Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - Connecticut area

posted on 25 Jan 2008 by maki :: 21 comments

(Updated January 2011)

This page lists stores in New York, North New Jersey and Connecticut - the NYC Tristate area, plus upstate New York. South NJ area stores are listed on the main USA page.

General New York area notes: The Japanese-American population of the area is quite small, but there is a fair sized expat commmunity. The main areas where they live are in some suburbs of Westchester and Northen New Jersey, in lower Manhattan around the East Village, and near Columbia University. (There used to be a fairly big expat community in Queens around Flushing, but no longer.)

I’ve also included some bakeries and takeout places (since this is New York after all) and bookstores.

Also see this post which reviews some NYC area groceries.

Note: The stores that I (Maki) have personally visited and recommend are bolded.

Is your favorite grocery store missing? Leave the details in the comments! (Once the info in a comment is incorporated into the main article, the comment will be deleted.)

Statewide chains

Banzai 99 Cent Store: English web site; A general Asian (oriented towards Chinese products) dollar store modelled after 100 yen shops in Japan. Several stores around the state, mostly at the moment in Queens.

Beard Papa: English web site; Actually nationwide at this point. A Japanese cream puff (shuu kureemu) chain. 4 2 locations in the NYC area.

H Mart

English/Korean web site

H Mart is a Korean supermarket chain. There are several branches of this nationwide Korean grocery store in the New York-New Jersey area. Listings on their web site.

Comments about H Mart: Their stock is about 60% Korean food, 20% general groceries, 20% other Asian including Japanese food. Note that a lot of Japanese ingredients and such are used in Korean cooking, so you can pick up stuff like Japanese soy sauce, sake, mirin, miso, etc. at H Mart. When I’m visiting my father who lives on Long Island, I go to the H Mart in Williston Park quite a bit. Their fresh produce area has things like gobo (burdock root) and things that are hard to come by at regular supermarkets and greengrocer’s. Their meat section is really good. I kind of wish their frozen food and fresh fish sections didn’t smell so ‘off’ though.

New York City

Brooklyn

(I don’t really hear about Japanese groceries in Brooklyn, and I don’t make it to Brooklyn much when I’m in the NYC area. Anyone?)

Bronx

No Japanese stores in the Bronx that I know of. Try Manhattan or Westchester.

Manhattan

Manhattan eating tip: Japanese restaurants abound in the Midtown area around 41st street up to about 55th Street, in all price ranges. Look for the lunch specials aimed lure in the Japanese businessmen who work in the area. There is also a fairly concentrated Japanese expat population (mostly students and other young people) around Columbia University and the East Village. You’ll find Japanese bookstores and hair salons and the like besides grocery stores and restaurants.

Asahiya Bookstore (CLOSED): 360 Madison Ave. (Midtown East); New York, NY 10017; Tel: 212-883-0011 Fax: 212-883-1011; Japanese web site; Used to be a nice alternative to Kinokuniya but is no longer…

Asia Market Corporation: 71 1／2 Mulberry St. (bet. Canal & Bayard Sts., Chinatown); Tel: 212-962-2028／2020; 8:00am〜7:00pm (Mon - Sat), 8:15am〜7:00pm (Sun); General Asian (Chinese focus) grocery store.

Beard Papa: Astor Place (NYU/East Village) - closed?; 740 Broadway; New York, NY 10003; (212) 353-8888; Also at; 2167 Broadway (Upper West Side); New York, NY 10024; (212) 799-3770; Also at; 5 Carmine St. (West Village) - closed?; New York, NY 10014; (212) 255-4675; Beard Papa sells Japanese-style cream puffs. I am not a big fan (don’t like that fried-pastry layer over the choux pastry) but many people love them. Check their website for current locations. (maki)

Book Off: 49 W 45th NY Store (Midtown West); New York, NY 10036; 10:00 - 20:00 7 days; Tel. 212-685-1410; Web site; New York branch of a Japanese used bookstore chain. Book bargains abound here, though the selection varies.

Cafe Zaiya: 18 E 41st St (bet. 5th and 6th Aves. Midtown East); New York, NY 10003; Tel: (212) 779-0600; Also at; 69 Cooper Square (bet. St. Marks Pl & 7th St., East Village); New York, NY 10079; Tel. 212-253-9700; Also a branch at Kinokuniya off Bryant Park (see below); A Japanese-style bread bakery and cafeteria and takeout place with a mainly Japanese menu of fare. Get your Melon pan, curry pan and other Japanese baked goodies here. Midtown location is larger, and also has Beard Papa cream puffs. But East Village location has items not available at the midtown store. (maki)

Chez Noah: 600 Washington St. (at Leroy St., Meatpacking district); Tel: 212-675-2649; 8:00am〜8:00pm (Mon - Sat); English web site; The web site makes it looks like just another multi-cultural boutique-style food store (a la Dean & DeLuca) but it is listed on a Japanese page as being a Japanese grocery. Maybe worth a look if you’re in the neighborhood.

JAS Mart: 35 St. Marks Pl. (bet. 2nd and 3rd Aves., East Village); New York, NY 10003; Tel: 212-420-6370; 11:00am〜11:00pm (Sun - Thu), 11:00am〜12:00am (Fri and Sat); Japanese-style coffee shop upstairs, grocery downstairs.; Other branches are closed as of Oct. 2009.; Mini-chain of grocery stores around Manhattan. The grocery part is a fairly typical small Japanese grocery. UWS store was very friendly when I visited back in 2006 - it didn’t have a coffee shop. See my review here (maki)

Katagiri

224 E. 59th St. (bet. 2nd and 3rd Aves., Midtown East)

New York, NY

Tel: 212-755-3566

10:00am〜8:00pm (7 Days) (groceries part); 10:00am〜7:00pm (7 Days) (housewares part)

English and Japanese website

The oldest Japanese grocery store in New York - in business since 1939. Has fresh and packaged foods, housewares, takeout bentos, etc. The place where a Japanese food novice is most likely to get friendly help from Japanese shoppers in NY. Website says they ship worldwide (maki).

Kinokuniya Bookstore New York

1073 Avenue of the Americas (next to Bryant Park)

New York, NY 10018

212-869-1700, 212-869-1703

New location for Kinokuniya. Has a Cafe Zaiya inside (upstairs). Besides books, stocks giftwares, craft items, kitchen things and the like. A must-stop if you are a Japanophile and can’t get to Tokyo (maki). Their bento box selection has been increased several times over compared to just a few years ago (as of 2011).

Korin: 57 Warren Street; New York, NY 10007; 800-626-2172 / 212-587-7021; Hours: 10am-6pm Monday through Saturday; www.korin.com; Showroom and store for a restaurant supply company. Restaurant-quality tableware and knives. If you buy a Korin brand knife here you can get them sharpened here. Also does mail order; ships internationally. Note that the bento boxes they carry are restaurant-type ones suitable as tableware, not lightweight portables.

M2M／M2M: 55 3rd Ave. (bet. 10th and 11th Sts.); Tel: 212-353-2698; 8:00am〜12:00am (7 Days; Korean grocery store with a lot of Japanese products. If you’re in the area you might as well hit JAS Mart, Sunrise and here (maki).

Oms/b: 56 E 45th St (between Lexington and Third Aves., Midtown East); Tel: 212-922-9788; Mon–Fri 8am–7:30pm; Sat 11:30am–5pm; English web site; A tiny onigiri (omusubi) takeout place, with about 4 tables should you want to eat there (maki).

Sunrise Mart

494 Broome Street (SoHo)

New York, NY 10012

(212) 219-0033

also at

29 3rd Ave - 2nd floor (East Village)

(between 10th St & 2nd Ave)

New York, NY 10003

(212) 598-3040

See my review here (maki)

Comments: “Both have a good selection of food stuff (vegetables, frozen foods, staples, fish), kitchen ware, cosmetics, etc. All Japanese goods. The Bro ome Street location has a fresh hot food counter as well and more selection of lunch goods.” - (Clarice) A bit scruffy sometimes, but well stocked and a must-stop for Japanese people and Japanophiles if you are in the area (maki).

Tongin Market: 91 Mulberry St. (bet. Walker & Bayard Sts., Civic Center area); Tel: 212-962-6622; 9:00am〜8:00pm (7 Days); Chinese/general Asian grocieries, gifts and sundries, medicines; takeout sushi; Comments: “A nifty place to shop for packaged and frozen foods, as well as some Japanese dishware and candy.” -(Ami) (See also Ami’s review here)

Yagura: 24 E. 41st St. (bet. Madison & 5th Aves., Midtown East); Tel: 212-679-3777; 11:00am〜8:00pm (Mon - Sun); Hole in the wall restaurant with takeout bentos, onigiri, and such, plus a small grocery store.

Queens

Family Mart: 29-15 Broadway, Astoria (Queens); Tel: 718-956-7925; 10:00am- 1:00am (7 Days); General Asian store. Fresh and packaged foods, some housewares, video rentals

Long Island

Nara Japanese Foods (actually formally Shin Nara Japanese Foods but everyone calls it Nara): 169A Main St.; Port Washington, NY (Nassau County, North Shore); Tel: 516-883-1836; 10:00am〜7:00pm (Sun, Tue - Fri), 9:00am〜7:00pm (Sat); Small but well stocked Japanese grocery store. The store is cramped but impeccable. Food including fresh fish and meat, fresh vegetables, housewares, video rentals. Friendly lady runs the place.(maki); Update: I did get reports from readers that Nara has closed, but other readers including my father’s girlfriend report that it’s still open as of early 2011 (maybe new management?) If you’re in the neighborhood, may be worth checking out. If they’re closed, drive over to Shin Nippon-Do in Roslyn (see below), about 10-15 minutes away depending on the traffic. (maki).

Shin Nippon-Do Corp: 63 Mineola Ave.; Roslyn Heights, NY (Nassau County, North Shore); Tel: 516-625-1814; Japanese web site; Tue-Sun 10:00 - 19:00 or 18:30, depending on the time of year; Another small yet well stocked Japanese grocery store. A bit bigger and a bit better selection than Nara. Has things like kasuzuke (fish marinated in sakekasu or sake lees), koji for making amazake, and more. Checked out in Jan. 2011. In Nassau County this is the best Japanese grocery shopping option you have I think. (maki).; Note: This store is now part of the Fuji Mart group.

Westchester/Rockland Counties

Fujimart: 816 White Plains Rd. Scarsdale NY 10583; Tel: (914)472-1468; Fax: (914)472-1459; Japanese web site; Tue-Sun 10:00 - 19:00 or 18:30, depending on the time of year; Small yet comprehensive Japanese grocery store. Mini-chain of three stores (in Scarsdale, NY, Greenwich, CT and Shin Nippondo in Roslyn Heights, Long Island.)

Kinokuniya Bookstore: 3360 Palisades Center Dr (inside the Palisades Center mall); Third level (floor plan); West Nyack,NY 10994; Tel 845）353-6600 Fax: 845）353-0407

Nijiya Hartsdale: 18 North Central Ave.; Hartsdale, NY 10530; (914) 949-2178; Mon - Sun 10:00am- 7:00pm; English/Japanese website; Part of chain of Japanese grocery stores mostly in California.

Nippan Daido, Inc: 522 Mamaroneck Avenue; White Plains, NY 10605; Tel: 914-683-6735 Fax: 914-683-6737; English and Japanese web site; Japanese mini-chain with stores in White Plains NY and Houston TX. Food, housewares, kitchen appliances, video rentals. White Plains store also carries alcohol. Daido is an old store that has moved around a bit over the years (they used to have a store in Flushing, Queens, once a major Japanese enclave. Their Fort Lee, NJ store has also closed.)

Connecticut

Fujimart: 1212 Putnum Ave. Old Greenwich CT 06878; Tel: (203)698-2107; Fax: (203)698-2105; Japanese web site; Tue-Sun 10:00 - 19:00 or 18:30, depending on the time of year; Small yet comprehensive Japanese grocery store.

Northern New Jersey

Mitsuwa New Jersey
595 River Road: Edgewater, NJ 07020; Tel: (201) 941-9113; Fax: (201) 941-5437; E-mail: newjersey [at] mitsuwa [dot] com; English website; Japanese website; Mitsuwa in Edgewater NJ is about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic, from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan. The fare is $3 per adult, less for kids. Shuttle bus schedule from Feb. 1 2008. Large supermarket, mostly Japanese products, small regular American products section. Indoor side mall (food stalls, cafeteria style restaurant) plus outdoor side mall.
In the side mall: Sanseido bookstore is smaller than Kinokuniya but well stocked, has loyalty program (buy $200 worth of stuff, get stamps on card, get gift certificate). Utsuwaya tableware and gift store and Mars NY toy, housewares and gift store are connected (not sure if they are related or if it’s just a convenience thing). If you are looking for bento boxes, Mars has a limited selection of the cute/kawaii kind. Utsuwaya only has restaurant-type or shokado bento boxes. There is also a Japanese run beauty salon.

My review from 2006.; “Over 2 hours from Philadelphia, so it’s not really close, but my parents and I will often make the excursion to this Mitsuwa because of its wide selection of goods.” - (yoko)

Nippan Daido, Inc: Fort Lee store is no longer, but the White Plains, NY store remains. (See above.)

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21 comments so far...

Westchester (mostly the

Westchester (mostly the region between Bronxville and Hartsdale) has a decent sized Japanese ex-pat community. Here’s one that’s missing from your list.

Fuji Mart
816 White Plains Rd
Scarsdale, NY 10583
(914) 472-1510‎

anon. | 27 August, 2008 - 16:26

Fuji Mart Connecticut

There is another Fuji Mart, a small store, but stocks all the necessary Japanese grocery, vegetable and sea food.

Fuji Mart Corp
1212 East Putnam Avenue, Riverside, CT 06878
203-698-2107
Fax: 203-698-2105

Off I-95, exit 5.

Toshi | 13 January, 2009 - 18:20

Southeastern Connecticut

Southeastern Connecticut doesn’t have a whole lot of options for finding Japanese supplies, but I’ve been very happy with

Lee’s Oriental Market
432 Williams St
New London, CT 06320
860-443-9665

The proprietor is super friendly and very helpful with guiding a person unfamiliar to the particulars of Asian cuisine.

Jess | 1 October, 2008 - 21:55

Forest Hills / Queens

Well stocked grocery, etc.
(northeast of Austin St. and Ascan Ave.)
Sakuraya
73-05 Austin St.
Forest Hills, NY 11375.
Tel:(718) 268-7220

anon. | 7 January, 2009 - 18:30

Albany, NY

Albany has several good Asian markets:

Kim's Oriental Shoppe
1649 Central Avenye
Albany, NY 12205
(518) 869-9981
Mostly Korean and Japanese (check out the kimchi department!), but has some Indian and Southeast Asian stuff as well. Probably my favorite of the Asian stores in the area, and I understand it's the oldest as well.

Asian Food Market
91 Colvin Avenue
Albany, NY 12206
(518) 458-8166
Technically Chinese, but has lots of Japanese products, as well as some Southeast Asian. Not much Korean, if I remember correctly.

Lee's Market
1170 Central Ave
Albany, NY 12205
(518) 459-5250
Another large Chinese store with a fair amount of Japanese food as well. Mentioned here for completeness, as I don't like the management and so don't shop there anymore.

There are a couple of tiny Korean shops that I haven't really been in enough to comment on. There are also many Indian/Middle Eastern groceries here, but that's beyond the scope of Just Hungry, I think...

Marnen Laibow-Koser | 4 March, 2009 - 23:12

Re: Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - ...

Central Connecticut -
A Dong
160 Shield St
West Hartford, CT 06110

I go here quite often to get those asian foods I can't find in a regular grocery store. It's technically a Vietnamese grocery, but they carry all sorts of other asian foods as well. They have fresh fish, a bakery, decent produce section and well stocked freezers. The staff don't seem to know much, if any english, so if you have questions ask another customer

T | 6 March, 2009 - 20:05

Re: Japanese grocery stores in Southern California

This little market is packed full of stuff in a tiny place. Tozai is a great place for your quick japanese market fix and they have great fresh sushi!

TOZAI FOODS
1326 Potrero Grande Dr
Rosemead, CA 91770

(626) 288-5124

socalhapagurl | 15 April, 2009 - 21:48

JAS Market contracting

As of now, only the St. Marks Place JAS Market is still open — the two smaller stores closed in the late Spring/Summer. FUJII Yasuhiro, who ran the Broadway store, tried valiantly to get Mitsuwa (the parent company of JAS Market) to let him take over the store independently with a partner, but it seems in the end he was not successful.

The St. Marks Place store no longer has a café upstairs, either. However, the supermarket downstairs is still in business, and many things there are still somewhat less expensive that Sunrise Mart around the other side of the block — though Sunrise Mart is more bustling and has greater selection of certain things, including tea and ceramics.

I ordinarily hit both places on the same trip, coming down from the Columbia area.

David Branner | 4 November, 2009 - 21:45

Re: Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - ...

They closed the JAS Marts. It's really sad.

Wayne | 14 November, 2009 - 00:19

Re: Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - ...

Are all the JAS marts closed, or does the St. Marks one remain?

maki | 14 November, 2009 - 03:43

Re: Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - ...

I need a site to order japanese seaweed salad in bulk.Please send me web sites or suggestions.

David. | 13 March, 2010 - 19:09

Re: Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - ...

Hey,
Nara in Long Island has closed this year.

Thanks for putting this list up!

anon. | 24 November, 2010 - 03:23

Nara in Port Wash, V&T in Hempstead

Nara is there, I just drove by on Saturday but couldn't go in because of all the snow piled up along Main St. It's between the library and theatre, on the same side as the library. Look for a green awning. There was another Japanese market that closed.

V&T Market, 12 N Franklin St, Hempstead. They have a fair selection of Japanese foods and snacks available, plus fresh seafood, butcher, bakery. Before HMart opened in Great Neck I bought all my Japanese food stuff here and I still go here to stock up on basic dry goods and winter Pocky.

Now if only an Asian market would open up in Glen Cove, we have plenty of empty stores. :(

Kaseino | 31 January, 2011 - 17:36

Re: Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - ...

An update for New York,

the Beard Papas have all been closed down, save for the branch in the Upper West Side, 'Tongin Mart' is now called 'Tokyo Mart', Cafe Zaiya on 41st st no longer has Beard Papas.

An addition to your list:
Kam Man Food Products
200 Canal St
(between Mott St & Mulberry St)
New York, NY 10013
Neighborhood: Chinatown
The basement level stocks bento boxes ranging from $4 to $40, sushi making equipment, Japanese dishwares, tamagoyaki pans and takoyaki pans. The ground level stocks mainly Chinese foods, but they have a pretty big selection of Japanese snacks. The upper level is all Japanese import housewares, Hello Kitty, Shinzi Katoh bento boxes, and a huge range of Japanese cosmetics and skin/hair care.

beneko | 22 February, 2011 - 05:38

Re: Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - ...

Hi,I planning open japanese store in Carmel,NY.Need any advice.

anon. | 4 June, 2011 - 19:51

Re: Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - ...

Kinokuniya Bookstore
3360 Palisades Center Dr (inside the Palisades Center mall)
Third level (floor plan)
West Nyack,NY 10994
Tel 845）353-6600 Fax: 845）353-0407

This store has either closed or moved out of the Palisade. It wasn't there when I went a few months ago.

Jeffinerq | 18 July, 2011 - 01:42

Re: Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - ...

hi,there:)which japanese store i can possible buy a slimming diet pills,authentic!thnks so much!

gennie | 27 July, 2011 - 22:30

Re: Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - ...

An update for NYC:

Sunrise Mart has a new location on the same street as Zaiya. They've added on a cafe-type area with seating, a selection of bento, hot food made-to-order behind the counter, desserts, and drinks. They also have a sort of bar on the second floor with more seating.

12 E 41st St
(between 5th Ave & Madison Ave)
Manhattan, NY 10017

Also confirming that all of the beard papa's stores have closed except for the one on 76th.

Also, thanks for this list, maki! It really helped me get into Japanese cooking and food culture a few years ago (:

emmylou | 31 July, 2011 - 01:28

Re: Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - ...

There's another M2M store near Columbia U., on the west side of Broadway, a couple blocks south of 116th Street. It's been there for several years.

Erik | 18 September, 2011 - 21:34

Re: Japanese grocery stores in Brooklyn

You asked if there were any Japanese grocery stores in brooklyn. I've never seen one myself.

There are a few exceptional Asian grocery stores, especially around Brooklyn's Chinatown in the Sunset Park area. The best I have found is the Hong Kong Supermarket. They carry a number of Thai, Japanese, and Korean items, even though they are Chinese, obviously. Dry goods are especially strong there.

Hong Kong Supermarket
6013 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11220-4337
(718) 438-2288

Ben | 13 October, 2011 - 14:24

Re: Japanese grocery stores in the New York - New Jersey - ...

There is at least one specifically Japanese grocery store in Brooklyn that I know of, a small place in Northside Williamsburg just off of Bedford.

Midoriya
167 N 9th St
(between Driggs Ave & Bedford Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11211

anon. | 15 January, 2012 - 00:22

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