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Since I’ve been kind of grumpy of late on this blog, I thought I’d sing praises for the city, and in particular its ethnic grocers. I’m fond of eating and cooking ethnic food, but beyond that these stores often provide what’s often lacking in conventional grocery stores: affordable, high-quality provisions and produce.

Below the fold are some of my favorites. Any to add to the list?

Bob’s Pita Bakery
Roslindale Village (South St.)

A trip to this bakery and grocer this weekend inspired this post. A decent range of Middle Eastern foodstuffs, as well as amazing, cheap produce. Items worth seeking out: fresh (green) almonds, dandelion greens, fresh apricots. Item I wish they carried: Aleppo red pepper.

Hi-Lo
Hyde Square, Jamaica Plain (Center St.)

Halfway between an all-purpose grocery store and a pan-Hispanic market. Admittedly, they’re not strong on the leafy greens, but make up for it in the chili selection. Items worth seeking out: sour oranges, thick cream, dried hulled favas, cilantro that lasts five times longer than anyone else’s. Items I wish they carried: epazote, fresh huitlacoche, goat milk cajeta.

Purity Cheese Shop
North End (Endicott St.)

Cheese, Italian preserved meats, and sundry foodstuffs. Items worth seeking out: the best Parmigiano-Reggiano in town, fresh ricotta. Item I wish they carried: hard Tuscan pecorino.

Super 88
Chinatown (Essex St.)
C-Mart
Chinatown (Washington St.)

I tend to find the big Super 88 markets off-putting and out of the way. But there is a smaller one tucked away into a seafood market front on Essex St. It has a good selection, isn’t crowded, and so has become my usual Chinatown stop. C-Mart is bigger, cleaner and more popular, with a slightly larger selection and loss leaders to drive business. It’s also a throng of shoppers. Items worth seeking out: keffir lime leaves, cheap red peppers, fresh rice stick noodles. Item I wish they carried: mirin.

Shalimar
Central Square, Cambridge (Mass Av.)
Kashmir
Coolidge Corner, Brookline (Harvard Av.)

It’s pretty much a tie for best Indian food store (and the one on River St. in Cambridge isn’t bad either). Both have a full selection of spices, dal and grains. Items worth seeking out: tender okra, prepared parathas, curry leaves.

Polcari’s
North End (Salem St.)

Dry goods store of the sort that just don’t exist anymore in the States. Wonderful smells, friendly retailers and reasonable prices. Items worth seeking out: 00 pasta flour, true (soft) cinnamon, farro.

Brookline Village Market
Brookline Village (Washington St.)

A new addition to Brookline Village, it’s a welcome source of groceries in a neighborhood which has none. They carry some traditional American food, but mostly have Korean foods. Item worth seeking out: prepared Korean salads and condiments. Item I wish they carried: fried tofu. Also note that the convenience store at Washington and Cyprus Streets carries a surprising number of South Asian foods.

Alba Produce
North End (Parameter St.)

I’m not sure how much of their produce is local, so during late summer, the farmer’s market often wins out for me, but the men who run this produce stand know their vegetables. Items worth seeking out: amazing arugula, fresh cranberry beans. Item I wish they carried: cardoons.

Yoshinoya
Central Square, Cambridge (Prospect St.)

Japanese provisions, not always as cheap as the Chinatown counterparts, but decent prices on staples like soy sauce and seaweed. Item worth seeking out: sushi-grade fish.