5 to Try: Downtown Specialty Food Stores
Have you been invited to a last-minute dinner or housewarming party? If you’re a New Yorker, then you’re in luck. Just make your way below 14th Street and swing by these five specialty food stores with your largest tote bag in tow. Fill it with an array of conversation starters, such as bottles of natural Spain-imported wine and fresh mozzarella made in Little Italy. Then, prepare to become the most popular person at the party.
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Di Palo Fine Foods
If you’re craving mouthwatering-inducing mozzarella, this century-old Italian specialty food store is the place to go. It all started in 1910 when Savino Di Palo opened a small latteria (dairy shop) on Mott Street, where he made ricotta and mozzarella. His daughter followed in his footsteps, opening up Di Palo Fine Foods on the corner of Mott and Grand Street in 1925. These days, Savino’s three great-grandchildren own and operate this ever-bustling Little Italy joint, where longtime customers (and newcomers who’ve heard about the beloved mozzarella) line up to place their orders. Come for the mozzarella, which is made in-house daily, but stay to explore the massive range of additional to-die-for types of cheese, which includes over 75 Pecorino Romanos from various regions of Italy. You’ll end up never wanting to leave this Italian foodie paradise, where you’ll also find a slew of cured and cooked meats, pasta, olive oil, vinegar, cookies, canned goods, and ready-made meals like lasagna, meatballs, and eggplant parm. Mangia!
200 Grand St, New York, NY 10013; T: (212) 226-1033
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Ni Japanese Deli
Everything you eat is good for you at this Japanese deli that’s tucked away in a corner inside the historic Essex Market. Established in 2012 and family-run, this tiny, takeout-only spot’s rotating menu focuses on vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, gluten-free, and allergy-free recipes based on traditional Japanese cooking. Ingredients used are locally sourced and seasonal, and many, such as different seaweeds, boast multiple health benefits. Here, the yummy bento boxes are artfully presented, but if you’re in a hurry, grab a ready-to-eat bite from behind the glass case. There are onigiri brown rice balls filled with things like umeboshi (pickled Japanese plums) and prepacked containers with assorted sushi rolls, as well as plenty of steamed, stewed, sautéed, and pickled veggies. If you spot the steamed kabocha (winter squash) with red beans or the kinpira gobo (sautéed burdock root, carrot, and lotus root), we suggest scooping them up. Another suggestion: Check out Ni’s small selection of Japanese pantry staples, such as sauces, oils, seasonings, teas, and more.
Essex Market; 88 Delancey St, New York, NY 10002; T: (646) 850-0005
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Despaña Fine Foods & Tapas Café & Despaña Fine Wines
Looking to host a last-minute Spanish tapas party? Then this much-loved gourmet grocery store in SoHo, which exclusively stocks imports from Spain, is your one-stop shop. Whatever you’re looking for awaits, from spicy chorizos, full jamón legs, and buttery Manchego to endless kinds of olive oil, vinegar, and preserves. You’re inevitably going to get hungry, so grab a seat at the intimate tapas café in the back of the store or order a delicious bocadillo (Spanish sandwich) to go. Don’t even think about heading home without popping by their enchanting and well-stocked wine, sherry, and spirits shop next door, Despaña Vinos Y Más. And don’t be surprised when you’re suddenly in the mood to drop over a thousand dollars on a bottle of Catalan wine.
408 & 410 Broome St, New York, NY 10013; T: (212) 219-5050
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Mercantile East
The Seaport’s historic Tin Building recently received a major makeover, unveiling itself as a bold, beautiful, and very big culinary marketplace. Now known as The Tin Building by Jean-Georges, the cavernous food hall houses several fancy restaurants, casual service counters, bars, and specialty food shops. Make the Asian night market-inspired Mercantile East your first stop. Located on the second floor, this small and stylish specialty food store offers a hard-to-find selection of chef-approved ingredients and provisions from China, Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, Korea, and Indonesia. Salts, spices, noodles, rice, sweet and savory snacks, and a range of bottled soy sauce, vinegar, and oil line the cherry-red walls. If you work up an appetite post-perusing, head straight for the curtains in the back of the shop; behind them, you’ll discover a swanky speakeasy-style Chinese restaurant, The House of the Red Pearl.
The Tin Building by Jean-Georges; 96 South St, New York, NY 10038; T: (888) 777-0942
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The aisles at this blink-and-you’ll-miss-it, basement-level mom-and-pop store are crammed with a sea of Indian goods. Since 1989, customers have frequented this East Village hidden gem to stock up on groceries, where spices (such as garam masala and green cardamon), Indian bread (like nan and roti), rice, lentils, grains, loose tea, nuts, and dried fruits are all abundantly on display. Also notable—and visually and fragrantly unmissable—are the shelves stacked with a seemingly never-ending variety of affordable incense and essential oils. Important note: Don’t forget to grab an excellent homemade mango lassi from the fridge before heading to the register.
91 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003; T: (212) 979-6045
WORDS Alex Catarinella
FEATURED IMAGE Courtesy of @Despaña
