The range of international food and ingredients at New York City’s Kalustyan’s is so extensive, it boggles the minds of most cooks, who are thrilled it exists. Marion Burros once sang its praises in the New York Times: “…my search for every possible variety of lentil took me to Kalustyan’s…where just about every obscure ingredient from the Middle East or South Asia can be found.”
Launched in 1944 by K. Kalustyan as a source for Indian spices and groceries, the store has been greatly expanded to include, in addition to the chutneys, dals, ghee, and pickles, items from Malaysia, Morocco, Thailand, and South America (for a start). Need a stainless-steel set for Jamaican idli or a Moroccan tagine? Kalustyan’s has them. How about coconut juice, coconut milk, or coconut flakes? Check. Mustards, coffees, rice, couscous, and even cookbooks. They’re all there. And if you can’t make it to the Lexington Avenue mother ship, you can order anything your heart desires online.