Wholesome Choice

Wholesome Choice in Irvine is one of my favorite spots for both groceries and quick meals. They have a fantastic selection of prepared foods that are perfect for pickup—everything is fresh, flavorful, and there’s a wide variety to choose from. It’s also one of the best places in the area for Persian groceries. From spices and herbs to fresh bread, dairy, and specialty ingredients, they carry so many hard-to-find items that make cooking authentic Persian dishes easy and convenient. The store is clean, well-stocked, and the staff are always helpful. Whether you’re looking to grab a delicious meal or stock up on high-quality groceries, Wholesome Choice is definitely worth a visit!

Quick stop by a friend's recommendation. I was so happy! Our cashier spoke Farsi!! We don't have anything like this in our City, Louisville KY. They had everything I wanted and then some. I was having childhood flashbacks in those aisles! My childhood snacks: Ashi Mashi, ghare ghorur, lavashak... And they have their own bakery and Irani people making ghorme sabzi and other traditional dishes right there. I wa sin heaven!! Wish we have one in Kentucky 🤩

Wholesome Choice has a good variety of groceries, including many international items that are hard to find elsewhere. The store is well stocked and offers interesting selections. Unfortunately, the biggest issue is at checkout. Prices on the shelves often don’t match what gets charged at the cashier, and items end up being more expensive than expected. It’s frustrating to shop thinking you’re getting a fair deal, only to be surprised by higher totals when you pay. I like the variety here, but the pricing inconsistency makes it hard to trust and keeps me from wanting to come back regularly.

A large store with a wide range of products and facilities. The restaurant section offers good food variety with options to suit different tastes. Prices are about the same as other places, but the environment is organized and clean, which makes the shopping experience more pleasant. One of the highlights is the bakery, which provides high-quality, fresh bread. That said, if the shelves, layout, and checkout counters are renovated, the store could become even better.

Always pleasant and wonderfully diverse. The food selection is exotic and very affordable with great produce. As a student at UC Irvine I also get a very generous discount for my purchases. My favorite thing about Wholesome Choice is the vibrant Asian food they serve freshly made; I especially enjoy the Indian food, but all of the food is plentiful and priced very fairly. Great store!

I went shopping today and decided to buy a pack of sour plums, which cost around $6 or $7 per lb. What a disaster. The plums taste like a carbon and practically inedible clearly they never tested before being put on the shelf. I honestly can't believe they're charging that much for something so disappointing. This experience really makes me question the quality standards of this store, and I’m not sure I can trust their produce anymore.

I arrived at the store at 9:56, just 4 minutes before closing time at 10:00, and they didn’t let me in, saying it was closed. I’ve been shopping here for 15 years and have never experienced anything like this. The person at the door and the manager acted like enemies. I will never shop here again. They are extremely disrespectful. I am giving the lowest rating of one star only because I can’t give less—otherwise, they wouldn’t even deserve this. Humanity: zero.

Massive produce displays...great selection on ethnic food especially Persian. Store interior was clean & organized.

I've been shopping at this grocery store for years. Produce here is inexpensive and not bad quality. Same with the meat and fish. I like the variety of brands I wouldn't find at another store. The prices have been going up over the years but that's the same as everywhere else. They do give a discount for UCI students which is nice. Employees here are somewhat friendly, depends who you get and on what day. But you do have to be careful here. Watch your stuff! I've seen people steal things out of cars in the parking lot while the owners are putting things away. Don't just leave things in your cart and walk away even in the store. I think because the aisles are small and crowded people purposely come here to target shoppers and that's unfortunate.

This is an international store. They sell merchandises from Middle East, Iran, Turkey and Asian countries. I really enjoyed the variety of products. In this store, you can order lunch, buy groceries and pastries at the same time. lol There is a bakery located in this store. There is also a mini restaurant that they sell food like kebabs, stews. I give five stars for the variety of the Milka Chocolates they had. I visited on a Sunday. Store was busy and I noticed that they didn't have any self check outs open. They had only two registers open which can make things complicated, if you have only couple of items. Store was clean and well maintained during my visit. This location has a great parking lot. It was easy to find parking spots even on a Sunday.

Not much has changed about the Persian restaurant food section since my last review from 10 years ago...EXCEPT: - portions for non-Persian customers have shrunk -greetings for non-Persian customers went on mute -my friend went went after my speaking Farsi got a generous portion. I will update again in 10 years I suppose. Hopefully it won't be worst than where it's headed

Decided to come here after eating dinner next door. They have a wide selection of Persian, Indian, Turkish, and other ethnic food products here. Most of it seemed reasonably priced. I got baklava from their bakery section to try. I had never tried Dubai chocolate but one of the staff convinced me to try their in house version since it was significantly cheaper than the imported one. $4 vs $12. It was tasty. The chocolate was rich. I didn't taste too much of the pistachio despite being covered in it.

Not sure why the barbari bread I bought late at night was moldy the next morning!! This has never happened with my purchases here before. Very disappointing. It was the barbari bread from the stores bakery right at the entrance. The bread that is on the other side of the store at the exit is wayyyyy better!!! That bread is made in a fire oven from Iran, taste super authentic and is perfect. I think they are new because they were not there the previous visit. This place has great prices for fresh produce. They have a robust ready made food section it feels like a food court as they have so many different foods and cuisines. For middle eastern people this is a great place to buy groceries we are familiar with. For non middle eastern people I would recommend to go down the aisles and find some gems!

I visited the store again recently, much better quality. Thank you for fixing the issue. As always, we enjoy all all the other products you offer.

We went here for Mother's day lunch and I just love this store, they have everything and all different cultures of food here. We stopped in to get persian food one of our favorites. It was not that busy shockingly, we got our bread at the front fresh and delicious. But funny experience, they have behind the persian food they have Indian food and many other different foods to choose from but this guy was giving out samples, then I barely could understand him I think he said do you want to try something I thought he meant a sample he proceeded to grab a tray and add food but I was so confused thought it was for someone else cause he walked away and talked to someone else, then baby girl got a sample and we walked away to grab some more things we wanted. I stopped at the persian place first and I ordered the chicken and beef Koobideh. When I got back to pick up our order that guy from the Indian food area ran up to us and said you forgot your order, I said we never ordered anything? He stormed off it was so weird? The chicken usually is so juicy and delicious but this time it was not it was small dry and tasted weird, but the beef was perfect. The rice is always delicious buttery and amazing, I also asked for a side of the Tadik crunchy rice and onions. We enjoyed our meal outside of the store and had a really nice lunch it was such a beautiful day too. I did take 1 star off this time for the chicken not being good Hopefully next time we stop in the chicken tastes better cause that was not how I remember it tasting before. But the service is nice and always with a smile. Thank you for our delicious meal and all the delicious foods here. Have a beautiful day, be kind to everyone :) Aloha

Wholesale Choice Market / Iranian Market - Great Experience! Good selection of products with fresh and tasty food. The prices are affordable, and the quality is impressive. Convenient parking available -- overall, a pleasant shopping experience. Thank you

This is primarily a grocery store that caters to our Persian population. You can find all sorts of exotic items here. Specialty breads, gorgeous flowers, etc. Additionally, their produce department is truly phenomenal. It's also seemingly always teeming with people and it's bumper to bumper shopping carts. I'm personally not a fan of their meat department. They also have a whole section of buffet food vendors which sadly have changed in the last decade and the quality disappeared. Plenty of free parking and they make the most out of their footprint.

Had to come back twice for the kataiffi dough. Other than that, the items they have are great! They have a wide variety of Asian items and middle eastern items. You can get all the items for the Dubai chocolate here. If u come here, get the SANGAK!!! Workers are helpful, but they didn't really know what I was talking about even w the pics I showed lol. They tried tho

Very disappointed with terrible customer service. Received an online specials today and when went to checkout it was a sale of months ago. Why was I sent an advertisement this morning in line for specials months ago. The cashier then the so called manager had no customer service skills and failed to accommodate a customer of many years. As a result we will find a new venue and store to frequent. I am very well known in the area and all my constituents will be advised of the horrible shopping experience!

Over the years, the quality of wholesome food has noticeably declined compared to what it was 10+ years ago. This grocery store, with a strong selection of international products, stands out for its range of Persian items, as it's a Persian grocery store. Despite shopping here for five years, I hadn't tried their food since my last sampling experience was disappointing--it tasted burnt. This time, I reluctantly tried a sample they offered, but it was even worse. I ended up throwing it away because the small piece of chicken and meat was dry and burnt, while the soup tasted like it came from the bottom of the pot and was completely flavorless. To me, samples should be fresh if they're meant to attract customers to a product. Persian cuisine is known for its rich flavors and freshness, neither of which was present in the sample I tried. The staff here is friendly and warm, especially Ali at the register, who goes above and beyond. Be sure to use any coupons and register your phone number for rewards. Prices are a bit higher than at other Persian grocery stores in the LA area, so it's also a good idea to check expiration dates on items. The store itself is quite packed, with narrow aisles that make it hard for two carts to pass each other, and customers often bump carts or get stuck. Plus, some customers aren't always attentive, which can lead to accidental cart collisions.

Great market if you need halal items or are looking for middle eastern goods. The produce is really nice and they have a great selection of meats.. beef, pork, lamb, goat, chicken, duck, including the "bits." The space is little busy inside, so keep it moving, know what you want. They have a strong hot food and dessert selection. The folks who work this area are all nice, you can sample some of the curries and meats they have for sale to help you decide.

This place is AMAZING!!!!! I ate as much in the mediterranean area as I could and everything I tasted was between good and great! I'm so impressed by the food options, prices were fair, and the employees helpful. If I lived closer, I'd never cook again- this is a must try for the hot bar items.

Terrible customer service. Cashier Nilofar was rude and refused to bag my items, then started scanning the next customer's groceries before I even picked mine up. When I asked her to wait, she snapped that the person behind me was waiting. This isn't the first time I've dealt with rude, untrained cashiers here. The food quality is low, prices are high, and the staff clearly lack customer service skills. As a longtime resident, I won't shop here again. The only thing I ever came for was Persian cucumbers, but not anymore. Hopefully, a better supermarket opens in this area soon.

It's like a little vacation coming in here. I spent $100 on dates, feta, tahini, pita bread, some fruit, vegetable, dried nuts, rice I found jarred Ginger to go with sushi. I've been looking for that for a year. Had to bypass most of the produce it was too crowded . The food court is fun with lots of tastings. I bought the best feta cheese I've ever had. French! Could be Cleaner. The prices were higher than Ralphs for most things.

What do they not carry? This place is filled with quality ingredients! And they have their own food section which tastes pretty great. It's a great spot to stock up on halal meats! Fast service at the meat counter, and everyone is very helpful. You can get take-out and eat inside or outside they have good seating.

There has been a Wholesome Choice Shopping Cart sitting in our neighborhood for the past 6 days. The neighbors have repeatedly called the store to come pick it up and 6 days later it is STILL here. Every time we call, we get passed around as each WC employee from cashiers to managers PROMISE to pick it up and ask for the location or address YET AGAIN - but it's still there. Four days ago, the person stated an employee had just left with a tow truck to retrieve it - but it is still on the corner of our street, so not only are they not taking responsibility for their carts, but they are also lying about their attempts to pick it up. I think this corroborates the reviews here which state that their customer service is terrible. Their concern for the surrounding neighborhood is non-existent. Day 7 and the shopping cart is here.

This review is for the Blue Moon Cafe within Wholesome Choice. Enjoyed the Swiss Bliss crepe that took about 15 minutes to make. The crepe tasted good but was salty. Pay at the small terminal on the corner of the stall.

I hadn't been to Wholesome Choice for several years and My God has it changed!!! They still have tons of International food options, including hot food. I had gone to purchase some spices and etc for the Persian food I wanted to cook... They have increased their prices however they are comparable to other places, and their fruits and vegetables were very fresh... It was packed even though it was during the week and the middle of the day! My biggest concern is that they have packed the store so much with products, that two carts can't pass by (in opposite directions) at the same time which made it very challenging to maneuver our carts... I'm shocked the Fire Department hasn't fined them being that it's a huge hazard should there be a fire or emergency evacuation.. The AC must have been out that day too since the entire store was extremely hot and uncomfortable to be in!!!

Is used to be my favorite place to buy all of my Persian groceries once a month I religiously come here every month to get all the things that I cannot find here in the inland Empire and I drive an hour there an hour back at least if I don't hit traffic that is unfortunately the last two times that I've been there I don't know if the ownership has changed or if the ownership for that part where they serve the hot food has changed however the food is just not the same I'm referring to the Persian side where they have all the different rice the different stews the fish the chicken etc. This is just a reminder to the owners that service and product is super important the food is just not the same quality and the amount is a third less than it used to be please see to it that this changes because I don't want to stop going there

This review is only for their sangak bread! It's soo yummm and always a hit at get togethers, parties, and potlucks!! Comes out hot from the oven and can be reheated/toasted at home as well. Dip it in anything! The line can get long for the bread but I have never waited longer than 15 to 20 mins. They sometimes limit the # of bread you can buy depending on the line. Grocery store itself always feels crowded and I think it's because the aisles are not super wide.

One of the worst customer service I have a ever experience in my life, and I am not exaggerating beside the fact that it is very expensive yet the customer service in every department is very disrespectful and rude for example, the beat department there was a Hispanic lady who did not want to help whatsoever every time I ask her about any item she her answer was like if it is a bad product I should not even be getting. She definitely hate her job does not want to be there and does not want to be bothered by customers. The Persian food counter. The lady, put the food together for me and threw it on the counter without even looking at me still got my order wrong. And I can go on and on one thing for sure I would never go back not if I would advise anyone to do. They improve their customer service.

I arrived at the store at 9:56, just 4 minutes before closing time at 10:00, and they didn't let me in, saying it was closed. I've been shopping here for 15 years and have never experienced anything like this. The person at the door and the manager acted like enemies. I will never shop here again. They are extremely disrespectful. I am giving the lowest rating of one star only because I can't give less--otherwise, they wouldn't even deserve this. Humanity: zero.

It's a shame your employees don't offer assistance to your elderly customers. Your self checkout are non operational. Twice the same cashier has been so extremely unprofessional. I was the 4th person in line while she was chatting on her phone. I told her she couldn't be on her personal call while working so she closed her line with the triangle "CLOSED" sign. Other customers turned and said that's what she does. She gets her managers and cries to them without the truth of the situation. It's your store. If this employee is so valuable to you then so be it

I love this market! I always stop for the Turkish baklava which is delicious. The food vendors have tasty options as well. There is a newer area where a baker is making fresh Persian barbari bread. Highly recommended!

I go to this place a lot to buy persian groceries but i have seen rotten fruits many times here and yesterday i saw breads with mold on them ! Don't they check their bread section regularly to make sure everything is fresh and hasn't passed its expiration date !????

Bought these bread for 2.99 each and when we got home we saw it had mold! Our money went right into trash buying from this store. Not recommended if you are looking for a clean and reliable grocery shop. The koobideh seems it has flour mixed with or instead of meat as it is so tasteless. Saffron rice seems to be artificial color instead of actual saffron as it is too yellow and tasteless. I hope some organization could supervise their food processing.

Sort of a misleading name that I thought this was another mothers or Whole Foods type of store so I had to Yelp it to discover something much more amazing. My middle names are international food and adventure so I was ecstatic to find out this was an international ethnic grocery store with a plethora of products from the Middle East. There's also a variety of fresh cut meats, cheeses, seafood and fresh fruits and vegetables. If you're seeking a mini foodie adventure, go try some fresh bakery goods or packaged snacks and don't forget to try everything at the food court!

Just hit or miss shopping there. So many fresh deals but so difficult to shop in a store that's not large enough for products and customers, or customers and products.

In the nuts section few times I saw small rats and I told manager I do t think they fixed that cos I saw few times in different days. Disgusting place

My wife bought olive mix side dish Paid $9.23 It smell bad. No good Please do not serve past due salad or side orders Olive mix salad I will give you zero star if i could Driving all the way from Newport beach to your store My gas and time more to return item Zero star

The best grocery in Irvine. Food is cheap and vegetables fresh. I am from Long Beach and whenever we're at Irvine this place is a must stop.

I had a really disappointing experience at Wholesome Choice Market today. I only had one item to check out, but all the express lanes and self-checkouts were closed, and the regular lines were packed. I asked the manager, Niki, if they could open an express or self-checkout lane, and she was extremely rude and unprofessional. She told me it was the owner's decision not to open them, and when I asked why, she just shrugged and said she didn't know. I ended up waiting over 10 minutes in a long line--for just one item. Later, my kid needed to use the restroom, so we came back into the store, and suddenly all the express and self-checkout lanes were open. When I asked Niki what changed, she casually said, "Oh, we got busy." Total lie. It was clear she just didn't want to help earlier. On top of that, the last time I shopped here, I noticed I was charged twice for the same item. Be sure to check your receipt--this place overcharges and doesn't seem to care.

First thing's first: this is a grocery store that has specialty products at a decent price. Fruit and veggies are great here, but the meat goes bad pretty quickly so I wouldn't buy them here. The food court is large and diverse; I got gyro once and beef kabab. Large portions, a bit oily, but decent overall. Good prices too! This is a bustling grocery store. So the ambiance and service reflect that. People are nice though!

Since I was introduced to Wholesome Choice, I have been back several times. This review is primarily for the food area. I noticed there is a large variety of Persian food options here, which is great. However, it can be very chaotic and busy, which makes it hard to navigate sometimes. There are several vendors who are wonderful and the food is great, however most are just okay. Yes it can be a little pricey for the meals but you get a large amount of food. If you plan on eating there, table options are available outside but you are basically along the sidewalk next to the parking lot, which can be busy as well.

This location offered a verity of Persian goods and hot food service. The customers/shoppers are always pleasant and store kept semi spacious and clean but busy. This manager harassed the heck out of me each time I pass him he's making unsettling comments and I'm not interested as I proceed to shop he follows me around and I want it to stop. Young guy, wears his hair in a bun and will get sassy with you if you dare review your experience therefore I'm coming here now to detail my experience a solid 2/10 iwbhonest

I love the specialty foods here. I feel like everything I need is here. The service is okay lol they can be a bit nicer. But overall the produce are fresh. They got different ethnic goodies imported too. The items are cramped but I love it. Def coming here again. Parking is free

There's plenty of CHOICE, but quality and freshness maybe not so much. Their prices are high just like everything and everywhere else. Their cashiers are "rough" in that you rarely feel valued when you're shopping there and leaving them your hard earned money. A smile and a thank you goes a long way. My observation is that they have plenty of hard working employees. I hope that they're treated well. I'm not so sure about that.

Went back here after 5 years and this place is still a scam. Either you get double charged, or pay an arm and leg for fruit or buy rotten pastries. See photo of burned baklava.

It smells, but its clean and organized. The checkout girl I experienced seemed spaced out, would walk away mid check out and return at her convenience. Lavashak selection made me sick. Food options were yummy, theres a hot deli with eager sales people.

Lots of fresh, delicious halal foods here. Wholesome Choice of Irvine has a food court and offers catering services, too.

Green Fava beans is so inexpensive but the Baghala Plou they make at this place has so little beans in it which is the main item for this Persian dish which they make it so delicious providing that they use more green Fava beans in it. Please be a little bit more generouce .

This is the worse place you go and get anything It was third time I went to the store I just buy ice cream and bread. I stand in line when it got to my turn I saw he didn't put two of ice cream I told him those are my groceries also then he started charging the other person stuff on my check I told him isn't mine he started yelling at me why you didn't put divider . I told him why you yelling at me he said you want my manager she is there I do what ever I want to do . I explain everything to his manager she just look at me the way that means so what is his right to yell at customers and she didn't respond at all. Is unbelievable you feel like you are in some third world countries vendors are doing favor to customers

My Go-To Persian food place! You'll love the wide array of international cuisines available within the grocery, fresh produce and prices are reasonable to boot! Very helpful and friendly staff and and always a lively vibe...

I am in this store right now, I came to buy some Berbari bread and the bread clerk told me that it was not ready now and that it would be ready in forty-five minutes, I waited forty-five minutes and went back and he told me again that it would be ready in forty-five minutes, I told him that forty-five minutes ago you told me that it would be ready in forty-five minutes! So why is it not ready? He spread his hands and said that he did not know and that it was not ready and that it would be ready in forty-five minutes, I called the manager here and he said that there was nothing I could do and that I was still waiting for fresh bread.

My mom found this grocery store and it has the best oranges, sweet and juicy. We buy 2 large bags at a time, prices are decent. Don't really want anyone else to know about this secret, since the oranges are the best.

This review is purely for the Doner guys in the food court. You guys rock! The food court at Wholesome Choice is as close to a Middle Eastern Bazaar experience that I've had in the US. For those unfamiliar, it's a tightly packed aisleway with vendors trying to throw samples at you and entice you to buy their wares. Usually, I refrain from the samples because "that's how they getcha", but the shawarma smelled so good, I had to take a try. Plus the guy shoved a little disposable dish into my hand with 3 pieces. When you get samples from those Japanese Teriyaki places, it's usually 1 little morsel on a toothpick. Not at Wholesome Choice. My sample was essentially 3 shavings of shawarma, each about the size of a Fun Size Snickers bar. One bite and I was hooked. $14.99 later, I ended up with a Gyro plate that could easily have been 3 meals. I shared it with my girlfriend and we were both stuffed!

This is an update. The produce section is still cray-cray busy with barely legal widths jamb packed with people, but I did not come in for produce specifically today. Today, I shopped for spices I could not find the last time I shopped at Ralph's Fresh Fare. I was looking to buy dried Fenugreek and Savory and found them both for a decent price. Then I also purchased Bob's cornmeal and three ears of corn so I can make fenugreek leaf fritters. Loved finding the kosher and hummus-specific refrigerators near the back aisle.