17 Best Gourmet Grocery Stores In NYC
New York City is one of the food capitals of the world. While the restaurant scene traditionally gets all the attention, the abundance of supreme gourmet grocery stores featuring food items from around the world makes the city one of the best places to do quality cooking at home.
Part of New York's prestigious culinary reputation comes from the fact that New York is the largest city in the United States and has a long history of international immigration. The diversity of New Yorkers translates to a rich and dynamic food scene that is as notable for its restaurants as for its marketplaces.
We've assembled a list of 17 gourmet grocery stores where you can find everything from specialty Thai ingredients to imported Italian cheese to hard-to-find Japanese condiments and everything in between so that you can create authentic versions of your favorite dishes from the comfort of your kitchen.
Zabar's
Zabar's is a culinary institution. Located in Manhattan's Upper West Side, this gourmet grocer is known for its selection of smoked fish, fresh bagels, olives in big buckets of oil, and imported cheeses. Zabar's first opened in 1934 as a coffee and bagel shop run by husband and wife team, Louis and Lillian Zabar. The Zabars didn't simply sell coffee and breakfast staples. Louis roasted the coffee himself and personally visited the smokehouses they sourced their smoked fish from in order to ensure the absolute best quality.
That commitment to offering only the freshest ingredients is part of what has transformed Zabar's into the culinary destination it's revered as today. Zabar's is still run by the Zabar family 80 years later, and it's still in the same location — though it now spans almost the entire block. Come to Zabar's for Jewish staples like babka, halvah, and mandel bread. For some elevated decadence, try their premium caviar, pates, and prime meats and steaks.
Sunrise Mart
Sunrise Mart first opened in the East Village of Manhattan in 1995. While the original location has since closed its doors, this specialty Japanese food market has expanded across the city, opening storefronts in Soho, Midtown, and Brooklyn.
Looking for authentic, hard-to-find imported Japanese goods like cooking sake, somen noodles, or even green tea Kit Kats? Sunrise Mart is your stop for all your artisanal Japanese ingredients, including various varieties of soy sauce, yuzu extract, and sought after shiso leaves (ohba).
One of the many wonders of Sunrise Mart is that this grocer adjusts their inventory based on the seasons, ensuring you always have the freshest foods to choose from. Likewise, they offer expanded specialty seasonal items for hot pot during the winter and matcha-flavored treats during the springtime.
Despaña
Despaña is the ultimate destination for Spanish gourmet goods in New York City. Located in Soho, Despaña operates as a premium grocer and as a tapas cafe where you can get one of the best tuna sandwiches in the city. On the grocer front, Despaña offers a wonderful and vast selection of Spanish charcuterie, including ibérico and jamón, as well as tinned fish, olive oils, and an extremely impressive assortment of fine Spanish cheeses.
The majority of Despaña's grocery items are imported directly from gourmet brands from Spain, so you're sure to find products at this market that you couldn't find anywhere else in Manhattan. As with many of the other exceptional grocers on this list, Despaña has an enticing prepared food section and also offers mouthwatering catering platters for events.
And don't forget about wine. In addition to their storied sandwich shop, Despaña is also known for being the only New York wine boutique focused solely on wines and spirits from Spain.
Kalustyan's
Kalustyan's is a landmark gourmet market in New York City that has been selling exceptional Armenian, Turkish, Middle Eastern, and Indian specialty food items since 1944. When Kalustyan's first opened, it was operated by Kerope Kalustyan, an Armenian by way of Turkey.
In the beginning, Kalustyan's was predominately focused on premium spices until 1988, when it was purchased by Aziz Osmani and his cousin, Sayedul Alam. In the years that have followed, Kalustyan's has become increasingly diverse in its inventory, expanding to include quality imported food items from dozens of countries.
Honoring the grocer's roots, there continues to be a renowned selection of spices, including several blends that are made in-house. In addition, the vast variety of sweeteners, flavor extracts, syrups, and hot sauces available makes Kalustyan's an essential stop for any home cook looking for unique or otherwise hard-to-find ingredients. Similarly, the distinctive assortment of chutneys, lentils, and unique flours, contribute to Kalustyan's strong following.
Eataly
Eataly has been credited with ushering in a new generation of home cooks who seek out specialty Italian ingredients they might not otherwise have known about. This premium food and wine market and restaurant originated in Torino, Italy in 2007 and has grown into a global empire. There are now Eataly storefronts in more than 40 locations throughout Italy and the rest of the world. New York is home to two Eataly locations, the original in the Flatiron District and the newest outpost in Lower Manhattan.
Eataly is an incredibly unique culinary shopping experience as the space serves as both a market for fresh produce, imported Italian goods like pasta, sauces, and specialty cheeses, as well as a collection of fine Italian restaurants specializing in seafood, pizza and pasta, wine and cheese, and Milano-inspired fare.
Beyond the exceptional variety of imported Italian products and first-rate restaurants, Eataly is also home to an Italian Cooking Classes and Events program where New Yorkers or visitors to the city can learn from professional chefs and can try seasonal Italian cuisine.
Titan Foods
Titan Foods is proudly known as "America's Largest Greek Specialty Food Store." This gourmet grocer is not just noteworthy because of its size but also because of its commitment to sourcing high-quality imported Greek goods. Of its many delights, Titan Foods has an olive bar, a wonderful selection of halva and tahini, and a vast assortment of homemade Greek pastries.
Nowhere else in America can you find as many packaged Greek snacks, koulourakia, and tsoureki. Located in Astoria, where there's a thriving Greek community, Titan Foods is perhaps most known for its cheese and feta bar, featuring numerous fresh-cut fetas and large wheels of semi-hard cheeses.
Be sure not to miss out on their pantry items. Titan Foods stocks countless gourmet olive oils, marmalades, and a wonderfully unique array of herbs and spices.
Essex Market
Serving the Lower East Side for over 100 years, Essex Market is an expansive indoor market and food hall featuring imported international goods and fresh and organic produce. Community has always been the center of Essex Market, which opened in 1818 as a covered market with many diverse vendors on Grand Street between Ludlow and Essex.
The Lower East Side of Manhattan was once famous for its surplus of peddlers selling fresh produce from pushcarts. The inception of a retail marketplace to house all of these goods was the vision of Mayor LaGuardia. The earliest iteration of Essex Market that resembles the gourmet market we now know and love first opened in 1940.
Today, Essex Market has moved to a new home, not far from the original location, and continues to be a celebration of food from all over the world, with vendors old and new honoring their communities and selling affordable and specialty groceries.
Bangkok Center Grocery
For specialty Thai ingredients in New York City, head to Bangkok Center Grocery. Founded by Premjit (Nong) Marks in 1997, Bangkok Center Grocery remains your one-stop shop for fish sauce, galangal, holy basil, banana leaves, and chili paste in soybean oil. This Thai gourmet grocer is beloved by amateur chefs hoping to recreate their favorite Thai dishes at home as well as professional chefs who recognize the unique splendor of the authentic ingredients that Bangkok Center Grocery sources.
At this Chinatown specialty market, there are at least five unique curry pastes on offer, including Panang, Kari, Green, Red, and Masaman, as well as twenty different types of Thai sauces and prepared soups.
One of the reasons Bangkok Center Grocery is so important — as are the other international gourmet grocers on this list — is because many local markets don't carry premium international ingredients, and without those ingredients, it's almost impossible to make authentic at-home renditions of beloved classics. Speaking of cooking at home, Bangkok Center Grocery also sells several excellent Thai cookbooks.
Citarella
Citarella is another beloved New York establishment that's been serving the community since 1912. Everything in this gourmet market is of the highest quality, but the seafood selection is of particular note. Joe Gurrera, the owner of Citarella, is a fishmonger who regularly starts his day in the New Fulton Fish Market; his go-to culinary tip: Gurrera recommends cooking your salmon in a toaster oven.
Gurrera purchased Citarella in 1983 and transformed it into the upscale market we know today — a place where New Yorkers can reliably find quality produce, specialty pantry items, and arguably, some of the freshest and most diverse assortment of seafood. Interested in some decadence? Citarella sells five exquisite varieties of caviar: American, White Sturgeon, Osetra, Beluga Hybrid, and Salmon Roe, as well as crème fraiche, and mini blinis.
One of the newest wonders of Citarella is that you can now enjoy it no matter where you're located, as they offer overnight delivery across the continental US. Note that shipping costs are dependent on location.
Katagiri
Since 1907, Katagiri Japanese grocery has been selling fine imported Japanese goods in Manhattan. This gourmet market was first opened by Katagiri Brothers Inc, two brothers who emigrated from Japan and wanted to share produce and pantry items from their home country with fellow New Yorkers. Food is one of the best ways to learn about other cultures, and Katagiri continues to offer an excellent array of sushi-grade seafood, Japanese pickled vegetables, and premium green teas.
Looking for specialty international produce? Katagiri is your source for Japanese eggplant, lotus root, nagaimo, and burdock. What about superb frozen food like mochi ice cream, boiled taro, extra soft tofu, and fish cakes? Katagiri's selection of sweets, including Japanese chocolates and chewing candies, makes this Manhattan market deeply beloved. As a bonus, Katagiri offers delivery throughout all five boroughs of New York City.
Agata & Valentina
For Southern Italian-inspired fresh groceries, the Upper East Side's Agata & Valentina is your gourmet market. This family-owned New York institution opened in 1993 and has expanded to include a Greenwich Village location, as well as a gluten-free storefront under the name Agata & Valentina Gluten-Free.
Agata & Valentina sources many of their products directly from Sicily, allowing you to purchase authentic ingredients so you can cook an at-home Italian feast. Their cheese department offers different varieties to choose from and their gluten-free market features gluten-free renditions of many of their famous baked goods.
While their produce and pantry items are sure to provide you with everything you need for both everyday and gourmet cooking, their expansive prepared food section is especially worth a visit as each dish is made from scratch in-store daily.
H-Mart
H-Mart is a specialty Asian grocer with over 100 locations nationwide, including 10 in New York City. After first opening in 1982, H-Mart has become one of the leading Korean companies in the United States, and it remains grounded in its commitment to community. This gourmet market proudly offers imported pantry items, fresh produce and seafood, and Asian beauty and kitchen goods.
Any trip to H-Mart is a culinary experience as there are aisles and aisles of seaweed snacks, Japanese pickles, miso pastes, and Korean condiments like gochujang and gochugaru. There's always a wonderfully vast inventory to choose from at H-Mart, including some of the best kimchi, instant ramen, and bone broths in the city. Their assortment of rice and specialty flours is especially noteworthy for all of your cooking needs.
Fairway
Fairway was founded 90 years ago in New York as a produce stand. The original storefront on the Upper West Side of Manhattan still remains—albeit with several renovations and under new ownership. For almost a century, Fairway has offered New Yorkers signature baked goods like fresh bagels, scones, and French baguettes, as well as a vast selection of premium coffee and teas, organic fruits and vegetables, and high-quality olives and cheese.
Over the years, the majority of Fairway's expanded locations have either closed or been sold to other grocery retailers, including the flagship store, which is now owned and operated by Village Supermarket, which also manages Shoprite and Gourmet Garage. While Fairway may no longer be in its heyday, the market continues to have a strong selection of produce and upmarket everyday essentials for the discerning New Yorker.
Dua Gourmet Market
Many of the beloved gourmet grocers on this list opened in New York City after their owners arrived in America and sought to share foods from their home countries that weren't readily available in the States. The origin story of Dua Gourmet Market is an important part of this narrative that begins in the 1960s when Angelo Zagreda came to New York after fleeing Albania. To honor his history and culture, Zagreda founded an Albanian Market in the center of the Bronx's "Little Italy," where he sold Balkan food sourced from various countries.
In 2022, Zagreda's great granddaughter, Alexandra opened Dua Gourmet Market becoming the only female-owned vendor in Arthur Avenue Market. Dua Gourmet Market specializes in Eastern European and Italian groceries. Think imported olive oils, sardines, dried pastas, and fresh daily zeppoles. Come to Dua Gourmet to do all your food shopping and to enjoy some unique specialty pastries.
Perelandra
For 44 years, Perelandra has been at the cutting edge of the organic food movement. This independently and locally owned natural foods grocery store in Brooklyn has been prioritizing the sale and promotion of certified organic produce and environmentally conscious products since 1976 — well before there was mainstream interest.
Fittingly, Perelandra offers a wide selection of natural and organic fruits and vegetables, organic bulk foods like seeds, nuts, and beans, and a plethora of vegetarian and vegan proteins. A trip to Perelandra is not complete without a visit to their fresh juice bar and self-serve hot food kitchen.
In the spirit of community and living consciously, Perelandra donates all of the unsold food in their kitchens daily to Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, whose mission is to "redistribute excess food to people experiencing food insecurity." The market also supports various nonprofit organizations, including City Harvest, The Touch Dinner, Quaker Meeting House, and Food Not Bombs Brooklyn & Manhattan.
Wegmans
In 2018, Wegmans was dubbed America's Favorite Supermarket based on a survey conducted by Market Force Information. You don't get crowned America's Favorite Supermarket for no reason. So what makes Wegmans so special? Wegmans was founded in Rochester, New York in 1916 as a family-owned fruit and vegetable company.
Like many gourmet grocers on this list, Wegmans has since expanded to become a beloved household name with 110 locations spreading across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the US. Two of the most recent Wegmans locations are in New York — one in Brooklyn and another opening in late 2023 in Manhattan.
The Wegmans brand, which began in 1979, is one of the reasons for their loyal customer following. They sell Wegmans pantry items without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives under the grocery line "Food You Feel Good About," as well as organic produce without any bioengineered ingredients.
Wegmans stores are significantly larger than the average grocery store and were designed to feel "like a European open-air market" with artisanal baked goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, imported meat and dairy, international pantry items, and local seafood. The stores also feature restaurant-style booths for hot food, pizza, bakery items, and sandwiches.
Whole Foods
Whole Foods is famously known as the first organic national grocer. What does that mean exactly? The distinction is a testament to Whole Foods' commitment to its standards of organic farming and its strict handling of organic products nationwide. Customers can feel assured knowing that any products labeled organic never interact with non-organic goods.
In 2017, Whole Foods was purchased by Amazon, which led to further expansion across the country and regular discount opportunities for Amazon Prime members. Whole Foods has a consistently wonderful selection of fresh and organic produce, baked goods made with no hydrogenated fats, high-fructose corn syrup, or bromated flours, and fresh and frozen fish, all responsibly farmed or sustainable wild-caught.
Whole Foods prepared food counters are similarly renowned, particularly their soups, fresh sushi, and raw salads. Observing a special diet? Whole Foods is one of the best markets to go to if you're looking for groceries that adhere to any number of health or lifestyle concerns, including a plant-based diet, sugar-free diet, gluten-free diet, and paleo diet.