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!

came after a mahjong game night for their midnight sushi discount. we got there shortly after 10pm…read more+ while most of the selection was gone, there were still some desirable choices left. since this was my first time here, idk what their normal variety is. still some premium boxes like nigiri, sashimi and mostly sushi rolls, bentos, and onigiri. I think in the mix of things, they did overcharge me/didn't apply the discount to one or more of my items, so pay attention when you're checking out. handroll, pay attention to what you're grabbing. it gets mixed up + beware it's difficult to open.

As I was walking on 5th ave I saw a sign that said something like 20 or 30% of any prepared food…read moreafter 8/9pm. So I gave a shot and walked in and found a supermarket with a section that had this promotion. Here is the thing, apparently after 10pm the promotion goes up to 50% of any prepared food, one of the best deals in the city honestly. I got these 2 (spicy tuna, and Shumai) for like 8$. Were they amazing and unique?? No. Were they bad?? No. But one thing for sure is I enjoyed eating them with that price while filling my craving. So I will definitely go back there and try more, right before a night out in Ktown. By the way they do have a small seating area downstairs where you can eat peacefully.

Tashkent has become a place we visit every time we are in New York. The variety of food there is…read morecrazy, and the quality and freshness are some of the best I have seen in supermarkets. The efficiency of the staff is amazing too. You see those lines for the cashiers and think you are going to be there forever, but it really only takes a couple of minutes. Try their croissants. I do not want to give them any ideas about pricing lol, but you would literally expect them to cost three times as much. I promise you! The second thing you try is syrniki with nutella! Also, the shawarma there is an 8.4 out of 10. Highly recommend. This is actually my second highest score for shawarma in the US, by the way..

This supermarket is a very busy, neighborhood gem! It's 100 % Halal…read more What I appreciate the most about TashKent is they sell hard to find imports from the Balkans, Russia, and Eastern European regional items. I primarily love the kefirs, kombucha's, and specialty bakery. The hot bar buffet is insane! Filled with every kind of food with over 200 items. They even had morkovcha (carrot kimchi), various dumplings, and I they have hand carved shawarma for those that like meat. The prices are fair, typical to any other grocery store location in Manhattan. The service is great. It is one of my favorite specialty markets. Tip: The store gets very crowded during peak times, especially after work hours.

this place has never disappointed me!!…read more i love getting their omasake set or onigiris! this morning i was there at 8am when they first opened and the freshly made onigiri was still warm

During my stay in Midtown, I just happened to stumble upon the Katagiri Japanese Market while…read moreexiting Grand Central Station and had to come in! The musubis are the first vendor to the left as soon as you enter. During the day, you can make your selection and they'll place it in a container for you. Later in the day, all of the musubis are individually wrapped for you to grab and go. Now, iykyk that rice really makes the difference. Sure, anyone can make a musubi, but these ones are special. Rice quality was spectacular as were the ingredients. I enjoyed the mentaiko, kombu, shiso and spam and egg. All were so good and the perfect snack to grab before hopping on a flight! During the lunch hour, this place can get really busy. To pay, the line wraps around the interior of the store, but it moves so fast, so don't be scared off by it.

Love their bento box, I got the cooked mackerel bento and it is seasoned to perfection. My hubby…read moregot the gyudon and he said it's better than any restaurants he's been to and that's saying a lot. Price is very reasonable. Will definitely be returning to try their other menu items.

Solid Japanese market for lunch or snacks for a picnic at Bryant Park. Fresh dishes like udon,…read morekatsu, rice plates, etc. are available. Microwavable meals are also perfect since they have a microwave for customers to use! Also, plenty of yummy, stuffed onigiri and snacks. Lunch rush does get pretty packed because of all the office buildings nearby though, so plan to wait in line for 15-20 minutes!

** This review is specifically for the Fujiissa Cafe stand inside Hashi Market. **…read more During our mid-afternoon break, my friend and I walked over to Hashi Market to see if there were any snacks we can grab to munch on. Their fridge was stocked with different to-go sushi options and pre-made rice bowls. Sadly, I wasn't hungry enough for a whole meal, but I did notice the matcha stand right at the entrance. I told my friend I would just "take a look," but somehow ended up walking out with a drink. MATCHA COCO - 8.80 I watched the barista dump in slabs of ice cubes, maybe 3/4 of a bottle of Vita Coco coconut water, and pre-made matcha foam from a plastic container. I was completely flabbergasted at the price of the drink for such a basic preparation, and I prepared myself to hate it. Despite being incredibly overpriced, I couldn't deny how refreshing it was. The coconut water wasn't too sweet, and its smooth, light flavor paired well with the airy matcha foam. I didn't hate it. I wanted to, but I couldn't. At this price point, I can't say I'd go out of my way for the Matcha Coco despite how delicious it was. If I ever come back to this Hashi Market location, I'll probably spend my money on the prepared foods instead.

Fresh Sushi sashimi Can eat in though lends itself to take…read moreout. Also a smoothy tea bar- interesting. Set up is a supermarket. Lots of product. I have not figured out their points rewards system but do register for it. Very cordial staff.

Accidentally discovered this grocery store. It has good selection of product. The staff are very…read morefriendly

Pleasantly surprised by the quality of their readymade Chicken Katsu Curry take out meal,…read moreespecially for the price! The chicken and breading was great, the rice was high quality, and the curry was super flavorful and came with potatoes and carrots inside. Lots of variety of drinks too, I got a Mandarin Orange Calpico and it was fire!

Vibe/ambiance: grab and go japanese bento boxes Service:…read morestandard Items ordered: variety of bento: love the diversity in sides, proteins, etc... it changes up everyday! great option over a classic slop bowl for work lunch

Hidden gem tucked on 47th st. It's a small Japanese supermarket. Theres one small table right…read moreoutside if you decide to try your food here. Like most Japanese markets they have a fresh made food section. From sushi to rice bowls they have a lot of choices. There's a small microwave here as well for the "hot food". Drinks, frozen food, fresh cut meat, condiments, snacks and much more. I haven't tried it yet but I believe they serve fresh ramen in the back as well during the week. Staff that work here are very nice as well.

Walked by a few days ago and saw their sandwich board menu and decided to give them a try. I…read morethought that they would prepare the dishes on site/behind the counter like this other Japanese market on 41st. Well, no, all their food items are prepackaged and refrigerated. They are labeled with instructions for microwave heating. Ended up picking up some pork katsu curry and a salmon onigiri. As you can imagine, you can never make a deep fired item crispy when heated via microwave... so, the batter on the pork katsu was pretty bad. Mixing the meat with the curry made it "better". The portion is also not very generous for bot the rice dish and the onigiri. For the price, I guess it is a passable meal, but, this is a bit of a walk from my office, so, it makes is not worth it for me.

This is a wonderful small Japanese grocery. Unassuming but great inventory. I had a lot of…read morequestions. The staff person was helpful, patient. Highly recommend.

small store with lots of great stuff from Jamaica.read more