Find a new set of pans at H Mart in Mesa, a selection of snacks from all over the world at Pop's, or the perfect bottle of wine to pair with dinner at Hidden Track. Mingle + Graze in Chandler can set you up with an impressive cheese board to wow all of your guests, and the Uptown Farmers Market will help you find presents for even your most picky friends and family members.
These Valley grocers, food markets, bottle shops, and liquor stores won top honors in our 2022 Best of Phoenix awards, and are perfect for shopping this holiday season.
Best Farmers' Market: Uptown Farmers Market
5757 North Central Avenue
602-859-5648
Nearly 200 vendors are part of the Uptown Farmers Market, where they sell goodies including breads, honeys, meats, spices, fruits, vegetables, chocolate, salsa, pasta, and more. Besides the bountiful food and beverage options, you'll find a vast array of merchandise for times you need to buy a gift of splurge on a little self-care. Think pottery, aprons, cutting boards, totes, plants, and candles. The Saturday morning markets give you a chance to start your weekend with a little sunshine and fresh air, the bustle of community, and the good feelings that stem from supporting local farmers, creatives, and entrepreneurs. Kids have a blast exploring the sights, including the pets that join their people in taking it all in. Once you've got all your fresh produce, you can look forward to making a meal that doesn't come in a wrapper or a Styrofoam box.
Best Asian Grocery Store: H Mart Mesa
1919 West Main Street, Mesa
480-207-4560
H Mart, the popular Asian grocery store with locations throughout the country from California to Illinois and New York, opened its first Arizona store in Mesa in 2020. The massive Korean grocery store offers produce, meat, fresh seafood, and lots of specialty Asian items such as Nongshim Shin Ramyun noodles, Huey Fong sambal oelek chili paste, and various flavors of the Pocky sweet, coated biscuit sticks. H Mart also has a food hall with options from noodle dishes to bulgogi risotto, chicken wings, kimchi, and pork belly. There's also a Paris Baguette bakery inside the store, with a vast selection of treats like croissants, sticky milk buns, and chocolate cake topped with macarons.
Best International Supermarket: Lee Lee International Supermarkets
7575 West Cactus Road, Peoria
623-773-3345
When we travel, our favorite thing to do is eat. So we love Lee Lee's International Supermarket because pushing our cart up and down the aisles feels like taking a world culinary tour. Frozen lumpia from the Philippines. Eastern European meats. Indian spices. Countless types of noodles. We don't have enough room in our kitchen (or our stomach) for everything we want to try at Lee Lee, so we just keep going back for our favorite items and to try a few new things each time. We also like the little housewares area in the front of the store, where we can find cute bowls and cups to hold our global fare.
Best Middle Eastern Market: Summer Market
13815 North Seventh Street
602-283-9700
What looks like a simple convenience store from its location at Seventh Street and Thunderbird Road in north Phoenix is actually so much more. Summer Market stocks a plentiful supply of Middle Eastern goods, from garbanzo beans to fragrant spices such as Madras curry powder and fresh bread baked daily. And you won't have to break the bank at this local grocer, whether you're in search of cheese, yogurt, falafel mix, or a wide selection of bulk beans and seeds. So grab your favorite Middle Eastern friend (and their mother's stuffed grape leaf recipe) and head to Summer Market to stock up on the goods.
Mingle + Graze has everything you need to make a beautiful cheese board.
Mingle + Graze
48 South San Marcos Place, Chandler
480-726-2264
Peace. Love. Cheese. That's the motto on one of the T-shirts you can snag at Mingle + Graze, where another style features a four-letter F-word that isn't F-E-T-A. We like their spunk, and their unabashed devotion to all things cheese — and not just because they give us an excuse to use our fancy charcuterie boards. They do catering, carryout, and private events. But what we love most are the tastings and cooking workshops, because we want to truly understand and appreciate the finer qualities of cheese instead of merely stuffing our faces with it. The restaurant has plenty of options for your friends who might not revel in all things cheese, plus a kids' menu. Our favorite picks are the build-your-own boards that give you the chance to try a little of this and a little of that. Add in the eatery's charming decor and you have a one-of-a-kind culinary experience to share with locals and out-of-towners alike.
Shop unique sodas at Pop's Exotics.
Pop's Exotics
423 North Country Club Drive, #41, Mesa
602-761-0720
There's a big, wide world out there beyond the borders of the United States, and people who live there have some pretty interesting snack food. The place to find it and take it home is Pop's Exotic Sodas & Snacks. They've got Chinese Oreo cookies in flavors like rose flower and peach with grape; Calbee Japanese steak-flavored potato chips; and varieties of Fanta you can't usually find stateside (think Fanta Banana from Trinidad and Fanta Berries from Egypt). Of course, not all the offerings hail from another part of the world. Some are just hard to find, including Arizona Green Tea fruit snacks or Creme Savers candy (remember those?). Sure, you'll pay a little more for some Polish Ham & Cheese Toast Cheetos than you would for a bag of Ruffles at Circle K, but a few more dollars is a small price to pay for experiencing a new world of global flavors.
Best Wine Shop: Hidden Track Bottle Shop
111 West Monroe Street, #120
602-566-7932
Walking into the downtown Phoenix location of Hidden Track Bottle Shop is like entering an extremely modern cave. The square concrete space has no windows, a choice made to protect the precious bottles from the harmful sun. But once your eyes adjust, take in the view of rows and rows of bottles of wine. Whether you're looking for a crisp white to enjoy in the afternoon, or a deep red to pair with a hearty meal, Hidden Track is ready with a recommendation and a bottle. Head next door to the adjoining Hidden Track Cafe and pick up some imported European snacks and some funky cheese sure to wow any dinner party guest. An uptown location of the wine store celebrated its grand opening this fall.
Best Liquor Store: Trevor's
7340 East McDowell Road, Scottsdale
480-581-8923
Walking into Trevor's as an adult is akin to the childhood experience of walking into a candy store. Trevor Phillips, the owner, knew what Total Wine was missing, and he ran with it and created a liquor store that isn't just a stop on the way, but a destination in itself, just south of Old Town Scottsdale. The selection is excellent. There are colorful displays and end caps with liquor we haven't even heard of before. There are recommendations and an entire refrigerated room to peruse cigars. And then it gets better. Past the registers, there's a beer and wine bar with cozy chairs, a daily happy hour, and a constantly rotating selection. There's nothing better than being able to try a beer before you commit to all four cans. The bar also has an expansive patio and a regular food truck schedule.
