To find The Goat in Fairhope, Alabama’s Piggly Wiggly customers need only follow the piquant scent of garlic and spices. After 40 years at Four Winds International Market in Pensacola, James Tarabay, a native of Beirut, Lebanon, sold his shop and retired. But then, Danny Manning, the owner of the Fairhope grocery store, made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. In 2021, The International Goat (TIG), A Gourmet Deli, opened.

Tarabay is ever-present at the counter offering samples: Asiago-and-feta dip on fresh-baked baguettes; bites of perfectly seasoned lamb; tastes of freshly made tabouli, which is a Lebanese salad that includes cracked wheat, parsley, diced tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. Everything prepared and sold at The Goat is “all-natural, no preservatives, nothing synthetic,” says Tarabay. “The olive oil, parsley, lemon juice and spices make the food glorious. It just melts in people’s mouths.”

Tarabay got the nickname “the GOAT,” from his family. His granddaughter called her grandfather “Jiddi”, which means “baby goat” in Arabic. So, the name stuck! It also means “the Greatest of All Time.” It’s no surprise as Tarabay lives by the quote often ascribed to Hippocrates, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” In addition to the wonderful food he serves, one of Tarabay’s detox remedies is simply one organic whole lemon with St. Aniol pure mineral water, sold at TIG. The optimal mineral composition of the water is thanks to many years of natural filtering through layers of volcanic rock.

In addition to the fresh food and drink available in the deli – TIG offers Greek-style shrimp scampi and ravioli to-go, gyro and muffuletta sandwiches, plus an assortment of olives and cheeses. TIG also offers its own blend of coffee and an assortment of internationally sourced items.

What customers get is extremely authentic Mediterranean cuisine, no Americanizing. Tarabay’s Zaatar flatbread recipe is from the mountains of Lebanon. Just a few ingredients—Zaatar spice, sesame seed and olive oil, and it’s a healthy snack, appetizer or breakfast. Another popular recipe is the Tortellini salad made with pure olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, parsley, tomatoes, onion and fresh parmesan cheese. And don’t forget the Spanakopita, a popular Greek savory pie made of flaky phyllo dough with a comforting filling of spinach and feta cheese.

One customer standing in line waiting to be served said, “I can’t wait, I’ve been thinking about this all day. It’s an experience. Sample, taste, love it, come back tomorrow!”

Tarabay gives everybody a sampling and loves selling his foods. Ask for two slices of cheesecake, for example and he will encourage you to get four. Ask for a small portion of hummus and he will pack the container with a full pound. “Everything is good here,” he says. The Middle Eastern cuisine he serves verges on addictive.

When asked why he’s been doing this for so long he replied, “What we eat is very important. The body needs healthy food like a house needs a good foundation. I’m here to serve people the best food they ever had, made from scratch in varieties they’ve never tried before. I also encourage children to taste, so they learn to eat good food from the beginning because it will affect the rest of their life.”

“We invite customers to come in today to sample whatever they want!” says Tarabay.

Location: Piggly Wiggly, 100 Plantation Pointe Rd., Fairhope, AL. Hours: Monday-Sunday 7am-9pm. Call ahead to order 251-928-0239. Coming soon locations in Mobile and Foley.