Asia Supermarket

A funny thing happened while shopping… After enjoying dim sum in Chinatown, we took our adventurous American friend to this Asian grocery store in the basement… as he bounded down the stairs into a murky, poorly lit atmosphere, the sights and scents of the protein section were augmented and concentrated by the underground, claustrophobic location and lack of powerful (or really any) ventilation. Once he laid his eyes on the living, hopping, crawling, and non-​living exotic proteins found in such an emporium, our friend promptly turned a bit green and made his way back up the stairs — rather more slowly and less steady than he made his brave descent into this lair.
We, however, enjoyed giggling at our friends discomfort and picked up the Asian ingredients we needed. Job done, we headed home, and everyone (including our good friend) had a nice chuckle.

Love the underground restaurant… Cheap n tasty don’t mind with not tidy nor not too clean at all…

Over the years, this basement emporium has become my last resort for ingredients that just can’t be found anywhere else in the City. That special vinegar for dumplings, the fried chili in oil with black beans, and the narrow gauge rolling pin for making dumpling skins from scratch, all reside in Asia Supermarket. But, you might need help finding all of them from the amazing employees who have the entire layout memorized.
Speaking Mandarin or Cantonese helps, but with a smile and small kowtow, they switch to English and will even guide you to where these treasures are found.

I am very happy I found this place. I can now find all my Chinese foods and snacks here. I come here from Wilmington every other week or so to get my Chinese grocery. This place has a lot of selections and prices are good. If you shop here and park at the parking structure, 1^st hr is free.

according to the definition of what a supermarket is: «a large self-​service store selling foods and household goods»
Asia Supermarket does encompass Asian foods and chinaware… however, I would not say it has a wide variety of other household goods. You would mainly go here for key ingredients that you need to cook certain Asian foods.
I noticed that they don’t have quality brands of toothbrush, toothpaste, or feminine napkins. If you’re really desperate to have any of these items, you’ll find them but the supermarket only sells crappy kinds… I asked one of grocery clerks if they had tampons or pads and she didn’t understand me. I had to show her a picture on my phone. I was so desperate…
When I was checking out, I noticed that she owed me two pennies… I was going to say, «it’s OK, I don’t need change», but even before I offered – she just assumed and closed the cash register. I know it’s only two pennies, but i was kinda taken back. I left feeling yucky overall. I think I’m going to continue to shop at Hmart even for Asian products from now on.

I don’t know why everyone is hard on Asia Supermarket. Yes, it’s dirty, and yes it’s underground so it can smell, um, «exotic.» But that’s kind of par for the course with Chinese grocery stores. The prices are good, the produce is (mostly) good, and the selection is by far the best in Philly’s Chinatown. If you want a specific type of soy sauce or chili sauce or bok choy, this is the place to get it.

Whenever I need anything Asian from kimchi to dried noodles, I come here. The store is relatively clean. However, you need to check the expiration dates on the dried goods as some of the less popular items tend to stay on the shelf too long.
One of the downsides is the parking. It’s a TINY parking lot and you can easily get stuck waiting behind several cars. And when it gets really bad they’ll sometimes open the lot for a school across the street.

I really like Asian supermarkets and I don’t often find major variation in them. They have hard-​to-​find supplies at good prices and have a fishy smell. This one is near my weekly grocery commute, so I want happy to use it. Plus, it’s connected to Tasty Place which I love!

This market is really close to Market East, has a wide variety of dried goods, and opens later than most of the other grocery stores nearby. But the frozen and fresh selections are somewhat paltry… Chung May has ²⁄₃ the space and twice the cabinets! It’s also a bit more expensive. I would go here again, but really only if it was after 8 PM.

This place is alright… This is my H-​mart alternative since their grocery store is outside the city in the ghetto somewhere. However, it is also the most expensive place in chinatown for groceries.
*********CAUTION**********
Make absolutely sure to bring a calculator with you because I have caught them over 4 times charging me for things I did not have in my grocery bags. They usually have a habit of adding an additional 20% of costs. THEY DO NOT HAVE A SCANNER, they input your grocery costs manually, so beware.
The people usually doing this are the high school girls who work there part-​time on the weekends and the lady on the cash register that is closest to the indoor restaurant.
********CAUTION*************
I have only been here about 10 times. I have only just started double checking what they charged me. They probably do this every time I go in.
Although half white and filipino and actually live in C-​Town, I suspect they target anyone who look like tourists or aren’t Chinese…
Now I know why my friends always triple check their receipts around here.
You have been warned.

A kid in a candy store… that’s how I’d describe my first visit. And while the reviews provided an accurate description of the physical description of this market… it’s the contents that matter… this gem is truly a SUPERmarket.
I’ve come to rely on H-​Mart for my Pacific Island cooking needs but I was downtown so I thought I’d stop in here for a few things that I forgot to get earlier in the week… I ended up spending an hour in this store and walked out with 3 heavy bags before I realized that I was on the el and my car was at home.
They have absolutely everything I need other than pancit noodles… I was pleasantly surprised to find my beloved prawn crackers that I hadn’t seen since I visited Japantown in San Fran. Not only have they stuffed quite an assortment into this dingy basement, but the prices are great… bye-​bye H-​Mart, hello Asia Supermarket.
As Elva L. said ‘there’s nothing you can’t find here.”

When I tell my friends that I usually go to an underground supermarket, it does sound shadyy…
But I promise, it’s worth a visit! The variety of Asian grocery items is nice and very decent for the price. But sure, it’s far from a fancy place. Though it’s not like you’re really hanging out there anyway. I get my groceries and leave.

I am begrudgingly a fan. I don’t want to like this place, but I damn near have no choice.
There’s nothing you can’t find here.
If you’re making a fusion dish, this place is your best bet. They have regular American mayo and ketchup; both are surprisingly hard to find at other Asian grocery stores.
If you’re making a tradition dish, you’ll find everything from specific kinds of dried fish, noodles, and even specific cooking utensils.
Their prices are mostly comparable with other Asian markets, though I have found pricing discrepancies in some instances with Asia being the overpriced party.
The useful stuff aside, they have an astonishingly extensive collection of snacks. I have definitely come here and spent more on candies and cookies than proper food on a few occasions.
My main grudge with Asia is that it’s underground. I think being underground has intensified the weird smells present in the store. It definitely feels, looks, and smells like a basement. It’s not exactly a pleasant shopping experience. I suppose that’s forgivable considering most Asian markets are no thrill.
If there was a store identical in selection above ground I would never set foot in Asia again. Even so, it doesn’t feel right to give an unfavorable review because of the inferior location.

Other reviewers are right in describing it as dark and dirty. It’s like shopping in a dungeon. I hurried to get what I needed and get out because it was not the kind of place I’d like to spend time in.
I would think twice before buying fresh produce or meat here, but the canned goods I got were fine according to the expiration date, although they were dusty. At first I couldn’t find any prices listed on the shelf, but then I realized there were price stickers on the items.
When I got to the counter, they didn’t even have a scanner! The cashier had to type the prices in. There were holes in the conveyor belt you put the groceries on. Surprisingly, they take credit cards though. The cashier was very unfriendly and so was the lady bagging the groceries.
On a positive note, The coconut milk I bought here tasted fine. The market is very conveniently located near Market East Station. I would go here again to get a couple packaged ingredients only if I didn’t have time to take a car somewhere better, such as Oregon Market in South Philly. However, I’d like to avoid it if possible.

Asia Supermarket is Hmart light.
You must go it alone. Don’t ask where the panko is, because no one is going to tell you and you’ll look like a dick. (NOTE: It’s across from the bulk spices)
Despite this place’s extremely rough edges, I like it. It has a lot of my favorite things for cheap, and the candy/​frozen section is weird and wonderful in ways I can’t begin to describe.
Some highlights:
Bamboo steamers for $ 8
Giant bags of spices for $ 2
Kewpie mayo! Yay creepy baby!
Shirataki noodles for you carb counters
Pocky for days
Live frogs for sale in a giant rubbermaid container to make you feel uncomfortable and sad
Hmart is better, but it’s also more expensive and requires a car. Pick your battles, people.

Welcome to the dingy underbelly of the grocery store world. If you’re looking for cheap food with hilariously vague cooking directions («cook until done») then you’ve come to the right place. Customer service is basically nonexistent and floor repairs are an afterthought. This place has two saving graces:
1. The groceries are cheap. I cannot emphasize how cheap the stuff is. Sure, some of it is of atrocious quality (stay the hell away from the pickled ginger from Thailand), but you’ll feed an army for the cost of one meal at Village Whiskey.
2. They carry strange and rare spices and sauces that you may want to try. From Thai to Japanese to Chinese cooking, they have a little bit of everything. Sure, the clerk will not be helpful at all when you try to find something, but you’ll track it down after you wander around for long enough.

DUMPLINGS! and Pocky! and Shin Ramyeon! and MORE DUMPLINGS!
Whenever I’m around 12^th and Market I have a huge dilemma: do I want to go to Iovine’s for fresh produce and crowds? Or do I want to walk a few more blocks for the dingy creepy underground awesomeness that is Asia Supermarket? Decisions, decisions.
Whenever my Asian half gets the best of me, I never regret it. Aisles full of soy sauce and sesame oil and chili oil and sriracha and every kind of sauce you could ever imagine. Rows and rows of noodles-​rice noodles, vermicelli, ramen, every kind of noodle ever! I think they even have white people noodles. Freezers full of DUMPLINGS– veggie and pork, veggie, chicken and veggie, chicken and pork? They have all of them.
The veggie section and meat section can be tricky though, because everything’s labelled in Chinese… so I hope you know what the vegetables you want look like.
Cheap prices, great selection of Asian goodies, and they take credit card over $ 10 I think. Don’t be scared to go underground. And Tasty Place (the «restaurant» inside) is pretty good too (and super cheap). You’re welcome, world.

My go-​to place for anything Asian and grocery related. And to be clear, it’s actually underground: you can go through either their 11^th St or Race St entrances. Yes, as other reviewers mentioned, it’s not the most appealing supermarket to look at. However, this has no effect on their produce’s selection or freshness. Their vegetables are always crisp and healthy-​looking.
Other pros includes their frozen sections and their snacks. They have over 20 varieties of frozen dumplings and just about any type of frozen delight to satisfy any type of craving. Their snacks section is also quite impressive, with selections from around Asia, including Japan and Vietnam.
They also sell kitchenware, although I can’t really comment on its selection or quality. Definitely a place to stop by if you’re in the neighborhood and have a craving for something. It’s also a great place to stop by if you’re looking for hot pot ingredients. Not only do they have your common frozen fish balls and soup base selection, they sell pre-​sliced meats that are cut perfectly for hot pot. And they’re at prices which are more than reasonable.

This is another Asian supermarket that’s a great source for basic foods with a long shelf life, like dry noodles, cans and jars, of which they have a pretty good selection. I especially appreciate their selection of coconut milk. The produce doesn’t always look so great, but some is fine. As usual, you need to check carefully before you buy. They also stock a lot of kitchen supplies, so that’s handy.
Reasonable prices in general. There’s a credit/​debit card minimum ($ 10, I think).

This underground market has been here forever. Every time I’m there, I feel like spelunking. It’s not as big as the markets in South Philly, but it’s convenient for Chinatown residents/​visitors.
They stock a selection of produce and fresh fish. There’s also tea and plateware if you need any. Prices are generally good — nothing’s needlessly marked up. Management uses the space effectively, that’s for sure.
Hungry? There’s a restaurant in-​house if you don’t feel like leaving.