Resources for finding Persian foodstuffs

Clearly, I'm just a bad blogger. I've been totally remiss in putting up a list of places where one can procure Persian oddities (read: ingredients) such as kashsk, leemoo-amoni, torshi and the like.

So, I respectfully submit to you a list of Persian markets in the Bay Area.

(And for those of you outside of the Bay, there are a couple of online sources listed at the bottom. Because, you know, as much as I would love to be able to provide resources across the country, I do still have to hold down my paying job).

San Francisco & East Bay:
U.N. Market (limited selection, but the only market in the city)
(415) 563-4726
900 Post St., San Francisco

Aria Super Market
(510) 337-9831
1533 Webster St., Alameda

Nick Market
(510) 526-7727
1007 Solano Ave., Albany

Zand Market
(510) 528-7027
1401 Solano Ave., Albany

Damavand Market
(510) 793-2606 37012
Towers Way, Fremont

South Bay:
Paak International
(650) 574-3536
1614 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo

Adel International
(650) 654-3340
165 El Camino Real, San Carlos

Etminan
(408) 226-5992 5754
Santa Teresa Blvd., San Jose

Norooz Bazaar
(408) 295-2323
1390 S. Bascom Ave., San Jose

Online:

Sadaf Food Company
Sadaf is the only company worth buying from online - any other online persian "markets" will be carrying Sadaf product anyway, so you may as well just go straight to the source.

Khoshkhorak
Prepared food, but I think they will send you "components" if you need them and can't find them elsewhere. (Disclosure: this site was started by my cousin who felt bad for all the kids in our family who had gone off to college and couldn't get Persian food. It's an interesting business model...)

Y'all can thank Jocelyn, Jen and a few others for reminding me what an important step I was missing!

Comments

[Viv]

Thanks a bunch for the resource links, Fatemeh! May I suggest one of my favorites online, Kalustyans in New York City? They are fabulous!

http://www.kalustyans.com/searchcatalog.asp

[Fatemeh]

Viv -

You're so right... the only reason I've never recommended Kalustyans is because they don't have a breakdown by country. I wish they did.

I did just realize, though, that you can do a search for "Persian" or "Iran" and find most things that you would need.
- F

[jen]

Thanks so much - awesome! I may have to trek to Alameda for a Hargar One / Aria Super Market adventure.

[Jocelyn]

Thanks so much for putting this together so quickly. Can't wait to check these places out!

[DD]

Thanks for the great list of places to go for Persian ingredients! I'm in the Concord area where there are a number of ethnic grocers just off of Monument Drive and in the general area of Willow Pass Road near the theater at the Park and Shop shopping center.

Also,
http://www.babysaffron.com/ is a good resource for saffron. This saffron is really consistent and more concentrated than others I have been able to buy over the years and since you share Persian recipes I thought you and your readers might like to know of this resource when all others fail in finding good supplies of saffron locally in the Bay Area. I learned of it from a friend who knows a retired school chef who is in her late 80's!

Anyway, 'gotta log off, dinner's ready!

[San Francisco Culinaire]

I don't miss much about the South Bay but Norooz Bazaar is one of them for sure. Thanks for the links... too bad the city has little to offer.

Miro

[Jillie]

Hi - just found your wonderful blog, referred by Cookiecrumb!

Have another Persian market to add to the list - this one in Walnut Creek, at 1512 Sunnyvale Ave., a block past the Main St./Geary Rd. intersection, almost at the 680 junction (hang a hard left). The market changed hands several months ago, and has a full line of spices and many other goodies. # is 925-932-8404. Very nice proprietor and great service and prices. Happy Norooz!