Assal Market — Local services in Vienna

I shopped here on and off over many years dropping by yesterday after a 2 year plus hiatus. I like the vibe of Assal. Notwithstanding the covid pandemic my habit has always been shopping during off peak business hours for everything, from Home Depot to CVS to grocery shopping in general. But even during off peak there seems to be steady traffic here. Slower traffic but steady. Appears to me the owner/management, employees and customers all interact with ease. Seems to me Assal’s customer base is made up of regulars from the large Persian diaspora in NOVA and talk with ease to each other, often in Farsi. There is a social component to shopping here.

The store is small and seemed well organized yesterday compared to long ago, past shopping experiences. I like their bread selection and generally buy spices along with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ingredients and products. I do not buy produce, meat and poultry here and I don’t even know if Assal has sea food. I buy produce at MOM’s Organic Market, poultry and sea food at Whole Foods, and on rare occasions, becoming almost non existent, meat at The Organic Butcher of McLean. I also went to Wooden Bakery and Yas Bakery yesterday and noted that only Assal Market had grape seed oil. At Assal I purchased grape seed oil, pita bread, halva and frozen falafel. The falafel was bland,...

I have been coming to Assal Market since I was a toddler (shocking!) and it holds a special place in my heart. This store is not just a grocery store—it’s a vibrant corner of Iran in Vienna, offering everything from groceries to baked goods and pastries.

The shelves are stocked with an incredible selection of Persian goodies; fragrant saffron, nuts, dried fruits, and unique spices that bring the flavors of Persian cooking to life… let’s just say it is a treasure trove that transports you straight to a traditional Persian kitchen.

What truly sets this store apart, though, is the owner, Amoo Masoud. He’s a kind, hard-working man who has been a constant presence over the years, always ready with a smile and happy to help. His dedication and pride in his store are evident in the way it has become a beloved spot in the Vienna community and in the greater...

Giving the place 2 stars for the convenience of it. Otherwise, the produce is not the best. Sometimes there’s fruit flies around it. They do have basic cheeses and pantry items. But my complaint is mostly about the quality of the meat. I went in the other day to get meat for kabob and the butcher insisted on giving me meat for stew. I explained to him that I wanted meat for bbq and that it needs to be a little fatty. He acted like I didn’t know anything about meat and again insisted on giving me pre-packaged meat cubes for stew. Let’s just say I barbecued the meat and it was horrible. It was so dry and extremely chewy. The worst part is I had friends over and I was embarrassed for the quality of meat that was given to me. I noticed the butcher favors his repeat clients and is selective over which customer gets the best cut of meat. Never buying my meat...