great food markets?

[gastronomike]

My wife and I have just moved to the area from LA, and are looking for great places to buy food. We are currently 'getting by' with trips to Wegman's and Trader Joe's, but knowing about a few specialty shops can really make a cupboard come to life.

We love to cook, and I will basically drive anywhere for good stuff. Here are a few things we are looking for: Spanish products (chorizo, olive oil, etc.), Italian products (large pasta selection), French markets, latin markets, great produce shops, Asian markets. OK, basically everything!

In a perfect world these shops would be inexpensive and in the Virginia suburbs area, but we are willing to drive anywhere. Please help us dig up the goods that we know are out there.

Also, are there any great restaurant supply shops that are open to the public? Ideally something like LA's Surfas (https://www.surfasonline.com), a place with kitchen gear and specialty food products.

Thanks!

[kate used to be 50]

Eastern Market on Capitol Hill is DC has fresh meats, fish and produce.

[cleveland park]

Just to add on, you can get calasparra rice, pardina lentils, great chickpeas (expensive, instead of 99 cents like Goya you pay 3.95, to me the flavor makes it worht it), spanish chocolate (for churros), etc. (apologies for maybe being too specific)

[cleveland park]

for Spanish (olive oil, canned tuna, spanish horchata, cola cao, fresh fish, chorizo, morcilla, even spanish sparkling water) go to A+H Seafood in Bethesda, I'm a regular there and you often run into all the expats there. I highly recommend it

[beets4dinner]

For local produce try our area farmers markets. My current best is Takoma Park; fresh local greenhouse greens, eggs, cheese, bread. Every Sunday from 10:00 a.m. Local food is really the answer -- less fuel to ship, and the quality and freshness outlast everything else by weeks. Although it may seem like a hike from Va., the parts of DC you get to see are unique (to most people from Va.) and Takoma Park is just a hotbed of liberalism singular in this dc metro region. And there is no traffic to fight at that hour on Sunday. Plus they are open year-round. You will not be disappointed.

[dpan]

Larger Asian markets:

Grand Mart - Korean owned, but actually quite international with large Latino clientele. They're in Centreville, Seven Corners, Annandale, and other areas of NoVA. There's also one in Gaithersburg, MD.

Super H - In addition to the aforementioned H Mart in Merrifield, the bigger sibling market is in downtown Fairfax on Lee Hwy, a few blocks west of the Rt 123 intersection. This is the only Super H in this area.

Chinese markets - Kam Sam, part of a chain from the NYC metro area, has two stores. One is in Rockville on Washington St, and the other is in Annandale on Markham St. Good selection of Chinese products and fresh seafood. Maxim, also in downtown Rockville off 355, two blocks from Kam Sam. Great Wall, the largest Chinese market in the area, on Gallows Rd in Merrifield, two blocks south of the Lee Hwy intersection (where H Mart is).

[Gonzocook]

The following are (mostly) No. Va.

For Italian: The Italian Store in Arlington (Lee Hwy near the Spout Run exit of I-66); A. Litteri in DC (in the Capitol Market near NY Ave. Metro stop) (note: some on this board have noted that Litteri's stock isn't always fresh. That may be true, but canned items should be fine, and their deli counter always seems to be active. Check for freshness on boxed pasta, though.)

East Asian: Eden Shopping Center (Falls Church near Seven Corners) has two fairly well stocked small supermarkets and dozens of specialty stores; H Mart (do I have that name right?) on Lee Hwy and Gallows Rd. is hu-u-uge Asian Market (There's a similar place, whose name I forget, about a half mile away from it on Gallows). And Duangrats near Bailey's Crossroads for Thai.

South Asian: They're just all over the place. There's a little strip mall near me on Lee Hwy and George Mason that has two or three in itself.

Latino: So, so many. I like El Chaparal in Clarendon for meat.

Middle Eastern: Lebanese Butcher and Cafe in Falls Church. It's at the intersection of Annandale Rd. and Lee Hwy, except that Lee Hwy. has a different name in Falls Church (Washington St., I think). Lebanese Taverna Mkt. in Arlington (Lee Hwy at Lorcom Ln.) A couple more at Bailey's Crossroads.

[Dennis S]

I second El Chaparal - they also have another location on 50 near Loehman's plaza.

[Dennis S]

German - German Gourmet on 29 south of Broad St, Falls Church.

Italian - The Deli in Herndon (K-Mart center) or Italian Store, 29 & Spout Run in Arlington

Russian - Russian Gourmet in Herndon (K-Mart center)

Lebanese - Medina Market Herndon (K-Mart center)

Latin - Big store on Elden just east of old town Herndon; smaller Salvadoran market further east on Herndon behind McD's near the K-Mart center

Asian - where do you live? Many many of these in NoVA (well, everywhere). Small ones are just about in every town - a couple of the larger ones are Lotte in Fairfax near the FFX circle and the one in Merrifield area, 29 and Gallows Rd - which is one you might want to go to regardless of where to live to assess all they carry.

Many Asian and Latin markets carry crossovers goods - especially the smaller ones.

[xnyorkr]

There are very good international supermarkets in VA (Super H and GrandMart), and in MD, Foodway in Lanham. In VA, the Columbia Pike area is sprinked with lots of foreign food groceries, such as Latin American, Iranian, and Greek.

On Lee Highway in VA, there is "The Italian Store" and a German grocery store (sorry, don't know the name).

For restaurant supply, there is one on Nebel st. in Rockville, MD (again, sorry, no name), and Best restaurant supply behind Marlos off Edsall Rd. in Virginia.

If you find others, by all means, let me know!

[Chownut]

What is Foodway, a chain? and what do they offer?

[xnyorkr]

I am not sure if it is a chain. It is located on Rte 450 in New Carrollton, right off the beltway. they have many, many kinds of food, including Latin American, African, Japanese, Korean, Vietamese, Mid-Eastern. I love their fresh produce. They also have a meat counter and a fish counter, with live tilapia.

[Chownut]

How much per lb. is the live tilapia? Is this another korean market? Are the cashiers korean?

[xnyorkr]

Sorry, I don't know the price of the fresh tilapia. I do know it's live, in a crowded tank. You pick your fish and it meets its maker. The cashiers are not Asian. I don't know what the "predominant" ethnicity is there. If I had to guess, I'd say Latino, but it's got a *lot* of Asian foods too.

[Dennis S]

I will take this opp to say that the cashiers at the market at 29 and Gallows are, on average, great. They can usually talk in one of a few languages, and while scanning your food, enter in all the codes for all the veggies and more with ease.

If you got behind a customer at Giant who had so much produce, especially if you didn't know the cashier, you'd be certain you're putting in hours in the line. Not there. They are all business.

[caphill2320]

Can I get more specific directions to the restaurant supply store on Nebel St.?

[xnyorkr]

Sorry - I am not sure. I know if you get off I-270 and go east on Montrose Rd., cross over 355, I think Nebel is a cross street. Anyone else know better dx than I do? Thx.

[megjobethamy]

In Baltimore, try Trinacria on Paca St for Italian!