The Best Specialty Food Stores In Lower Manhattan

Certain foods have more nuances than others, and for this reason, specialty food stores sort through all possible variants to find a specific taste. There is more to cheese and salt that meets the eye. Different regions produce different variations of the very same product, which make them taste incredibly distinct. Here, we list the top specialty food stores in Lower Manhattan, New York City, that will help you better identify your favorite foods.

1. The Meadow

Grocery Store, American

Specializing in artisan salt, chocolate, bitters and more, The Meadow celebrates tabletop essentials with a personal flair. Located in the West Village, customers are welcomed into an aromatic space filled with handpicked flowers and unique products where they are encouraged to learn about the culture and chemistry of their food.

2. Di Palo’s

Grocery Store, American

Di Palo delicatessen on Grand Street in Little Italy, New York City, USA

This fourth generation family business, currently run by Lou Di Palo, brings the taste of Italy to the streets of New York. Di Palo’s is both a neighborhood favorite and a tourist destination. Stop by for a chat with one of the Di Palo family members and ask them about their cheeses, pasta, olive oil and more. Don’t forget to go to their wine store next door where they house exclusively Italian wines and often hold tastings.

3. Murray’s

Cheesemonger, Deli, American

Murrays Cheese Shop Bleecker Street West Village ( Greenwich Village ) Manhattan New York

At Murray’s, you can find almost anything that goes well with a glass of wine – cheese, meat, nuts, olives, breads, spreads, chocolate and more. Located on the west side of busy Bleecker street, come down over the weekend when there is always a street fair and live music. Enjoy one of their famous melts, take an in-house class on a specialty food or just stop by for one their delicious samples of the food pairing of the month.

5. Russ & Daughters

Deli, Fishmonger, Grocery Store, Seafood

Customers eat their food outside of the family-owned Russ & Daughters, New York City.

Since 1914, generations of the Russ family have made Russ & Daughers an institution. Known for having the highest quality smoked fish and caviar, this shop and cafe know how to make a bagel and lox the right way – with extra cream cheese and only the freshest fish. As one of the last standing ‘appetizing shops’, this is a must see in the historic Lower East Side.

6. Life Thyme Market

Bakery, Bar, Market, Juice Bar, Vegan, Healthy

One of the few all-natural markets in New York, Life Thyme has shelf-stocked goods, an organic juice bar and a vegan bakery all in one convenient Greenwich Village store. Having successfully fueled busy city-goers with healthy food for the past 20 years, this shop continues to be a staple in the neighborhood as well as for those just passing through.

7. Sunrise Mart

Grocery Store, Asian, Japanese

Everything you thought you knew about Japanese food will change once you visit Sunrise Mart. The shelves of green tea snacks and variations on wasabi mayo will keep you intrigued, and the prices are hard to beat too. They also have fresh sushi, sashimi, bento boxes and soup with a few tables by the window where you can watch the rest of Soho walk by as they completely miss out on this gem of a store.

8. The Pickle Guys

Store

As the only existing pickle store left on Essex Street, The Pickle Guys proudly offer up all things pickled, not just pickles. They have a variety of actual pickles and gherkins, and then also have pickled tomatoes, olives, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, celery and much, much more. They occasionally add in seasonal items like pickled pineapple or pickled turnip, but it is up to you to pay them a visit and find out what’s new.

9. Amy's Bread

Cafe, Bakery, American

It’s hard for any New Yorker not to know Amy’s Bread, but just in case you missed the memo, Amy’s knows how to do bread. The café has seating where you can enjoy one of their delicious homemade pastries with a coffee or just pass by to get a loaf of traditional hearth-baked bread with infusions like rosemary and sage. Their specials vary from month to month, and their dinner rolls are out of this world.

10. Dickson’s Farmstand

Market, Butcher, Italian, American

It wouldn’t be specialty foods without mentioning Chelsea Market, home to many unique food stores. Dickson’s Farmstand, located inside the market, sells hand-selected artisanal meat and meat products. Their natural, ethical and organic products are what makes them distinct, and all meats are sourced from local farms. They can tell you the farm and farmer that each slice of meat came from to ensure the highest quality products.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.