Best Gourmet Food Stores In NYC........

[Littleman]

I have been to Balducci's and Zbar's but it's been quite some time. What's the best place around Midtown or further south also. Thanks.

[curranthound]

Kalustyan on Lex and 28

International Foods on 9th and 39th

Sahadi's in Brooklyn, on Atlantic Avenue

All wonderful, tnough none gourmet in sense of fancy. Sahadi's, in particular, has great prices.

[Ora]

I can't get a handle on Sahadi's hours of opertation. Many weekends, I drive by there on Atlantic and its closed. When is it open exactly?

[MMRuth]

Quite a few suggestions here:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/439954

[randumbposter]

Farmers market at union square. Fresh fruits n veggies and baked goods and other stuff.

myers of keswick sells british goods like kidney pies and other oddities.

The asian ones.

Kam Man. Largish 2 floor supermarket specializing in chinese goods. located on canal. Used to be the place to go for fancy dried teas before all those other shops opened up.

Thai Indonesia grocery store between canal and bayard on mulberry. Used to be called "Thai indonesia" grocery but they've been renamed and the store has been renovated and expanded. Lots of exotic spices, sauces etc...

Jas mart on st. marks on sunrise mart around the corner from st. marks for japanese goods.

[MMRuth]

The farmer's market is a lovely idea - we've been going every Saturday for the last six weeks or so, and what a joy it has been. In addition to produce, we've been buying lamb and duck, eggs, sheep's milk cheeses, and beautiful jams and jellies from Berkshire Berries. I've not bought bread there, but on the few occasions that I've bought a muffin or donut for breakfast, I've actually thrown it out after a couple of bites. Any particular "bakers" that you would recommend there?

[djhnyc]

I can't think of the name of it, but there are two I like a lot. When heading uptown from 14th (on Broadway), the first place is on the right, not too far from the steps into the park around 15th/16th, and they sell only bread-like products. You'll know the right place from the olive bread, multigrain, and parmesan, plus their best-of-breed (better than Amy's) chocolate cherry bread, which they sell all year. YOu can buy whole or half loaves, and some small loaves are available for some versions.

A bit further uptown, about 16th/17th, on the left, is another larger stand that sells bread and rolls, and wonderful cheese and my current favorite granola (flavored with honey and w/almonds). Again, sorry, I can't remember the name of the place (there's a V somewhere at the beginning of one of the two-part name). Some goodies from there are the cheese sticks (flattish long rolls with lots of cheese in/on, great for snacking), bittersweet chocolate brownies (a unique brownie with very dark chocolate flavor, not particularly sweet, and wonderful - let it melt in your mouth for full flavor), and their edamer cheese, plain and onion. Kind of an edam/havarti type, warm and buttery flavor.

Btw, for jam and chutney and such, don't forget Beth's - she's on the right, up from 14th, before the first baker, above, usually. Great flavors and varieties. And great pretzels from Martin's - usually near the corner where B'way and 17th meet, on the right. One of the other bread bakers at the market, or maybe it's someone who sells sweeter baked stuff, has cider doughnuts that are usually very good - a little crunchy crust and covered with cinnamon sugar. Keep an eye out. That same baker also often sells at the greenmarket/flea market on Sunday's on Columbus/77th.

[MMRuth]

Thanks - I'll keep an eye out if it's not pouring down rain tomorrow. Have you tried the Berkshire Berries jams? I'm positively addicted to the Berry Golden Raspberry one, which has the terrible side effect of my purchasing a croissant many mornings when walking the dog!

[djhnyc]

Yes. I used to be addicted to their horseradish jelly, and I think they have/had an onion one, too. I used it on roast chicken - buy the chicken cooked, and dip the chicken in it as I eat. Yum! I think they also appear at the Columbus Ave. market from time to time.

[MMRuth]

Thanks - the horseradish sounds wonderful and I've not tried it.

[djhnyc]

I just looked at a label (from a brownie still in my fridge) of the granola/cheese/brownie place, and it's called Hawthorne Valley Farm. HTH. Do try the brownie - it is quite amazing.

[erica]

I think most of the baked goods are pretty ordinary...but the bread people who are there on Saturdays on the west side of the park, with the front facing west, have some pretty good loaves. Stay away from their sliced bread, though...

[djhnyc]

That's the one I was referring to with the chocolate cherry bread. Which, btw, is worth the visit all by itself, if you like that sort of thing.

[erica]

Yes..the one with the chocolate cherry bread. Is it Rock Hill Bakehouse??

[frankbooth]

I'd like to add Russ and Daughters to this list. many gourmet foods available there beyond the incredible smoked fishes and roes. candy, baked goods (raspberry rugeluch...), egg creams, nuts, fine foods (crackers, cheeses, spreads, soups, dried goods)- absolutely smoking...

[RGR]

Russ & D. serves egg creams?!

[erica]

Not midtown, but Schaller & Weber on Second Avenue has great Eastern European and German stuff...

[MMRuth]

Agreed - I live quite close by and that reminds me that I've not been for a bit - now that it is getting cooler, time for some hearty German meals!

[dan f.]

List wouldn't be complete without mention of Citarella's and Fairway. Citarella's is on 3rd/75th st. and Fairway is at 2127 B'way at 74th. Both have other locations around the city, which you can find on the web. Both are truly excellent. As a former NY'ker, only wish I could find places of equal merit where I live now.

[DoctortedNYC]

D'Espana on Broome Street: Great Ham and Spanish delicacies.

[captkenjeroo]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Murray's Cheese on Bleecker off Cornelia (or maybe it's just assumed.) They have wonderful cheeses - and a vast selection at that. Quite a bit of cured and dried meats (although Faicco's Pork Store next door has a great selection also.) There's also a fair amount of really good pasta (dry - but amazing, esp their whole wheat pasta, which I usually despise), olives, butters, oils, vinegars, and some other canned / bottled goods.

Speaking of Faicco's next door - they have amazing sausages.

[MMRuth]

I love both of those stores - there had been a recent thread on with a similar query - so I was lazy and linked to it above.

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/439954

[Molly272]

I am very picky about where I shop, and I am thrilled with all of the choices in NYC. I think the best overall gourmet food stores/locations, meaning one-stop shopping for high quality food are:
- Union Square Farmer's Market (downtown)
- Chelsea Market (downtown)
- Fairway (West side)
- The Market at Grand Central (Midtown)
- Balducci's (the store at 14th St. & 8th Ave. is great; also near Lincoln Center)
- Citarella (several locations in Manhattan)
- Dean & DeLuca
- Zabars (West Side)
- Whole Foods (the new one on Houston is fab, second favorite is Columbus Circle)

There are amazing places to get just cheese, or just bread, but I think if you want a selection of the freshest and the best, you can't go wrong at most of these places.

[kayonyc]

Formaggio kitchen in the Essex Market for great artisanal cheese
Katagiri -for Japanese goods. Sunrise is not bad too.
Westerly - I think of them as a cheaper Whole foods.
Little thai grocery store near Bayard.

[bigmackdaddy]

Ideal Cheese on 1st Ave by the UN. Wonderful cheese and cured meats. The Greek store on the west side of 8th Avenue in the mid 40's. I forget the name and exact location. They have a slew of spices, cheeses and Greek specialties.

[magfitz]

not sure if it qualifies as a gourmet store but i'm a big fan of Lamazou on 3rd Avenue at about 27th street.

[RGR]

While most people know Lamazou mostly for the great sandwiches, the cheese selection is phenomenal, there are some excellent prepared foods and lots of gourmet items on the shelves. So, while it may be small, I think it certainly qualifies.

http://www.lamazoucheese.com

[rebus03]

There's also the Amish market on 45th b/w 2nd and 3rd.. I believe they have a few more locations.

[midgepingleton]

bedford cheese shop for cheese in williamsburg and euro mart underneath the broadway stop on the N/W train has the BEST serrano at great prices.