Asian Markets have just about every ingredient you could ever need for any recipe. The markets are lined wall to wall with fresh produce, spices. meats, seafood, and everything in between. We know that having so many options can be overwhelming for you, so we broke down each of the Asian Markets in the Tampa Bay area for you! Check these out and let us know what you think!
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MD Oriental Market
7580 49th St N Pinellas Park
Daily: 8:30AM-8:00PM
MD Oriental Market is open 7 days a week to serve you the freshest selection of spices, meats, and seafoods. MD has everything you could ever need from kimchee, Korean short ribs, and fresh fish to Mama Sita spices, spicy Oishi shrimp chips, spicy bowl noodles, and Assam black tea (in the can).
Also when you walk in on their left side, there is also a small Asian fast food/restaurant where you can get food ready-to-eat!
Cho Lon Oriental Market
5944 34th St N #17, St. Petersburg
Mon: 11AM–2PM
Tue: 12:00-1:00PM, 4:00PM-7:00PM
Wed: 12:00PM-7:00PM
Thur: 12:00PM-5:00PM
Fri: 10:00AM-7:00PM
Sat: 9:00AM-7:00PM
Sun: 10:00AM-7:00PM
Cho Lon Oriental Market may seem small from the outside, but once you walk through the door, you will never think that again. Everything is organized, fairly priced, and the selection is huge. They are a one stop shop for anything Vietnamese to cook at home, and they also have some rare Malaysian items as well. Definitely check out their prepared food section; they have items such as egg custards with ground pork inside, lemongrass and ginger beef jerky, sliced pork sausage kabobs, and rice balls in sweet wine dessert.
In addition to produce and meats, this market also has a separate jewelry and clothing store at the back of the market. There is so much to explore. Check it out on one of those lazy weekends and find something new to try.
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Dong A Grocery
2600 30th Ave N
Daily: 10:00AM-6:00PM
This market is special for many reasons. Not only is it conveniently located in central St. Pete, but their selection is enormous and they always have fresh, handmade food-to-go including sticky rice, banh mi, rice paper rolls, meat plates, rice plates, and sweet bean desserts. They also have a large Vietnamese video and music selection and jewelry counter in the store. Dong A has a fantastic fish and meat section and even an expanded squid section in their frozen food section.
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United Oriental Market
3681 62nd Ave N
Open Daily: 8:00AM-7:00PM
If you love Hmong & Laotian food, then you won’t be disappointed. This market has even more including Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino and Chinese. United Oriental Market is great for prepared foods! The regulars swear by the house-made sambal, hot chili oil, their coconut milk-based desserts/custards, and the rare find of house-made lemongrass sausages and meat patties. The deli has everything from fish to peppers/sauce to khao poon to duck to papaya salad and so much more. Even better, United Oriental Market caters!
Bolsa Market
8730 49th St N
Open Daily: 8:00AM-8:30PM
This market caters mostly to Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Filipino food seeking customers. This market has a large (and well organized!) produce section. They also have an amazing packaged ramen section. PRO-TIP: We’ve also bought hard to find pieces of meat like pork belly, liver and duck since they are usually not available at your usual groceries.
8500 49th St N
Open Daily: 8:00AM-8:00PM
This is one of our favorite Filipino place in the area! This is where we get our “ube” (pronounced ooh-beh and translates as purple yam) fix where you can get ube ice cream by the half gallon and even ube flavored birthday cakes. The food is authentic and fairly priced. It’s one of our favorite hole-in-the-wall kind of eatery where you can sit down and get some authentic Filipino dishes like pancit, lumpia and adobo. They serve it with the same hospitality that you would find at your Filipino friend’s home. Both the bistro and bakery are small, but don’t let that stop you. It’s worth it, we promise.
