This North Carolina Asian Grocery Is Packed With Korean Favorites, Japanese Treats And Hard-To-Find Snacks
Your grocery list may survive the first aisle.
After that, things get questionable.
Inside this North Carolina market, a quick stop has a habit of turning into an accidental snack expedition with very little regard for self-control.
You reach for something familiar and suddenly three mysterious packages are competing for space in the basket.
Then the building throws in another plot twist upstairs. Yes, K-Pop has entered the grocery run.
By checkout, the original errand may be completely forgotten.
Honestly, discovering a new favorite snack feels like a perfectly valid excuse.
Just do not blame the shopping cart when the bag count gets suspicious.
Fill Your Basket With Korean Pantry Staples And Hard-To-Find Ingredients
The compact market carries a broad mix of Korean staples alongside products imported from several other Asian countries.
Its smaller footprint still holds produce, frozen foods, noodles, rice, seasonings, snacks, and other cooking essentials.
K-Town Market (Kim’s Asian Market) stocks the building blocks of Korean home cooking, plus goods from Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
You can find gochujang, soy sauces, sesame oil, rice, dried seaweed, and plenty of seasonings that big chain stores rarely carry. Not sure where to start?
Make a short list before you go, and pick one or two staples that work in many dishes, like gochujang or toasted sesame oil.
Those two alone can liven up fried rice, noodles, and even scrambled eggs.
Its Raleigh location gives shoppers another option for Korean and Asian groceries without leaving the city. Reading labels slowly pays off here.
If something looks unfamiliar, ask a staff member for help finding the right aisle or product. The market sits at 6014 Duraleigh Rd, Raleigh, NC 27612.
Browse Japanese Treats Alongside A Huge Selection Of Asian Snacks
Super fruit Hi-Chews. Sriracha seaweed. The snack shelves draw from Korean, Japanese, and other Asian products, so the selection can stretch well beyond familiar supermarket brands.
Snack lovers tend to slow down the moment they reach these shelves at K-Town Market (Kim’s Asian Market).
Japanese candies, chewy sweets, crunchy chips, and seaweed treats share space with favorites from Korea and other parts of Asia.
It is a candy store feeling, but with flavors you will not spot at a gas station.
Here is a smart trick for trying new things without wasting money.
Grab three or four small packs instead of one giant bag, then hold a taste test at home with family or friends.
Rank them from best to worst, and you will know exactly what to buy next time.
Packaging can be half the fun, with cute characters and bold colors on almost everything.
Some flavors, like matcha or melon, may be new to younger eaters, so pairing a bold pick with a safe one keeps everyone happy.
Snacks also make a great small gift for a friend who loves anime or Japanese culture.
Pick Up Fresh Kimchi, Tofu, Noodles And Produce For Dinner At Home
Spicy, a little sweet, and refreshing.
Fresh kimchi remains one of the Korean staples shoppers can pick up alongside ingredients for cooking at home.
Plenty of customers say they first walked in just to buy a jar.
Fresh ingredients make a weeknight Korean meal simple, and K-Town Market (Kim’s Asian Market) keeps produce, tofu, noodles, and a wide range of frozen foods ready to grab. A small bakery corner adds a sweet bonus to the trip.
Want an easy dinner plan?
Buy a pack of soft tofu, some kimchi, and green onions, and you have the start of a warm kimchi stew. Add noodles or rice, and dinner is ready in about half an hour.
Kimchi keeps getting more sour as it sits in the fridge, which is actually a good thing for cooking.
Older kimchi works great in fried rice and stew, while fresher kimchi tastes best as a side dish.
Keep tofu cold and use it within a few days after opening.
The frozen aisle is also handy for dumplings, which cook fast on busy nights.
Order Bulgogi, Bibimbap Or Korean Fried Chicken From The Kitchen Counter
Hungry shoppers, listen up. The smell drifting from the back of the store comes from Choi’s Kitchen, a Korean restaurant built right into the market, and it is hard to ignore.
The menu at K-Town Market (Kim’s Asian Market) covers comfort food classics like bulgogi, bibimbap, japchae, short rib soup, kimchi stew, and soft bean curd stew.
Korean fried chicken currently comes in original, spicy, and soy garlic versions.
Ordering works like a cafe. You pay at the front counter, sit anywhere, and listen for your number to be called.
When you finish, carry your tray and bowls back to the station by the kitchen.
Portions run big, so splitting a dish or planning on leftovers is a good idea.
Many plates arrive with small sides like kimchi and bean sprouts.
A word of caution for mild eaters: some soups, especially the kimchi stew, are known for serious heat.
Busy periods can mean a longer wait, so browsing the grocery aisles while your food cooks can make the time pass quickly.
Cool Down With Bingsoo Or Grab A Bubble Tea After Shopping
A warm golden pastry arrives shaped like a fish, with Nutella or sweet red bean filling the center.
The fish-shaped pastry adds another Korean-style treat to the market’s mix of groceries, meals, and desserts.
Sweet tooths have plenty to celebrate at K-Town Market (Kim’s Asian Market).
A small cafe area serves tea, coffee, and desserts, and bubble tea pops up again and again in customer reviews. Taiyaki and Korean-style corn dogs are also available in the building, adding more snack options beyond the main restaurant menu.
Bingsoo, the fluffy shaved ice dessert, is a summer favorite in Korea.
Dessert offerings can change, so check the cafe menu on your visit to see what is being served that day.
Matcha flavors earn a lot of love from regulars. If you are trying bubble tea for the first time, start with a milk tea and regular sugar, then adjust later.
Saving dessert for the end of your visit works well, since a cold drink feels extra good after carrying a heavy basket.
Head Upstairs For K-Pop Albums, Merchandise And Collectibles
Groceries downstairs, idols upstairs. Few markets can claim a setup like that, and fans of BTS, Stray Kids, or Twice tend to light up when they spot the stairs.
The second floor of K-Town Market (Kim’s Asian Market) holds a K-Pop store filled with albums, CDs, hats, stickers, accessories, and other merch.
Oppang now operates as a dedicated K-Pop retailer with three North Carolina locations, including the Raleigh shop here.
Besides shopping, the upstairs space offers spots to sit and hang out.
Some visitors carry a snack up there for a quieter break away from the busy kitchen below.
Collecting tip: K-Pop albums often come with random photocards inside, so you may not get your favorite member on the first try.
Trading with friends is part of the fun. Set a budget before climbing the stairs, because posters and small goodies add up quickly.
For parents, this floor makes a great reward stop for kids who were patient during the grocery run.
Fans can browse albums, photocards, official merchandise, lightsticks, and collectibles from a wide range of artists.
Give Yourself Time To Explore Shelves Beyond The Familiar Favorites
Every visit, something new. The variety makes it easy to find something unfamiliar even after you have covered the basic grocery aisles.
Though the building is not huge, K-Town Market (Kim’s Asian Market) packs in a surprising amount, almost like four mini shops in one: a restaurant, a snack zone, a grocery section, and the K-Pop area.
The market’s confirmed offerings already stretch from groceries and prepared food to desserts and the K-Pop shop upstairs.
Rushing through means missing the good stuff.
Try picking one aisle you normally skip and choosing a single item from it, whether that is a new noodle brand, a frozen dumpling, or a bottled drink.
The current market combines its grocery shelves, prepared-food operation, bakery offerings, and upstairs retail space under one roof.
That tidy layout makes exploring more relaxing.
Bring a phone to snap photos of labels so you can look up recipes later.
Kids enjoy this too, especially if you hand them a small spending limit and let them pick a mystery snack.
You may walk out with a new family favorite you would never have found online.
Plan Around The Monday Closure Before Making A Special Grocery Run
Nothing stings like driving across town for kimchi and finding locked doors.
Save yourself that headache with a quick look at the calendar.
K-Town Market (Kim’s Asian Market) closes every Monday.
From Tuesday through Saturday, the doors are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sunday the hours run 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Weekday mornings are usually calmer for shopping.
If you want food from Choi’s Kitchen, consider coming before or after the noon lunch crowd, since busy times can mean a longer wait for your order.
Planning a big stock-up trip?
Bring a cooler bag for kimchi, tofu, and frozen dumplings, especially on hot North Carolina summer days.
A reusable tote also helps with heavy items like rice and bottled sauces.
Holiday hours can sometimes shift, so call the market or check its current social updates before making a special trip. With a 4.5-star rating from hundreds of reviews, the market has built a substantial local following.
