Kalustyan's

When you’re on the hunt for a hard-to-find grocery item, your first stop should always be Kalustyan’s. With a matrix of rooms and nooks over two stories, this shop is packed full of grains, spices, and specialty foods. While the shop was originally opened in 1944 by Kerope Kalustyan, who was Armenian by way of Turkey, it’s now owned by cousins from Bangladesh Aziz Osmani and Sayedul Alam. Perhaps the greatest recent impact on the store is that of operations manager Dona Abramson, who is responsible for bringing in a mindblowing diversity of independent brands and niche specialties.A look at the curry powder section alone is evidence of how specific things can get here: Japanese, Jamaican, Sri Lankan, Malaysian, several specific regions of India — you can take a world tour by just walking the aisles.

• 123 Lexington Ave
• tel: (212) 685-3451
• orderonline@kalustyans.com
• kalustyans.com