Best Kitchen Supply Stores in Berkeley/Oakland?

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bprescot

bprescot

Founding Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
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Location
Berkeley, CA
Just moved to the East Bay (Berkeley) last year. Our stuff has traveled across the country and been transferred between 2-4 different storage facilities. Not surprisingly, as we're beginning to unbox some stuff now that our re-model is finishing up, we're finding casualties... Before anyone gets concerned, the knives and stones are fine (except for an old aoto from Dave...but if i'm being honest, I never loved it).

But a whole bunch of our MTC plates and bowls etc didn't make it, neither did a bunch of mugs and stemware (this box got LITERALLY crushed... the poor reidel's didn't have a chance... only the whiskey snifters survived.)

Where's the best place to go in this area for good quality reasonably priced stuff (preferably without going into SF proper)? Any suggestions on an MTC equivalent in East Bay?
 
Welcome to the Bay Area...I'm in Oakland Temescal.
I can't think of anything as high end or Japanese as MTC but here are one's I know:
  1. I use Economy Restaurant in SF if you are ever in Mission Bay.
  2. Chanco in Oakland Chinatown is good for cheap Asian supplies. Free parking with purchase. New Tin's Market is probably the best Chinese market in Oakland and is a block away.
  3. East Bay Restaurant Supply is a large and good quality restaurant supply but I rarely go to that part of Oakland.
  4. Umami Mart is mostly bar supplies but very Japanese.
  5. Koreana Plaza is a Korean grocery store with a separate tented area that serves as it's restaurant supply store. Worth a look after you pick up a kilo of kim chi.
  6. I have a coupon for 20% off your entire purchase at Bed Bath and Beyond. You can have it if you need to stock up stuff they sell. They have Reidel so it might be worth re-stocking there.
 
I was actually JUST looking for an equivalent to H-Mart so Koreana Plaza sounds great! We only just found the one area in Temescal where all the soft tofu joints seem to be.

I'll also swing by Chanco. Saw the restaurant supply place, but was informed by a friend that they frown upon "civilians" shopping there ;)

I'm in SF on occasion and I still need to go to the main Bernal Cutlery store. If I'm over there I'll check out Economy.
 
parbaked said:
Welcome to the Bay Area...I'm in Oakland Temescal.
I can't think of anything as high end or Japanese as MTC but here are one's I know:
  1. I use Economy Restaurant in SF if you are ever in Mission Bay.
  2. Chanco in Oakland Chinatown is good for cheap Asian supplies. Free parking with purchase. New Tin's Market is probably the best Chinese market in Oakland and is a block away.
  3. East Bay Restaurant Supply is a large and good quality restaurant supply but I rarely go to that part of Oakland.
  4. Umami Mart is mostly bar supplies but very Japanese.
  5. Koreana Plaza is a Korean grocery store with a separate tented area that serves as it's restaurant supply store. Worth a look after you pick up a kilo of kim chi.
  6. I have a coupon for 20% off your entire purchase at Bed Bath and Beyond. You can have it if you need to stock up stuff they sell. They have Reidel so it might be worth re-stocking there.
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umami mart is my friends sisters place
 
Bernal has a store a 2nd store in Oakland. Also if you're in SF go to Japan Town. Soko hardware has a lot of Japanese cookwares, utensils, and of course tools. They do have small selection of jknives and stones as well.
 
Talim said:
Bernal has a store a 2nd store in Oakland. Also if you're in SF go to Japan Town. Soko hardware has a lot of Japanese cookwares, utensils, and of course tools. They do have small selection of jknives and stones as well.
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Yeah, the Bernal crew helped me out with some sharpening when my stones were still in storage. Nice crew. I'd never even heard of Bernal Cutlery and just went there on a whim while waiting around at Kaiser. Super glad I did.
 
Welcome to the bay! Koreana is great, but not as vast as most H-marts so the selection is much smaller. Their kitchen supplies are in a side store in the parking lot
 
slickmamba said:
Not kitchen ware related, but if you're in the Temescal area check out YuYu ZaZang(https://www.yelp.com/biz/yu-yu-za-zang-oakland) easily the best jjajjangmyun in the bay area, their champong is pretty good too, you can get a half/half bowl. Tangsuyuk is good too
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DEFINITELY checking that out. We were spoiled for great Korean joints back east. I was shocked that the Berkeley/El Cerrito area didn't have much. Thank god we found Temescal. Honestly, Temescal seems more my kind of place. Reminds me of the best parts of Durham/Fort Lee all mixed together. Well... except for the prices... $16 for a coffee and breakfast sandwich at some of those coffee shops is just...
 
bprescot said:
DEFINITELY checking that out. We were spoiled for great Korean joints back east. I was shocked that the Berkeley/El Cerrito area didn't have much. Thank god we found Temescal. Honestly, Temescal seems more my kind of place. Reminds me of the best parts of Durham/Fort Lee all mixed together. Well... except for the prices... $16 for a coffee and breakfast sandwich at some of those coffee shops is just...
Click to expand...
Berkeley has some great food, unfortunately korean and vietnamese are not amongst them, haha. Lots of good South Asian and cheap thai food, french style eateries, and good mid range options. you've probably done all the big places like cheeseboard, gregoires, etc. Let me know if you want some food recs.
 
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