Okay, so I wanted to share something I did the other day. I’d been meaning to find a good spot for some proper Greek stuff, you know, the kind you don’t always get in the big supermarkets. Heard whispers about a place over in Kenilworth, New Jersey, just called a “Greek Store”. Didn’t even have a fancy name that I knew of, which kinda made me more interested.
So, I decided, right, let’s give it a shot. Hopped in the car on a Tuesday afternoon, wasn’t too busy on the road which was nice. Finding the actual place wasn’t too hard, it’s tucked away a bit, not on the main drag, but my phone’s map got me there. Looked pretty unassuming from the outside, just a simple storefront.
Stepping Inside
I parked and walked in. First thing that hit me was the smell. You know, that mix of olives, herbs, maybe a little bit of cheese? It smelled authentic, definitely different from your average grocery store aisle. It wasn’t a huge place, kinda narrow, but the shelves were packed. Really packed.
- Olive oils – tons of different kinds, big tins, smaller bottles.
- Olives – looked like they had Kalamata, green ones, all sorts in brine.
- Cheeses – Saw blocks of feta in tubs, looked like the real deal.
- Lots of dry goods – pasta, beans, jars of stuff I couldn’t immediately identify but looked interesting.
- Honey and sweets – Baklava, other pastries under a glass counter.
It felt very traditional, not flashy at all. There was an older lady behind the counter, seemed busy organizing something. She looked up and gave me a little nod, then went back to her task. I liked that, actually. No pressure, just letting me look around.
Making My Choices
I took my time wandering down the aisle. I was mainly after some good feta and olives. Found a nice big block of feta soaking in brine, looked way better than the pre-crumbled stuff. Grabbed that. Then spent a while looking at the olives, decided on a container of Kalamatas. They just looked plump and dark.
While I was near the counter, I saw they had fresh spinach pies (spanakopita) too. Couldn’t resist. Added one of those to my haul. The lady came over to ring me up. We didn’t chat much, just the basics, but she was pleasant. Packed everything up neatly for me.
Wrapping Up
Paid up and headed out. Felt pretty good, like I’d found a little hidden gem. It wasn’t about fancy displays or anything, just seemed focused on having the actual products people were looking for. Used the feta and olives for a salad that night, and yeah, definitely a step up. The spinach pie was delicious too.
So, that was my little trip to the Greek store in Kenilworth. Simple, straightforward, got what I wanted, and it felt like a genuine neighborhood spot. Probably gonna make that a regular stop when I’m craving some real Greek flavors.
