11 Items First-Time H Mart Shoppers Should Grab

Although H Mart has been around since 1982 and is now the largest Asian grocery chain in the country (with around 100 locations nationwide), many folks are still unfamiliar with the store. Some have never heard of it. Some have only seen it around but never ventured in. Devoted patrons — who are made up of all backgrounds and ethnicities — are more than happy to extoll the virtues of the Korean-centric supermarket (and the tasty variety of its food court) to these uninitiated.

You certainly don't have to buy only Korean or Asian products at H Mart, since the store has the inventory of a full-fledged, typical American supermarket as well. But you'd be remiss, especially as a first-time shopper, not to try out some of the finest Korean groceries on these shores — from snacks to produce to, of course, ramen. Lots of ramen.

Don't be daunted by the options. Instead, try some of these items on your inaugural trips to H Mart. If Korean and Asian fare is already a normal part of your shopping haul, you'll love them. If it isn't, you'll still love these products, and they may just become a part of your normal shopping haul. Either way, you'll win with this list.

Korean melon, known as chamoe, is a bright, floral-tasting fruit that can be eaten in its entirety — skin, seeds, and all. It is believed to be descended from ancient varieties of melon in India, eventually making its way across The Silk Road to East Asia, through China, and into Korea and Japan. Although known as a perfect summer fruit, the refreshing, sweet treat can be enjoyed well into fall — which is the range of time it naturally grows.

H Mart usually has a great selection of chamoe, and first-time buyers are drawn in by its prominent fragrance. You can't go wrong enjoying the melon as is — though it might make you take a step further and try the virally-touted Korean melonade made by Cantabile (H Mart sells 10-packs of the pouches). It's a refreshment so good it has people ready to book a trip to Seoul. In the meantime, they can just keep going back to H Mart for it.

Returning to the melon itself, you want to make sure you pick a ripe one. Choose a melon that's heavier than it looks, feels firm, and has a long, dry stem. You can make all kinds of recipes with the vibrant-looking fruit, from salads to protein-pairings to frozen treats. But eating it whole on a fork K-drama style is a wholly acceptable move too.

Let's all just give a big thank you to places like Korea and Japan for making snack food that's unafraid, imaginative, shamelessly delicious, and sometimes so bonkers it can only described as not a mere treat, but mad alchemy. Concoctions like the senses-jarring Korean ice lollies (looks like corn on the cob, eats like ice cream), fried chicken potato chips (exactly what it sounds like), and Pepero chocolate sticks (so good they have their own national holiday in Korea).

But there is one popular Korean super-munchable that H Mart carries that a new shopper should get their hands on: Choco Churros Turtle Chips. It's an insanely delicious snack that can baptize people into the H Mart cult all by itself. One first-timer who tried the crispy comestible was ready to hand over their entire life savings to the superstore (in exchange for more delicious goods, obviously.)

Turtle Chips have an entire line of hit mukbang-ers, with flavors ranging from Corn Soup to Flamin' Lime to Steak Wasabi. As great as the savory stuff is (and it definitely is), the Choco Churros is just too obsession-prompting to pass up as a junk food intro to H Mart. Want some social media-sourced Turtle Chip enjoyment advice? Freeze the bag for a whole other chilled level of scrumptiousness.

Bulgogi is quintessential Korean fare. You can find the thin-sliced strips of (usually) beef marinated with a mix built around soy sauce, sesame oil, and either sugar or honey in many different offerings. There are bulgogi burgers, bulgogi tacos, bulgogi jerky, bulgogi in dumplings and rice balls, topping nachos, and on and on it bul-goes. 

So, how pleasantly unsurprising it is that bulgogi has also made its way into the snack aisle. Because, yes, we can have nice things. Let's thank Ottogi Ppushu Ppushu for that. It's a brand of ready-to-eat dried ramen snacks that come in smashable packs. Smashable, as in you get to have the fun of smashing the bag to mix the noodles with the flavoring (ppushu in Korean means "to crush"). It's a bit of stress-relieving catharsis before the crave-relieving consumption. No cooking, just crushing. And then crushing what you crush.

Ppushu Ppushu also comes in BBQ, grilled chicken, and spicy rice cake flavors. But bulgogi is such a classic Korean taste that it should be a primary choice for the newly initiated to H Mart — a doubling-up of the Korean delectability. Remember: Just because you're trying something for the first time, doesn't mean you should hold back. Carpe di-yum. 

Kimchi has become an absolute obsession for many people, and it's beyond understandable. The seasoned, salted, and fermented veggie dish can bring heat, umami, and earthiness to the table. What began in Korea millennia ago as a method of preserving precious vegetables through the trying winter months has endured to become a beloved food across the globe. You can make it yourself from scratch at home (instead of settling for the Trader Joe's variety). And to do so, you need the foundational kimchi veggie: napa cabbage.

The traditional napa cabbage version is technically called tongbaechu-kimchi. But since it's the most iconic and familiar iteration it's simply referred to as kimchi — even though there are numerous other takes on the dish, with varying ingredients. 

Not that you have to use napa cabbage only for kimchi, of course. You can sautée it, roll it, stir fry it with tofu, feature it in stews and soups (egg drop being a highly suggested one), even bake it. Being cabbage, it goes without saying you can make a slaw as well. H Mart's website offers plenty of recipe suggestions, so take advantage. 

Two slices of supple cake sandwich a creamy marshmallow filling, which is then completely covered by chocolate. Meet the Choco Pie, an iconic snack in Korean culture. There are two major manufacturers of this treat: Orion and Lotte. H Mart sells both brands, along with Orion's Banana Cream version. The two companies have a rivalry going back more than 50 years, and it originated with the Choco Pie.

Orion introduced its offering first in 1974, with Lotte following up a few years later. Both labels have become so synonymous with the food item that taste tests are not uncommon between the pair. Choco Pie's appeal has since spread beyond South Korea to other parts of Asia, namely Vietnam. It was, at least recently, the country that consumed more Choco Pies than anywhere else, including the snack's homeland. And this considering it was only introduced to the Vietnamese in 2005.

Americans may note the similarity to a Moon Pie (as well Wagon Wheels from the U.K.) and that's no accident. Snack-makers from Korea discovered the original chocolate-covered marshmallow sandwich on a research trip to the U.S., prompting the copycat. But as anybody who has enjoyed a Korean Choco Pie can tell you (myself included), it offers its own distinct experience. The marshmallow filling is super rich and fluffy, the cake is moist, and the chocolate shell complements instead of overpowering. Heck yes.

A staple of the East, tofu's origins go back two millennia, to Han Dynasty China. Legend has it that prince Liu An invented the soybean coagulate. The foodstuff made its way to Japan sometime in the 700s CE, and then to Vietnam by the 11th century. It's unclear when exactly tofu made it over to Korea. But a poet named Lee Saek apparently wrote a poem that featured pan-fried tofu and tofu soup in the 1300s. Hundreds of years later and folks are still waxing poetic about the soy protein — whether it's perfectly substituting meat or starring as the center of a tailored dish.

Despite tofu's ubiquity throughout Asia and all the variations each country and region offer, it's a Korean brand that stands above the rest (according to some Asian food experts, including Chinese chefs): Pulmuone. It's one of the most popular brands in South Korea due to its simplicity (it's basically just soybean and water) and versatility — silky, firm, extra firm, stewed, pan-fried, it excels in all forms and dishes.

The great part about H Mart is that the chain is well-known and well-regarded for stocking a wide array of Pulmuone tofu products, and is considered the go-to store for those on the lookout. For a first-timer, perhaps start with the basic O.G. Pulmuone to really appreciate the essence of its greatness. But don't stop there.

This big-time munchie recommendation for a newbie H Mart shopper is of the Japanese variety. Created by the Tokyo-based manufacturer Calbee, Takoyaki Balls are the packaged snack version of the namesake street food from Osaka (although you can find it everywhere in Japan). Authentic takoyaki balls are battered and pan-fried dumplings filled with diced octopus, green onions, and tempura scraps, then usually garnished with Japanese mayo, takoyaki sauce (Worcestershire, sugar, ketchup, and mentsuyu, a Japanese soup base), seaweed flakes, and bonito flakes.

This puffed adaptation available at H Mart is apparently the only brand stateside to feature all of the authentic flavors from the original street fare. Digging into the snack you'll find it's surprisingly sweet, along with the expected savory and salty notes. And for those who aren't crazy about the oceanic taste of octopus, this version goes lighter on that flavor.

However, take nothing away from the adventurous spirit you'll be displaying — especially as a first-timer — by picking up a bag. There's a reason it's considered a top get at H Mart. Anyone can walk in and pick up a conventional cheese or corn chip (of which H Mart has a tempting abundance). But chowing down on octopus balls is H Mart done right.

Aside from its army of snacks and immediate sources of gratification, H Mart also goes a long way in augmenting your at-home cooking. Or, say, a massive Korean barbecue party. Although you may not be hosting the latter as a first-time H Mart shopper, you'll soon see the potential when perusing the fresh bulgogi, brisket, kalbi (Korean beef short ribs), and more. Your stomach's imagination will come alive. Your brain's appetite will be whetted. You will cease to be Oliver (or whatever your name is) and become naught but light and energy. For glorious meat is what transmutes you. 

H Mart's marinated meats section allows you to pick up the taste-laden proteins you want, already doused, rubbed, sauced, and absolutely ready to be cooked up and consumed in minutes. H Mart vets know how to put these streamlined, sealed meats to good use by buying some for now and freezing more for later (which you can do as is, marinade and all). If you're not really sure what to go for, just find something thinly sliced. You probably won't go wrong.

From chicken thighs to pork belly to ribeye, you can grab any of it to either impress guests with your "culinary prep skills" (don't worry, H Mart won't tell) or just enjoy an intimate dinner in your abode experimenting with Korean tacos, spoiling yourself with soul-satisfying Korean flavors.

There are many things H Mart has become known for. Aside from its extensive inventory of continents-spanning groceries, many locations also feature an eclectic food court and a mini-arcade area featuring claw machines and photo booths. It's a store that really is a little epicenter of happy.

But it's H Mart's eye-popping spectrum of color, text, and cutesy intellectual property that is a must visit. This is, of course, the glittering beast of a ramen section, featuring, you guessed it, ramen (and ramyeon — the Korean instant noodle counterpart). Lots of it. The sheer variety even outdoes supermarkets in Korea, according to one admirer.

The smorgasbord of ramen has sparked other Redditors to praise H Mart and pine over it if they don't have a nearby location. So what is a green H Mart shopper to do under the glare of such bounty? Honestly, just dive in. Indiscriminately choose packaging and flavor combinations that delight, intrigue, and even confound you. Keep it all in your pantry (donate incumbent goods to a food drive if you need to make space) and see out your days sampling the noodly delights. Heck, you can even live off ramen pizza forever once you learn the art of it.

But, wait. There is another entire section of H Mart that can take on the ramen area for first place in the hearts of adoring patrons. It's the mushrooms, baby. And it's a stemmed and capped collection that leaves devoted mushroom lovers breathless with choice. No surprise then that H Mart has been called the king of fungus, with apparently little to no disagreement on that claim.

H Mart will certainly have your conventional mushrooms well at hand: white button, cremini, portobella, shiitake, oyster, and all the usual suspects. But it's the added panoply of Asian fungi that really sets the shop apart. Varieties like bunapi-shimeji, enoki, lion's mane, and wood-ear are also on offer. First off, rarely do stores devote entire aisles to mushrooms like H Mart. Sometimes the shrooms even have to share a shelf at lesser supermarkets. Where's the dignity? 

Importantly, the quality of the mushrooms at H Mart also stands out even with its extensive stock. People have been known to beg for the king oyster mushrooms, and traffic them to friends all around their state who don't have easy access to H Mart. Poor souls. May there come a day when that can't be said for anyone.

The image is a bright, smiling banana kicking a soccer ball. And beware, first-timer: It's a cuteness combination you didn't know you ever needed, couldn't have fathomed before seeing it, and may never leave your consciousness again. This potassium-filled allegory of childlike happiness adorns the package of a true H Mart special: Banana Kick.

The South Korean company Nongshim invented the snack back in 1978 (the '70s really was a wild time), naming the product after the banana flavoring (obvious part) and the arc of the corn puff, which resembled the flight of a soccer ball (not-so-obvious part). It's crispy, light, and perfectly calibrated flavor-wise. And it's been known to live rent-free in people's minds after their initial partaking.

However, the first impression, especially if you have a typical American palate, may be one of confusion, or even revulsion. One TikTok-er even investigated the imported curiosity as a "snack crime." Trust me, I've eaten it plenty, and the only crime Banana Kick is guilty of is stealing my heart. Oh, and if you needed more convincing: It's the favorite snack of Jennie from BLACKPINK. Need more be said?

Both H Mart and I are native New Yorkers. Having been introduced to the Korean superstore through friends, I quickly became a fan and have sampled many an item on this list first-hand. Along with that, I referenced H Mart enthusiasts across social media and the internet who were only too happy to broadcast their advice — including a few commentaries and articles dedicated specifically to first-time shopper recommendations. 

But even with this specific list, the great thing about H Mart is that you can just freestyle in its aisles. You can certainly use this roster as a starting point, but I encourage you to also do your own bit of discovery. The supermarket has so many great items peppered throughout its shelves. Don't be afraid to go with your gut on choices. Especially if it's rumbly.