Balboa International Market

I’ve been consistently impressed with the quality of both the produce and meat here. The fruits and vegetables are always fresh, vibrant, and well-stocked—with a great variety, even for seasonal items. You can really taste the difference in freshness. The meat department is just as outstanding. Whether it’s beef, chicken, or seafood, everything is cleanly cut, The staff is helpful and knowledgeable, and you can tell they take pride in offering top-quality cuts. It’s my go-to place for ingredients I can trust, and I always leave satisfied with what I bring home. Highly recommend for anyone who values quality and consistency!

Balboa International Market is a true gem! I always find fantastic prices on fresh herbs and a wide variety of produce here. It's genuinely fun to browse the aisles and discover all the unique international products they carry – you never know what culinary adventure you'll stumble upon. Their deli is a must-visit for cheese lovers, with consistently great prices. While I find their deli meats a tad on the expensive side (paying $15 for a pound of mortadella with pistachios feels a bit steep), the overall value is still excellent. Plus, the staff are always incredibly friendly and helpful, making every visit a pleasant one!

There are lots of interesting Mediterranean/Middle Eastern products here with a lot to discover. I found Turkish clotted cream, Russian kvas drink, and there's all kinds of ice creams, baklava, and other sweets. There's a meat market/carniceria/butcher un the back, a nice selection of kafir, yogurt and cheeses. It's worth a stop if you're looking to find new food items from foreign lands.

I’ve always loved shopping at this store — the products are fresh and delicious, and the staff is friendly and welcoming. However, today I had a truly unpleasant surprise. Two weeks ago, I bought ghee for my children, and today, when I reached the bottom of the jar, I discovered a small, thick black hair inside. This was both disappointing and alarming, and I feel it’s important to warn other customers not to purchase this ghee here.

We love this place! The food is really fresh and affordable compared to typical grocery stores. We really like the bakery and the chocolate shop. The pastries were wonderful and we got to try the viral Dubai chocolate bar. Thank you for having such kind and helpful employees!

Best place for affordable fresh produce. I always find the best deals and the freshest vegetables and fruits here. They have a lot of imported fruits and nuts that taste amazing and you can't find anywhere else

This shop has a great variety of items, from European to Middle Eastern, which makes it very convenient and unique. They carry many products that are hard to find elsewhere, which I really appreciate. However, I’ve noticed an issue with some of the prepackaged bakery items. Several times I’ve seen visible mold on them, and unfortunately, these packages don’t have any expiration or production dates. When I asked, I was told they are always fresh, but without proper dating and quality checks, this raises serious concerns. Consuming moldy products could be a health hazard, so I really hope the shop addresses this problem soon. Overall, the selection is impressive, but food safety needs much more attention.

I’ve been thoroughly impressed with the quality of the fresh produce. Everything—from the vibrant greens to the perfectly ripe fruits—looked like it was picked at peak freshness. The vegetables were crisp and full of flavor, and the fruits were sweet, juicy, and aromatic, just as they should be. I wish they had more location like this in San Diego , love shopping here! And I just had the best sour plum ever , so delicious

Balboa International Market is an international groceries and specialty items that are packed with products you don't usually find in standard supermarkets from Middle Eastern and Indian foods to spices, juices, sweets, and household goods. It's clean, well-stocked, and always fun to explore. One highlight for me is the small pastry section called Mr. Baklava, which offers different flavors of baklava that are fresh and delicious. They also carry Dubai chocolate, which I tried for the first time here -- rich, smooth, and definitely worth picking up. Along with their fresh produce, deli, and bakery options, it's easy to find something unique each visit. Overall, Balboa International Market is a great spot for authentic international products and treats. I'll definitely be coming back, especially for the baklava and chocolate.

Here's desserts are too beautiful to not get any! We tried 4 different kinds and they are all very yummy, and the price is cheaper than when you get from coffee shops or restaurants. But somehow they taste quite similar, nutty, flaky and sweet. Overall, I liked and probably will go to get more in the future.

My husband & I enjoyed our entrees I love the lamb w rice I'm sure all the lamb dishes are good bc that's what they do well!

One of the challenges I've had with moving out west is finding a SOLID middle eastern market that has ALL the items I'm looking for - which including fresh pita bread, jarred green olives, a variety of cheeses, labneh, and miscellaneous dry goods. Coming from Chicago, I had my one-stop-shops which I truly miss!! Although Balboa Market didn't have all the things I was looking for, it did have a solid variety and I was happy with my experience there. Their produce section is well-stocked, the refrigerated dairy section has an abundance of labneh, yogurts, and cheeses, and the dry goods section has all the grains, teas, spices, and common miscellaneous items. I will be honest - the spices are a bit overpriced and I did my shopping for those elsewhere. Of all the Mid-Eastern markets I've been to in San Diego, this is the only one I've been to, thus far, that has an in-house bakery. Although they don't bake the specific type of pita bread I was looking for (SUPER thin pita bread that can be used for wraps, commonly used in Syrian & Assyrian fare), their offerings of traditional Persian breads was a-plenty. I also LOVED the dessert counter right next to check out, with freshly made Turkish delight, knafeh, and all sorts of yummy Mid-Eastern sweets. Overall, Balboa Int'l Market offers a variety of Middle Eastern goods and is a good place to shop if you're in the area!

This is an interesting grocery filled with authentic Mediterranean products. Despite being a fairly small facility, I've spent plenty of time exploring all the goodies. Their prices seem to be fair too, and the prices for produce here are far less than Von's and Ralph's. I just had breakfast beforehand; therefore, I didn't get a chance to order their pizza from the bakery, and baklava from their huge pastries set-up in front of the store. But I will return soon.

I am Very Happy about service and products . I am very respect and pleased with manage my request to buy some products. The manager takes my request seriously and next week I already have my order. Specially Big Thanks to Afshin , who is the Manager of this Store . He is very polite ,Grate Guy , always listen my request . I hope this service how Afshin provide , will be evrywhere in USA . Great Store. I would recommend for great expirations to shop. Sergei R.

This market has an incredible selection of items you can't find elsewhere. It's clean and organized and their products are high quality. The pizza bakery looked tempting but the line was longer than my attention span, so I'll have to come back another time to try that! Their baklava selection was beautiful!

Great place to shop produce , everything fresh and decent price , love shopping here !

Great collection of items. Always neat and organized and staff are friendly and helpful. However, I'm beyond disappointed in their produce section. This is a recurring issue and already my third time buying ground beef from them and when I bring it home it looks disgusting inside the bag and ends up in my garbage. Even though I keep asking to weigh two different portions so I can see what they sneak in my bag, yet I keep getting this garbage. This is unacceptable and when I tell their staff they don't handle my concerns very well, get offended and talk back at me. So save yourself some money and don't buy their ground beef.

This is a small Mediterranean/Middle Eastern market. Aisles are tight. Although well-stocked, the selections are limited. We came looking for specific items, one of which we found. Prices are higher than other comparable markets in San Diego. Associates were helpful.

first time trying Balboa international market zaatar pizza. it was really satisfying! the crust was also particularly tasty! Located by the vegetable section with a full pizza menu. what a treat.

We had a party of 15 people tonight and I couldn't wait to acknowledge the efforts of our server Daoud and the quality of the food, from the soup, salad, appetizers all through the main course and tea w/fresh baklava! Also, from big thanks to Javid for setting everything up for all of us!

Great International market. Somethingfor everyone here. We really enjoyed walking around. And I look forward to going back in shopping for their produce is really goodlooking. I remember when it was much smaller than this and they're little deli tiny restaurant was in the same place. This market is situated in the very back of this shopping center. Parking is not very good. Also not easy to find the address on google.

The pistachios here are so good that they will ruin you for all other pistachios. The dried fruits and nuts are also exceedingly fresh, much better than what you can find elsewhere. Great produce as well.

After 19 years of going here, I had to stop. After many situations of extremely bad customer service, especially in the last 3 years, I couldn't take it anymore. They have a lot of new hires who feel entitled. I've told the management several times, but nothing seems to be changing. I'd rather go 25mins away to El Cajon than getting such horrible, unprofessional customer care service! Places when they start losing that "mom n pop" feeling and they become too big to have descent service, it's not for our family. Truly disappointing!

The vegetables and fruits I bought were of very poor quality, the watermelon was smelly and there was an unpleasant smell in the production department. I tried to contact an employee in the production area to whom he responded very disinterestedly and I was ignored. I would like to see more attention paid to this department since it lacks integrity and quality.

Balboa international market prices increased and quantity and quality of foods decreased.

Lavashak (Persian sour fruit leather) has been trending all over tiktok and I really really needed some in my life. Balboa International market carried a variety of lavashak as well as pomegranate molasses. Dipping lavashak into the pomegranate molasses makes the most delicious, sour, sweet treat and I'm super addicted. They also have the toffee version of lavashak. The batch I got might have been slightly old because it tasted like plastic first... but I still ate it because it was so addictively sour. I have no idea if this is healthy or not, but as a sour candy lover, I'm hooked. I'm coming back to stock up before everyone else on TikTok figured it out and sells out the lavashak!

Great selection of whole wheat pita and freshly made Sangak bread- there are no words to describe how unique and delicious it is

Overall it has a lot of things most international/mostly middle east stores lack. I will give them 4 stars for that. But I got some marinated chicken from the butcher shop yesterday, I cooked it throughly and ate it the same day which was yesterday. I ate nothing else before or after. My back door hasn't stopped working since then. I haven't been able to eat anything since that time and it has been a day and I still have horrible stomach ache. Go buy the other products,produce,the fresh bread but stay away from marinated meat

We always shop from this place. Love the different type of cheese and other foods. Maryam from the Deli department has amazing customer service. We love her beautiful smile, she's always helpful.

One of the few places that has a good selection of Indian and middle eastern food/spices. It's not a big grocery store but they do have a lot of hard to find items the meat counter has good quality meat for reasonable prices. The produce when I visited wasn't the freshest but not bad at all. Service is the same as any other grocery store and it's pretty clean.

This place is a cultural treasure hunt featuring an authentic mix of traditional flavors, from kabobs and cheese to bread and saffron!

My husband and I went to Balboa international market and loved it. The cost of the food was much less than traditional stores and the fruit and vegetable quality was much higher. Their service was great. Customer service was fantastic. I think we found our new grocery store. Inside was really nice and clean as well and the ambience was nice.

This rating is for our latest pizza order experience on October 13th. My girlfriend & I ordered at Balboa regularly for their pizza, as we considered it to have been the best (I am a big pizza lover so I have tried ALL of the known spots in SD). Today's order was not only a poor presentation, but the way they severely cut corners to BARELY add any mushrooms, bell peppers & cheese was appalling - and it was given to us cold. The pizzas here were top quality, adding an abundance and big chunks with a balance of taste all throughout with an amazing fresh crust. When we called in anger, he never once apologized and tried making excuse upon excuse for a clearly non-consistent quality to what they used to serve. He even accused me of being one hour late when it wasn't the case from my call log and arrival. Sadly, the taste for both my girlfriend & I went downhill fast even in their attempt to making it again. The crust was burnt & wasn't balanced. Unfortunately they lost on loyal customers - so disappointing. Feedback: don't cut corners on the things that make your branding top tier. Those who have ordered on a regular basis can absolutely taste the (bad) difference.

We went to eat dinner, and while eating we found this and pulled it out of out mouth. We showed this to the manager/owner and he went into the kitchen and never came back. He never apologized or refunded our money. We were too disgusted to finish our food. It's not clear if it was a bug or what but very off putting. Definitely not eating there again

Excellent Persian food , their fruits and vegetables are always fresh , and fresh hot bread is so good , it's a very nice set up , gets very busy though , and that means it's so popular !and just to mention the berries were extraordinary fresh! Definitely will be back

I bought the Afghan bread this time which way more like Barbary bread from Iran , if they make it glossy like Iranian beard it would be closest version of Iranian Barbary bread.

We love visiting Balboa International Market. They have a nice selection of Middle Eastern goods. We really like the flat bread here, especially when it has just come out of the oven. We used to visit Harvest International Market on Balboa Avenue also, but they closed down permanently. I feel fortunate that Balboa International Market is still open. The store is fairly clean. They have a variety of international goods. They sell meats, fruits, veggies, spices, pastries, cookies, juices, rice, and much more. They also sell fresh baklava. It all looks so delicious! We miss the hot food they used to grill and cook up here. I'm not sure when it will open back up. As of our last visit, they are still closed. We loved the kebab plates... they were pretty good. Parking can be tricky at times. It is better to come during off peak hours. I saw some reviews that people bought expired goods. Luckily, we have never had that experience. I will definitely be careful and check expiration when buying items here. This is a place we visit once a month or every other month. We would visit more often if the grill / hot food counter reopened. Goods: 4 / 5 Cleanliness: 4 / 5 Prices: 3 / 5 Service: 4 / 5 Hot food: 4 / 5 (currently closed) Overall - 4 / 5

A large Persian market that carries the staples of Persian cooking, sweets, teas, bread, and then some. They have a bakery that makes fresh Sangak and Mashadi breads. There is also a restaurant next door in case you're in the mood for Persian food.

Customer service is zero, they have a bread that called Mashhadi anytime we go there, they are hiding it and give you 2 of them. The person who cooks it thinks his shit doesn't stink, I will never go back there. They lost me as client and each time I went there we go to their restaurant and buy food so it is their lost, I am boy cutting balboa , done with them

I bought several groceries and when I came out I found out the price on shelves are kinda pricey but also the charge twice as shelf on my receipt. Like tomatoes was $149 per pound but they charge me $3 per pound and the same for other several items like apples and ... I'm not going back again.

The food is good but the service is awful... If it wasn't for the convenience of the market and bakery on either side of the restaurant I'd probably not return. On my last visit, I ordered ahead for takeout and waited 15 minutes after my food was ready trying to get someone's attention that my food was sitting at the window. There were six guys behind the counter and only two were actually helping anyone. I had to raise my voice to finally get someone to look at me and he just grabbed my bag and sloppily handed it to me letting my stews tip over.

How have I not discovered this awesome market for all these years of living in San Diego?! Balboa International Market carries one of the largest selections of spices, ingredients and products from the Middle East. They also carry products from India and Turkey as well! There is a large fresh produce section in the market, as well as some displayed outside the market's entrance. There is also a fresh cheese deli with a large variety of cheeses from various regions, olives and pre-packed condiments. The spicy mixed olives are addicting! Adjacent to the deli is the butcher block, with a nice selection of meats, including Halal and Kosher items. This is where I get my lamb shanks, which are great in quality and price. In addition, there is a bakery /bread shop in the back of the market. They make traditional Persian Sangak flatbread and it comes out hot and delicious! They also bake a variety of other breads from Babari to Tanoor. Make sure to pick one up to have with your meal, make a sandwich with or just enjoy by itself! This market is where I shop when I'm in the mood to make Biriyani, Braised Lamb Shank or any Persian/Middle Eastern meal. Don't forget to pick up some delicious baklava on the way out of the market at the little Mr. Baklava stall next to the entrance/exit.

I came here while visiting a friend in San Diego (I live in NUC). There's some great finds on snacks from Iran/the surrounding counties. I found authentic lavashak from Iran here and ended up purchasing 7 packages for myself and friends back in New York-- it hard to find these out here. Also, I highly recommend the bread! It's baked fresh daily and they taste AMAZING- they even have whole wheat bread. If I lived near San Diego, I'd definitely come here for bread. This place makes me wish NYC had a good Persian market like this.

It's okay but PLEASE DONT ALLOW PEOPLE TO bring their dogs inside. If they need a dog to go shopping, they can request delivery instead. No one needs filthy dog hair on their food or groceries.

If you are looking to pick up some middle eastern ingredients, this is the place to go. They have a variety of olives, cheeses, spice, and other items for purchase. They also have a butcher, fresh produce and a bakery where they have fresh bread daily. I have been here a couple times and have found all the items here that I can't find in a Ralphs/Vons/etc. The store itself is small and cramped. It seems it could be better organized. The produce is overpriced compared to nearby stores. I will come back when specifically looking for Middle Eastern ingredients, but won't make this my standard grocery store.

Always a great variety of all kinds of awesome items from all over. The torshi isle is my personal favorite.

Today was my first time in this international market , and all I can say is , you guys built a customer for life , from the fresh produce and vegetables to the fresh baked bread department and the other side you have all this amazing spices and meat section, definitely favorite part of the store hands down is produce , the quality of the fresh produce was phenomenal , they had all type of summer fruits at this season and all were delicious , they European deli is also huge with all type of variety!

DO NOT SUPPORT THIS BUSINESS!!!! THEY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST DISABLED HUMANS!!! I HAVE A VERY REAL SERVICE DOG and was asked to remove her unless she was 'covered'. Before this BS, I was excited to stumble on this market that was suggested from other humans I adore and walked around with a casual sense. Grabbed several items during my perusal of the space for maybe 10 - 15 mins or so. As I was getting ready to wrap it up and leave, a young man approached us. He said the owner/manager does not allow dogs in here. I shared my vested and well marked Service Dog is a medical device and ADA regulations and federal laws protect us. He continued with the demands of his superior. I shared how they could get into a lot of trouble asking her to leave. He continued with the managers demands pointing to signs that say no dogs. I said she's a medical necessity and compared it to telling someone in a wheelchair to leave because they are using a medical device, she is my medical device. He replied, Service Dogs are allowed but need to be 'covered'. Unfortunately, I miss understood this human numerous times and thought he was saying collar and quite literally laughed when I understood 'covered'. He said like dogs that come in covered referring to its small dogs in strollers?!?! No dog 'covered' in a stroller is a real Service Dog. My main goal is to raise awareness to the ignorance even if that means legal action with a possibility of a very hefty fine. Sadly, ignorance doesn't save you from the law, especially a federal one. A bystander recorded the event a couple of minutes in which shows their blatant discrimination. They have been reported to the appropriate authorities and will be pursuing justice. No one should be discriminated against, ever, but adds an extra punch being disabled with a terminal illness. www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-2010-requirement

The food was great as always, but what makes this place extra special is the waiter Dawud. He is so kind and caring. Not only was his service top-notch, but he also had a friendly demeanor that made our dining experience even more enjoyable. His genuine enthusiasm for what he does was evident and added to the overall atmosphere. He was also extremely kind to my kids. I highly recommended this place and having Dawud as your waiter.

It's a great big international store most of the stuff is from Türkiye which I like but the prices are little much my opinion ,bread was hot and yummy overall I like it.

1.I wanted to give it a four but some of the products seem to be expired. They told me that they were not expired and that that was the package date. I've looked all over online to verify this but I don't see anything. Seems the only way to get an answer is by calling the FDA to see if they can confirm that the date with a T after it means packed by. (Anyone ready to sleuth this one?!) Otherwise I just bought some expensive jars of food that expired in 2020 and January 2021 2. The dolmas in the fridge section Are not freshly made. They take them out of a big pot/tin. I appreciate that one of the staff was honest about that. Thank you 3. A very good selection 4. I would really encourage them to find more products that Do not have flavor enhancer's, canola oil, and other ingredients that are not at all healthy. 5. If there's anyone who does freshly made gormahsabzi and fesenjoom with some organic products and little oil, no flavor enhancer's etc - Let me know. We would be keen!!

Great Pizza and great value. I recommend this place to try at least once. You won't regret it.

It's very good for international foods, I recommend the Turkish delights and the bread

Happen to be in the area and found this market accidentally. So glad I did! Great market for anyone looking for Russian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food. There's a great produce section inside and outside (tented). The deli section is good but not the huge selection you see in other markets. But they carry my favorite French butter and cheese (Valbreso). They have a fresh baked bread area for Yummy Persian breads. The pre-packaged Pita breads were hard and not what I'd spend my money on. Perhaps they should order smaller portions so they're fresh enough for us to buy. After you check out, there's a bakery. I got a variety of baklava. I loved them! The lovely Turkish girl behind the counter was very sweet and helpful. Employees are friendly and helpful throughout the store. It's kept nice and clean as well. I'll definitely be back at least once a month.

Yes! Those in the know are likely to go directly to the back of this grocery for amazing eats at reasonable prices. Can't beat the Koobideh for sumptuous, juicy meat that's well seasoned and masterfully grilled. All that paired with fluffy rice and a fresh salad. Can easily be two meals if you're not hungry. Besides that, the grocery is well stocked with everything you need. We enjoy getting the large flatbreads and tea. Huge parking lot and never crazy crowded. Worth checking out in the Clairemont Mesa area.

Favorite place for kabobs !! They never miss Order ahead if you don't have time to wait

Low quality food High price Rude staff & Management Waist of time and money. No value for food- long wait- lower number of employee- extra charging Never ever go there