![]() It’s the perfect concoction of fruity and spicy on a hot day. Azteca Ranch grocers also recommend an Obleas, or caramel-filled, waffle-like cookie, and a Mangonada, a Mexican fruit drink made with mangos, lime juice, chamoy sauce and chili powder. Azteca Ranch Market in Aurora has a diverse display of tropical fruits and vegetables (try the prickly pear), colorful cookie display case and almost an entire aisle devoted to hot sauce. It even has a casual restaurant with Mexican art murals called Tacos Junior inside for an authentic bite to eat. The Lowdown: Mexican food-lovers rejoice. Groceries to Buy: Obleas (milk candy wafers), Mangonada, hot sauce, prickly pear You also can’t go wrong with some instant miso soup or some house-prepared sushi at the counter in the back. Satsuma tangerines with the leaves still on and bok choy are delicious as well as the strange-looking assortment of maitake and elephant ear mushrooms. The produce section here is also exciting. Known for its whimsy, colorful, cartoonish packaging in grocery stores, Japan sells a lot of fun, inventive snacks, so make sure you try the old-fashioned pop bottle-inspired Ramuné soda (the lychee and peach flavors are the best), Botan rice candy, candy whistles, mochi and other sweet treats. The staff at Pacific Mercantile gave us the longest list of things to try - a lot of it was candy and sugary, carbonated fruit drinks, so you know this place is fun. The Lowdown: In the heart of Sakura Square nestled in downtown Denver, Pacific Mercantile Company sells a lot of authentic Asian food and drink items, but if Japanese is what you crave, you’ll find the most variety here. ![]() Groceries to Buy: bok choy, satsuma tangerines, instant wakame seaweed miso soup, Ramuné drinks, sushi, mushrooms, Botan rice candy Check out this market for new food favorites. It might sound gross, but apparently, if you pair the fish with mashed potatoes, 100 grams of vodka, dill pickles and schnapps - it’s delicious. ![]() For dinner, M & I recommends the Siberian frozen dumplings, which are easy to heat in the oven, or being brave and trying pickled herring. Beautifully iced cakes, housemade pastries and Russian cookies of all shapes and sizes, and candies are the most attractive displays in the store, so we weren’t surprised to hear we had to try the Kartoshka (chocolate roll) or the Oreshki, walnut-shaped cookies made with dulce de leche. The Russian manager was excited to share his long list of favorite foods and gave a lot of recommendations and even recipes. The Lowdown: M & I International Market earns the number one spot on our list for the friendliest international market we visited in the Denver area. Groceries to Buy: Kartoshka (chocolate roll), pickled herring, Oreshki (cookies), Siberian dumplings (pork, veal and beef) ![]() Nationalities Represented: Eastern European but mostly Russian A trip to East Europe Market will make your friends’ wine and cheese spread look sad in comparison. Obviously, the staff recommends the Pileci-Pelzer sausage and one of the many Bulgaricum cheeses, but the Gusto Pufuleti snacks are great for anyone who loves the texture of Cheetos but is looking for something saltier. Eastern European immigrants from Russia, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and other nationalities frequently hang out here to celebrate their heritage with familiar food from back home, and you’ll definitely feel like a welcome customer. Salami, kielbasa and bratwursts are stacked at the deli to give your taste buds something salty to dream about, while the soups, snacks and quality cheeses in the back fridge are other items to debate over. The Lowdown: If you love meat and cheese, make sure you visit East Europe Market in Cherry Creek. Groceries to Buy: Pileci-Parizer (sausage), Gusto Pufuleti (salted corn puffs), Bulgaricum cheese Nationalities Represented: Eastern European
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