Crossroads Specialty Foods

Worth shopping here for the selection of feta alone, but other offerings are not great; the olive bar is not good - olives are mushy and don’t taste fresh, and many products are expired - this pickled garlic we bought there wasn’t expired but I discovered it had a dead fly in it when I opened it for the first time at home. All this being said, it’s one of the few Mediterranean grocers in the bay that sells real feta, so a shame that everything else isn’t up to par.

Crossroads specialty food is one my new favorite stores. They have a wide range of products from around the world and at a great price. The stores is always well stocked and clean. Service is superb and my favorite section is their feta cheeses. Their french sheep feta cheese is just perfect. Definitely recommended.

I love this store, lots of good choices from places all around the world and it’s family owned 🤩🤩🤩

WOW, this place can be somewhat overwhelming with all of the things that they offer. I was told they have nearly 9,000 different items available here at this store, and I was also told that they have speciality items from over 40 countries. The fact that this store is named Crossroads, makes perfect sense. Because of this, if you like to explore anything food related, well here's a place to try. Fresh cheese, olive bar, meats, spices and on and on and on.

This is an EXCELLENT European grocery store! You can find your favorite meats, canned goods, dry goods,cheese, candy, bakery items, wines, beer, condiments, and so much more! Be prepared to spend an hour to see it all!

Posted 10 months ago but posting it here to… This was my go to place, but the past 3 months have not been the greatest. I found a lot of expired foods in the shop. The cheese, and ice cream mostly. I Was sold expired ice cream, the date seemed like there was an attempt to scratch off(which I saw the owner? Fidgeting with it), brought the box back and asked for exchange because it expired months ago., but the worker checked all the boxes and they were all expired so I got a refund. I don't believe I would come back after that experience.

Very unpleasant experience with this store. Expired products are often found here. Recently, I bought an item and paid by card, but instead of a proper receipt with item details, I was only given the bank slip showing the transaction. When I discovered that the product was expired and tried to return it, the store refused, saying they could not accept it without a “proper” receipt — the one they never gave me in the first place. It really seems like this is done on purpose: they avoid giving proper receipts so customers cannot return expired goods. When I asked the owner to handle the situation fairly, he became rude, raised his voice at me, and eventually told me he would no longer serve me at all. This behavior feels less like negligence and more like a fraudulent practice. I strongly do not recommend this store.

What a great find. This store has a little bit of everything. My sister and I shopped for a good amount of time today and thoroughly enjoyed checking out all the products. You'll find candy, cookies, pasta, sausages, cheese, tea, coffee, beer, wine and so much more. Definitely going back.

Crossroads Specialty Foods is truly a gem for anyone who loves to explore unique ingredients from around the world. Upon entering, I was immediately impressed by the store's cleanliness and organization, which made it easy to find everything I needed--and then some! The selection is remarkable, featuring a variety of packaged goods, fresh ingredients, and even made items that you won't find in your local grocery store. Whether you're on the hunt for rare spices or international snacks, this store has it all. What truly sets Crossroads apart, however, is the staff. They are not only knowledgeable but also incredibly attentive, ensuring that every customer feels welcomed and supported in their shopping experience. I highly recommend Crossroads Specialty Foods to anyone seeking specific ingredients or simply wanting to discover something new. It's the perfect place to elevate your culinary adventures!

I was looking for cold smoked mackerel as my friend suggested I try it (as I am a fan of sashimi to tinned fish). This market came up on my search and I am pleasantly surprised of the amount of items offered here. Coming here on a Friday afternoon, parking was plentiful and the market wasn't all too busy. I was able to take my time to wander around the store to see the vast amount of varieties offered. Everything was very nicely organized and clean despite being a bit compacted with so many products, I love it! It was probably about 15minutes before I had my fill of light browsing and went to grab a mackerel. While I was checking out, I think it was the owner that I chatted up told me about the popularity of pistachio butter and the chocolate trend online. It's very nice to see that a shop still care about their local customers and he stopped allowing bulk purchases (probably a reseller?) so that everyone can have access to some. By the counter, there's a bunch of desserts that I could not resist. I do have a weird tree nut allergy and I appreciated the owner looking for nutrition facts to see the allergens. I was able try 2 kinds of turkish delights, kiwi and orange - it was a very delightful treat... a little on the heavier end, but definitely something I'd want to get again to share with others. Final Thoughts: I'll definitely be back to check out more of the jams, teas/coffees as well as other goods here! Another stop to add to my list of favorite markets now!

This is my 3rd time here within 1 year i think. I have family members who are visited from Ireland and Philippines and we(husband and I) hosted a dinner for 12 people. I have planned a greek menu. First I have prepared a small appetizer tray that consisted of hummus, pita bread, greek cheeses, olives and artichokes. Then main entree includes greek salad, Pork souklavi, chicken Gyro, and beef estifado. Some of the items and ingredients and wine too are bought from this store for my meal preparation. I love this store since they almost have everything for my Europian and Mediterranean dish needs. The place is clean and pretty small but still have huge variety of collections and stocks. Highly recommend it!

I absolutely LOVE this place! I have an unnatural love for all things pickled. They have EVERYTHING under the sun! Lots of European sweet and savory treats. A variety of legumes, pastas, foods both frozen and jarred. They have a HUGE variety of beverages, teas, syrups, alcohol, juices - something for everyone! I love that everytime I visit its not bombarded with people. Yes, there are people but it doesn't feel hurried or rushed. The noise level with the music is just perfect. They have LOTS of stuff for anyone's sweet tooth! I love that they have soooo much biscotti, crackers and biscuits to choose from! This is my new favorite place to just treat myself!

We bought figs yesterday. waighted the package. here is a result: 350 g instead of 397g.

Great Selection of International Foods! Always go to get the best ingredients for my bakes, super authentic food!

Newly reopened and has everything and more just like it used to have back in the old location in Hayward. Exceptionally clean and organized - a very pleasant shopping experience. Beer, wine, Christmas cookies and candies from Europe, German saurkraut and some great cold cuts from the refrigerated section filled my basket. There are so many options and it is so well stocked - set aside a little time to look it all over during your visit. Its in a smaller shopping center and parking was easy as could be. From the main roads it is visible on the corner but somehow easy to miss unless you are looking for it. During the pandemic I enjoyed going to the old location so much. I avoided all the crazy that was in regular grocery stores at the time with the cleared out shelves. For the most part most every food need you have can be bought here. Been waiting for a couple years for this to reopen. So thrilled its only a mile away from home now.

One word: FABULOUS! Anything you need from spices to sweets for all cultures. Specifically lots of Mediterranean delights

I'm a huge fan of Crossroads Specialty Foods and used to frequent the previous location on Jackson/CA-92 thru Hayward for items such as Middle Eastern spices, Mediterranean ingredients phyllo, various cheeses, sausages, Italian sauces and pastas, baklava and European items. First visit to this new location in Castro Valley and place is brighter, spacious, well organized with a variety of sweets, spices, snacks, refrigerated and frozen items along with a display of Turkish delights. No produce or fresh meat counter offered. Staff is helpful directing to locate items but not well versed on type of ingredients used for specific region. Not an issue and will check online and see if they carry it. I found items that I was looking for: kataifi (shredded phyllo), sweet cheese, ghee, orange blossom water, (to make knafeh) pomegranate molasses (to glaze Cornish hens) and Middle Eastern spices to make beef kefta ...they also had kunafa pastry coloring but decided to pass on that. I'll definitely return to buy ingredients to make my own dishes as it's expensive dining out these days! :) It would be great if the store had a small cafe or had a day to offer samples of their products and how to use ingredients. Regardless, I managed to be a little overzealous in buying items to try: Schaller & Weber pate, Davidoff instant coffee, frozen warbat with qishta, Diamond brand baklava...smh Plenty of free lot parking in a small strip mall right off the freeway along E Castro Valley Blvd. Credit cards accepted

Great store! I love how everything is arranged. As soon as you walk in, you see the candies and sweets. Everything is perfectly arranged neatly and the little isles are clean. There's so much international food that I'd love to try. The guy at the register is friendly. They also have a section where you can buy fresh goodies like baklava.

Crossroads specialty food is one my new favorite stores. They have a wide range of products from around the world and at a great price. The stores is always well stocked and clean. Service is superb and my favorite section is their feta cheeses. Their french sheep feta cheese is just perfect. Definitely recommended.

This was my go to place, but the past 3 months have not been the greatest. I found a lot of expired foods in the shop. The cheese, and ice cream mostly. I Was sold expired ice cream, the date seemed like there was an attempt to scratch off, brought the box back and asked for exchange because it expired months ago., but the worker checked all the boxes and they were all expired so I got a refund. I don't believe I would come back after that experience.

Ambiance: 8/10 Very organized and neat Parking: 8/10 Easy parking right in front or in the parking lot Price: 7/10 Some things can be super expensive, but it might be because these are all very unique items! Food: 9/10 Very interesting and unique! There are bakery items / candies / chips / spices / ice cream ... all sorts of things from all the world! Definitely a very special grocery store! Take a look around and try something new!

Crossroads Specialty Foods Castro Valley CA Sat 4/1/23 © First Day Open! Credit card machine broke so cash only! Happy April FRIENDS! No fools! Love ya! European & Mediterranean Foods! Shelves stoked with Eastern European pickled everything! I walked around, spoke to the owners, they're very committed to making this grocery store a solid authentic staple! Wine & beers from Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Czech, Romania, Bulgaria, Armenia, Lebanon, Georgia, Turkey! Wide variety of international selections! Blackberry jeżyna, Raspberry malina, Blueberry jagoda, doesn't that sound delicious?! Sweet liquor type wines from Poland! Georgian unique wines in ceramic and metal decanters, semi sweet reds Kindzmarauli made from Saperavi grapes! I'll be back when I'm in the area to checkout some new goodies! Castro Valley residents, Enjoy! *I feel so free When you're with me, Baby! Baby, there's nothing holdin' me back! [ Review #757 w 2 pics on April 3, 2023 ] European, Mediterranean wines! 1st Day Open! @Crossroads Specialty Foods Castro Valley CA Sat 4/1/23 Pickled everything! @Crossroads Specialty Foods Castro Valley CA Sat 4/1/23

This grocery store has a little bit of everything from many countries across the Middle East and Eastern Europe. For example: About 6 types of zaatar ( 2 in bulk bins, others in shelf). Each from a different country Labneh--4 types of spreadable. Also one in a jar of oil-- little balls as I've only seen sold at roadside stands in Israel Candy and chocolate-- takes you to Russia, Hungary Wine--Hungary, Russia, Georgia and elsewhere Olive bar Bulk dry goods Pastas, beans, lavash, pita The employees are friendly but not knowledgeable. Clean new space in castro valley close to Trader Joe's!!

crossroads specialty foods opened recently in Castro Valley in a small commercial space that includes Caspar's, Domino Pizza, & Warriors Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. it's operated by David, nephew of the a similar named grocery in Hayward that's closed. though the space looks smaller, it shelves over 5,000 items from Eastern Europe, Europe, and the Middle East. crossroads has combined many distinct ethnic grocery stores into 1 all inclusive speciality store. I was greeted immediately by the owner/cashier upon my entrance. so much to choose from. partial listing: teas, coffee, picked/salted fish, condiments, spices, pastries, sweets, chocolates, beers, wines, spirits, frozen/fresh/ready to eat meats/entress (pelmemi, sausages, etc.), fruit preserves, marmalade, pastas, breads... buys: lokum (bularian delight, 3.99) 179gm, 12 pieces -taste mostly sugar & rose water flavor from glucose water, wheat starch, -texture similar to jelly like candies/pastries that all countries make. drink: Das Bock (Eibauer-german, 3.99) 6.7% alc., 16.09 oz. -tasted light ala lager, smooth, doesn't have typical beer profile. -suitable for pairing with seafood..... Double Bock (Primator-Czech craft, 3.69) 10.5% alc. 16.09 oz. -tasted bold ala double ipa... my fav. -no harshness, very smooth...great with bbq, steaks, cheese, or by itself. take outs: -small parking lot, -lots of choices in alcohol, teas, sweets section. -prices reasonable. -some Eastern European type products made in Canada, U.S....

Great place to shop for middle eastern spices. This place looks new and well organized. I was looking for Aleppo pepper and their staff was very helpful to locate it. We also tried some of breads they have and I like the Lebanese bread which was fresh and tasty. I will definitely go back to try their olives and cheese selections. They also have a impressive selection of baklava and other Turkish delight. I will try them also next time I visit this place.

An amazing grocery store. So many selections and it all looks enticing. Lots of holiday cookies and candies, dry goods, cured meats and probably every ingredient you want for cooking mid eastern food. I got paella rice, red lentils, and german egg noodles. I could have splurged for so much more. Next time!

A good selection of European and Middle Eastern specialty dry goods, canned and frozen foods. The Turkish Delights are quite delicious!

First off excellent customer service. The cashier has awesome recommendations and I try something new every time, always a hit. What a hidden gem.

Unique variety of pastries, pastas, meats, and sugary confections. Very different than the local grocery franchises.

Really happy I came across this place! A European and Middle Eastern market that has a variety of essential staples from spices, protein, sweets, pickled veggies, coffee, tea and culture specific speciality items. I was very happy with how clean & organized the store is. I do however wish they had fresh fruit and veggies to make it a one stop shop. Overall will be back for my international home cooking needs.

Stopped by today to check it out and wow, such a large variety of different Eastern European groceries! The clerk was very nice as well. They have a wide range of canned goods, cheeses, meats, alcohol, coffee, dry goods, and more. Highly reccomend stopping by and checking it out.

I'm guessing the wonderful international markets are kind'a rare. I love the variety of foods, desserts, and recipe specific items. Early evening,the olive bar thing should be totally cleaned, filled and inviting. At my visit with family, olive bar appeared to be neglected. So, to be fair, I'll say that maybe it's because it's so good that it was recently overwhelmed by customers, I can't say. Overall, glad this place is here. Cheers to the owners. Hope they do well.

Brightly lit and laid out well, with a cozy ambiance. This shop has a wide variety of items from the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. The staff warmly welcomed us to the shop and was friendly yet unobtrusive. They have a thoughtful selection of beer and wine, which was quite nice. I highly recommend pairing a beer or glass of wine with some of the olives from their olive bar. The assortment of fruit preserves, pickled vegetables, sausages, cheeses (including the feta cheese selection at the counter which they'll allow you to taste), and frozen foods - including a variety of pelmeni - brought a smile to my face. They also have imported chocolates and sweets, and even had a selection of fresh lokoum/Turkish delight. I'd strongly encourage you to stop by and check out Crossroads, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

This looks like the place that used to be on Jackson in Hayward. It was Crossroads World Market. The companion shop in Palo Alto was the same name as this new store in CV. It was a husband and wife team that owned and managed them both. Very cool and very quiet inside...with little itty bitty shopping carts that I'd usually fill up. It's been closed for a couple of years...and our life has been so boring as a result. Olives in a jar just don't make it for us.... We cannot wait to get back here....the place we jokingly used to call "IHOP," shorthand for International House of Pickles...because they had a whole aisle of pickled everything in jars of every size. I'd spend an hour, minimum, in that amazing little store...because there was always something new to try....I had to wander every aisle! And, you will often meet some very interesting people, other customers, in the store...people from places you'll never get to visit. If someone made eye contact, I'd say hello...and perhaps learn about some exotic food that I'd not known about. I've missed the olive bar more than other things...but the variety of feta, the halvah, the breads, the sesame tahini, the harissa, the sauerkraut, the pickles, the fruit preserves and marmalade, the cookies, the chocolate...and the best pocket pita, fresh six days a week. But that's just a fraction of the delicacies...there's all kinds of pickled herring and cheeses, sausages...it's been three years now, so it's a bit hazy. Ah, did I mention the pasta? They had a fantastic assortment of Maltagliati Organic semolina pastas in sealed bags Way better than anything in Safeway or While Foods...at half the cost. I've got one remaining pound of "#346 cut ziti" that's 2-years past it "Best by date" but I know it's still going to be delicious....because it's in a sealed bag, not a cardboard box. The Latina ladies who clerked were always delightful too...and surprisingly knowledgeable about the exotic merchandise. I gave one of them my 34" flatscreen CRT TV when we bought our first LED flatscreen. I did meet one of the owners there one day...she told me about their store in Palo Alto, but I never made it there because of Covid. I did also meet her husband once...I asked him to restock the whole grain sesame tahini because it had more flavor than the regular hulled variety, but it never happened...so I'm really looking forward to finding that rare gem at the new Castro Valley store. It makes absolutely the best hummus! I'll be dreaming about this place tonight....

I purchased a large jar of herring in cream sauce. It was sealed and was withing the best buy date. BUT when I opened it at home and tasted it, the sauce tingled like it was fermenting. I brought it back to the store. They wouldn't take it back, wouldn't give me credit, didn't trust their customer. I won't shop there again.

Lots of different groceries from all over Europe. Prices are very reasonable and owners are super friendly. A welcomed neighborhood store

Reasons to go to crossroads: 1. Variety: this store has an incredible variety of international ingredients at a fair price. There isn't another store within 30 miles that is able to compete with their variety of middle eastern, European, Mediterranean and Indian selections. 2. Perfect location: this is arguably the only store in castro valley that offers a wide variety of international spices, jams, wines, breads, cheeses, pickled veggies, spreads, condiments, frozen meals, etc. 3. Very nice owners: some of the nicest store owners that you will ever meet. Support local businesses that actually care about customer service. This place is amazing!

Christmas at the Crossroads Market. Fully stocked for those of us that celebrate German style. Chocolates Stollen everything!!

Delightfull marker stocked with goods you would only find in Europe, Turkey, Central asian countries or Middle east. Amazing selection, fair prices and excellent organization! The store is super near and well-stocked!

Finally! So nice to have an Eastern European market close-by. Place is clean, well stocked, and staff is attentive and friendly. I personally go there for my essential and favorite Bosnian items. (Argeta pašteta, vegeta, baking ingredients, soups, Sudzuk, Bosnian coffee, ćevapici, ajvar, fermented salads/pickles, jams/ spreads/ Eurocream, Šokota Fanta, baklava, Milka chocolates, Napolitanke Tommi majoneza). I knocked off one star because it is expensive compared to other eastern european markets in the south bay.

Friendly staff, extremely well stocked store with all my favorite goodies from all over the Europe and it's under 10 minutes drive from my home. I'm so glad they finally opened again.

A real international market! This is a blessing for me, as I have had a hard time finding things from back home, like Kvuzat Yavne pickles and olives and Elite Turkish coffee. I'll be back, often.

I was looking for an oriental market and this wasn't it. However, it might be a good destination for those looking for Middle Eastern food and drink items.

So many countries are represented in this small store: There is so much to see it is almost overwhelming. They have all sorts of candies and cakes, breads from all over, a dairy case, olive bar, oils and pickles, fresh halvah and locum, cured meats, frozen dumplings, spices.. the list goes on and on. I especially like the tea selections - so much to choose from! The greek style yogurt is the best around - I don't even bother making my own yogurt any more because this is so good. The only things they don't carry is fresh vegetables, eggs, and raw meats. The place is spotlessly clean and well organized, everything looks very fresh, parking is not an issue, and it's easy to get to from 580. The man that runs it is super nice and knows his products so he can help you locate something in the store. Every grocery store should be this inviting!

Fun grocery store of Eastern Europeans goods along with exotic beer choices - everything is reasonably priced and interesting choices that u don't see everywhere else, nice!

Huge variety of foods I have not tried before. The first time visited, I left with a huge bag of Russian, Turkish, and Jordanian candies & snacks. I feel like I can visit here once a week and still not run out of new things to try. But I am going to try! You can't see the storefront from the road, so I hope enough people discover it to make them successful.

Crossroads is a hidden jewel in Castro Valley with food, deserts, and drinks from the Middle East and Europe. Enjoy the delicious array of olives and olive oil from Syria, Greece, Palestine, and Lebanon. White and whole wheat pita from Old Jerusalem. Hummus, olives, pickles, and Zatar from the Middle East, North Africa, and Southern Europe. They now have holiday pastries from Germany and Bavaria. Chocolates and candy from EMEA. Fresh baklava, honey cakes, and Turkish delight, especially, the red rose delights are available daily. I've watched the sun rise over Istanbul, had Turkish breakfast, before visiting the Bosporus Bridge watching early morning fisher man and experiencing the aura of a river that has witnessed the evolution of thousands of years of an ancient and modern civilization. I've always wondered how I can recreate that experience and now I can. There are also sausages and meats from Scandinavia, Western Europe, and the Middle East. Travel the world with a mini-shopping-cation. Add a new delightful twist to your holiday festivities and daily sustenance with organic and artisan foods made with recipes and olives from trees thousands of years old. Eat as you might, farm-to-table before mass production and GMOs. Experience cultures thousands of miles away in the comfort of your own kitchen and family dining table.

Huge variety of European and Mediterranean food supplies. Bulk grains, beans and spices helps to lower cost. Locally made baklava and Turkish delights also. Limited fresh produce.

Wonder market. Know them since they were in Hayward. Very friendly people but their European good are fantastic. Love the fresh feta cheese at the counter. I particularly love their block of French feta. Creamy and delicious. They have a great selection of olives and grains. Great chocolates as well. I highly recommend for specialty products.

THEY'RE BACK!! After what felt like forever the owner of Crossroads Speciality Foods, which used to be located on Jackson St in Hayward near the DMV and was much loved by it's customers, has finally reopened in this new location in Castro Valley. They closed during Covid and then ran into all kinds of delays because of the Pandemic. I had given up hope that they would ever reopen but took a chance today and drove by. And the doors were open. They finally opened in April. This new location is stunning. Double the size of the previous location with double the inventory in practically everything. Yes, they have the incredible bulk yogurt and feta. Yes, they have the olive bar, along with dates and raisins. Their bakery selection is greatly expanded and I recommended to David, who is the nephew of the owner, that they check out the wonderful Persian bakery in downtown Hayward, Soheila, and carry some of their items. They have a huge selection of imported beer and wine. A much greater selection of teas, coffee and spices. Yes, they have their bulk items of all kinds from nuts, seeds legumes and flours and spices. And every kind of pantry item you can imagine. And yes, the imported chocolates. When I was checking out all three people ahead of me in line had been customers at the Hayward location and were so happy to find them reopened, we were celebrating together. So, YES, Crossroads Speciality Foods is BACK!!! Check them out, if you love foods from Eastern Europe, Italy, the Middle East and more, check out Crossroads International Speciality foods, you won't be disappointed!!

I love this place! It has everything you could ever need for an international market. The owner David is amazing and so are his employees. I highly recommend this place if you are Greek, Russian , Middle-eastern or any other country. Everything is so so fresh.

Wow...Great selection and best prices I've seen. Many products that are hard to find. For the few, the proud, the Greek (or not) even two different retsinas. Olive bar, so many frozen items from all over the Mediterranean. I could go on and on

Very excited about this store, much needed in this area. Well price and great selection. Tidy and clean. What else could you ask for! They also have fresh pita bread available.

This store has an amazing selection of foods from many countries. They are new owners and so helpful in finding what I needed. All the shelves are fully stocked. Can't wait to go back and try more fun foods!

Have been waiting for them to move to Castro Valley and they are finally here, just in time for Easter! Shopped there yesterday and loved the experience. Clean and well organized store, good selection of international foods, including Polish, and very friendly and kind staff. Will go there regularly. Welcome to Castro Valley!!!