Oklahoma has a way of hiding its best-kept secrets behind ordinary storefronts on busy streets, and this one is no exception. Stumbling into a small market and suddenly finding yourself surrounded by four full boards of imported cheese, barrels of olives, and pantry staples you have been hunting for months is the kind of surprise that makes you wish you had found the place sooner.
The combination of a working deli counter, a grocery side packed with hard-to-find ingredients, and staff who genuinely want to help you explore it all turns a quick errand into a real experience. Once you know about this spot, you will wonder how you ever cooked without it.
Where to Find It on N May Ave
Sitting at 5620 N May Ave in Oklahoma City, Mediterranean Imports, Deli and Gastro Goods occupies a modest commercial strip that easy to overlook if you are just cruising past. The address puts it right in the thick of one of OKC’s busier corridors, yet the shop itself feels tucked away, almost deliberately understated, which makes finding it feel like a small reward.
Pull into the parking lot and you will notice the steady trickle of regulars heading in and out, a reliable sign that something worth stopping for is happening inside. First-timers often admit they drove by several times before finally committing to a visit, and nearly every one of them leaves wishing they had stopped sooner.
The phone number on file is 405-810-9494 if you want to call ahead, and the website at medimportsokc.com offers a preview of what is stocked. Getting there is straightforward from most parts of the metro, and the parking situation is easy enough that a quick weekday lunch run is completely doable without any stress.
A Market With Deep Roots
Long before specialty grocery stores became trendy, Mediterranean Imports was already quietly doing the work, stocking shelves with goods that OKC home cooks could not find anywhere else. The shop has changed hands over the years, but loyal customers are quick to point out that the flavors and the character of the place have stayed remarkably consistent through each transition.
One longtime visitor noted that even with a new owner at the helm, the falafel sandwich still tastes exactly the way it always did, which says a lot about the care put into preserving what made the market special in the first place. That kind of continuity is rare, and it builds the sort of trust that keeps people coming back for years without needing much convincing.
The current team, led by staff members who have become recognizable fixtures to regulars, treats the shop’s history as something worth honoring rather than something to overhaul. Visitors who have been coming since the early days tend to describe the place with genuine affection, the kind reserved for neighborhood spots that feel like a small piece of home.
The Cheese Counter That Stops You Cold
Walk past the front shelves and the deli counter comes into view, and that is where the real show begins. Four large boards loaded with imported cheese options greet you, far more than the average shopper expects from a spot this size, and the variety spans regions and flavor profiles in a way that feels almost curatorial.
Truffle cheese and pistachio mortadella have earned particular praise from visitors who describe them as genuinely top-tier finds, the kind of products that justify a special trip across town. What makes the experience even better is that the staff encourages tasting before buying, so you can work your way through options with zero pressure and a lot of help from people who clearly know what they are talking about.
Shoppers who are new to specialty cheese have specifically called out how patient and welcoming the counter staff are, making the whole thing feel accessible rather than intimidating. Whether you arrive knowing exactly what you want or having no idea where to start, the cheese counter tends to be the moment that converts first-time browsers into dedicated regulars.
Olives, Spices, and the Pantry Staples You Have Been Missing
Beyond the cheese boards, the market side of the shop is where serious home cooks tend to slow down and start filling their baskets. Olives appear in a variety of forms and preparations, and the spice section offers bulk options at prices that feel almost too reasonable given the quality on offer.
Pomegranate molasses is one of those specialty ingredients that seems impossible to source locally until you walk through this door. One shopper described searching all over Oklahoma City before finding it here, and the staff helped locate it without any fuss, which captures the spirit of the place pretty well.
Affordable pita and housemade hummus sit alongside imported goods from across the Mediterranean region, creating a shopping experience that blends convenience with discovery. The mix of ready-to-use pantry items and harder-to-find specialty products means you can accomplish a full recipe haul in a single stop, something that genuinely sets this market apart from the standard grocery run.
Regulars who relocated from coastal cities mention that this shop is one of the few places in Oklahoma that reliably stocks the ingredients they grew up cooking with.
Falafel That Earns Its Reputation
Falafel is the single most mentioned menu item across customer feedback, and it is not hard to understand why once you bite into one. Crispy on the outside and packed with flavor on the inside, the falafel here is made fresh and priced in a way that makes ordering a large quantity feel like the obvious choice.
The falafel sandwich with extra eggplant hot sauce has developed a following among regulars who treat it as a near-weekly ritual. That sauce, smoky and just spicy enough, pulls the whole sandwich together in a way that keeps people thinking about it long after the last bite.
Individual falafel balls are available for purchase separately, and the pricing is low enough that stocking up for a snack spread at home is a perfectly reasonable move. One enthusiastic visitor left with forty of them, which might sound excessive until you taste one and realize you would have done the same thing.
The consistency across visits is something customers mention repeatedly, noting that the falafel tastes just as good on the tenth trip as it did on the first.
Gyros, Hummus, and the Deli Menu Worth Exploring
Past the falafel, the broader deli menu holds plenty of reasons to keep ordering. Gyro meat that visitors describe as consistently good anchors the savory side of things, while the hummus earns its own category of praise for being noticeably creamier than anything you would find pre-packaged at a conventional grocery store.
Syrian meat pies have become a standout for customers who grew up eating similar dishes elsewhere and were not expecting to find them in Oklahoma City. One reviewer described the experience as being transported a long distance back to familiar flavors, which is about as strong a compliment as a dish can earn.
Chicken skewers, Italian sandwiches, and minestrone soup round out a menu that covers more ground than the modest space might suggest. The Reuben sandwich has developed its own fan base, with regulars insisting on ordering it with the housemade pickled cabbage instead of standard sauerkraut for a version they call the best in OKC.
Fresh Mediterranean salads are prepared daily, adding a lighter option that works well alongside any of the heartier deli selections.
Pastries and Sweets Worth Saving Room For
Sweets at Mediterranean Imports are not an afterthought. Baklava is the headliner, earning mentions from a significant portion of customers who treat it as a non-negotiable part of every visit.
The layers are properly flaky, the filling is generous, and the syrup hits that ideal balance between sweet and aromatic.
Beyond baklava, the pastry selection shifts depending on what is fresh that day, which gives the shop a bakery-like quality that rewards repeat visits. Customers who stop in regularly note that trying different items across multiple trips is part of what makes the place feel alive rather than static.
Pairing a pastry with a deli order turns a quick lunch stop into something that lingers pleasantly. The sweets section also makes the market a strong option for picking up something to bring to a gathering, since the items travel well and tend to impress people who have never visited the shop before.
For anyone with a sweet tooth who has been relying on chain bakeries, the pastry counter here offers a genuinely different and more satisfying experience than what most of OKC serves up.
Catering That Goes Beyond Expectations
Mediterranean Imports is not just a drop-in lunch spot. The catering operation has built a reputation for handling events with the same attention to detail that defines the daily deli service.
Orders for large groups have come back with glowing feedback about presentation, portion sizes, and the thoughtfulness of the garnishes.
One customer who ordered catering for a birthday celebration with nearly fifty guests described the team as exceeding every expectation, including creative use of the customer’s own mishmash of serving dishes and helpful instructions left for items that needed finishing at home. Small details like pickled mini patty pan squashes as a garnish element show the kind of kitchen creativity that goes beyond basic catering templates.
For anyone planning a gathering in the OKC area and wanting to serve something that stands out, reaching out to the shop directly is worth the conversation. The team brings the same fresh, ingredient-forward approach to catered events that they apply to every sandwich and salad made in-house.
Knowing that the food will arrive looking as good as it tastes takes a significant amount of stress out of entertaining.
Staff Who Make the Difference
Friendly staff is the single most mentioned positive across all customer feedback, appearing in nearly every review in some form. That kind of consistency is not an accident.
The team at Mediterranean Imports seems to genuinely enjoy helping people navigate the shop, whether that means recommending a sandwich for a first-timer or walking a nervous cheese newcomer through the full board.
Staff members have been singled out by name in multiple reviews for going above and beyond with dietary restrictions, ingredient questions, and general hospitality. For customers managing gluten-free or dairy-free needs, the staff takes the time to actually help rather than just pointing vaguely at a shelf.
The owner has also shown a level of personal accountability that stands out. When a service misstep was described in a review, the response from the owner was direct, honest, and genuinely apologetic rather than defensive, which reflects a standard of care that runs through the whole operation.
Regulars describe the atmosphere as warm and welcoming in a way that feels personal, more like being helped by a neighbor than processed by a counter worker. That human quality keeps people coming back even when other options are closer.
The Atmosphere Inside
Walking into Mediterranean Imports feels like stepping into a different kind of grocery experience, one that prioritizes quality and discovery over square footage and fluorescent lighting. The space is compact, which gives it an intimacy that larger stores cannot manufacture no matter how hard they try.
The smell alone is worth mentioning. One visitor described the spice aromas as intoxicating, and that tracks with the sensory experience of being surrounded by open bins of bulk spices, fresh-cooked deli food, and imported goods that carry their own distinct fragrances.
Shoppers who appreciate that kind of sensory richness tend to find the atmosphere genuinely enjoyable rather than overwhelming.
Some visitors have noted that the interior can run on the cooler side temperature-wise, so a light layer might be worth keeping in the car during colder months. The shop is popular enough at peak lunch hours that a short wait at the counter is common, but the pace of service is quick enough that lines move without much frustration.
Overall, the setting rewards curiosity, and the more time you spend exploring the shelves, the more likely you are to find something that makes the whole trip worthwhile.
Hours, Pricing, and What to Expect
Planning a visit is straightforward once you know the schedule. Mediterranean Imports is open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM, giving you a solid window for both a weekday lunch run and a Saturday afternoon shopping trip.
The shop is closed on Sundays, so that is worth keeping in mind before making a special drive.
Pricing sits in the $10 to $20 range for deli orders, which feels fair given the quality of ingredients and the freshness of everything coming off the counter. The market side offers additional value for shoppers stocking up on pantry staples, with bulk spices and specialty items priced competitively compared to what you would pay at a gourmet grocery chain.
First-time visitors are generally advised to build in a little extra time. Browsing the market shelves, working through the cheese counter options, and deciding on a deli order all take longer than expected in the best possible way.
The shop can get busy during peak lunch hours on weekdays, so arriving a bit before or after the noon rush gives you more breathing room at the counter. The website at medimportsokc.com is a useful resource for checking details before you head out.
Who Should Make the Trip and Why
Home cooks chasing ingredients that do not show up in standard supermarkets will find this shop genuinely useful. Pomegranate molasses, imported cheeses, specialty olives, and bulk spices are the kinds of items that send people driving across town, and Mediterranean Imports reliably has them in stock.
Foodies who moved to Oklahoma from coastal cities or internationally have specifically described the market as a meaningful find, a place that closes the gap between what they want to cook and what they can actually source locally. That kind of relief resonates with anyone who has ever stood in a grocery aisle staring at a recipe and realizing the key ingredient simply is not there.
Casual lunch-goers, catering clients, pastry lovers, and curious first-timers all seem to leave satisfied, which speaks to how broadly the shop has calibrated its appeal. Whether you come for a quick falafel sandwich, a full cheese board haul, or a pantry restocking mission, the experience tends to deliver more than expected.
Mediterranean Imports is the kind of place that earns a spot in your regular rotation not because it is flashy, but because it is genuinely, consistently good at what it does.
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