This is a great shop to get "real" traditional Asian ingredients. The thing I love most about this…read moreshop is the smell when you walk in, the mixture of all the aromas from the herbs and spices is great. I came here when me and a few other guys were doing a mini come dine with me competition and I am not a good loser so though I would go all out with my attempt at a chicken curry. I sourced most of the ingredients from here, apart from the chicken- herbs, naans, papadums and rice- and the results were incredible, the curry tasted delicious and I ended up winning the mini competition! The prices are, as you would expect a bit higher than you would expect to pay in the supermarket, but if you buy in bulk, such as the huge rice sacks they have, you could save quite a bit.

On the days that you choose to cook your Indian cuisine why not treat yourself to the proper…read moreingredients. Whether you are cooking your traditional food or trying something new, Super Asian Foods will keep you well stocked, with its wide variety and competitive prices. Take a walk down London Road to tantalise your taste buds.

This was my first experience in a Chinese supermarket, and I was not disappointed. I'm surprised…read morethat people are saying it's little, because I thought it was actually quite large on the inside. Maybe it's been extended since the first review. Anyway, wondering round the aisles at this place was very much like a voyage of discovery. There were so many packets that had Chinese writing on, and so I was reduced to looking at the pictures to see what they were! One of the things I enjoyed the most was the aroma of this shop. Supermarkets rarely have an aroma, but this one smelt like a beautiful combination of different spices. The source of this was the sizeable spice range - I could have bought a massive bag of chilli, or many other spices. Apart from food, there was also a range of cooking equipment, with a good choice of different woks amongst many other things. I have to say, I didn't find that this place was overwhelmed with Amoy products - there was a good range of their sauces on show, but on the whole the shelf space this took up was not significant. I was impressed with what this supermarket had to offer. I do love a good Chinese meal, though I haven't had one in ages. Maybe this will give me the push I need to branch out.

Massive supermarket style shop compared to the other Asian food shops around Edinburgh. They have…read moreall sorts in here from well known product lines to really obscure items. If you want items in bulk then this is the place to come as they sell catering quanities for certain items. Gallon of tomatoe sauce for £2.00ish anyone? A more useful bulk buy would be the butchery section as they take orders for collection. If you were having a BBQ or similiar then this would be the place to come and get massive ammount of chicken or similair. Items of note: - Frozen rotis - giant bottles of soy sauce - Frozen edamame beans - bulk buy shin soup noodle deals - Biryani spice mix - All the cooking implements you would ever need for pennies - Frozen prawns - fresh vegetables from the usual pak choi through to galangal root

Bismillah Food Store is a great little Asian food store in the centre of Edinburgh, just off of…read morebusy Nicolson Street and around the corner from the University. It is an Asian, Arabic and African food store and is a great place to pop into to buy foreign ingredients. There is always an impressive and very tempting selection of fruit and veg sitting outside the shop, but sometimes some of the fruits look a bit withered such as the bananas. Bismillah specialises in halal meats such as lamb, chicken and beef which are always very fresh. They sell lots of fresh herbs and spices, as well as other ingredients which would be difficult to find in a supermarket such as lime leaves. I like to cook a lot of Asian style meals so Bismillah is a great place to buy the ingredients for the dishes. The staff in the Bismillah Food Store aren't always the chattiest, but they are very knowledgeable about what they sell and are helpful in assisting you with what you are looking for.

Bismillah Food Store is a great place to find Halal meat, a whole range of herbs and spice and many…read moreother Asian ingredients. I came in for a can of Coke on a roasting hot day about a month ago and it cost about 70p! This obviously isn't the place to find your standard daily supplies, but if you need special ingredients then it's excellent. The service isn't exactly lively, yet it feels like they have a communal atmosphere made up of regular customers. The staff know just about everything about all their produce, including where it's all sourced and how it's made. Bismillah is a great place to find unique ingredients with decent service.

Eurasia. I hang my head in shame. You see, a little while ago I stopped by for milk, you being so…read moreclose to my flat and all. You probably don't remember me because it was a quick stop and I didn't have a real look around but now I realise just how wonderful you are after my second visit. Can we be friends? Seriously, Eurasia is no quick stop. It's a corner shop but it's certainly no ordinary one. It's a funky one! With an eclectic and extensive selection of herbs, spices and other foodie bits and bobs. Truth be told, I'll need to have another browse because there's a lot on offer. I absolutely love the Indian theme of the shop. It's got all the essentials you need from a corner shop alongside many Indian delicatessen style items. I left with some handmade Mithai (Really tasty stuff, kind of like an Indian take on tablet!) and a box of Jalebi. (Oh, wow! There are no words! Run to your nearest Jalebi vendor! I mean it!) Now, in all honesty, I don't think there's anywhere else in Stirling you can find such delicious unique treats. So for that reason I think I'll be in Eurasia a whole lot more. Anywhere with Mango Lassi in their fridge is a hit for me! And in Central Stirling, it's not even that farther than walking to my own! Hooray for the local corner shop!

Wow!!! After seeing the great reviews for how well-stocked this place is I walked in and was…read moresurprised at how small it was since I was under the impression it would be bigger. But it didn't matter, the stock was just as excellent as I'd been led to believe. Immediately to the right of the entrance there are Asian specialty foods. Good basics such as soy sauces, sambal oelek, chutneys and many varieties of pastes for all kinds of sauces from Thai to Chinese to Malaysian. A bit further on you'll see mostly Spanish (as in Spain) foods. Dozens of hot sauces, many varieties of dried chillies, salsas, and several Mexican ingredients I've had a hard time finding elsewhere such as huitlacoche (corn smut/fungus, but it's absolutely delicious, especially in a quesadilla!) and large cans of posole/hominy. There is a decent selection of some American foods such as pancake mix, canned pumpkin, cake mix and peanut butters. Canadian maple syrup too. I was hoping they would stock iced tea for drinks but didn't see any on my visit. There's also a small section of Jamaican and other Caribbean foods, not just hot sauces. The refrigerated case by the till offers chorizo, various Mexican cheeses (I didn't see any cotija on this visit but I'll be on the lookout), some really delicious looking fresh salsa and guacamole (a mum and daughter got some along with a bag of the excellent tortilla chips to share). The freezer by the entrance offers pre-made burritos, ribs, frozen tortillas. Yes, prices are a bit high generally since nearly everything is imported but for the most part they're fair especially considering the quality and selection. Service was super-helpful in recommending hot sauces and the right type of chilli powder for what we were looking to use it. We didn't get as much as we would've liked because we had to carry it back a bit of a ways and the visit was sort of spontaneous, but it's a place I'll definitely return to.

This tiny little shop is like a little cave of treats. The walls are lined with the type of foods…read moreyour local supermarket just doesn't sell. My reason for going was because I heard they had a good selection of American goods. I could hear the Peanut Butter M&Ms calling my name! So firstly they do your standard imported American goods- Aunt Bessies Pancake mix/syrup, variety of Betty Crocker cake mixes, chocolate bars, sodas (not Mountain Dew), Fluff etc. But the more exciting part of the shop is the huge selection of spices, chillies, salsas and hot sauces. There is also a good selection of chorizo which rather excited me. This shop would take care of any spice needs you had for any cuisine as it seemed to cover everything from Mexican to Asian spices. I admired the salsas and hot sauces for a good while before deciding I was too poor to buy anything. Unfortunately as the items are imported, they are quite expensive. But I could probably treat myself to something on my next visit (is it sad that I consider buying some proper salsa a treat?!) and I will definitely be back, very soon!

I totally agree with what Lewis said about needing more friendly shops, and this one is certainly a…read morebreath of exotically-scented fresh air. The neatly stacked boxes of fresh produce outside the door drew me in immediately. Inside there is a fairly big Halal meat counter with lovely cuts of meat on display. There were a few other shoppers in when I made my visit, perusing the shelves of spices and picking up fruit. Some of the stuff I have never even heard of, to be honest, and it was a bit of an education for me. The staff do seem to be friendlier than the norm and asked if there was anything I needed help with. I didn't even realise this shop was new, but I hope it does well.

Hakims is great if you're looking for an ingredient that is a little bit more exotic than what you…read morewould find in your local Tesco. They have a huge range of fruit and vegetables, spices and rices. A little bit more unusual is the fact that my friend comes here for her cosmetic fix. Coconut milk is the only thing that she puts on her skin and tells me that since using it her skin is the best it's ever been. It's also allegedly very good for your hair so she slaps it on as a night time conditioner. I'm yet to try these tips for myself but I keep meaning to so next time I pop by coconut milk will be first on my list.

Jan De Vries specialises in herbal medicines and aims to give people the choice of natural remedies…read moreto cure their ailments rather than plying them with pills that will just make you drugged up to your eyeballs. I used to get plagued by tonsillitis and tried everything to try and rid myself from it including a two year on and off dose of penicillin that I became immune to, a truck load of Manuka honey, crystal healing and I even paid a visit to Jan De Vries in his Troon clinic to see what advice he could offer me as my own GP is as useful as a chocolate teapot, who flinches at the sight of people and has pound signs constantly in her eyes. After my visit to the Troon clinic I was given an assortment of natural remedies that definitely helped me before I got my tonsils taken out, more so than the penicillin the doctor kept plying me with even though it was quite clear it no longer had any effect on me. Since then, I have popped back to Jan de Vries now and again if I'm feeling a little under the weather. I much prefer using natural remedies and for me, they definitely work. The staff in this Edinburgh branch are very knowledgeable about the medicines and easy to talk to. They also stock skincare products and have a weight loss program too. Jan De Vries also caters for animal medicines so if you have a stressed out moggy or a bed wetting dog you can get calming remedies for your furry friends too.

I love this JDV just as much as I love the larger store on Queensferry Road. The selection of stock…read moreis less expansive here simply due to the fact that it's smaller but it's worth bearing in mind that if you're looking for something in particular, the staff can order it in for you. What I love most about the staff at Jan de Vries is that they're always happy to help and they all seem to use many of the products available. Above all, they really believe in JDV's ethics. Most recently, I popped in here and was really pleased that the lady had some experience on the kind of symptoms and problem I was looking to treat, and she recommend a product which had worked well for her. We talked for a while about what we've both learnt and exchanged a few alleviators too. I really felt like she went the extra mile to engage with me and make sure I left happy. There's always some free samples at the till and offers on within the store which is fantastic. Health foods and supplements is an expensive business so it's really nice to get a little extra on your visit. Jan de Vries is most definitely my health shop of choice in Edinburgh and I'm never disappointed in the service I receive.

Having just got back from my first trip to Poland, I am a little bit obsessed with the cuisine…read more Okay, so preparing it at home when the scottish rain is pelting down doesn't even come close to comparing to sitting outside one of the cafés lining the main square in Krakow's old town, it's as close as I'm going to get and Bona Deli stocks pretty much every Polish foodstuff there is. Unlike most delis, they don't feel the need to ridiculously overprice things just because they're "independent". And the value is matched not only by the authenticity but also by the friendly service, you'll always get a smile and a hello when you go in.

Bona Deli is a fantastic delicatessen, selling predominately Polish food in the centre of busy…read moreNicolson Street. I go into this store quite a lot in the mornings for my breakfast on my way to classes to buy their pastries which are simply gorgeous. They have a good selection of different Polish foods such as gherkins, sausages and, of course, vodka! They also sell herbs and spices such as dill and caraway seeds which can sometimes be difficult to find in the larger food stores. Bona Deli sell the traditional deli food, with an excellent selection of meats, fish, cheese and fresh bread. However, with this wide range of food also come the usual expensive deli prices so I tend to think that many of their goods are overpriced. The staff are always smiling, polite and willing to help you find what you are looking for.

This is basically a grocers/corner shop but specialising in International food, rich in spices and…read moredifferent sorts of rice which is right up my street. I love places like this where I can stock up on jars of more unusual stuff, and that's exactly what I did when I came here. Half an hour later and I left with a bag full of herbs and spices including a strong saffron curry powder which I have since used, and honestly have never tasted anything as good home cooked in my life! The prices are average, nothing that will break the bank. The store also sells fresh and frozen foods and meats, as well as having a wee section for general house-hold items.

I was actually looking for a fruit shop.. namely tattie shaws when I stumbled upon Pubjab Food…read moreStore.. Their selection of fruit out the front caught my eye I have to say! Not a massive selection and there is more inside the store but not bad... I wasnt able to buy avocados at Tesco so all up a pretty impressive range of not just the most obvious fruit and veg.. They also sell all the usual stuff of a good corner store in here as well, you know soups, tinned stuff, nutella, popcorn.. Not bad and good if you cant find what your looking for at Tescos

Even stepping foot into this place makes me feel healthy enough to justify cake for supper…read more I'm not going to lie - i'm not a healthy eater. But hailing from the city of all things organic (Vancouver), I like to play the part that I am. Somehow, having an open bag of chia seeds in the house, that I occasionally remember to throw into smoothies when I occasionally remember to MAKE smoothies, makes me feel less guilty about eating Corn Flakes for dinner while I'm slogging through emails. This makes me an adult right? That doesn't mean that the act of buying a meal that doesn't look like it was constructed by a five year old, doesn't tickle my fancy - I love nothing more then following up a Corn Flakeian dinner with a good ol' fashioned organic almond yogurt. Life is about the balance. I also have a deep seeded belief in only using biodegradable and clean house hold products. So when i'm not doing the best in my personal well being - at least i'm looking after the planet as a whole. This place ticks off a few major factors in my strange collaborative idea of "healthy living". First off, it stocks an impressive array of house hold items and is one of the first places i've found that carries multiple lines of personal care items - from Burts Bees to good for ya toothpaste - it was a one stop shop for both my washroom & under the sink. Secondly - it stocks pretty much everything you need to justify future unhealthy meals. From organic quinoa to virgin, cold pressed coconut oil, it's simply screaming: look how healthy you are?! Why yes, you can eat ice cream for dinner! But as many a person as said - living healthy (or in my case, buying excuses) can be pricey. What I will note, is as a newly landed expat, this place IS cheaper than the haunts back home and for that i'm thankful, but compared to the digs you can pick up elsewhere - yes, it's going to cost you an extra dollar. My tip if you fear the price tag? This funky little blue and green ball we're living on needs all the help it can get. If you can't stomach the whole nine yards of good food organic, pare it down. Spend the extra £1 for your dish soap, laundry & shampoo and keep the nasty stuff out of the drains. Then stock up on the hard to find items, or the ones you use frequently and leave the bits & bobs for a cheaper place. Nothing is better than proper, virgin, organic, cold pressed olive oil. Nothing. Will definitely be popping in here time to time to stock up on the must haves. If I could track down a spot to buy E3Live in town, i'd have all my cake justifying staples back in place.

Real Foods is a fab store to shop at if you want to eat natural and ethically sourced products…read more They sell everything under the one roof - absolutely amazing! Situated just off from the busy Lothian Road, Real Foods is just a short walk from the city centre so it is a convenient place to reach. The quality of the food is always top notch and the fruit and veg are always fresh - there is no out of date food sold here. Real Foods sell lots of health foods such as a huge range of different dried fruits and pulses. There is also a vitamin area in the shop which sells every vitamin and mineral required to cure any ailment , as well as a range of herbal remedies. The staff are incredibly friendly and are knowledgeable about the stores products so you feel quite at ease with them over asking which remedy does what. Real foods also has a section in its shop selling natural beauty products, soaps, shampoos etc. I love the mascara which they sell here as it is nice and cheap at around four pounds and makes my eyelashes look super long. Real Foods is a fantastic shop which sells a vast range of amazing tasting food, and best of all the food is healthy! What more could you want?!!