This place is amazing! I love going here. Has hundreds, if not thousands of spices. Basically nearly anything I can think of (and I like to cook in a wide variety of cuisines). I can spend hours here just exploring everything while getting inspired to cook new dishes... which is a good thing and bad thing :P I have to resist the urge to get more than I can possibly use before the spices start to expire. I wish it didn't take me an hour to get here from home, because I'd go here all the time if it was closer. read more

I'm like a kid in a candy store in here! It's a foodie wonderland. Any ingredient you think you're going to have trouble finding, you can find it here. They have every spice and some really great spice blends too. I needed chipotle pepper flakes and smoked salt - found them! They also have a wide array of hot sauces and cocktail bitters, which I don't know about you, are staples in my house. They even have a selection of prepared foods which are all delicious. And the tea selection is amazing! It's really a one-stop shop. read more

Kalustyan's - Wall of hot sauce - Herbs & Spices Near Me - New York, New York

We dropped by based on a recommendation of a wonderful cooking instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education on 50 W 23rd St. Wow! Was I glad we took that advice! This place is the absolute Mecca of spice, sauces, and condiments! They literally have many 100's of nearly IMPOSSIBLE to find spices. We were able to get real Urfa Biber and Marash Pepper... Life is good now! It was totally fun to explore the incredibly cramped aisles, with a new surprise around each corner. Upon checkout time, we also discovered they have a nice cash discount when you spend more than $50, which we easily did! We'll definitely be back! read more

This is the place to shop for spices, dried fruits, breads, teas, snacks, so many items to choose from! It's amazing how much they pack into each space, floor to celing, corner to corner, down the hallways, over your shoulder, upstairs, you'll find what you're looking for, and if not, there is someone around to help! read more

This is going to be short, beautiful store with many offerings of spices, bulk and specialty items. A good number of staff to assist you also, however if you sprinkled that magical make me invisible fairy dust on yourself, they won't know you're there. They'll look right past you, and what seems to be through you. Just really too bad, because I was in a I want to buy me some spices mood. By the time I arrived at my next stop the dust must have blown off, I was visible again and my spending powers restored. Despite how mesmerizing this place is, I doubt I'll be back, I also doubt they'll notice. read more

Kalustyan's - A lot of bulk stuff - Herbs & Spices Near Me - New York, New York

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As an Iranian, I approve of Kalustyan's. You can find any and every spice from all over the world here. It's a wonderland of items that is so much fun to explore. Whatever you need for all your cooking adventures, whether it's Iranian saffron or sumac, or Indian peppercorn or massala, or any sort of bean, herb, or tea, it'll be here. If you've done any traveling and want to find those obscure ingredients to recreate meals you had abroad, this is the place. Try the vegetarian cafe upstairs, too! Their eggplant dish is dope. read more

This place is a dream!.... hard to find teas, spices, and interesting cooking ingredients you may not have known you needed! It's two stories and overwhelming so luckily staff is helpful and will steer you in the right direction! read more

Kalustyan's - Herbs & Spices Near Me - New York, New York

When I truly think of the Things/experiences/places I'm grateful living in NYC for this is in top 5

Going into this store makes me sad these days; the owners of the retail business have pretty much wiped out the Armenian selections and history; with the few items they do have poorly represented and astronomically priced (eg, $20 for 10 count of Lahmajun "Armenian pizza"). Aside from that, while the selection of spices and dried goods is nothing short of amazing, the prices are ridiculous. Examples include: $2 for Goya canned beans that are sold for .75 cents elsewhere. $7 for small Lebhne sold for $4 elsewhere $20 for box of Turkish delights (should be no more than $10 - $12 max) $4 for frozen garlic pods sold by Trader Joe's for $1 $15lbs for Armenian string cheese sold by Whole Foods for $9 Etc, etc, etc Unfortunately, I'm over this place. I don't mind paying a bit more but this just feels like gouging. read more

GF sent me to this place for the first time, to get some sesame halva. It was supposed to be five minutes shopping, but I stayed there for almost two hours. It felt like back home in Turkey. Shelves after shelves of finest Middle East spices, sweets, creams, lokum, halva, and much much more. I ended up with several bags of unique treats, and went home with a huge smile on my face, while bringing memories from my childhood. This place is absolutely amazing. read more

Mind blowing good! I cannot get enough of their house made spice mixtures. Their Egyptian mix with tiny dried rose petals in it is my new favorite go to seasoning this summer. I have been enjoying their Cape Malay mix as well since my husband is from South Africa and craves foods from his childhood. My pantry probably has at least 15 different spice mixes just waiting for me to decide what Regional cooking I feel like making for dinner. Not kidding. This place is manna! read more

Fantastic spot to replenish your spices. They have a tremendous selection of spices so you can create your most exotic dishes or just experiment. They also carry teas, hot sauces, Turkish pastries and candy. The staff was also really friendly and helpful. read more

If you like to cook and you've never been to Kalustyan's before, make sure you leave lots of time to explore. They have every spice and cooking ingredient you can think of, and other fun things too like a whole shelf full of Turkish delight and fun earthenware upstairs. I don't know what to do with 90% of the stuff they provide, but I was able to find some lovely rose tea and a tea infuser that I use daily. Upstairs, you'll find the Mediterranean deli which is one of the best values for lunch you'll find in the area. I got a 2-item veggie combo (can't remember if I paid $7 or $9 for it), but it's a TON of food. Like I nowhere near finished it. The guy behind the counter was nice about letting us sample the different options, and I loved the barley selection, so hearty and flavorful. The side salad and pita were kind of throwaways (the pita seemed like any old dry-ish pita from a bodega), but the veggie dishes were delish. I can't wait to go back to get some pretty ceramic dishes, and the Saffron and Rose Persian ice cream I spotted in the freezers, one of my favorites from LA! read more

Kalustyan's - 2 veggie item combo - Herbs & Spices Near Me - New York, New York

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Every spice you have ever heard of and more, you can find here. Best quality spices, dried peppers, oils, vinegars, etc. in terms of specialty cooking. This is also the first place I was able to find fresh Hatch Green Chile in NYC when I was searching (if you have not heard of it, it is a green pepper native to one valley in New Mexico and is only in season for a month or two). Helpful, knowledgeable staff and great products read more

This place has an amazing array of spices, nuts, dried fruit, and more. I haven't seen a store in the area (perhaps even in all of Manhattan now that I think about it) that comes close to the selection that Kalustyan's has. On the downside, the prices can be on the high side, but it depends on what you buy. Also, it's hard to judge how long some of their stock has been sitting there. There are no expiration dates on the unpackaged/loose dry goods, so it can be a crap shoot at times (though it's important to note that I've never bought a bad item there yet). If you finding things like acai, organic black quinoa, and a hundred types of hot sauce from all over the world is up your alley, you will have a ball here. read more

Tremendously vast selection of spices and other pantry staples at reasonable prices, with friendly employees to boot! Love that a place like this is still around in this day and age. read more

This store has every different spice you could ever want. It is a little overpriced but definitely a one stop shop.

This shop has everything you could Need it's like being back In India without the 17 hour flight. Came here for Some free chutney and found What I was looking for. The shop owner actually Went and found What I was looking for, will be back for other sauces, now just need to find a spot with good jalebi. read more

The best of the best at what they do. Spices from anywhere you want. The staff is super friendly & knowledgeable . It's also a great place to grab a quick lunch, or buy some unique snacks. read more

I don't really feel like getting into it, so I will just say that Kalustyan's has pretty much everything you might need. It's a huge store, offers great prices, and is a fun experience as well. If you are curious about a certain item and whether or not they have it, call ahead- the store people are very nice, and will help you with any questions you have. read more

really not sure what to say about KALUSTYAN's. never been or frankly ever imagined a store like this. walked in the front door of a little cracker box space and was immediately disappointed -- nuts, dried fruit and a counter with baclava and halava. okay big deal. then realized there was a little hallway niche off to one side with teas. and another room and another room and three or four more after that. didn't leave a trail of gingerbread crumbs 'cause i didn't mind being lost. got BLACK CARDAMON for KHAO SOi, AJI AMARILLO for a multi-purpose, PERUVIAN sauce, TIKKA MASALA seasoning, dried FENUGREEK and CURRY LEAVES for INDIAN CURRIES, dried GALANGAL for when i can't find fresh for THAI dishes, BERBERE spice for DORO WAT and even powdered cheddar cheese for those eating-popcorn-watching-movies-in-our-PJ's weekends. like to cook? make a list of all the dishes you've wanted to fix but couldn't readily (or ever) find those last couple of ingredients and go shopping at KALUSTYAN's -- if it's remotely spice related, they almost certainly carry it. gladly spent a hundred bucks and only squeezed about half in my photograph. oh, and the sticky, sweet HONEY-PISTACHIO BACLAVA was sublime. read more

Kalustyan's - GOOD EATS are coming !!! - Herbs & Spices Near Me - New York, New York

Iconic! Neat selection of rare & interesting ingredients/health supplies. First place I'd look to source hard-to-find ingredients (spices, legumes, powders, herbs, etc etc) read more

If you ever think you'll never find some obscured spice visit Kalustyans and they'll more than likely have it. Prepare to spend an hour perusing the store and you'll be amazed at how many spices, herbs, chili's, and mixes you'll find. I bought some Makrut lime leaves and dried galangal for my Thai recipes. I also got some maple salt that I'm curious to use on something? We ended up buying quite a few different spices to try and the selection is unparalleled to anywhere else. read more

They have everything! Expensive because it's in the city but otherwise competitive prices for the immediate area. We bought loose leaf tea, a tea strainer, and some frozen parathas. There's 2 floors and they have just about anything Indian you could want. read more

There is only one reason to shop here: when you desperately need an obscure spice or herb or grain not available anywhere else close by, and when you need it immediately. That is the *only* reason to shop here. Why is that? Because Kalustyan's is obscenely overpriced, with markups exceeding 100% on basic items, if not more. Anything that is not obscure is cheaper, usually *much cheaper*, at Whole Foods, Morton Williams, or (for staples) even Foodtown or Western Beef. The prices at Kalustyan's are genuinely shocking: pastas at $9 or more a pound; Crystal hot sauce at $4 for the 3 oz. size that costs under one dollar at any bodega; etc. Even the Kalustyan's house brands are overpriced, with their mediocre chutney at more than $12 for a 16 oz. jar, when the superior Patak's sells for less than half that at Whole Foods. Really: it is insanity to shop here unless you absolutely are certain that you can't find something elsewhere and need it immediately. Service is sullen, even hostile. The prepared foods are mediocre and grotesquely overpriced as well. I give this a second star because of the selection, and only that. Kalustyan's used to be, decades ago, a small, fairly-priced source for spices that weren't widely available online or in person. Nowadays, every store in Chinatown or Jackson Heights or Brighton Beach, not to mention the internet, carries everything sold at Kalustyan's - and for half, or less than half, the prices. The store is simply a tourist trap for the out-of-towners and unaware. Do not. read more

I don't have words for how wonderful Kalustyan's is. It's a Mecca for any kind of spice you could ever imagine. Whether you're looking for middle eastern, Indian, Asian, western or any spices or condiments in between you can count on them to provide. Their selection is unparalleled. I feel like a kid in a candy store every time. The other day I went in on a fairly empty stomach (big mistake, I almost bought the whole store) and left with a big bag full of delicious goodies. They have really wonderful prepared foods both refrigerated and frozen. I'm not usually a big buyer of frozen prepared foods, but their stuff is good and really varied. Since moving away from New York I have been cramming my suitcase full of their amazing products every time I fly home. read more

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I have purchased items from this establishment several times in the past year. Most times the Cashier(s) are not too pleasant and appear to be annoyed by my presence. However each time I give the employee a courteous nod and welcoming smile. Maybe he/she is having a bad day. Today as I extended my hand to pay, the Cashier instructed me to put money on counter. I did. He asked if I needed a bag, I said yes. Upon noticing that I was going to be charged .65¢ for the bag, I told him "No thank you, please void charge for bag, I will carry". He seemed truly perturbed and said he couldn't void because he already entered fee. I asked "You cannot void?"...He then stated in a huff "No...I will take it out of my pocket to give you." I answered "Ok". He then says "Now you can go be happy!". His comment was not necessary and very disrespectful. Although I like the products that I have purchased, I can go elsewhere. I don't know if he was insulting because of my skin color because he is DARKER than me! read more

5 stars because of the incredible selection. You can literally find anything here that you culinarily inclined mind might be obsessed with. I am talking about spices, pastes, chutneys, powders, juices, syrups, grains, dried herbs and mushrooms, south Asian cookware, teas, specialty frozen foods. This store easily has over a thousand unique items. And, they also have some hard to find fresh items like lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves. One particularly nice aspect that I appreciate is that most items come in multiple sizes. Yes it gets cheaper per weight as you buy more, but this pricing structure allows you to try out small quantities before commiting to a large volume. I realize the the prices may be a bit high but the selection is unmatched. They deserve a 5 star review. read more

The OG go-to place for anybody remotely interested in cooking. Whether you're a professional or home-cook, this place has something for everyone. Kalustyan's is an institution. Period. From the most obscure of ingredients, sweet treats to unlimited varieties of the same ingredient- Kalustyans has it all! I'm from India, and before coming here I never knew that *Indian* black paper has multiple varieties. They even had the very regional ingredients from my girlfriend's and my home states in India which are almost impossible to find outside those states themselves, and even the super-special first and second flush darjeeling teas!! Also, the atmosphere is very relaxed: you're free to wander around and check out the place, and there's nobody breathing down your neck to buy stuff. The prices are a bit higher, but considering the premium and single-origin ingredients, definitely worth it! read more

just a note that the homemade Ma'moul, especially pistachio/date is excellent here. The counter upstairs serves delicious Mujdarra as well as pasturma/basturma sandwiches with lebneh. 4.6 Service downstairs is occasionally iffy as noted or else it would be higher. read more

Downstairs at Kalustyan's is a wonderland of spices deserving of five sexy stars. They carry everything you could possibly want to cook with, or even imagine. I found a specific type of hoisin sauce that I had been long searching for, and I've gone back for various obscure spices. However, there is no delineation between the market downstairs, and the deli upstairs, so I am here to inform you: don't be fooled. At first glance, you might assume that the deli upstairs is stellar, and from my experience...it is not. A closer look will indicate that all the glowing reviews are for the fantastic spice selection. I opted for some sort of combo platter, because, as always, I want to try as many different things as possible. Sadly, everything turned out to be barely edible. The baba ghanoush was the best thing on my platter, and it was bad. The falafel was bland, dry and worthy of being spit out. The basterma, a cured beef that the counterman likened to prosciutto, tasted weird, frankly. This was one of the most disappointing meals I've experienced in quite some time. Although I'll probably be back many times, it won't be for lunch. read more

I stumbled into this store as I was killing time before meeting a friend - and my first thoughts were seriously, "Did I just walk into heaven?" This store has an amazing selection of tons of food goodies. For bakers, cookers, and eaters alike, you're going to find an amazing option. They even have a whole shelf just of honey! They have prepared foods as well as the mere ingredients. Frozen, refrigerated, and room temperature'd supplies. If anything, you could just come for the experience - which includes some amazing smells. Or, you could be like me, and suddenly find yourself in the store for half an hour and leaving with $30 worth of great stuff. read more

How can someone who at times has trouble making tea impress visitors to their home with their culinary skills? Well, it takes equal parts of: Kalustyan: get those rare ingredients (they carry ~900 spices) Fibbing: "I just had enough time to make some hummus ... " Sprezzatura: calmly reference the camphoraceous marjoram Kalustyan is spice wonderland. If you are serious about spices and mediterranean fare, go here. read more

Great place to go for spices and hot sauce. I was able to find all the obscure spices I need that I couldn't even find in a Chinese Super market or Chinatown, such as Angelica Root and many different kinds of Cassia (including Indonesian). Make sure you check out the wall of hot sauces. Even if you're not a hot sauce person, it's hilarious to read the labels. On a hotness level of 1-10, they label some of theirs 10+++. I purchased one called Colon Blow and another called Blair's Original Death Sauce. I didn't try these personally, but the friend I bought these for said they were delicious. There's a discount if you pay in cash. read more

Kalustyan's - Interesting hot sauces - Herbs & Spices Near Me - New York, New York

This is actually a 0 star rating, the 1 star is only giving the hard working employees the benefit of a doubt. The ownership and management on the other hand is nothing but the embodiment of absolute treachery and crookery. Aziz Osmani owner, and partner Nurl Absar founder are unfortunately running these places with very little integrity, they change their warehouse name from House of Asia to IBRA FOODS in Maspet NY. They have taken 1000's of $$$'s worth of our products and other supplier and never paid...even after he has PROFITABLY sold our goods and pocketed the money. Unlike him and his big organization, we are only a small farm and depend on our client's honesty and noble character, when we put our trust in them and extend them large amounts of credit, hoping that they would realize and appreciate that we need to feed our family, our hard working employees and their families (the same as they do!!!!) We have made several attempts, kindly requesting them to step up and pay for the merchandise that we have sent them in good faith. It has been years...and to this day we have not recovered our losses with this crooked and right out criminal establishment!!!! For any further background information on this company, please feel free to contact us at (760) 325-0567. read more

I'm actually disappointed in myself that it took me so long to go to Kalustyan's. It's a real staple of the restaurant industry and for home cooks and food enthusiasts in general. You'll find just about everything you'll ever need to cook anything. And if you go for the house brand, it's pretty reasonably priced. Their hot sauce selection is top notch as well. Name it, and they probably have it (or something similar). You can also buy things like grains, rice and nuts. They have all sorts of ethnic aisles as well. You could literally spend 2 hours in here and not be bored. It's just about the most inspirational place for people who love food. They also give you a 5% discount if you pay with cash. Which honestly, isn't worth it unless you're buying a crap ton of expensive stuff. read more

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I bought a box of peda and all the pieces inside were moldy. The expiration date wasn't until several months. read more

Kalustyan's - Herbs & Spices Near Me - New York, New York

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Kalustyan's is one of those places I was dimly aware of, as in someone on television had said "There's this great place down on 28 street for stuff and you should go!". One day while wandering downtown from my midtown job I passed it and the name struck a mental chord so I decided to go in. Boy...am I glad I did! Kalustyan's doesn't look like much when you enter. It's cramped, there are two small aisles with an island of nuts and preserved fruits in the center (among other snack mixes). To the left is the cashier counter with some amazing looking (and tasting) confections and that looks like it's it. However, like an onion this store is multi-layered. Walk towards the back and one side has almost any hot sauce you'll ever need. The other side has seasonings and spices in such amazing variety my brain kind of explodes just thinking about it. Move deeper still into the back and you can buy grains at great prices (their price on Wheatberries beats the heck of of Wegmann's prices, something I don't often say). Also in that same area are refrigerated goods such as tahini, curry and even pre-prepared dishes. Walk past the spice section in back and you'll find another narrow aisle choc full of Indian snacks, frozen goods (including naan, curry dishes, vegetables and so on) and even some less known items such as dried, powdered eggs and gluten in powdered form! I've been there about five times since my initial visit and I still see something new every time I go back. Upstairs (yes, there's more!) is a section for teas and it's quite extensive. Then beyond that is a prepared food area if frozen foods aren't your thing. My purchases have focused on the confections and baked goods category. Perhaps my absolute favorite is their Kaju barfi (aka kaju katli). It has a wonderfully creamy flavor to it while being spiced beautifully. The cardamom flavor is there but not overwhelming. They also have some light, crunchy cookies (my favorite being pistachio) that also have a hint of exotic spice to them, quite unusual! The staff is always helpful and quite willing to answer questions. I also noticed many of the customers seemed to be long time visitors and that's always a comfort to see in any business. Note: use cash and you get a slight discount on your purchase, though they do take cards. If you enjoy Indian food, ingrdient browsing, tasty treats and snacks, Kalustyan's is well worth your time! read more

This post should probably come in two parts, but here is just one as I will mostly forget about the grocery store. Upstairs, and around the corner back towards the windows, a small little joyful universe exists with delicious foods, friendly people, and south Asian soundtracks playing in the background. It had been a long time since my last visit, so I decided to let the proprietor guide my way, and he immediately started pulling out the spoons for some sampling. I thought his first two picks were delicious, so my plate of three items ($8.99) was complete with these and some falafel. I especially loved the mujaddara, something of a specialty of the house. The way they cook the lentils, it takes on a slightly crunchy texture, and the subtle tastes are best before the other spices in the rest of the dish. The chickpeas and fava beans combination was also lovely, as was the falafel that makes anything in the East Village make me chuckle. The plate comes with a salad, but is also loaded with fresh olives and pickles which are almost an overload of goodness by the time you finish (and one person never can finish the whole thing). I washed the whole thing down with one of my favorite Turkish drinks, Tamek ($1.50) in the sour cherry variety. After eating so much, the wonders of the grocery store all around and below you recede to the background, although definitely are worth exploring in their own right. The place really tries to tackle too many places, with North African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian spices, imports, and foods all represented. For Indian spices and assorted groceries, I would go next door. read more

Kalustyan's - Herbs & Spices Near Me - New York, New York

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It's one of my fave stores in the city, and I've been shopping there for over 30 years. The spice selection is amazing! In general, their homemade food is pretty good, but I miss the fresh food counter upstairs, which closed down a couple of years ago. I bought a few ready-to-go homemade middle eastern dishes the other day, they were so-so. There is no expiration date on any of the containers, so there's no way of knowing for how many days the food has been sitting in the store. Makes me feel uncomfortable. Isn't it a requirement to print 'use by' dates on all food, especially prepared meals? read more