Inside Kalustyan's: shelves packed floor to ceiling with spice tins and boxes, a glass pastry case, and bins of dried fruit and nuts with hand-written yellow price tags

Est. 1944 · Lexington Ave

A Landmark For Fine Specialty Foods Since 1944

Ingredients from over 60 countries across 6 continents, under one roof on Curry Hill’s Lexington Avenue.

Refrigerated deli case at Kalustyan's stocked with prepared foods in labeled containers: baba ghanoush, bulgur pilaf, grape leaves dolma, cabbage salad, zhoug, eggplant salad, ratatouille, ful medames, moussaka, couscous tabbouleh, cassoulet, okra, spinach, and lebne

The Story

A Museum of Flavor, since 1944

The aromatic legacy of K. Kalustyan’s founding vision in 1944 continues to permeate the lively spice-filled aisles of the beloved New York specialty food store that bears his name. An Armenian immigrant selling Middle Eastern spices and groceries, Kalustyan established an enchanting merchant’s trove filled with the scents, colors, and flavors of faraway lands.

As the shop was passed down from founder K. Kalustyan to today’s owners, S. Alam and A. Osmani, immigrants from Bangladesh, its captivating and magical essence has only grown stronger — like a rich spice blend maturing with time. Under their stewardship, Kalustyan’s has blossomed into a world-class spice emporium, offering a sensory escape into the diverse seasons, cultures, and cuisines of over 60 countries across 6 continents.

While its popularity now reaches far beyond New York City, Kalustyan’s remains an intimate neighborhood shop at heart, offering samples and guidance to customers with endless questions about its treasures.

What’s Inside

Thousands of ingredients, nine ways in

Rare finds customers come back for: mahleb from the Middle East, dried Kashmiri chilies, Spanish saffron, Opal basil from Thailand, sweet Tahitian vanilla, earthy fenugreek from Bulgaria.

Spices, Seasonings & Condiments

  • Spices, Herbs & Seasonings
  • Peppercorns & Others
  • Pickles & Preserves
  • Oils, Ghee & Vinegars
  • Sauces, Spreads & Pastes

Rice, Grain, Pasta & Noodles

  • Basmati Rice (Dehradun-Indian, Pakistani)
  • Jasmine Rice, Thai
  • Couscous & Tapioca Pearls
  • Noodles, Pasta, Orzo, Vermicelli
  • Wheat, Other Grains & Flours

Fruit, Vegetables, Nuts & Legumes

  • Dried Fruits & Dried Nuts
  • Olives & Olive Products
  • Mushrooms & Truffles
  • Beans, Peas, Lentils & Dal
  • Coconut & Coconut Products

True Tea Leaves & Blends

  • Herbal Tea & Ayurvedic Blends
  • Flavored Tea & Blends
  • Tea Leaves & Blends
  • Tea Accessories

Snack & Confectioneries

  • Wafer & Papadum
  • Chips, Snacks & Trail Mixes
  • Chocolate & Candied Fruit
  • Breads & Wraps
  • Sweets & Pastry

Herbal & Beauty Products

  • Aromatherapy & Fragrant Oil
  • Bath, Beauty Soap & Salts
  • Herbal Toothpaste & Oral Care
  • Henna: Powder, Cream & Paste

Health & Wellness

  • Superfoods & Nutritional Ingredients
  • Protein Powder
  • Nutritional Seeds & Nuts
  • Incense, Wood Chips & Resins

Drinks & Beverages

  • Bitters & Cocktail Syrup
  • Coffee, Cocoa & Chocolate
  • Dried Flowers
  • Fruit Nectar, Drinks & Juices

Instant Meals & Seafoods

  • Fish & Seafoods
  • Seafood & Seaweeds
  • Instant Mix: Appetizer, Dip, Soup
  • Frozen & refrigerated items: local delivery via messenger only
Overhead flat-lay of sumac, black and pink peppercorns, chili flakes, turmeric and bay leaf in small bowls on a marble surface Studio close-up of whole cloves, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, coriander, black peppercorns, dried chilies, star anise and nutmeg surrounding a bowl of ground spice Flat-lay of loose spice bags: turmeric, paprika, cardamom pods, black pepper, dried chilies, star anise, nutmeg and cinnamon sticks
Five jars of Kalustyan's Indian Simmer Sauce lined up: Malabar coconut curry, Khorma mild curry, Makhni tikka masala, Kadai tomato masala, and Vindaloo spicy curry, each marked Est. 1944

Kalustyan’s Simmer Sauce

Restaurant flavor, straight off the shelf

Five real Indian simmer sauces, each 12 oz, made under the Kalustyan’s name and now stocked at Whole Foods.

  • MalabarCoconut Curry · Mild$8.99
  • KhormaMild Curry$8.99
  • MakhniTikka Masala$8.99
  • KadaiTomato Masala · Medium$8.99
  • VindalooSpicy Curry · Hot$8.99
Shop the Simmer Sauces

In the Press

Nearly a century of write-ups

“Change is always a constant in New York, but walking into Kalustyan’s in Curry Hill these days is still disorienting. This is not the store it once was.”

Gothamist

“For hard-to-find flavors from faraway continents, professional chefs and home cooks flock to Lexington Avenue in Midtown.”

CBS

“For decades, Kalustyan’s has carried those hard-to-find ingredients, and plenty of others that you didn’t even know you were looking for.”

The New Yorker

“Not long ago 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.”

Marion Burros, The New York Times

“Kalustyan’s has evolved from a spice shop into a comprehensive source for international ingredients of many kinds.”

Saveur

“Simply the best place in Manhattan for Middle Eastern and Indian herbs and spices …”

Zagat Survey, 2003

From customer reviews

“I’m already compiling a list to reorder! The simmer sauce was perfect and made dinner so easy. The halva and Turkish delight were such a lovely treat. Thank-you.”

Christine Marsh-Rijssenbeek · Halva (Sesame), Plain

“The pairing of turmeric with the saffron made the paella pop. Delicious!”

Anne Dattilo · Saffron, Kashmiri

“Love these peppercorns. Spicy and sweet with layers of flavors but expensive too.”

David Hunter · Tellicherry Black Peppercorn, Indian

Visit

123 Lexington Avenue

123 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Mon–Sat10am–8pm EST
Sun & Holidays11am–7pm EST

212-685-3451 · orderonline@kalustyans.com