Photography by Elise Tadros
Afghan Market | 3732 S. Grand, 314-664-5555
Mohammad Salam Safi opened Afghan Market, located on South Grand next to the Baghdad Halal Market, in 2004, when he moved to St. Louis from Kunar, Afghanistan. The store is reminiscent of open-air markets where a variety of goods are sold alongside fresh produce and grocery items. Shoppers will find a range of cultural offerings, such as hookah and headscarves, colorful tablecloths and Islamic prayer rugs. The market attracts a mostly international customer base looking for familiar items from their home countries.
Go for the dried fruit, such as sunderkhani (green raisins) or the frosted almonds, which, Safi says, “all Afghani people love.”
Photography by Elise Tadros
Baghdad Halal Market | 3730 S. Grand, 314-762-9933
The store opened in 2011, but it wasn’t until 2015 that current owner Nasrulla Haz bought it. Baghdad Market sells a variety of foods, from beans, chickpeas, and rice to other goods local to Iraq. An extensive selection of Afghani and Iraqi bread, a flat bread that is used to prepare wraps, is brought in daily. Early risers will find the breads still warm from the oven. For those wanting to prepare a Middle Eastern dish, the store sells plenty of dates, spices, and teas not found at other local markets.
Go for the fresh halal meat, which is slaughtered in a manner outlined in the Quran as the shahada, the Muslim profession of faith, is spoken.
Photography by Elise Tadros
Carnicería Latino Americana | 2800 Cherokee, 314-773-1707
The sign on the side of Carnicería Latino Americana reads México Vive Aquí—“Mexico Lives Here.” This popular store has been around since 1991. Owner Minerva López started the business small, selling only tortillas and specialty meats, but over the years expanded it to a full-scale grocery catering to those in-the-know. Colorful piñatas hang above aisles of canned beans, spices, chilis, and boxes of mangos, stacks of tortillas, and nopal cacti, also known as prickly pear cactus.
Go for the butcher shop, which offers chorizo and pre-seasoned meats. “We want our customers to be able to take the meat home and put it right on the grill,” López says.
Photography by Elise Tadros
United Provisions | 6241 Delmar, 314-833-5699
Shayn Prapaisilp and his family are no strangers to international grocery stores. They’re also the owners of Global Foods Market. When they opened on Delmar, in 2014, they wanted to cater to a younger market, given the store’s proximity to Washington University. United Provisions sells many of the same staples found at Global Foods, but in smaller portions and in instant varieties. The store also sells kombuchas, cold-brew coffees, prepared food, and other products with a focus on wellness. Because of its size, the owners can accommodate customer requests with a quick turnaround. “We like being that neighborhood market but with a global reach,” Prapaisilp says.
Go for the bubble tea ice cream bar.
