When Orlando’s long-awaited H-Mart finally opened last month, there were a myriad of things to try, from the aquarium-like denizens of the seafood department to the genetically modified delights of pink glow pineapples.
There are not one, but two entire aisles of instant noodles and cup noodles. There are two snack aisles, and the shelves are packed with a mind-boggling selection of flavors, from the umami-packed Butter Soy Pardo Bibim Chips to the magically addictive Melon Kick Corn Puffs, to chicken wings to calamari to sesame peanuts.
And we haven’t even mentioned the food court yet.
I wanted to try everything at H Mart. But to that overwhelming crowd and hours of waiting time, I said F, no.
H-Mart is America’s largest Asian supermarket chain and is family-owned. The company was founded in 1982 in Woodside, Queens, New York, and has since opened more than 100 stores in North America, as well as several in the United Kingdom.
Excitement about H Mart’s first Florida store (its largest at 100,074 square feet) was expected, says front of house manager Joanne No, “but this far exceeded our expectations.”
“We have a lot of stores, and they’re always packed as soon as they open. But now that we’re in our fourth week, we’re still seeing a lot of people. Every weekend, we’re packed.”
That’s true.
At my Sunday drive-by, chaos erupted in the parking lot in the middle of the day as would-be shoppers slowly but frantically swarmed for a spot in an aisle confusingly blocked off on one end by crowds, heavy rain, and jersey barriers.
We quickly ran off to find a Korean restaurant down the street, but were honestly appalled by the line with umbrellas, the police presence, and the middle-aged woman who was soaked to the bone with live plants and frozen dumplings stuffed into her trunk.
“Customers love our selection and are trying out all the other features,” says No, who is splitting his time between his home in New Jersey and a store in Orlando to set up the store. “There’s also a game room and a photo shop where you can dress up and take pictures. There’s also good food here.”
After a month, I can finally vouch for it.
The following Monday, luckily it was sunny, but I ended up busting a cherry at H-Mart. Sunday’s parking fence was gone. The same was true for outside lines. However, the food court was still crowded. My lunch companion arrived first, took us to a table, and held down the fort while I toured the site. Myeongga, which serves Korean barbecue and tofu soup, had the longest line. Always a good sign.
Family-owned and operated in Weston since 2004, this is Myung Ga’s second location. I ordered Haemul Pajeon ($14). Haemulpajeon is a giant mixed seafood pancake filled with green onions. Delightfully greasy. I want it very much. Soon tofu dishes will be supplemented with a variety of protein options. I chose the oyster ($16) with spice level 4. I’d give it a 5 here, but I haven’t tried it and didn’t want to blow my taste buds away. The spices are great and the cauldron is literally boiling when delivered. Be careful when moving the tray through crowds.
That’s another story. Dine-in orders include actual plateware, no disposables. Guest must return the tray/dish to the original vendor. A rack is installed next to each counter.
This may be Florida’s first H-Mart, but it’s not Joe’s Tteokbokki’s debut in the Sunshine State. In fact, the Korean street food restaurant has locations in California, Georgia, and New Jersey (its first Florida location is at a Lotte Mart in Tampa). The specialty here is tteokbokki (also known as tteokbokki), which is spicy and chewy rice cake stir-fried. Toppings include ramen and cheese.
Attracted by the sundae (Korean sausage), I ordered the friend set ($30.99). Although it may seem expensive, this can easily be shared by 4 people. It comes with the basic Joe’s tteokbokki soup, which has a gorgeous red gochujang color, and a mixed bag containing tempura ingredients (sweet potato, shrimp, squid, nori rolls, and gyoza).
The woman at the table next to me noticed my sundae and was very grateful when I offered to share.
“It doesn’t seem as ‘gory’ as Morcilla,” she says. I agree.
But what I liked best was the leftover tteokbokki. The mochi, kamaboko and ramen seemed to absorb even more spice. I’m looking forward to trying the kimbap next time.
Paik’s Noodles’ chili jajangmyeon ($13.95) was also enjoyable, especially if you like the sweet yet savory black bean flavor.
Food court highlights from our second visit included Chidon’s hearty, freshly fried, incredibly crispy tonkatsu that both my companion and I couldn’t stop eating. You could hear that crunch until the very end. The platter here comes with cutlet sauce, a bowl of rice, miso soup, cabbage, and pickles.
K-Dogs are clearly a hit, judging by the tray stacks I peeked in, but I’m going to skip the cheese conversation and focus on something that’s been clogging up my social feeds since H-Mart opened: Da Van Cheese Coins.
This small shop is located outside the food court, surrounded by coffee and egg sandwich shops, salons, and more.
Along with many drinks (the grapefruit sparkle tea with unsweetened passion fruit boba was so good!), it’s a viral sensation that has launched a thousand TikToks. And get this. It’s really delicious! Crisp, beautifully delicate circles of crepe, slightly sweet, masking a cascade of mozzarella, and just enough warmth to provide an impressive pull even after you’ve returned to the food court.
It’s also great if you’re planning on shopping instead of sitting.
Pro tip from No: Right now, the best time to go is when they open on weekdays when the crowds are the least. The food court doesn’t open until 11am (just when it gets busy), but you’ll find popular takeout items inside the market.
“We also have our own kitchen, and the food comes out faster than food court items,” says No.
Located behind the customer service counter, No-san’s favorite food, freshly made mochi, is ready to eat. That’s a good thing, because she and the 200 employees who keep things going here don’t have a lot of sitting time right now.
“It’s starting to calm down a bit,” she says (my Tuesday evening visit was evidence that there was plenty of room to move around in both the food court and market), “but when the lines are long and it’s hot outside, we’re bringing people bottles of water and handing out coffee to anyone who wants one. We’ve built two extra registers, 12 in total, to accommodate the crowd.”
Best Takeout: 2025 Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards
We would like to remind readers here of the countless Asian markets that already exist here, such as iFresh Market in the Milk District (2415 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando) and Maze Supermarket (10681 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando), the small but mighty Eastside Asian Market (12950 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando) and the huge Lotte Plaza Market (3191 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando). Kindly remind me of such things. Less than 8 miles from Hmart.
Each has its own charm and supports its own local food vendors. It’s good. So if you want to wait until the H-Mart novelty wears off, you can still find Milk Tea Kit Kats or Roasted Cumin Lamb Skewered Potato Chips (not to mention affordable new ginger) at any of the above.
Find me on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram @amydroo or the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com, and for more foodie fun, join our Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group.
