Hebron Market is a halal butcher and Middle Eastern grocery at 1522 Tremont Street in Mission Hill, Boston, and the dairy case sits right past the meat counter. This post walks through what is actually in that case, how to cook and serve each cheese, and why halloumi and labneh have been showing up in more carts than usual this year, including some that are not Middle Eastern at all.
What's in the dairy case
Six items rotate through our case on a given week: halloumi, labneh, feta, ackawi, nabulsi, and kashkaval. Halloumi is a firm, salty cheese from Cyprus that holds its shape on a hot pan or grill instead of melting into a puddle. Labneh is strained yogurt, thicker than Greek yogurt and closer to soft cheese, usually eaten with olive oil and a spoon rather than poured. Feta is the one most people already know, brined and crumbly. Ackawi and nabulsi are the two mild, low-salt white cheeses we sell for knafeh, both from the same family of Levantine cheeses that soften under heat without breaking. Kashkaval is a firmer aged cheese, good sliced for sandwiches or grated over eggs.
A customer building a mezze spread for the weekend usually leaves with three or four of these in one bag. Call 617-238-7896 to check what is in the case before you come in, since stock moves through the week the same way the meat counter does.
Halloumi is having a moment
Halloumi used to be a specialty item that only showed up in Middle Eastern and Cypriot kitchens. That is changing fast. Market research from IMARC Group puts the global halloumi cheese market at roughly 688 million dollars in 2025, growing close to 12 percent a year through the next decade, with the United States accounting for more than 73 percent of the North American market. The drivers are not surprising if you have been behind our counter: a high-protein alternative to meat, Mediterranean diet interest, and chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's stocking it as a premium grilling cheese instead of a niche import.
Boston University's health reporting on the newly revised Mediterranean diet pyramid backs this up. Cheese is now classified as a protein source in the updated guidance rather than a side note, with fresh, lower-salt varieties emphasized. Halloumi is brined rather than fresh, but the shift in how cheese gets talked about nutritionally is part of why it keeps landing on more plates that are not ours to begin with.
Labneh, from specialty shelf to everyday staple
Labneh has followed roughly the same path Greek yogurt and hummus did a decade ago. Supermarket News has reported that labneh is moving from specialty aisles into mainstream grocery sections as shoppers discover it as a substitute for sour cream or cream cheese, driven partly by its protein content and lower lactose compared to regular yogurt. We have watched that happen at the counter. A few years ago almost every labneh customer was Middle Eastern. Now we get people asking for it as a bagel spread or a dip base, with no connection to the cuisine it comes from.
Our version is whole-milk labneh, thick enough to hold a spoon standing up. Spread it on a plate, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle za'atar over the top, and scoop it with warm pita. That is breakfast in a lot of Mission Hill households, and it takes about ninety seconds once you have the labneh and za'atar from our pantry aisle.
How to cook and serve each cheese
Grilled halloumi is the easiest thing to get right the first time. Slice it about half an inch thick, dry-sear it in a hot pan for a minute or two per side until it browns, and eat it immediately while it still squeaks. It does not melt the way mozzarella does, but it does turn rubbery if it sits too long after cooking.
Labneh works two ways: spread with olive oil and za'atar, or thinned with lemon juice and garlic into a dip closer to tzatziki. Feta needs the least explanation, crumbled over salads or eggs. Ackawi and nabulsi are built for knafeh, which we wrote a full guide to making at home, but they also work pan-fried until soft with a drizzle of honey. Kashkaval slices thin for sandwiches or grates over rice and pasta like parmesan.
Boston's Lebanese food scene, and where we fit
We are a grocery, not a restaurant, so we are glad when Boston's Middle Eastern restaurant scene grows, since it brings more people looking for the ingredients to cook at home too. The Boston Globe covered the opening of Bey this year, a Lebanese restaurant on Shawmut Avenue in the South End run by the Samaha family, describing it as bringing Lebanese flavor back to a neighborhood with deep Lebanese and Syrian roots. A customer who tries kafta or labneh at a restaurant is a customer who comes looking for the same ingredients on a shelf afterward.
Yousef Irziqat has been on Tremont Street for more than 12 years, first with Crispy Dough pizzeria and now running Hebron Market. The dairy case grew the same way the rest of the store did: we stock what the neighborhood keeps asking for.
Breakfast and mezze from our shelves
A quick mezze board from what is in the store: labneh with olive oil and za'atar, a block of feta, sliced kashkaval, olives and pickles from the pantry aisle, warm pita, and tomato and cucumber if you want something fresh. For breakfast, labneh and za'atar with pita covers most mornings. If you want something hot, grilled halloumi with honey and a squeeze of lemon takes five minutes and works as easily at 7am as it does on a mezze table at dinner.
Students from Northeastern, Wentworth, and MCPHS make up a good share of who buys labneh and halloumi from us, usually the first time on a friend's recommendation. Staff from the Longwood Medical Area and Brigham and Women's stop in on the way home for the same reason. The E line is close enough that it is an easy trip without a car.
For the meat side of the shop, see our halal meat page for what is at the butcher counter this week. The Middle Eastern grocery page covers the full pantry, dairy, and sweets shelves, and you can order online if you already know what you need.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between labneh and Greek yogurt?
Labneh is strained further than Greek yogurt, so it is thicker, closer to a soft cheese than a yogurt. It also tends to be lower in lactose since more of the whey has been removed.
Does halloumi melt when you cook it?
No. Halloumi holds its shape when heated, which is why it works grilled or pan-seared instead of melted into a dish. It gets a golden crust on the outside while staying firm inside.
What cheeses do I need for knafeh?
Ackawi or nabulsi, both mild, low-salt white cheeses we carry in the dairy case. Our guide to making knafeh at home covers the full process.
Is halloumi halal?
Halloumi is a cheese, not a meat product, so halal certification does not apply to it the way it does to our meat case. If you have questions about a specific product's ingredients, ask at the counter.
What is kashkaval used for?
Kashkaval is a firm aged cheese, good sliced for sandwiches or grated over eggs, rice, or pasta the way you would use parmesan.
How do I eat labneh at home?
Spread it on a plate, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle za'atar on top, and scoop it with warm pita. It also works as a dip base or a substitute for sour cream or cream cheese.
Do you carry za'atar for the labneh?
Yes, za'atar is in our pantry aisle along with the olive oil most people pair it with.
Where is Hebron Market located?
1522 Tremont Street, Mission Hill, Boston. We are an easy walk from Northeastern, Wentworth, and MCPHS, and close to the Longwood Medical Area and the E line.
Yousef also runs Crispy Dough Pizzeria at 1514 Tremont Street, and a shawarma counter, Crispy Dough Shawarma Halal, is opening inside the market.