Jungle Jim’s International Market may be the best grocery store in America. At over 300,000 square feet, It it certainly one of the largest. It is a haven for “foodies,” with high-quality gourmet and hard-to-find items. I challenge you to name a country that is not represented in the International section. The fresh produce, meats and seafood are top quality. And the cherry on the top of this culinary adventure? Jungle Jim’s is a wonderful, fun, nutty adventure.
Jungle Jim’s is different from other “event” grocery stores.
There are beautiful grocery stores all over this country: some that offer organic produce and responsively-raised meats, some with international offerings, many with great wine and beer selections. While lovely and almost elegant, those shopping experiences seem to take themselves very seriously; they play fancy music, have attractive lighting, and create an atmosphere of luxury. Not so at Jungle Jim’s. Jungle Jim’s has the same top-notch products, but presents them with a wink and a smile, and is not afraid to have a good time.
Shopping at Jungle Jim’s is an adventure.
Jungle Jim’s is located in Fairfield Ohio, near Cincinnati. But it feels like you’ve entered a whole new world. A giant dragon (I think that’s what he is) greets you as you enter:
Why a giant dragon? I don’t know.
After you park and stroll towards the entrance, you are treated to a menagerie of jungle animals, who seem to be guarding the entrance.
After you pass the garden shop, pick up. a shopping cart and head towards the entrance, where shoppers pass under a race car, and lights tell them to “start their carts.”
But isn’t grocery shopping kind of boring?
The first section you encounter is the “American grocery” section.
It has all your run-of-the-mill American groceries. Lest you get bored, there is a talking Campbell’s Soup can to keep you entertained. I love that in this gourmet foodie haven they’ve squeezed in a section for normal American groceries. This means that you can get your entire shopping list at Jungle Jim’s; you don’t need to go elsewhere for Cheerios, toilet paper, or Premium saltines. Grab the necessities quickly, you’ve got a lot of ground to cover.
Cheese, please. And olives, charcuterie, etc.
I could spend all day in the cheese section.
These pictures show only about half of the entire cheese section, which is organized by country and type of cheese.
And what’s a nice cheese tray without some charcuterie and olives?
Not pictured here is a broad assortment of hummus, fresh salsas, and relishes and prepared salads as well. Or perhaps you’re a purist, and prefer your bread with a swipe of butter? Then you’ll be needing a “butter bar,” of course.
“Red, Red, Wine” — and white, pink, or bubbles — and beer and booze too.
It’s not surprising that Jungle Jim’s has a huge and extensive wine and beer selection, with knowledgeable staff to help with your selections. I never knew that I needed a life-size Marilyn Monroe standing over my wines, but somehow I always did.
The wine selection has a broad range of prices, and has many of the popular brands you can find at your Kroger or Safeway, but also has special and expensive wines that would make any collector happy.
Like a kid in a candy store
Vintage candy? Check. International candy? Check. Every conceivable flavor of Jelly Belly? Check. Jelly bean mosaic of Jungle Jim? Check. Animatronic life-size singing Elvis dog? Maybe. Maybe he’s a bear. We’re not sure. But he sings Elvis songs in the candy section.
It’s a carnivore’s dream.
I suspect you can find any cut of meat at Jungle Jim’s. And if you’re tired of beef, pork and chicken, you can check out the Exotic Meats section, including alligator, buffalo, elk, guinea foul, kangaroo, ostrich, venison, and wild boar bacon.
Not your mother’s vegetable selections.
Jungle Jim’s has the weird and delicate lettuce you need for that fancy salad, as well as any type of squash, and an incredible selection of “international vegetables.”
You can count on the produce to be fresh and beautiful.
In case you think vegetables are boring, you can take a break and watch the animatronic Cereal Bowl band (Silly Rabbit from Trix, Leprechaun from Lucky Charms, and a Honey Bee from Honey Nut Cheerios) perform aboard Gilligan’s S.S. Minnow.
Jungle Jim’s INTERNATIONAL Market is a trip around the world.
The non-perishable part of the store offers selections from around the world. No exaggeration. A sample aisle provides an example of the scope, with items here from Macedonia, Bulgaria, Russia, Hungary and Bosnia.
The large Great Britain section is nestled under the Sherwood Forest:
The extensive hot sauce collection is located underneath a firetruck, should you catch fire while sampling:
Do you need a hookah? Jungle Jim’s has you covered. (And apparently all sales are final.)
Kids bugging you for soft drinks? Mustard flavored soda, Dirt soda, or Alien Snot soda might cure their addiction.
Finally, are you searching for that perfect seasoning? Perhaps feverfew, fo-ti root, or frankincense resin?
Jungle Jim is real.
I’ve been shopping at Jungle Jim’s for twenty years, and I’ve never seen him — Jungle Jim, the real man — until I was checking out after shopping for this story. I saw something zip by, on a Segway no less. And wearing his khaki jungle-wear. I couldn’t resist asking for a photo.
He’s real!
It’s not ALL fun and games. . .
Jungle Jim’s International Market is enormously fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. But what is serious is their commitment to quality and hard-to-find items. I can always get great ossu bucco veal shanks there. The fruit is fresh and smells like fruit. I know I’ll be able to find kaffir lime leaves for Thai food, or excellent tomato puree to duplicate a pasta sauce we ate in Italy. It has the best fresh seafood in town. You can find local honey. The produce section carries fresh fava beans when in season. There’s a case of craft ice cream. It truly is a foodies’ paradise.
But it’s a lot of fun, too.
For more about our foodie adventures, please see:
- Low Carb Blackened Salmon with Blistered Tomatoes and Zucchini Noodles
- Sketch in London: Does it Earn its Reputation as The Most Instagrammable Restaurant????
- Lettuce Enjoy a Yummy Chicken Dish!
- Celebration Park in Naples: Food Truckin’ Good Time
- The WBS: Arugula, pea & mint salad
- These are the people in my neighborhood — at Tucker’s Whippy Dip
- Publix Cooking School… Who Knew?
- Easy, Fresh & Healthy Bowl
