Nima Delicatessen

Hamid and Ziba ran a wonderful deli with health foods and national cuisines from many cultures. It was a delight to visit and stock your pantry with something unique for a rainy day or less common foods such as gluten free. A little more expensive but good quality and an independent business not a wholesale chain. An orchid in a world of dandelion chains. I am so sorry to see the shop has closed during the pandemic. The website suggests moving online and I hope so but will miss meeting Hamid and Ziba who the web suggests have retired. Hopefully they will get bored and we'll find a way to see them regularly again. Would love it if they linked up with George and Anita from Indigo Foods or Tom and Jeanette at CleanKilo but I don't know if their Iranian culture creates unique business barriers. Persian poetry was once very popular in British literary circles with the Rubiyat of Omar Kayyam being a PreRaphaelite favourite and features in films such as Back to the Future and 12 Monkeys. The Persian Turquoise Tiara was the largest piece in Princess Margaret's jewelry, a 21st birthday gift from Queen Mary of Teck via Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The Art of Persia is a great series on iplayer catch up. Did you know that in 2005, Iran held the greatest number of internet bloggers according to the Lonely Planet Guide? I'd love Hamid and Ziba include an About Us section on any Nima website.

This was by far my favourite shop in the whole of Birmingham, especially for food. Utterly unique, it had an astonishing range of items from around the world, including a significant range for vegetarians and vegans. I found the couple that ran the shop charming and helpful. The calm but slightly chaotic interior was equally charming, and always rewarded the person who took the time to look over the shelves, with some new treat to take home and enjoy. Even the name board above the door was a visual delight. Alas the couple that ran the shop have retired, and it is now permanently closed. I wish them a very happy retirement, but I will miss this place sorely.

Situated in a prominent spot across from a Sainsbury Local in Moseley Village, you will find a gourmet’s delight in the form of ‘Nima Delicatessen’. If you are a connoisseur and appreciate cosmopolitan food from around the world, you are going to love this shop. Chocolate from Belgium/Switzerland, Baklava and other sweets from the Middle-East, Spices from India / Far-East and so many other foods from every corner of the planet. There are also Vegetarian, Halal, Kosher, Vegan, Gluten-free and Lactose-free product options as well, so everyone is catered for. You will be hard pressed to find a Delicatessen in Birmingham that stocks such a wide variety of product lines. I spend at least 20 minutes each time I visit, and both Mr and Mrs Nima are very friendly and welcoming. They provide suggestions on the foods and answer any queries you may have. The prices tend to be a bit on the expensive side, but you are accessing premium quality food items you don’t normally find in the UK or even in other Delicatessens for that matter, so this is to be expected. Go and have a look, and I’m sure you’ll be delighted to stumble on an item you’ve never tried before. The sheer joy of discovering and then sampling a new food which you enjoy is certainly one of life’s rare joys.