Restaurant supply stores that are open to the public!

When you've leveled up your cooking game, there comes a moment when you feel the need to level up on cookware and plates as well. Not wanting to pay wedding registry prices, we decided to take a look at restaurant supply stores that would let us in to shop. We found five spots not far away to search out what we were looking for, which was six super-cheffy, wide-rimmed, 10oz pasta bowls. Every staff member at each store was super-friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. We never felt unwelcome, even though they knew we might be buying only a few items.

Surfas Culinary District

3225 West Washington Boulevard, Mid City

Surfas, which was previously located in Culver City, is the bougiest of the bunch. You'll find kitchen wares and restaurant equipment here, plus specialty foods and ingredients, frozen and ready-to-eat foods. For home cooks, the pots, pans, and dishes are limited in supply compared to its competitors. The space is very clean, neat and beautiful; this is a store, not a warehouse, and the prices are a little higher than others. Surfas is perfect if you need a rack for your quarter-sheet pan, edible gold spray, and some cultured butter from Vermont.

Chef's Toys

2233 S Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Chef's Toys is light, bright, and has wide aisles. Their inventory is full of commercial kitchen equipment and professional cookware. They do have a nice collection of food storage, janitorial supplies, and kitchen utensils. We bought a new pizza peel.

Bargain Fair

7901 Beverly Boulevard just north of the Farmer's Market

Bargain Fair has a nice collection of bar supplies, white porcelain, great silverware, and smaller appliances. It's a small store with good prices and is basically the restaurant supply for home cooks. If you are looking for beautiful cutting boards or gold flatware, this is the place. It's also conveniently located around the corner from Diamond Bakery, so we now have rye bread in the bread box.

Kitchen Plus

Koreatown Galleria: 3250 West Olympic Boulevard #113

It's a hidden treasure in the basement level of the Koreatown Galleria. Enter the parking structure from Connecticut Street to park in the lowest level and walk into Galleria Food Wholesale. Walk well past the registers to find the door to Kitchen Plus on the left. This place is packed with a wide assortment of kitchen supplies, with an emphasis on implements needed to prepare and serve Asian cuisine. If you need a nonstick wok or place-settings for sushi, shop here.

Restaurant World

1922 West Adams Blvd (at Adams and Harvard in the Adams-Normandie neighborhood)

Restaurant World is definitely a working warehouse for the restaurant industry. You'll find a huge selection of equipment, a wok large enough to wash a small dog in, and a treasure-trove of dishes. If they don't have what you're looking for, chances are you don't need it--the inventory is that encyclopedic.

Did we find the super-cheffy pasta bowls? Yes! We found them at Bargain Fair and Restaurant World. Will we go back? You bet. Each store has its own strength and flavor. We'll be grabbing artisinal cheese and a new apron at Surfas, a grill thermometer at Chef's Toys, special-occasion silverware at Bargain Fair, bento boxes at Kitchen Plus, and everything else at Restaurant World.