Ibis Food Mart in Mission Hills is a neighborhood market with homemade hummus laced with sesame seeds. The lunch crowd gets sandwiches or my favorite, a garlic-laden tabbouleh. I found their baba ganoosh a thicker version with lots of tahini. The store also stocks ingredients for Middle Eastern cuisine. 1112 Fort Stockton Drive, 298-5081. Open daily from 9 a.m.

In North County, The Aniata Cheese Co., opened in 2003. When Bob Stonebrook opened the storein Flower Hill Mall, he started the whole cheese craze here in San Diego. His small store features cheese, salami, oils, jams and preserves, nuts, flatbreads, boutique wines and much more. Stonebrook created The Aniata Club for a modest yearly fee of $40 that includes cheese tastings, discounts on large wheel cheeses and more. You’ll find his cheese at such wine bars and restaurants as Confidential, Downtown, Gaffney’s Wine Bar, Encinitas, and Trisler’s Wine Bar, Mission Valley. 2710 Via de la Valle, #B-138, Del Mar, 858-847-9616, www.aniata.com.

It took my sleuthing to find The Wine & Cheese Shop off the usual main drags in La Jolla since it changed its name from The Shop when owner Henry Ota got his wine license. Henry’s small selection of imported cheeses, along with prosciutto d’Parma (hand sliced) and many hard to find gourmet items including wines ranging from $9.99 to over $200 is a favorite for locals looking for specialty food items and good sandwiches too. Stop in for an espresso too. 7930 Ivanhoe Ave., La Jolla, 858-456-1010.