Where to buy sake in Washington DC

I often get asked where to buy good sake in DC. Please, do not buy that bottle of unassuming sake sitting on your random liquor store’s shelf for the past 10 years! Sake freshness and storage is incredibly important. Buy from the following stores that have a good selection of quality products:

• DC Sake Co

  The original and best sake store in DC! They are online-only, but have the largest selection of sake in the city and cycle through their stock quickly, resulting in the freshest and most up-to-date sake available. I definitely recommend them for any of your sake needs.

  However, due to licensing, they only deliver within DC! If you’re outside of DC or prefer a brick-and-mortar store, then….

• Rice Market

  The go-to shop for quality Asian ingredients in DC, they also have a great sake selection. You can get a wide variety from the elegant and fresh Kuheiji Daiginjos to the extremely funky Terada Honke and everything in between.

  They will also periodically host sake tastings and events in their shop and their upstairs event space, so make sure to stay tuned for those.

• Urban Grape

  This wine store in Shaw also has a good selection of sakes available, including some interesting gems like Kanbara Ancient Treasure - a koshu sake aged for 12 years - and Ohmine 3 Grain, a hyped sake from a trendsetting brewery in Japan.

  As they’re not a sake specialty shop, I’d personally stick to the more umami, savory-styles from them to make sure the sake isn’t past its prime.