Heart of Middle East Grocery & Bakery
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About
Heart of Middle East Grocery & Bakery — one of Lakeview's strongest bakery spots. The kitchen starts with good ingredients and it shows. Good service that doesn't feel rehearsed, and owner on site. Jing Li: "The baklava was sweet and crispy, with the sweetness perfectly balanced"
Experience Breakdown
Laura Meagher
100 reviews
“Quality, range and sumptuous deliciousness”
Highlights
What Diners Are Saying
Diners loved
Clean record
No recurring complaints found across reviews.
Location
3526 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657
What 40+ diners say about Heart of Middle East Grocery & Bakery
“One of the highest-quality Middle Eastern grocery stores around.✨✨.”
Ghazal Faraji
Jan 2026
“Walking home and came in for rice, left so happy.”
Walking home and came in for rice, left so happy! And abundance of spices, olive oils, chilis, just all the flavors I crave! These falafels in the unassuming bag? the BEST I've ever had. I'm excited to try the cheeses and homemade baked goods next time! The prices are great too, I'll be buying ingredients here as much as I can. The owner was working this register I think, and was so kind! Felt good to support this business ✨
Katz Salao
Oct 2025
“Place is a nice addition to the neighborhood.”
Place is a nice addition to the neighborhood. Always helpful with bread, cheese, olives varieties which are wonderful to try. The gentleman is so helpful and always there or just outside the door. Prices are competitive and their ready made food is surprisingly delicious!!! Don't overlook! The pies are not overpriced and are filling. Try the spicy hummus to take home with some bread which had a long shelf life!
Priscilla Makos
Sep 2025
“Huge shout out to Heart Of Middle East Market on Halsted.”
Huge shout out to Heart Of Middle East Market on Halsted. I needed my sugar fix last night (and yes, I am a personal trainer who needs a sugar fix 😁) and they absolutely made me happy 😁 Love love love everything I got! Baby cakes are so adorable and realistic looking and omg delicious (I got mango, cotton candy and banana), Dubai chocolate is perfect as usual. And of course Turkish Delight yums and Baklava are a chef's kiss! Oh and Guava sorbet bar - 😋😋😋 Great for your sugar cravings, as a treat to take with when you're visiting someone or as a small gift to make someone's day 💓 Bonus point: the owner is the sweetest person!! I hope you check them out 💓
Anastassiya S
Aug 2025
“Was so fun looking around the shelves.”
Was so fun looking around the shelves. I came to try the baklava and got a little sampler - it was top notch! And I’m usually picky about my baklava! Can’t wait to come back and try some other flavors. I also grabbed some paprika peanuts, so delicious. The shop owner was super friendly as well!
Ashleigh Mavros
Jul 2025
“We just discovered the Heart of Middle East Grocery & Bakery.”
We just discovered the Heart of Middle East Grocery & Bakery! My favorites include the incredible house made pita chips, baba ghanoush (slightly smokey & so addictive!), the Turkish dried black olives, and the extra virgin olive oil! What a wonderful addition to the neighborhood!
Alicia Forestall-Boehm
Jul 2025
“Everything I tried is delicious and super fresh, from the spices to the hummus to the Turkish delight.”
Everything I tried is delicious and super fresh, from the spices to the hummus to the Turkish delight. The za’atar and za’atar pastries were some of the best I’ve ever had. The owner is lovely and welcoming and makes you feel like family, even if you’re just nipping in for a quick shop. Please come support this local gem!
Julia Grantaire
May 2025
“I stopped here for the first time to pick something up to bring to a party, and the staff was so sweet.”
I stopped here for the first time to pick something up to bring to a party, and the staff was so sweet! I left with a great assortment of baklava, and a delicious free sample. 10/10 experience and I’ll definitely be back!!
T M
May 2025
“So excited to have close access to some fresh middle eastern snacks and food.”
So excited to have close access to some fresh middle eastern snacks and food! Owner was very nice and sold me an ingredient to make Dubai chocolate at home. And a delicious baklava was just the cherry on top!
Sadhana Tadepalli
Apr 2025
“Just discovered this middle eastern gem.”
Just discovered this middle eastern gem. Amazing bakery with sweets and savories and a ample market for ingredients. Owner/staff super nice. They just opened. Let's support our new local retailer. Oh, and really good baklava. I had a sample and bought a tray. Fresh, crispy and not over soaked in syrup.
Antigone Polite
Apr 2025
“I tried the baklava and Dubai chocolate at this dessert shop, and both were amazing.”
I tried the baklava and Dubai chocolate at this dessert shop, and both were amazing! The baklava was sweet and crispy, with the sweetness perfectly balanced. The Dubai chocolate was rich—I especially loved the nutty flavor in it. The owner kindly gave me a sampler to try when I walked into the store, which was really nice. Definitely worth exploring and trying!
JING LI
Apr 2025
“I don’t usually leave reviews but man 10/10 experience.”
I don’t usually leave reviews but man 10/10 experience. Everything from the customer service to the prices is amazing. The new owner is this very nice young man and he helped me find what I was looking for since I'm not that familiar with Middle Eastern products. Food was amazing and everything was fresh. I definitely recommend everyone to come and visit
Mike Oxlong
Jan 2026
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