The Top 5 Chinese Grocery Stores in the U.S

Chinese cuisines have wide-spread global recognition for being simple yet delicious. Even in the USA, ethnic Chinese restaurants dot the landscapes of all major cities as well as the outskirts. However, dining out at restaurants may not always be possible due to the time and cost constraints. But if you’re planning to cook-in to have a traditional Chinese meal, where do you shop for the most authentic ingredients? Read on to find out!

Chinese Grocery Stores in the US

The first step to a delicious home-cooked Chinese dish is to find an authentic Chinese grocery store in your locality. Thankfully, there are a number of grocery stores that dedicatedly deal with ingredients to cook your favorite Chinese dishes. If you too are a fan of Chinese delicacies and looking for a supermarket in the USA that sells authentic Chinese grocery items, then this guide could help you. Let’s introduce you to the top 5 Chinese Grocery Stores in the USA that are highly popular among the people of Asian origin.

1. Hong Kong Supermarket

If you are a Chinese student living in the US, this supermarket will definitely help you enjoy all the Chinese dishes. Founded by Jeffrey Wu in the year 1981, Hong Kong Supermarket is one of the most popular Asian grocery stores in the USA. Initially unveiled in Los Angeles, California, it has gradually expanded to 6 locations in the United States, with its headquarters in New York.

Hong Kong Supermarket primarily caters to the requirements of overseas Chinese communities and immigrants from other Asian countries. Besides Chinese grocery items, it also specializes in food imports from Macau, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Indonesia. Noodles, sauces, oils, seafood, fruits, vegetables, pulses, and spices – no matter what you are looking for, Hong Kong Supermarket has got you well covered.

2. Kam Man Food

Functional from 1972, Kam Man Food is regarded as the oldest surviving Asian Supermarket in the East Coast of the USA. The flagship store is located in Manhattan, while it also has branches in Quincy, Boston, Massachusetts, and Edison. Their specialty lies in organic produce. Headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey, Kam Man Food is a one-stop shop for Asian grocery items including meats, noodles, sauces, frozen foods, tea, spices, and herbs.

They also operate a food court which specializes in authentic delicacies from the oriental. Besides food products, Kam Man Food is also known for its collection of ethnic gifts and household items.

3. Grand Asia Market

Grand Asia Market had a humble beginning in 1997 and since then there was no looking back. They have become a household name for the Asian immigrants residing in the Carolina region. Currently, they operate from two locations – Raleigh and Charlotte. Both the storefronts feature floor areas of over 30,000 square feet.

While Grand Asia Market predominantly specializes in Chinese grocery items, they also house a great variety of Indian and Japanese food products. In addition, you will also find a good collection of food imports from Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Fresh, dry or frozen – no matter what type of products you are looking for, if it has anything to do with Asia, you are highly likely to find it in the Grand Asia Market.

4. Lion Supermarket

Regarded as the ‘one and original’ Asian Supermarket in the Greater San Francisco area, Lion Supermarket opened its door to the residents of the United States in 1982. The first storefront was established at Lion Plaza in San Jose. Their business is mainly confined to the Bay Area and currently, they are operating a chain of 6 branches.

Lion Supermarket is a family run business that claims to have a collection of more than 25,000 products of Asian origin. From everyday grubs to exotic ingredients, customers have the widest selection of Asian food products under a single roof. They import genuine and ethnic products from China, India, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Cambodia, Philippines, and Vietnam. Lion Supermarket is known to provide greater emphasis on quality and deals with reputed brands only.

5. z.Tao Supermarket

z.Tao Supermarket is a relatively new entrant in the Asian food import business in the United States. This retail chain mainly caters to the residents of Texas. There are four storefronts located at Plano, Katy, Duluth, and West Plano. z.Tao Supermarket has become an instant hit among the people of Asian origin in Texas due to its philosophy of providing high-quality products at affordable prices. Instead of relying on established brands, z.Tao Supermarket went on to create their own brand identities. Noodle Land, Ocean Brook, and Insta Taste are a few of the new Asian grocery brands that are the creations of z.Tao Supermarket.

z.Tao Supermarket strives hard to provide a cozy shopping environment for its customers. The products are organized in an ordered manner, making it easier for the customers to find their desired food items. They deal with both fresh and frozen food products.

Conclusion

Genuine ingredients are essential to prepare authentic cuisines. To avoid the obvious pitfalls, it is important to buy your grocery items from trustworthy retail outlets. When it comes to Chinese grocery products in the US, there are only a handful of retailers who have the expertise and integrity to provide you the desired quality. That’s why it is important to do your research and opt for the ones that have managed to build a strong reputation over the years.

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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