East Bay Markets with Thai Ingredients

Return to: S.F. Bay Area Market Listing

East Bay Markets: Berkeley | Oakland-Chinatown | Oakland-East | Richmond | San Pablo

This is just a partial list of the many Asian markets in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. This is Kasma's shopping area and she has shopped at all of the markets mentioned below. When shopping, she usually plans on visiting more than one market in order to get everything she needs.

* & ** – given for stores with a good (*) or better (**) selection of Thai ingredients.

Berkeley

Thailand Market
1704 University Ave.
Berkeley
(510) 486-0515

Formerly "Chao Thai" market. Many of the basics, not always with Kasma's favorite brands. Still, you can pick up a curry paste or needed tapioca starch (for example) in a pinch. (July 2008)

Oakland – Chinatown

Oakland's Chinatown should really be called "Asian-town" – there are as many Southeast Asian markets as Chinese. Street parking can be a problem here but there is a large underground lot in the Asian Cultural Center building on Franklin in between 9th and 10th streets.

*Khanh Phong Supermarket 429 Ninth St. Oakland, CA 94067 (510) 839-9094	A complete market, with a full produce selection and even some fish. They carry most of Kasma's preferred brands. This is where Kasma begins when shopping in Chinatown. (July 2008)
New Saigon Supermarket 441 Ninth St. Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 839-4149	Mostly dry goods but including some of Kasma's preferred brands at good prices. (July 2008)
Silver View Market 259 Tenth St. Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 834-2388	Acceptable market, worth a look. (July 2008)
Sam Yick's Oriental Market 362 Eighth St. Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 832-0662	Vietnamese owners and a fairly good selection, including produce. It could be cleaner. (July 2008)
Orient Market 410 7th St. Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 444-1220	We shop at this market mainly for peanut oil. They have Lion and Globe in several different sizes and also Knife Brand, a decent alternative. As a plus, they have free underground parking. (December 2008)
Old Oakland Farmer's Market 9th Street, below Broadway Oakland, CA Friday mornings only	The Friday morning farmer's market deserves mention as one of the best places to get Asian produce. When in season a very large bunch of *holy basil* can be purchased for $1.00. Asian greens of all varieties from the many Hmong vendors. What you don't find can be purchased in the markets across Broadway.

Oakland – International Blvd.

International Blvd. (formerly East 14th Street), in the lower numbers, has some outstanding markets. Parking is fairly good. Some markets are good with hard-to-find items such as kaffir lime leaves (not always available). If you are shopping from scratch for a Thai feast or kitchen, the markets below are a good choice.

** Sun Hop Fat 1 Supermarket 501 East 12th Street Oakland, CA 94606 (510) 763-8888	A large market, really quite excellent, with a parking lot – most useful! They carry most of Kasma's preferred brands. Often have Ebelskiver pans (used for kanom krok). (July 2008)
* Thien Loa Hoa 1199 E. 12th Street Oakland, CA 94606 (510) 663-0138	A good market with many Thai ingredients. (July 2008)
* Sontepheap Market 1400 International Blvd. Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 436-3826	Cambodian market with most of Kasma's favorite brands and some great extras. Fresh young coconut and some excellent food to go - try the Laab when you can. Small aisles but a great selection. Often have fresh kaffir lime leaves and even pea eggplants in season (late summer). Two blocks away from the following two markets. (July 2008)
* Lao Market 1619 International Blvd. Oakland, CA 94606 (510) 536-5888	Although this market and its neighbor, May Kong (below), are smaller and do not have as wide a selection as some of the other markets, they often have extremely fresh Thai produce, such as galanga, and items other markets don't carry, such as the occasional pea eggplant or wing bean. One or both often have fresh kaffir lime leaves, making it worth a trip out there. This market often has Klong Kohn shrimp paste. (July 2008)
May Kong 1613 International Blvd. Oakland, CA 94606 (510) 261-7630	Although this is a smaller market they usually have fresh kaffir lime leaves and fresh holy basil. They sometimes sell their own home-made roasted chilli paste (nahm prik pao) and pickled vegetables. (July 2008)

Richmond (July & Sept. 2008)

* Heng Fath (Wong Fat in phonebook) 435 23rd St. Richmond, CA 94804 (510) 234-3895	A good market with almost everything at reasonable prices. Run by a Thai. Nearly all of Kasma's preferred brands, including her two favorite fish sauces (Golden Boy & Tra Chang) and Dragonfly Oyster Sauce. Stock can sometimes be a bit older, however and one wishes it were a bit cleaner at times. Produce can range from very fresh to very old. (September 2008)
Ranch 99 Market 3288 Pierce St., Suite 500 Richmond, CA 94804 (510) 769-8899	A quite large market with a decent selection of Thai ingredients, although they are spread out all over the store. There is a decent fish market. They stock many of Kasma's preferred brands – unfortunately not her preferred fish sauce brands.

San Pablo (2003)

Houa Khong Market 2049 23rd St. San Pablo, CA 94806 (510) 233-9542	A small market but ok. They had some hard-to-find produce items the day we visited. (September 2008) They did have Dragonfly Premium (not Super Premium) Oyster Sauce plus very nice pea eggplants when we visited in September 2009.
That Luang Market 1610 23rd St. San Pablo, CA 94806 (510) 232-2625	A small market but ok. They have some frozen items and some produce, including hard-to-find items (e.g. kaffir lime leaves) some times. (September 2008)