The first taqueria in the Bay Area is thought to be El Faro which opened in 1961. The first Indian pizza parlor was Zante Pizza & Indian Cuisine which opened in 1986. The first Yemeni coffee shop was Delah Coffee (according to the owners), which opened in 2022. All of these shops originated in San Francisco. Today, there are numerous taquerias, Indian pizza parlors and Yemeni coffee shops throughout the Bay Area. A current trend is international supermarkets selling groceries and serving sit down meals.
There are many international grocery stores in the East Bay without food courts. They assimilate into American culture by offering snack foods, soups, sauces, condiments, breads, desserts, drinks and other fare that people can bring home. International supermarkets with food courts offer the extra experience of eating a quick meal before or after shopping.
People purchase fresh food daily in many parts of Asia, Europe and Latin America. Eating a quick meal at a food court is often part of their daily routine. Many markets in foreign countries, in high density areas, large commercial complexes and transportation hubs dedicate an ample amount of square footage to food courts. The shopping culture, repeat visitors and high volume improve profits for the markets.
Many Americans shop weekly for groceries. Stores prioritize maximum shelf space efficiency and fast-moving inventory. Standardized aisles and shelves take up the majority of floor space. Many also have freshly prepared foods such as sandwiches, sushi, salads and fried foods that have high revenue margins. Staffing a kitchen and offering the space for seating, however, does not fit into the standard business model.
Some American specialty, high end or mega stores have food courts. They, like international supermarkets, have a business model encompassing a shopping, social and culinary experience. Grocery stores such as Costco, Whole Foods and Safeway Lifestyle stores offer sit-down food courts and are well-known. Below are nine foreign supermarkets in the East Bay that also have in-house food courts.
Zam Zam Halal market in Fremont: This grocery store specializes in Middle Eastern and Eastern European products. The cafe inside has plenty of seating and an extensive menu which includes bolani, kebabs, tandoori naam, chicken or beef burgers, gyros and different dumplings. The goat polao is a must-try.
European Market Deli and Cafe in Castro Valley: Items from Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Scandinavia and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe are available. Piroshkis, blini, salads, borscht, other soups and sandwiches are available at the food counter and can be enjoyed at one of the tables inside the shop. I recommend the cabbage roll.
Island Pacific Supermarket and Seafood in Union City: Philhouse is a hot food counter serving traditional Filipino dishes such as pork adobo, lechon kawali, lumpia and pancit. There’s also a coffee shop, Filipino bakery and a second food stall located in the dining area. A must-try is the Arnibal latte which combines taho (silken tofu and sweet brown sugar syrup and chewy sago pearls) with espresso and milk.
Grill City inside Seafood City Supermarket in Union City: Seafood City is a large supermarket that sells Filipino and Asian foods. Grill City serves a wide array of Filipino grilled fish and meats, stews and other traditional dishes. Try one of the four all-day traditional breakfasts.
India Cash & Carry in Fremont: This massive grocery store houses Rasoi Xpress which serves homestyle North Indian parathas, samosas, pani puris, chaats and other traditional street foods. If you visit on Friday or Saturday, try the Bombay sandwich.
Osaka Marketplace in Fremont: This supermarket has an impressive selection of Japanese condiments, potato chips, sauces, noodles, nori sheets and other items. The food court offers ramens, Japanese curry, rice bowls and other street foods. The must-try item is the takoyaki (octopus balls).
Chavez Supermarket in Hayward and Newark: This Mexican grocery store has a large variety of Mexican foods, fresh vegetables and a large meat and seafood counter. The taqueria inside serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, tamales, chili relleno, flautas and seafood plates. A must-try is the al pastor super burrito with the meat shaved to order directly from the slow roasting spit.
Arteaga’s Taqueria in Arteaga’s Food Center in Newark: The market is well stocked with foods from Mexico and Latin America. Arteaga’s Taqueria serves traditional Mexican dishes including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, meat plates and enchiladas. Try the hand-made flour tortillas cooked daily from their tortillería in Gilroy.
Food Hall in H Mart in Dublin: A previous article in the Tri-City Voice mentioned a Korean H Mart opening in Fremont. If you can’t wait, the Dublin H Mart has a large food court that serves Korean hot dogs, numerous noodle dishes and BBQ chicken plates. Well worth trying is the kimchi croquette at the Tours les Jours bakery stall.
“Food is our common ground, a universal experience,” said James Beard. We’re lucky to have food courts in international grocery stores right here on our common ground where we can experience the meaning of his quote.
