Secret Ingredient

BY MALCOLM MACDOUGALL

As of the time of writing this article, my local Target does not carry mirin, a rice wine that’s a ubiquitous Japanese culinary component across a vast spread of recipes.

Enter the hero of culinary diversity: the local specialty market.

If you’re looking for Indian, Asian, African, Mexican or just some great food that supports area businesses, these markets have you covered, though this list is by no means comprehensive. Explore as your palate moves you and who knows—you may find a new favorite dish.

Stringtown Grocery

2208 540th St SW, Kalona

A surprisingly wide variety of food awaits you at Stringtown Grocery, an Amish market nestled in Kalona. Enjoy the subtle hiss of the gas lamps as you shop for bulk goods, an abundant selection of generously sized spices, fresh flowers and seasonal produce. Be sure to pick up some cheese curds at the Kalona Creamery just down the street!

Yumei’s Asian Market & Anime

901 1st Ave SW, Cedar Rapids

The Time Check neighborhood’s answer to Saigon Market, Yumei’s offers Chinese, Japanese and other Asian groceries with a decent frozen foods section and lots of candy and snacks you’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere in Cedar Rapids. It’s also a great place to pick up anime posters, DVDs and figurines for yourself or your sibling/nibling who won’t stop talking about One Piece

Global Mart

89 2nd St Ste 7, Coralville

The smell of fresh-baked pita bread awaits you at Global Mart, a small Middle Eastern outfit in Coralville. Show up for the bread, stay for the housemade sausages, baklava, bulk spices and more. Owner Tawfig Hagelamin started the store in 2000 as one of only 20 Sudanese residents in Iowa City at the time, and he’s been running it ever since.

Al Salam International Foods

787 Mormon Trek Blvd, Iowa City

A large, well-stocked store on the west side of Iowa City, Al Salam provides a taste of snacks, halal meat, dessert pastries and more. Try out some goat meat in a Moroccan stew or a couscous platter or pick up some hot and dry North African spice mixes to remix your classic meals!

Vytyl

365 Edgewood Rd NW, Cedar Rapids

A new arrival just off of Edgewood, this Mediterranean grocery store offers fresh halal meat and a wide variety of products including baklava, fresh-made kofta and a deli and coffee lounge. Stop in and check out the surprisingly large space—you’re sure to find something good for dinner.

Amana Meat Shop & Smokehouse

4513 F St, Amana

Look, with a name like this, you know what you’re getting into. The Amana Meat Shop sells ham, bacon, turkey and more, smoked to perfection. The shop offers online order- ing as well as walk-ins, so you don’t need to leave your couch to get your hands on some sweet hams. Simply order and let it show up just in time for Thanksgiving.

Asia Plus Asian Market

201 S Clinton St, Iowa City

The best place in Iowa City to pick up your favorite Asian snacks, Asia Plus, is the first stop coming into the University Capitol Centre from the parking garage. Whether you’re looking for a bouquet of Pocky varieties or just a couple off-the-wall drinks to slurp as you perambulate the Ped Mall, Asia Plus has got you covered.

El Azul Mexican Market

415 Community Dr, North Liberty

Opened in 2023, El Azul utilizes relationships with vendors south of the border and around Iowa to stock everything from Jarritos and Mexican Coke to in-house and locally made salsa, guacamole, tamales, pastries, sauces y mucho más—including bilingual document services.

Sisters’ African Food Market LLC

2210 Edgewood Rd SW, Cedar Rapids

A newcomer to Cedar Rapids’ food scene, Sisters’ African Food Market opened in 2022. Run by Congolese sisters Nancy Lusemo and Iphie Basampuka, the market carries several difficult-to-find ingredients, such as red palm oil and cassava products, that are essential parts of African cuisine. If you’re stopping in, pick up the ingredients for Lusemo’s favorite dish, fumbwa, a Congolese wild spinach stew.