What to expect: Mi Pueblo is the largest, oldest, and most famous Mexican market in Birmingham. It’s essentially Mexican Publix. But even better. It’s one of my favorite places.
The bullet points:
- My favorite produce department – it’s fresh, clean, and has the best prices on many items
- Huge selection of top quality dried chiles
- The in-house bakery produces a large selection of conchas and other sweets, as well as fresh tortillas on the weekend
- The meat department makes amazing chorizo and freshly rendered manteca
- The taqueria in the back serves up great food
Call: (205) 878-8889
Map to Homewood: 216 Green Springs Hwy, Homewood, AL 35209
Map to Pelham: 3060 Pelham Pkwy, Pelham, AL 35124
Web: https://mipueblosupermarket.com/
Mi Pueblo, Personal Picks
The produce department is unmatched. They stock fresh herbs that are harder to find, such as epazote and hoya santa. They usually stock two varieties of tomatillos, the larger green toma and the smaller, sometimes purplish-tinged tomatillo de milpa.
I buy most of my onions and all of my fresh chiles at Pi Pueblo. They also stock chayote squash, also know as merlitons in Cajun/Creole cooking. When avacados are in season they are inexpensive. When they are out of season they’re as good as Publix, meaning hit or miss and priced higher.
I only buy dried beans from Mi Pueblo, which are found in the produce area along with nuts, dried corn, and whole spices. There’s no way to fix dried beans that have become old and stale, they just don’t cook properly. Mi Puebla turns around a lot of dried beans and I think they’re generally fresher.
Don’t buy dried chiles in branded bags. The La Fiesta or El Guapo brands are okay in a pinch, but the loose chile bins are the way to go. They are usually much fresher and more flavorful. Ancho, pasilla, morita, and guajillo are at peak quality when leathery and pliable. The loose chile bins can be hit or miss. When I find the best quality I buy a bunch and store them in Mason jars. They’ll stay quite fresh for about a year. Other chiles such as chile de arbol, chile puya, chile chipotle meco, and chile japones are meant to be much more dry. I still store them in Mason jars so they don’t get crispy.
Mi Pueblo has a fantastic bakery. The conchas, cupcakes, donuts, and sweets are stored in small glass-windowed alcoves along the wall. They are self-service; however, you’ll need to request a basket or a tray to place your selections upon, and then go back and pay for bakery items at the bakery register. On the weekends they make fresh tortillas which you can request and also pay for in the bakery.
You should have some Mexican cheese. I suggest the queso Oaxaca, which looks like a ball of yarn. It’s very similar to string cheese and often eaten the same way. Unwound and pulled apart into shaggy strands, it’s a great topper for a fresh tostada or simply as a snack. They have a large selection of queso fresco. My favorite is El Michoacáno which is more crumbly than some brands. They also carry cotija, the Parmesan-like sprinkling cheese that stores well in the fridge for a few months.
Meat market etiquette: I was confused on my first few visits as to the best way to get service. There are a lot of people working – I’m the only person here, why is no one helping me? There’s a sign hanging from the ceiling with a big arrow that denotes where to stand for service. (It’s actually quite easy to miss.) When they’re busy the line can be quite long and it’s much more apparent – just get in line.
The chorizo from the market is made in-house and much better than the pre-packaged stuff. If you’re making tamales or frying up some carnitas, their manteca is amazing. I’m fairly certain it’s rendered in-house. It has a roasted pork flavor that you won’t find in the stuff on the shelf. It’s stored in a wall freezer near the meat market. They have a large variety of Mexican-style cuts, both marinated and un-marinated. Can you buy a cow head? Yes, you can.
-SB
Birmingham Food Scene 