When H Mart announced the grand opening of their Dallas location, I braved the line and spent an hour exploring the offerings.
Welcome to Don’t Sleep On, a weekly series in my newsletter every Monday where I shout out DFW events and businesses I think you should try. Have a suggestion? Email me.
If you haven’t explored the wonders of your local H Mart, you’re missing out. H Mart is the largest Asian grocery chain in the US, with about 100 locations in 18 states. The stores are large, organized paradises for quality meats, huge produce selections, and some of the best snacks the world has to offer. What started as a small Korean specialty market in Queens, New York, has grown into an accessible way for folks from all backgrounds to expand their palates with authentic flavors you just can’t replicate at a Trader Joe’s.
It had been a long time since I stepped foot into an H Mart, but when the company announced the grand opening of their Dallas location, I braved the line wrapped around the building and spent an hour or so exploring the offerings.
What I had to get:
👉 Sushi
👉 Rambutans – a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia
👉 Dumplings
👉 Some marinated barbecue for grilling
If you’ve never been before, it would be helpful to look online to see what people like to get. In full transparency, there are a lot of things, especially the snacks, that aren’t described in English anywhere on the packaging, but don’t be discouraged. The location of the item and the photo should be enough for you to have a pretty good idea of what you’re buying.
My haul was modest compared to that of many shoppers around me. I spent less than $100 on a lot of things and have been eating my way through it since. The Korean barbecue was my best buy—pre-marinated short rib to feed 2-3 people for $15.
I’ve also enjoyed pork bao buns, sweet garlic puff chips, and that peach ice cream I mentioned. On my next visit, I’ll dive into the incredible seafood selection.
There’s something for everyone here, and that was reflected by the diversity in the shoppers I saw. Besides the new Dallas location, there’s an H Mart in Plano and Carrollton.If you already shop at H Mart, email me to let me know what your favorite find is.
Related: DFW’s freshest finds: Here are the 9 farmers markets you don’t want to miss
