Four Corners explores local markets that sell hard-to-find ingredients from around the globe. Got an idea for a place we should check out? Tell us in the comments.
Browsing the shelves at the Mediterranean Way Gourmet Market in D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood inspires visions of the storied bazaars and souks found tucked into every town across that region. While the experience itself lacks some of the sensory pleasures those visions call to mind (blame health codes), you can recreate them at home using the products they sell.
Co-owners Oana and Nikolaos Adamopoulos opened the store in 2013 after moving to the area and discovering that the District lacked a convenient place to find the kind of high-quality Mediterranean products they had grown accustomed to having nearby in their previous homes in Italy and Greece.
The temptation begins immediately upon entrance, with a shelf full of dense dried fruit and nut sweets and delicate cookies that beg for a coffee break. The Spanish dried figs dipped in dark chocolate are a customer favorite. Other treats include preserved rose petals, walnuts, and pistachios, each in their own thick syrup; an eye-catching fig and cocoa spread from Croatia; and individually wrapped date-filled cookies tinged with a hint of rosewater.
Condiments abound, from Portuguese piri piri hot sauce and North African harissa pepper paste to jarred pasta and couscous sauces, including an unusual tomato and strawberry version. The store carries herbs and spices commonly used in dishes from around the region, including the Moroccan spice blend ras el hanout, Spanish saffron, ground sumac, and Levantine za’atar. You’ll also find grains and legumes with which to combine them, from Italian farro and cuttlefish ink pasta to Egyptian rice and Greek wheatberries. Helpful hand-written signs explain the origin and suggested use of less familiar products.
A particular draw are the olive oil and balsamic vinegar bars, where customers can taste a few options before purchasing. The Laconiko olive oil comes from southern Greece and has recently won top honors in international olive oil competitions, while infused variations include blood orange, rosemary, black truffle, and more. The balsamic vinegar is the real deal: thick and sweet-tart, with infused options like chocolate and raspberry, along with an unexpected honey ginger white balsamic that could be drizzled over poached pears for dessert.
The deli case also merits special attention, with its selection of fresh pasta, cured meats and sausages, and a plethora of cheeses, including creamy, spreadable lebni; salty, grillable kefalotyri; and buffalo mozzarella. Yogurt imported directly from Greece recently returned to the shop after a months-long pause due to the country’s ongoing economic crisis. The case also carries a number of prepared salads, sandwiches, and microwavable meals, including vegetarian moussaka and empanada-like pies stuffed with lentils and chard or spinach and feta.
Wine and beer (much of it from Greece), tea, coffee, and a small selection of housewares and cosmetics made with Mediterranean raw materials round out the shop’s inventory. Upstairs, a small gallery showcases the work of local artists and is available to rent out for corporate events, private parties, and classes. The store offers a Mediterranean catering menu upon request.
The Mediterranean Way Gourmet Market is located at 1717 Connecticut Ave. NW in Washington, D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood. The market is open every day from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., except Sundays when it closes at 6:30 p.m.
