Vanilla Gourmet Specialty Foods — Local services in New York

This store is my first stop when I get to Brighton Beach. The selection of bulk products is consistently excellent and wonderfully varied. I love that it offers foods that are specific to the community - I learn a lot just looking around. The always-tidy shelves are full of pantry items, some of which I'd never seen before. The coffee in the urns is always good. I usually grab one of the little pastries near the coffee. Half the time I have no idea what it is. It's usually great. The staff? They're not smiley friendly. Don't take it personally. If you had their jobs, you might be grumpy, too. Besides, they're not there to entertain me - the food is. If you're a New Yorker who's old enough to remember Balducci's in the Village, you may feel a wave of nostalgia when you walk in to Vanilla Gourmet. It's smaller, it's absolutely not Italian, but it has a similar vibe. I hope it's...

Imagine walking into the candy store from when you were a child? Everything is bright and shiny and gold and you're overwhelmed with all the things you "could" get that it's just bewildering that anyone thought to put it all under one gleaming gold roof.

It's unassuming from the outside, the selection is amazing. The quality is great.

If only the cashiers didn't openly display racist attitudes to customers who weren't white, the store would be an amazing place to visit.

Ignore the racist attitudes from the "regulars" who stare at anyone who isn't as pasty and pale as them, go for the wondrous selection of items, and be happy...

This store used to be a good store. But already few times I am experiencing very bad, aggressive nasty attitude from the woman on the video. She is on the picture and video. Hardly speaks English. Turkish woman with glassess at the register, check latest photos. Her rude attitude made me so disgusted. I made a video, but unfortunately video can not be posted. The owners name is Rahat. She is coming back from vacation on Tuesday August 12th,2025. I will go to meet her that day in the afternoon and discuss this problem. I will make a post after my discussion. This bad attitude...