Having lunch at Leila’s Mediterranean Groceries and Deli, Virginia Beach, VA. From top to bottom: Baba Ghanoush, Lamb Gyros, Lamb Shawarma, assorted olives, and more.
A hidden gem in the city. The store is on the corner of a tiny shopping strip in a part of town that could use a little attention. We found it a few years ago by accident; we were driving down the boulevard and it caught my eye.
Inside there are spices, oils, cheeses, and other odds and ends from the Mediterranean. One of my favorite things to get in the store is the Kalamata olives they have in self-service bins. There is a good assortment and they’re priced well. My wife and I also tell people this is the place to go if you need hard to find spices from the region. I remember I had a hard time finding sumac but I found it at Leila’s. They buy in bulk so they allowed me to take as much as I needed and charged me by weight. That was great, otherwise I would have had to buy a pound of the stuff and I’m not sumac that much.
There are hookahs, dairy, and grains available. We buy cous cous from here if we’re near and I know we need it. Very good price and it’s nice to purchase at a small shop. If you’re in the area stop by and check it out. Here’s a link to it on the map.