With a population of roughly one million, Wake County would understandably have a sizable international presence. According to the US Census Bureau, 12.9% of Wake County residents were born outside of the United States. Accordingly, there are quite a few places in the area where one can get food produced outside of the US, or at least based on recipes from abroad. Here are some places to buy such international foods in Wake County.
Tala Euro-Russian Mart
Location: 5720 L Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27616
Regions Represented: Eastern Europe and Russia
The shelves at the Tala Euro-Russian Mart are stocked with goods from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and several other Eastern European/Ex-Soviet states. With goods ranging from daily-made Ukrainian rye bread, to pre-made borscht packets, to pickled herring, to wafer cookies, the Tala Euro-Russian Mart is in no short supply of good things to eat. You can see a selection of their products on their website.
Note: If you’re going to the store from the north, Google Maps will tell you to turn on Sumner Boulevard to get there. Don’t do this. Instead, continue straight on Capital, and do a U-turn at Oak Forest Drive, and then continue north on Capital Boulevard. The store will be on a shopping center to your right.
Caspian International Food
Location: 2909 Brentwood Rd, Raleigh, NC 27604
Regions Represented: Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East
Founded in 1994, Caspian International Food features a wide selection of food from Central Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The shelves are well stocked, and the owners of the store are very friendly.
Grand Asia Market
Location: 1253 Buck Jones Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606
Regions Represented: Asia
Located just off of I-440, the Grand Asia Market is, as the name implies, where you can find an assortment of goods from throughout Asia. The store is absolutely massive, and covers everything you could ever want from a supermarket. While most of the food there would be commonplace in a typical American grocery store, some foods there are interestingly unique. Sea urchins, goat and duck meat, durians, and most things you could ever want pickled are available here, alongside traditional grocery store items.
Carolina International Mart
Location: 3605 Bastion Ln, Raleigh, NC 27604
Regions Represented: Africa, the Caribbean
Located off of Capital Boulevard, this small supermarket features a variety of products from Africa and the Caribbean. Some of the products inside include fufu (a type of African flour made from plantains and cassava), meats and seafood, a wide variety of spices, and fresh produce, among a wide variety of other foods.
