New York City is one of the world’s culinary capitals, and one of the best places to learn to cook. Here are some of my favorite places in the city to buy ingredients and supplies, to eat, and to look for out-of-print cookbooks.

Ingredients

Union Square Greenmarket
Buy direct from the farmers and get the freshest, most natural produce, at great prices. The Greenmarket is held every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday in Union Square Park, between 14th and 17th Streets and between Broadway and 4th Avenue.

Manhattan Fruit Exchange
Located in Chelsea Market, on West 15th Street between 9th and 10th Avenues, Manhattan Fruit Exchange is my favorite place for general produce. They supply to restaurants around the city, so they deal in large volumes. This means high turnover, and the freshest produce on the shelves. Unlike at regular supermarkets, almost every fruit, vegetable, and herb I’ve bought there has been top quality and fresh. Their prices are also very reasonable. They also have many hard-to-find varieties of produce, such as several different types of cucumbers and eggplants, exotic cultivated mushrooms, and some exotic fruits that I’ve never even seen before.

Buon Italia
My favorite Italian store, Buon Italia sells imported packaged foods, as well as an impressive assortment of quality foods prepared in-house. I buy everything from fine olive oils and vinegars, to canned tomatoes, anchovies and capers, sliced cured meats, grains and dried beans, and arborio rice for risotto. They have great fresh pastas too. Located in Chelsea Market, 15th Street and Ninth Avenue, across from the Fruit Exchange.

The Lobster Place
My go-to place for seafood. Everything at the Lobster Place is always amazingly fresh, due to the fact that, like the Fruit Exchange, they are a busy purveyor to the city’s restaurants. I’ve not once purchased fish or shellfish at the Lobster Place that wasn’t top-grade fresh – no fishy aromas at all, and no murky eyeballs. Prices are reasonable, and they’ll clean up fish for you if you like. They sell both fillets and some whole fish. The guys are polite and professional. They are located in Chelsea Market, and also have a location on Bleecker Street.

Kalustyan’s
The most amazing spice shop – it’s like shopping at the spice bazaar in Istanbul. They have every type of spice imaginable, and several types of each – for example, they have not just cinnamon, but also Vietnamese cinnamon, Indonesian cinnamon, and Mexican cinnamon. They also have dried chiles, and spice mixtures like curry powder and harissa. Aside from spices and seasonings, they also sell grains, dried fruits and nuts, condiments from around the world, and prepared foods. 123 Lexington Avenue, between 28th and 29th Streets.

Books

Kitchen Arts & Letters
Located at 1435 Lexington Ave, between 93rd and 94th Streets. They have an incredible selection of new and out-of-print cookbooks of all sorts. All different cuisines, all type of books.

Supplies

Bowery Kitchen Supplies
My favorite store for cooking utensils, they’re located in Chelsea Market, at 15th Street and Ninth Avenue. They have a great selection of restaurant-quality cookware, utensils, appliances, and other gear. Great prices too.

J. B. Price
This store is just incredible. They’re hidden away in an office building, but once you find them, they have an amazing selection of knives, utensils, cookware, pastry tools, appliances, and other gadgets. They have some beautiful knives on display, and are helpful in taking out several different knives for comparison. The address is: 36 E. 31st Street (between Park & Madison aves.) on the 11th floor.

Korin
57 Warren Street. The best place in the city to buy Japanese knives. I bought a beautiful slicing knife there for all the gravlax I was slicing at Aquavit. The staff are very helpful.