Why You Should Shop at Restaurant Supply Stores
We’re not above the occasional IKEA binge, but branching out from big-box stores is the secret to making your home unique. Of course, if you’re on a budget, that can be a difficult task. Flea markets and garage sales are a great way to find uncommon wares for affordable prices, but there's another, less frequented place that we're also big into: restaurant supply stores.
What these establishments lack in branding and merchandising they make up for in useful—and downright fun—inventory. This is where you go to find tools and decor that look stylish, work hard, and don't break the bank. From plastic-handle chef’s knives to kitschy trays, here’s what we’ve bought and spotted on restaurant supply shelves that works as well at home as it does in a restaurant (giant gumball machine not included).
Photo: Courtesy of Restaurant Equipment Solutions1/11Funky candle holders
Candles that come packaged in beautiful vessels are what it means to literally light money on fire. At the restaurant supply store, you’ll find not-so-simple glass votives in every size, and all you need to do is add basic tea lights. SHOP NOW: 1501AQ Stacked Lamp by Hollowick, $10 each, restaurantequipmentsolutions.com
Photo: Courtesy of WebstaurantStore2/11Cool industrial sinks
Calling all renovators! Check out your local restaurant supply store if you're in the market for a sink like the industrial-chic one in Kai Avent-deLeon's Brooklyn kitchen. (If you're not, you should be.) SHOP NOW: 18"16-Gauge Stainless Steel One Compartment Commercial Utility Sink by Regency, $150, webstaurantstore.com
Photo: Courtesy of WebstaurantStore3/11Affordable faucets
The faucets are restaurant supply stores are so inexpensive because they're super basic—no trendy designs here. But a utilitarian decor detail or two is always welcome in our books. SHOP NOW: B-0325 Deck Mounted Faucet by T&S, $110, webstaurantstore.com
Photo: Courtesy of WebstaurantStore4/11Cheap chef's knives
Restaurant supply stores carry high-end knives, but also the more affordable, plastic-handled variety used in every cooking school and kitchen you can think of. SHOP NOW: 8" White Chef Knife by Choice, $6, webstaurantstore.com
Photo: Courtesy of WebstaurantStore5/11Kitschy
cafeteriadecorative traysAny great store is 50 percent “stuff you didn’t know you needed until now.” Case in point: restaurant stores' selection of retro plastic cafeteria trays, available in 12 vibrant colors. They might not seem like a home necessity—until you think of all the ways you can use the item to organize knickknacks or bring attention to a collection of objects. SHOP NOW: Cafe 10" x 14" Orange Standard Plastic Fast Food Tray by Carisle, $2 each, webstaurantstore.com
Photo: Courtesy of Restaurant Furniture 4 Less6/11Stackable chairs
We’re not going to lie: Restaurant supply stores mostly can’t compete with the IKEAs of the world when it comes to cheap, attractive furniture. One of the exceptions is stackable dining chairs. Look hard enough and you may just find a midcentury-inspired metal chair or woven bistro number for a nice price. SHOP NOW: Aluminum-and-Black Rattan Indoor-Outdoor Restaurant Stack Chair by Flash Furniture, $29, restaurantfurniture4less.com
Photo: Courtesy of WebstaurantStore7/11Stacks and stacks of cloth napkins
If you’re a Nancy Silverton–level hostess, where the door is always open and dinner is often for an "intimate group" of more than 20 people, these stores are a treasure trove of table-setting staples, like 12-packs of classic striped cloth napkins. SHOP NOW: Chambray 18" x 22" Transition Blue Cloth Napkin by Snap Drape, $24 for 12, webstaurantstore.com
Photo: Courtesy of Specialty Bottle8/11Jars in every size
We love the Container Store, like any good devotee of Marie Kondo, but finding the right-sized vessels to decant everything you own into will test the limits of your sanity and budget. Restaurant supply stores usually have good-looking, logo-free options in a wide variety of sizes (these range from 4 to 32 ounces)—and you’ll get a discount for buying in bulk. SHOP NOW: 16-oz Mason Jars with Black Lids, $1 each, specialtybottle.com
Photo: Courtesy of WebstaurantStore9/11The best makeshift kitchen island
Restaurant supply stores have loads of bare-bones workstations in a range of sizes. Why do you care? Well, in a story on this very type of table, the writer calls it "an any-style, any-size, any-budget counter that will turn your single-wall kitchen into a room you can actually cook and entertain in." Enough said. SHOP NOW: 24" x 36" 18-Gauge 304 Stainless Steel Commercial Work Table by Regency, $94, webstaurantstore.com
Photo: Courtesy of Ace Mart10/11That tool you wish you had
You know that specialty cooking tool you've dreamed of owning but never totally committed to purchasing? Restaurant supply stores are here to fill in that gap in your arsenal without hurting your wallet. You'll also have various options; instead of carrying one pizza stone, for example, they are likely to have at least three different options. You’ll be a regular Julia Child before you know it. SHOP NOW: 22" Wooden Pizza Peel by Valueline, $20, acemart.com
Photo: Courtesy of WebstaurantStore11/11Once-in-a-while tableware
Speaking of filling the gaps in your cooking repertoire, these stores are a great place to pick up the specialty dishes you'll only use once in a blue moon, without paying specialty dish prices. From sake cups to onion soup bowls, they’ve got you covered. SHOP NOW: 1.5 oz. Ceramic Sake Cup by Town, $8 for 12, webstaurantstore.com
