{"id":54013,"date":"2025-11-20T12:24:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T12:24:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/54013\/"},"modified":"2025-11-20T12:24:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T12:24:08","slug":"south-floridas-hidden-gems-in-international-food-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/54013\/","title":{"rendered":"South Florida’s hidden gems in international food markets"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s easy to find all the food you need in mega-supermarkets. But if you\u2019re getting bored with the same old products, give yourself an extra hour and lose yourself in one of South Florida\u2019s many international grocery stores.<\/p>\n

The effort will open up a new world of exotic produce, unique cuts of meat, drinks, breads, sweets, cosmetics and products unfamiliar to most Americans.<\/p>\n

We are lucky to have an abundance of these markets in South Florida. They\u2019re mostly mom-and-pop shops or parts of small chains. There are also some larger national chains, but we limited this story to stores that can only be found locally.<\/p>\n

International specialty markets in Broward and Palm Beach counties have a tremendous following; just ask the readers of the Sun Sentinel\u2019s foodie Facebook group, \u201cLet\u2019s Eat, South Florida<\/a>.\u201d May these markets continue to thrive and prosper to keep our region diverse and welcoming to all sorts of eaters.<\/p>\n

INDIAN<\/p>\n

Spice Bazar Fresh Market, 5601 S. University Drive, Davie; 954-514-7861; spicebazar.us<\/a><\/p>\n

Most Americans have probably never heard of brands such as Paras (dairy items) and Maggi (noodles, soups, sauces), but this little market carries these and so many others that are well known in India. There are also fresh fruits and vegetables, freshly ground spices, dals and Indian sweets.<\/p>\n

WEST INDIAN\/CARIBBEAN<\/p>\n

Sheiks Bakery & Roti Cafe, 184 N. University Drive, Pembroke Pines; 954-441-4895; sheiksbakery.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Groceries at this Guyanese market and restaurant include Caribbean hot sauces, spices and chutneys as well as vitamins and other natural remedies. There\u2019s also fresh produce and homemade pastries and breads. Entrees include tandoori chicken and goat curry. The lunch special is a steal: An entree, such as stewed chicken with peas and rice, is only $6.75.<\/p>\n

Also: Bedessee East-West Indian Foods, 4000 NW 12th St., Lauderhill (954-583-3700, Facebook.com\/bedesseeFL<\/a>); Pompano Supermarket, 11 NE Third St., Pompano Beach (954-783-7279; Facebook.com\/PompanoBeachSupermarket<\/a>)<\/p>\n

LATIN AMERICAN<\/p>\n

Mexican Supermarket Food, 2099 W. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach; 561-871-0338;\u00a0 mexicansupermarketfood.com<\/a><\/p>\n

When Weston real estate agent Darnell Aponte posted in \u201cLet\u2019s Eat, South Florida<\/a>\u201d that he was looking for preseasoned carne asada, chicken al pastor and chorizo, several readers recommended this market\/restaurant. Besides selling produce and spices, the store has an extensive Mexican menu of freshly made tacos, soups, sandwiches, enchiladas and pupusas.<\/p>\n

Also: La Hacienda Farmer\u2019s Market, multiple locations (fruterialahaciendafarmersmarket.com<\/a>); La Ranchera Meat Market, multiple locations (larancheramm.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

BRAZILIAN<\/p>\n

Boca Brazil Supermarket, 22819 State Road 7, Boca Raton; 561-372-0777; bocabrazilsupermarket.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Bring your Portuguese translation app to Boca Brazil, where almost all the products come straight from South America, including oils from the Copaiba tree, Ouro Branco white chocolate bonbons and Melitta coffee. The on-site butcher will cut meats to the customer\u2019s preference. Customer Carolina Auster, of Boca Raton, buys the p\u00e3o de queijo (cheese bread) and Guaran\u00e1 Antarctica drinks as they remind her of her hometown, Jo\u00e3o\u00a0Pessoa. There\u2019s also a fun little district of Brazilian shops in this mall, including a bakery, a jeweler and a restaurant.<\/p>\n

\"SouthSouth African cornmeal for sale at Dutchy’s Gourmet Sausages market in Plantation on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (Carline Jean\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
\nSOUTH AFRICAN<\/p>\n

Dutchy\u2019s Gourmet Sausages, 401 S. State Road 7,\u00a0 Plantation; 954-533-2828; dutchyssausages.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Featuring South African and British items, Dutchy\u2019s is heavy on the meat offerings, including boerewors (sausages) and biltong (jerky). There are also meat pies, including steak and kidney and lamb curry. Yummy koeksisters (fried pastry), buttermilk rusks and cereals, canned goods, jams and coffees are also available for purchase.<\/p>\n

WEST AFRICAN<\/p>\n

Safari African & International Market, 7172 Pembroke Road, Miramar; 954-279-0727; Facebook.com<\/a><\/p>\n

This little 2-year-old market sells many items you don\u2019t normally see on South Florida shelves. Carotino cooking oil, made of African palm oil, is used for frying and baking. Palm cream, consisting of palm nuts, is used for soups and stews. Atti\u00e9k\u00e9 is a side dish from the Ivory Coast made of fermented cassava root. Homemade dishes include jollof rice, waakye (Ghanaian rice and beans), pepper soup and tuo zaafi (corn flour porridge).<\/p>\n

\"AA customer places his order at Mediterranean Market and Deli in West Palm Beach on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. (Amy Beth Bennett\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
\nMIDDLE EASTERN<\/p>\n

Mediterranean Market & Deli, 327 Fifth St., West Palm Beach; 561-659-7322; mediterraneanmarketanddeli.com<\/a><\/p>\n

This crowded deli and market has been around since 1972 and has developed quite a following, with lines out the door during many lunch hours. Get a dish to-go and fill your refrigerator with their dips, freshly baked pitas, soups and baklavas. Try the Vegetarian Combo, which lasts for several meals; it\u2019s overflowing with hummus, baba ghanoush, bean salad, falafel and grilled vegetables. The Spicy Chicken Kebab has just the right amount of cayenne pepper and lemon, and comes with rice and salad.<\/p>\n

\"LargeLarge batches of multiple kinds of olives at Mediterranean Market and Deli in West Palm Beach. (Amy Beth Bennett\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Al Salam Market, 1816\u00a0N. University Drive, Plantation; 954-916-6266; alsalam-restaurant.com\/market<\/a><\/p>\n

On its website, Al Salam describes its mission like this: \u201cMany feel disconnected from their cultural roots and are left craving a genuine, home-cooked meal that doesn\u2019t just fill the stomach but also the soul.\u201d Thus its restaurant and market offer homemade pita bread, halal meat, freshly made entrees such as mesabaha (sauteed chickpeas) and sambousak (crispy dough stuffed with cheese and herbs or meat), as well as nuts, grains and spices from Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries.<\/p>\n

Also: Jerusalem Market, 1757 N. University Drive, Plantation (954-839-5999, Facebook.com<\/a>); Damascus Mid East Food Market, 5721 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood (954-962-4552); Yalla Markets, 6718 N. State Road 7, Coconut Creek, and 1104 S. Federal Highway, Dania Beach (yallamarket.com<\/a>); Green House Bazaar, 5100 10th Ave. N., Greenacres (561-432-5100); Sultan\u2019s Boca Raton, 151 SE First Ave., Boca Raton (Instagram.com\/sultansbocaraton<\/a>)<\/p>\n

GREEK<\/p>\n

Eviva Greek Market & Bakery, 2424 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; 954-806-2125; evivagreekmarket.square.site<\/a><\/p>\n

The market sells made-in-Greece products such as wine and beer, Freddo coffee, bougatsa (custard-filled pastry), Epsa sodas and Papadopoulos cookies. There\u2019s a bakery and fresh entree section that offers yummy drinks; check out the Greek Frapp\u00e9, a foam-covered iced coffee made from imported instant Nescafe with ice cubes, milk and sugar.<\/p>\n

\"Euroland,Euroland opened in Deerfield Beach in 2023. (Joe Cavaretta\/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
\nEASTERN EUROPEAN<\/p>\n

Euroland, 1835 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach; 305-724-1353; marsfl.com\/euroland<\/a><\/p>\n

Euroland focuses on products from Eastern European countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania. There\u2019s an enormous assortment of sausages, bolognas, salamis and other cured meats. There\u2019s also duck and mushroom pate and smoked herring and other fish. Check out the line of hot soups, including borscht and beetroot. The same family also runs Europa Gourmet in Hollywood and Matryoshka Deli Food in Sunny Isles Beach.<\/p>\n

Also: World Market & Cafe, 1328 S. Federal Highway, Hollywood (954-923-2727); Old World Polish Deli, 1390 S. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach (954-366-1858, oldworldpolishdeli.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

ASIAN<\/p>\n

International Market, 7306 Lake Worth Road, Greenacres; 561-968-1556; asianmarketfl.com<\/a><\/p>\n

The market offers freshly roasted duck, an assortment of Asian instant noodles, live lobsters, boba drinks, rices, tofus, sauces and spices. You can pick your favorite seafood and chefs will cook it for you on the spot for $15 to $20. The market states its goals on its website: \u201cOur mission is to provide you with high-quality, hard-to-find ingredients that make cooking Asian cuisine both enjoyable and accessible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kimchi Mart
Multiple locations; miamikimchi.com<\/a><\/p>\n

This little South Florida-based chain is expanding quickly and will soon open a site in West Palm Beach. There are already many fans, including Dibbie Jane, who posted in \u201cLet\u2019s Eat, South Florida\u201d<\/a>: \u201cMost grocery stores don\u2019t have restaurant quality grab and go sushi, Korean snack stands, or indoor seating. But most grocery stores aren\u2019t Kimchi Mart. \u2026 The sushi is particularly good! Fresh, bright fish and delicious balance in the ingredients. \u2026 It\u2019s impressive quality for grocery store sushi.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also: Enson Asian, 7720 Peters Road, Plantation (ensonmarket.com<\/a>); Mango Tree Supermarket, 6431 Stirling Road, Davie (954-797-7790, shopmangotree.com<\/a>); Oriental Market, 2431 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton (561-361-3130); Vinh Hung Oriental Market, 2845 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach (561-687-3114)<\/p>\n

EAST ASIAN<\/p>\n

Deshi Bazar, 2166 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-865-7186; Facebook.com\/deshibazar2011<\/a><\/p>\n

Open since 2011, this grocery store describes itself as \u201cInd-Pak-Ban,\u201d or Indian-Pakistani-Bangladeshi. Check out the plentiful fresh vegetables, organic dals, drinks, ice creams and halal meats.<\/p>\n

Do you have a favorite specialty food store in Broward or Palm Beach counties that we didn\u2019t include here? Send to reporter Lois Solomon at AskLois@sunsentinel.com so it can be included in a follow-up story.<\/p>\n

\"BiancaBianca De Lange, visiting from South Africa, shops at Dutchy’s Gourmet Sausages in Plantation on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (Carline Jean\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
\n\"SpicesSpices for sale at Dutchy’s Gourmet Sausages in Plantation. (Carline Jean\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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