Umami Mart

When people ask Yoko or myself if it was “always in the plan” to turn Umami Mart into a brick and mortar shop, the answer is always “no.” We do get this question quite often. But back in 2007 when we started our blog, I was living in Brooklyn and Yoko was in Tokyo, on […]

Let me start off by saying that I think Abura-ya is the most exciting dining experience in the Bay Area in the last few years. By “exciting” I mean: doing something spectacularly new and genre-bending — all deliciously, and not one bit bank-breaking. Abura-ya specializes in Japanese fried chicken, but it is so much more […]

After living in Oakland for nearly five years, I am jumping ship and moving across the Bay. It’s crazy. I haven’t really come to grips with it yet, as I’ve been so busy packing/ moving out/ moving in/ unpacking/ selling furniture/ buying furniture/ trying to settle in; all while remembering to eat, stay hydrated and […]

We’re excited to announce upcoming events with collaborators in San Francisco that we greatly admire. 18 Reasons and MUJI! The first event is coming up this next Monday 8/18 at 18 Reasons in San Francisco. Yoko and I will be exploring the concept of U M A M I: its roots, definition, examples and tastings. […]

One of the joys of working in Old Oakland is Chinatown. We’re only steps away to a wonderland of dirt-cheap eats and one-stop grocery shopping. It has taken us over a year to mine through its dense 4×3 block radius, consisting of restaurants, noodle shops, meat shops, pastry shops, trinket shops, electronic shops, meat shops, […]

By Anna de Castro Just when I thought February in NY could not get any dreamier (and by dreamy, I mean cold, slushy, and awaiting 6-8 more inches of snow), word came that a Bay Area favorite was making its way east, to shed a bit of light on our blustery season. Ramen Shop Oakland […]

San Francisco Beer Week 2014 took place February 6th-16th, celebrating the Bay Area craft-beer scene with events, dinners, talks, and good times. We hosted Japan Beer Fest  with The Trappist, a stellar beer bar located around the corner from Umami Mart in Oakland. showcasing ten craft brews from Japan, and the day’s specialty, Pastramen. It was a humid and […]

I’ve lived in the Grand Lake district of Oakland for four years now, and we’ve never had a proper wine shop. Popular restaurants like Camino dot Grand Avenue, along with nail salons, bike shops, a wonderful book store, Oaktown Spice Shop — but if I ever wanted a bottle of wine, I would have to […]

Nestled deep in the OG fabric of San Francisco, Kingdom of Dumpling is the quintessential down to earth dumpling spot. I originally discovered this place a few years ago after a visit to my dentist, whose office is on Noriega Street in the Sunset district. After a routine cleaning, I stuck around to explore the neighborhood […]

UPDATED 11/19/13, 8:47pm We get a lot of phone calls about where to buy shochu in the Bay Area. I love talking to people about this — as you know, we are here to spread the shochu gospel here at Umami Mart. So here’s a definitive list of where to go for your shochu needs. […]