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!

Great look with many varieties of food mainly Arabic foods. Fresh veggies, fruits and especially if you are a one who is looking for Asian tea like Ceylon tea and different Arabic coffee ,this is the place to go. Also Persian ice cream. They also have a food court and they have Arabic ,Indian,and Chinese food stalls inside. They also have bakery others and cakes for different occasions. I personally like this place because of its convenience of finding different food that belongs to different cultures under one roof. Also if you are looking for a place to get lunch this is also a good place because they have many options. Only thing I didn't like was the smell of raw meat at the meat department.

Wholesome Foods is a fantastic store with an impressive variety of products. They have excellent quality meat, a wide selection of authentic Persian foods, and lots of other groceries, making it easy to find everything you need. On top of that, the store offers many household items, so it’s really convenient for one-stop shopping. What’s really special is that they always have samples to try, especially delicious Indian foods, which makes discovering new flavors fun. Everything feels fresh, well-organized, and thoughtfully stocked. The staff are friendly, helpful, and attentive, which makes the shopping experience even better. Whether you’re looking for healthy, wholesome foods, unique international products, or everyday essentials, this store has something for everyone and is definitely worth visiting.

This grocery store is always bustling with shoppers, so it’s best to come with a little patience. Every time I visit, the energy is lively and the aisles are filled with people stocking up on their favorite items. One of the biggest highlights for me is the fresh barbari and sangak bread, baked daily and still warm when you pick it up. The aroma alone is worth the trip. Their produce section is also impressive, offering a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables at very reasonable prices. What truly makes this market stand out is the selection of gourmet international foods. Whether you’re looking for pastries, specialty sauces, unique spices, or prepared dishes, there’s always something new to try. The deli area is especially tempting, with warm, freshly made foods that smell amazing—definitely a place you don’t want to visit on an empty stomach! Despite how busy it can get, the checkout process is surprisingly efficient. The lines may look long at first, but they tend to move quickly thanks to the attentive staff. Overall, this store offers great quality, incredible variety, and a lively shopping experience that keeps me coming back.

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 🤩

I bought Mishima Reserve Wagyu here that was labeled “HALAL.” To be safe, I contacted the company directly — and they confirmed their beef is NOT halal-certified. That means Wholesome Choice sold a product as halal when it wasn’t. For anyone who relies on halal for religious reasons, this is a serious violation of trust. I’ve shopped here many times, but this experience was extremely disappointing. Wholesome Choice needs to fix their labeling and stop misleading customers.

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.

Wholesome Choice in Irvine is selling avocados—6 for just $1! Everyone should go grab some. They’re even more fragrant and flavorful than the ones at Costco. I originally went there to restock some fresh mushrooms and avocados, and I was honestly shocked by the price. When I checked out, almost everyone was carrying a bag of avocados. Looks like salads for next week are covered. By the way, I also highly recommend this dried mango. It smells amazing—not too sweet, not sour either, with a fresh green-mango aroma. It’s a must-buy for me every time I go, and the price is really good too.

11/22/25 For the many times I've visited this supermarket, I thought I already dropped a review. As a matter of fact, I think I may have from a while back coz I remember writing about their freshly baked sangak. How a customer actually let me taste a puce of what they purchased. Did Yelp delete my review? In any case, here we are returning to the scene of the crime. I love this market but it's so far. The prices are definitely better than most & the variety is phenomenal. They even have many kinds of stalls that serve Japanese, Chinese, Persian/Mediterranean foods. There are plenty of tables & chairs for outdoor seating to enjoy your meal or snack. The cashiers/staff are courteous & friendly, many are seen replenishing the produce. Today is an exception because it's the weekend before thanksgiving & it's hella busy. Their sales are awesome, Roma tomatoes at $0.49/lb, 5 bulbs or garlic for $0.89 and the Fuyu persimmons are $0.69/lb-- took advantage of this in a flash! Parking is shared with many businesses do it can hairy on prime times. If it was closer, this would be my first choice to shop for groceries. Watch out for your fellow grocers who do not seem to respect personal spaces-- some of them damn near shaved me as she passed me by, I might as well be in Alhambra or Monterey Park lol. I call it the "Land of Push & Shove". Thank goodness I've had my flu shot but I think I should've gone in with a face mask for health reasons-- fair warning. All in all, good shopping trip, next time I should go on a random weekday or maybe at opening time.

I purchased Mishima Reserve Wagyu from Wholesome Choice that was labeled "HALAL." After contacting the producer directly, they confirmed in writing that their beef is NOT halal-certified at all. This is a serious issue for anyone who relies on halal labeling for religious reasons. Selling a product as halal when it isn't is completely unacceptable and misleading. I've shopped here for years, but this experience destroyed my trust. Wholesome Choice needs to fix this immediately and make sure their halal labels are accurate and backed by real certification.

I had a very disappointing experience there today. I was waiting in line to check out. After the customer before me finished, I was next, and I had already placed my five items on the belt. The cashier, Irisa, looked at me and the customer behind me. She asked the lady behind me if she only had one item, and when the lady said yes, the cashier let her check out first. I couldn't believe this happened. When I asked the cashier why she did that, she kept repeating that the other customer only had one item. I am very disappointed with my shopping experience today. A cashier should understand how to treat customers fairly, and this was completely unacceptable.

If I lived in SoCal, I'd be here almost every week. I moved away many years ago but for a brief period of time lived in proximity to this market and going back yesterday after at least 10 years was such a treat. The fresh bread and produce was better than I remembered and the prices were insane. $0.49/lb for tomatoes? Yes, please! I stocked up on the goods to make my family dinner while I was visiting. The selection of groceries and spices, breads and desserts and the hot foods section was better than I remembered. Highly recommend if you love Persian food and culture. You can try almost anything at a reasonable price.

This Persian store has it all! Clean aisles, endless unique foods, fresh lavash bread, beautiful bouquets and friendly staff. I consistently have a lovely time every visit! It can get crazy busy at times so it's best to visit first thing in the morning if you can.

Very dirty and saw a rat running in the other night Never stepping a foot there, very bad and rude service Chaotic and unorganized, their food tastes bad as well from the food court. 0/10

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.

There was spoiled and unsafe food at the shawarma place inside the wholesome choice. The rice was sour and covered the beneath . When I asked for chicken with salad, the owner hid the spoiled, overly salty ground beef underneath a small portion of chicken and wrapped it in paper inside the box. When I opened the container, there was a very strong and unpleasant smell. This food was not safe to eat and could have caused food poisoning.

We bought sangak bread from this place, and honestly, it was a disaster. Some parts were super thin, some were thick, and none of it was baked properly. It was basically raw dough in spots and overall just really low quality bread. We've never had bread this poorly made before. And their cakes were no better--stale and not tasty at all. Overall, it was just a big letdown.

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!

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

I am not too sure why this market does not have at least 4 stars. Great market with a very diverse amount of produce. Yes, it's mostly Persian food that is sold especially the bread that's made on the house. Overall reasonably priced. This place can get pretty packed too! Large variety of Asian middle eastern, and European food. There's also a UCI discount-yay! They have a pastry shop and a food court too!

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.

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.

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

I'm writing this review to help the store. What kind of okra stew are you guys selling? It's simply very water down tomato water and they give you these GMO small miniature okra. Something I've never even seen. They're about a centimeter long. It just does not taste natural. Please fix this and use a real okra.

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.

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

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.

This review is only for the bakery. A store employee suggested that I try their in-house Dubai chocolate ($3.99). The pistachio Kataifi filling was SUPER STALE. It must have been sitting there for weeks. I tossed it out after one bite (The chocolate part wasn't very good either). I was complaining about this to my mom- who THEN told me that she never buys anything from their bakery anymore, because she bought a Napoleon pastry one time and it was also super stale. I wish she would have told me before I made the mistake of buying something there. SO I guess I am giving you fair warning- avoid the bakery items.

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.

Custome service is great, but my thanks would have to go to the Persian bakers 4 that Sangak bread.

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.

It's a Large Middle eastern supermarket with a food court inside. There is a good sized Patio seating area outside.

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.

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

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!!!

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.

Great place to shop for vegetables, fruits, pastries, deli food and hot food. They've been around for 20 years and that says a lot about the quality and fair pricing. Thanks to the management and staff for their service!

This store is so dirty, and cashiers are rude. I will spend my money at Super Irvine down the street. It's clean, fresh and brand new. They also have better prices.

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!

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!

Amazing and diverse food choices. They even have seeded fruits! It might be a long line especially on the weekend but it's worth the wait.

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.

The food and cleanliness has definitely gone downhill in the hot food section. On two separate occasions a year apart I saw cockroaches and refused to buy the meal and walked out. I tried to give them a chance, but this place is FILTHY. Decent produce selection but that's all I would ever buy at this place and maybe some package goods but that's it. Don't buy prepared food here.

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!

Your Sangak bread is horrible, looks like clay tile , tastes like wood , breaks like potato chips.

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!

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

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

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 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 !????

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.

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.

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