Any good places to buy Turkish/Middle East cooking ingredients?

Next time you’re in Sydney, go to Auburn. It’s a melting pot suburb, with middle-eastern and turkish groceries, plus lots of asian. The butchers are fantastic and cheap – go the pork belly! – and the seafood is great too. I had a Turkish woman living with me for a couple of years, and we used to make the effort to get to Auburn whenever we could.

Bharat International in Oatley Court in Belconnen is a huge Indian & subcontinent supermarket, and they definitely sell spices in bulk. You might be able to find some of the things you’re looking for there.. not sure on the pine nuts though.

It’s worth a look though!

Thanks for the tips people, I’ll check them out during the week.

nazasaurus said :

There is a good Iranian grocer in Scollay st Tuggeranong called Green Farm, another good one is at the Fyshwick markets, forget the name, but the owner is very helpful.

Went past this place today, it appears to have closed down. Store was empty and there were some handwritten signs saying 40% everything, which I suspect was its closing down sale.

I can’t think of what’s it called but there is a middle eastern grocers at the Fyshwick Markets- It looks like a nut shop but on the shelves they do bulkish bags and jars of goodies for a variety of cuisines. I’ve had a lot of luck getting things there.

I haven’t been there for yonks, but there was a good “spice” store called the Cedars of Lebanon (Yes, I know, not Turkish per-se, but at least near-east) in Southlands, Mawson (Near Stavros’ restaurant and the “Evil clown shop”). I think it may have moved closer to Woolies though.

Getting a bit off-topic, I recall a Halal butcher and greengrocer across the fountain-of-suds square from Woolies too.

And while we’re at it, the Yarralumla butcher is Halal too (Though I don’t think they carry much general groceries).

ANU Food Co-op.

There’s another two places at Mawson shops, a middle eastern one just opposite the C’wealth bank and an African one at the northern end, kind of the back of the newsagent nearly opposite the shoe repairer, both who sell bulk from sacks.
There’s also two places in Phillip but they’re more indian/asian.

Have you tried The Hub Asian Supermarket in Belconnen ? Its across from the Mall where Cash Converters used to be. I can’t guarantee middle eastern spices but they seem to have everything else.

Where did she do the class ? I would love to do one myself.

Aeek said :

There’s a Halal Grocer at the Kippax shops, the shops on the street NOT the mall.

Jabal’s Halal, Hardwick Crescent… opposite the Kippax Library (near Mama Ria’s) ph6162 1495

They will have an identical range to Mawson (6286 7333), being they are the same shop…

You might be best to shop for bulk online – Google is just wonderful… (ie http://www.resepnugraha.net/resep/others/tips_halalcanberra.html)

There is a good Iranian grocer in Scollay st Tuggeranong called Green Farm, another good one is at the Fyshwick markets, forget the name, but the owner is very helpful.