurant, I think you'll be pleasant surprised at what you can find in the deli.

Situated inside De Anza College's parking lot, this Sunday farmers market is super fun!…read more Beautiful display of fruits among many stalls, abundant free fruit samples, a variety of freshly grown and harvested vegetables; it's fun to check out what's seasonal. You can also find flower bouquet stalls, entrepreneur stalls that sell kombucha and bakeries, as well as honey, dips, locally drafted coffee and homemade hot deli. The market has a decent size that 80% of the shops selling produce. It's a great place to buy local and fresh veg and fruits.

I love this farmer's market! I'm glad it's such a short drive from my place. The vendors are so…read morewonderful and friendly, and there's plenty of parking. It's a bit smaller than some other markets I've visited, but they have everything you need here. Some of my favorite vendors include: Orange Elaichi: This is my go-to spot when I'm at the market. The owner, Janki, is so kind and always remembers me, which I really appreciate. Every vegan option they have is delicious, but my favorites are the Tadka Focaccia, Rose Pistachio and Saffron Orange bundt cakes, and Orange Cranberry Muffins. Hernandez Nursery: They always have the most beautiful plants at great prices. I've bought so many plants from them, and their son has even helped me load them into my car. I highly recommend stopping by their booth. Brother's products S.F. has the best hummus. I always make sure to stop by for the Habanero Hummus, but I've been trying more flavors lately. Their garlic sauces and olive tapenade are also really good. Although I can't eat the flavored labneh, my mom has tried it and loves it. Dumpling King: I love that they have vegan dim sum options clearly labeled. My favorite items are the Green Veggie Bun. I also like the Vegan Siu Mai and Scallion Pancake. I love the organic raspberries at Gomez Berry Farm and organic strawberries at Gonzalez Farm. I tried the tea at Chafolio today because the young man working the booth was super kind. I ended up buying rose hibiscus, and I'm excited to brew it. I can't remember the name of the vendor with the musubi and smoothies, but their Tofu Musubi is so delish, the tofu is very flavorful, and the rice is the perfect texture. Plus, the fruit smoothies are all fruit, so there's no need to worry about dairy or fillers. I'm sure I'm missing someone, but overall, there are so many wonderful produce options and other great vendors. I highly recommend spending part of your Sunday here!

I love exploring international grocery stores and this one is super fun. Large, clean and well…read moredesigned - you won't be running into people or playing bumper carts in the aisles like a few others that I've been to. Large parking lot as well. You can find a very nice selection of goods from various countries here. Candies, nuts, pickles, spreads, frozen dumplings, butter, condiments, wine, sausages and other cured meats, cheese, baked goods, ice cream bars, a small selection of produce, canned goods and much, much more. We had just had lunch so we purchased a small cheesecake flavored ice cream bar to share and some Lebanese grilled olives to take home for later. We are for sure coming back for some frozen dumplings next time we're in the mood... they had a huge selection. Fun!

The 2021 Trader Joes brandy bean shortage has continued and still haunts us today. I join others…read moreonline in angry rants - we feel hopeless they will ever return and all of us go into crisis mode scrambling to find them while we start to finger point and assign blame. Is president Biden responsible for lack of brandy beans at Trader Joes? I'm not sure but if your more into economics than I am please let me know to whom I shall shake my fist at. I could dwell in my own pity without brandy beans or could just do something about it. I drove myself here to Palo Alto - come rain, sleet or snow I'm going to get my brandy beans. Brandy beans they had - The shooters in various liquor flavors and the "weinbrandbohnen" in both small and large boxes. While I was there I grabbed some tea and bread and some chocolate squared. If you live around here and haven't checked out the place - what are you waiting for?

Unusual Korean grocery store with "premium" products. . .I saw them unpack boxes that were packed…read morein ice, some stuff here I'd never seen before in other Korean stores, things suitable for gift giving. A woman possibly the owner was very friendly though she mostly spoke Korean. They had some Korean cosmetics and I got some for half off. The store is tiny but the items are well displayed.

Growing up in the early 80s, there were only a few small Korean grocery stores around here. Over…read moretime, I see big markets like Hankook Market, Kyo Po Market, Mega Mart, and H Mart and it's been amazing to see the change. But, I really miss those old mom/pop grocery stores there was such warmth and heart in those places. Wooltari, though a smaller grocery store, is on a different level. They carry high quality food, most of which comes directly from S.Korea either frozen or dried to preserve its freshness. Seafood, variety of rice cakes, ready to eat meals, excellent sesame oil, handmade dumplings, seasoning marinades, crab, and many organic items. I tried their frozen persimmon shake a bit pricey, but I loved it. I think the guy working there is the owner, and he's incredibly pleasant. If you have any questions about Korean food, he'll kindly answer them all. I highly recommend it definitely check it out.

Came here to get food to go, on a Saturday after running errands at Home Depot next door…read more I've never seen or heard about this place, and I'm Iranian. Parking was easy. A very big plus for an Iranian restaurant. Usually they're packed. I think it's because the location is not as visible, and the Bay Area has a few other Iranian restaurants that dominate the market. So it's nice to see a different place. I only ordered the combo koobideh(beef&chicken). Took about 10 minutes, the staff was really friendly, the space looked very clean and good for family occasions. Food was ready, and I was excited, zoomed home and opened the box and the smell just made me fall in love. Btw it was Valentine's Day lol.. so this was a gift to myself. The RICE was the masterpiece. Nice and buttery(not too much) and saffron yellow. This itself was a star of the show. Both the beef and the chicken were very flavorful, of course I had to put sumac to add more flavor. They even included a few pieces of bread. And the burnt tomatoes.. LOVE them. Really happy I found this place, and the staff was really friendly and didn't feel very tiptop snobby. Kheyli mamnoon!!!

They have everything here, all your Persian food needs. I love the Persian grocery/dining format…read moreas I crave Persian kabobs on the regular. They have a homey, comfortable dining area inside, with many tables, for eating on site. Or you can pick up orders to go. Koobideh kabob plate was excellent. The portion is large and reasonably priced. I was in bliss. They had all my required accompaniments, hot sauce, extra roasted tomato, zereshk, sumac, saffron rice, hot tea. The owners were so warm and sweet. You can tell this is a labor of love, small family business. Definitely give it a try