What to expect: The Mediterranean Food Market is small yet mighty. This place is a true strip mall hidden gem right at the epicenter of strip mall hidden gems, Greensprings Highway in Homewood.
The spice aisle is the best in Birmingham, and by a wide margin. They offer an comprehensive selection of whole and ground spices. These folks are selling a lot of dried spices so they’re always vibrant. I won’t buy spices anywhere else. And they’re very reasonably priced.
The Mediterranean Food Market is also the best spot for dried fruits and nuts. Sour cherries, apricots, several types of raisins, mangos, and pineapple are common but the inventory changes occasionally. They stock a number of different nuts, some raw and some toasted or salted. The pistachios are my favorite. Those are stored, along with pine nuts, in the freezer near the meats.
I recommend the frozen falafel dough. It is made in-house and better than I can make at home, despite my best efforts. I also suggest the frozen ground lamb, also ground in-house. The halal meat counter offers fresh lamb and chicken. They have a workable selection of feta cheese and olives, and also stock staples such as labneh and halloumi.
The produce section is tightly curated featuring standard veggie staples, Persian cucumbers, lemons, several types of chiles, fresh fava beans, various eggplants, and usually a few seasonal surprises. Best lemons in Birmingham. Thin skinned and extremely juicy. They are also unwaxed, so are prefect for zesting of for making preserved lemons.
I left out a lot. But I’ll leave the rest for you to discover. This is one of my favorite shops in Birmingham. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Call: (205) 942-1777
Map: 430 Green Springs Hwy #6, Homewood, AL 35209
-SB
Birmingham Food Scene 