Asian Supermarkets in Atlanta, Georgia: Where to Shop, What to Expect, and Local Tips

Looking for an Asian supermarket in Atlanta, Georgia—whether for pantry staples, fresh produce, or hard-to-find regional ingredients? Atlanta has a growing network of Asian grocery stores that serve the city’s diverse communities and curious home cooks alike.

This guide walks through where to shop, what each area is known for, and how to make the most of Atlanta’s Asian supermarkets, whether you live in-town or are visiting.

Overview: How Asian Supermarkets Work in Atlanta

Atlanta’s “Asian grocery scene” isn’t concentrated in just one neighborhood. Instead, it’s spread across:

• Doraville / Chamblee (Buford Highway corridor) – heavy concentration of large Asian supermarkets and smaller specialty grocers.
• Duluth / Suwanee / Johns Creek – major Korean and broader Asian shopping hubs on the northeast side of Metro Atlanta.
• In-town Atlanta – smaller neighborhood markets serving students, young professionals, and longtime residents.

Most large Asian supermarkets in Metro Atlanta:

• Are set up like full-size grocery stores with produce, meat/seafood, frozen foods, snacks, pantry staples, and household items.
• Focus on one primary cuisine (for example, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, or pan-Asian) but usually carry a mix of East Asian, Southeast Asian, and South Asian products.
• Often share plazas with bakeries, bubble tea shops, restaurants, and small retail shops, so you can easily turn a quick grocery run into a full outing.

Key Areas for Asian Supermarkets Around Atlanta

Buford Highway: Atlanta’s Best-Known Asian Grocery Corridor

The Buford Highway corridor (running roughly through Brookhaven, Chamblee, and Doraville) is one of the most convenient places to explore Asian supermarkets if you are near central Atlanta.

You can expect:

• Large, full-service supermarkets with wide selections of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and pan-Asian goods.
• Specialty produce such as Thai basil, lemongrass, daikon, Chinese eggplant, bitter melon, and a broad selection of mushrooms.
• Multiple seafood counters with live or very fresh options.
• Nearby food courts, noodle houses, dumpling shops, and bakeries in the same or adjacent plazas.

Many Atlantans make a monthly or biweekly trip up Buford Highway to stock up on sauces, noodles, rice, frozen dumplings, and snacks, even if they live in other parts of the city.

Typical pros of Buford Highway supermarkets:

• Very wide selection and competitive pricing.
• Easy to find ingredients for Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, and Japanese cooking in one area.
• Many stores open 7 days a week, often from morning into evening.

Potential cons:

• Can be busy on weekends, especially mid-day.
• Parking lots can feel crowded or confusing if you’re new to the area.
• Some labels and signs may be primarily in Asian languages, so be ready to compare packaging or use translation apps if needed.

Duluth, Johns Creek, and Suwanee: Northeast Asian Shopping Hubs

North of Atlanta, cities like Duluth, Johns Creek, and Suwanee in Gwinnett County have become major centers for Korean and broader Asian communities. If you’re staying or living in the northern suburbs, this area can actually be more convenient than Buford Highway.

Expect to find:

• Large Korean-oriented supermarkets with extensive kimchi, banchan (side dish), and barbecue selections.
• Strong selections of Japanese, Chinese, and Southeast Asian products mixed into the aisles.
• Nearby Korean barbecue restaurants, dessert cafés, bubble tea shops, and bakeries.

These suburban centers are particularly useful if you:

• Cook a lot of Korean food at home.
• Prefer newer shopping plazas and larger parking areas.
• Live north of the Perimeter and want to avoid driving into central Atlanta.

In-Town Asian Markets: Options Closer to Downtown and Midtown

If you’re based in Downtown, Midtown, West Midtown, or near Georgia Tech/Georgia State, you can still access Asian groceries without a long drive to the suburbs.

What you’re more likely to find in-town:

• Medium or smaller markets focused on specific communities (Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, or pan-Asian).
• Compact aisles with high-density offerings: rice, noodles, sauces, spices, canned goods, and frozen foods.
• Some stores with fresh vegetables, tofu, and basic meats, though usually fewer options than the big suburban supermarkets.

These in-town markets are especially handy when you:

• Need a few key ingredients like fish sauce, rice noodles, miso, or gochujang.
• Don’t have a car or prefer to stay closer to the urban core.
• Are living on a campus or in an apartment and cooking for one or two people.

What You Can Buy at an Asian Supermarket in Atlanta

Essential Pantry Staples

Most Atlanta-area Asian supermarkets stock a wide variety of pantry items from across Asia. Common categories include:

• Rice and grains
  • Jasmine, basmati, sushi rice, glutinous (“sticky”) rice, short-grain and medium-grain options.
• Noodles
  • Rice noodles, glass noodles, udon, soba, ramen, instant noodles, wheat noodles for stir-fry or soup.
• Sauces and condiments
  • Soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin, black bean sauce, chili garlic sauce, gochujang (Korean chili paste), doenjang (soybean paste), curry pastes, sesame oil, rice vinegar.
• Canned and jarred goods
  • Coconut milk, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, pickled vegetables, chili oils, fermented tofu, kimchi in jars.
• Flours and starches
  • Rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, glutinous rice flour for dumplings and desserts.

Atlanta shoppers often use these markets to stock up on large bags of rice, bulk soy sauce, and favorite instant noodle brands at prices that are often lower than many mainstream supermarkets.

Fresh Produce and Herbs

One of the biggest advantages of shopping at an Asian supermarket in Atlanta is the produce section. You’re likely to find:

• Leafy greens like bok choy, choy sum, Chinese broccoli (gai lan), water spinach (ong choy).
• Aromatic herbs such as cilantro, Thai basil, perilla leaves, lemongrass, and green onions in large bunches.
• Specialty vegetables including daikon radish, Chinese eggplant, winter melon, lotus root, taro, bitter melon, and long beans.
• Tropical fruits like dragon fruit, jackfruit, durian (frozen or whole), lychee (in season), longan, and fresh young coconuts.

Because Atlanta’s Asian markets serve a steady local demand, turnover on many of these items is fairly high, which can help with freshness.

Meat, Poultry, and Seafood

Many of the larger Asian supermarkets in Atlanta have full butcher and seafood counters:

• Seafood
  • Whole fish (tilapia, snapper, pompano, mackerel, sometimes live fish), shellfish, squid, and shrimp in various sizes.
  • Often available both fresh and frozen, with some stores offering cleaning or preparation on request.
• Meat and poultry
  • Cut styles suited for hot pot, stir-fry, and barbecue: thinly sliced beef, pork belly, short ribs, offal, chicken feet, and bones for broth.
  • Marinated meats for Korean barbecue, Chinese-style barbecue, or grilling at home.

If you’re new to cooking with these ingredients, it can help to:

• Take a photo or bring a recipe with you.
• Ask the staff if you’re unsure which cut best matches the dish you’re planning.

Frozen, Ready-to-Eat, and Snack Foods

Frozen and snack aisles in Atlanta’s Asian supermarkets are especially popular with students and busy families.

Common finds:

• Frozen dumplings, buns, and dim sum
  • Gyoza, potstickers, shumai, xiao long bao, bao buns, wonton wrappers, and pre-made wontons.
• Frozen seafood and meats
  • Prepared fish fillets, shrimp, pre-sliced meats for hot pot or shabu-shabu.
• Desserts and treats
  • Mochi ice cream, Asian-style ice pops, frozen sticky rice desserts.
• Snacks
  • Chips, rice crackers, seaweed snacks, shrimp chips, dried squid, biscuits, and candies from Japan, Korea, China, and Southeast Asia.
• Beverages
  • Milk teas, aloe drinks, Asian sodas, canned coffees, barley tea, and specialty juices.

These sections are a good entry point if you don’t cook often but want to explore Asian flavors with minimal prep.

Comparing Areas: Quick Reference for Shoppers

Below is a simple overview of how major parts of Metro Atlanta compare for Asian grocery shopping:

Practical Tips for Shopping Asian Supermarkets in Atlanta

1. Plan Around Traffic and Timing

Atlanta traffic can turn a simple grocery run into a long outing, especially if you are crossing the Perimeter.

• Try to visit weekday mornings or early afternoons if you want a calmer shopping experience.
• Weekend afternoons on Buford Highway or major Gwinnett corridors can be very busy.
• If you are visiting from in-town Atlanta, consider combining your trip with a meal in the area to make it more worthwhile.

2. Bring a List (and Be Ready to Discover New Items)

Many aisles are stocked floor-to-ceiling, and it’s easy to get sidetracked.

• Make a short list of essentials: for example, rice, soy sauce, noodles, and a few fresh vegetables.
• Leave a little time to browse. You may find:
  • New brands of instant noodles
  • Snack flavors you haven’t tried
  • Specialty flours or frozen dumplings that fit your cooking style

3. Use Translation Tools When Needed

Product labels may be entirely or partially in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, or other languages.

• Use a phone translation app that reads text through your camera.
• Compare similar products by:
  • Looking at pictures or cooking suggestions on the packaging.
  • Checking familiar elements like ingredient lists and nutrition panels.

This can be particularly helpful if you have dietary restrictions and need to verify ingredients.

4. Mind Food Safety and Handling

Most larger Atlanta Asian supermarkets follow food safety practices similar to mainstream grocery chains, but general precautions still help:

• For seafood and meat:
  • Check that items are properly refrigerated or on ice.
  • Choose packages with clear labeling and intact seals.
• For produce:
  • Inspect for freshness and bruising just as you would anywhere else.
• Bring insulated bags or a cooler if:
  • You have a long drive back to your part of Atlanta.
  • You’re buying large amounts of frozen items or fresh seafood.

If you have concerns about a specific product, you can ask staff at the meat, seafood, or customer service areas for help.

5. Cash, Cards, and Payment Options

Payment options can vary, especially in smaller, independently owned markets.

• Most larger Asian supermarkets in the Atlanta area accept:
  • Major credit and debit cards
  • Cash
• Some smaller markets may:
  • Set minimum amounts for card payments
  • Offer discounts for cash purchases

It’s practical to carry a bit of cash, especially if you plan to visit multiple smaller stores in a single outing.

How to Choose the Right Asian Supermarket for You

When deciding where to go in Atlanta or the surrounding suburbs, consider:

• Your main cuisine interest
  • Cooking Korean barbecue or kimchi? A Korean-focused supermarket in Duluth or Johns Creek may be best.
  • Making Chinese stir-fries, dumplings, or hot pot? Buford Highway’s larger Chinese-leaning markets will likely have a strong selection.
  • Looking for a mix of Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese items? Many big stores on Buford Highway or in Gwinnett carry pan-Asian products.
• Your location
  • In-town or near a MARTA line? It might be easier to use closer neighborhood markets for routine items and make a bigger trip less often.
  • Living in the northern suburbs? The Gwinnett area may be your most efficient option.
• How often you cook
  • Frequent cook: A monthly or biweekly stock-up trip to a large supermarket can keep you covered.
  • Occasional cook: A smaller local market may offer enough variety without the long drive.

Getting There: Transportation and Practical Considerations

Atlanta’s layout means that access can depend on how you get around:

• By car
  • Most major Asian supermarkets in the metro area are in shopping centers with large parking lots.
  • Check hours before you go; many are open 7 days a week, but opening and closing times vary.
• By transit
  • Parts of Buford Highway near Chamblee or Doraville MARTA stations can be reached by combining MARTA rail with a short bus ride or rideshare.
  • In-town markets are often accessible via a combination of MARTA buses and rail or shorter rideshare trips from central neighborhoods.

If you’re visiting Atlanta and staying in a hotel, it can be convenient to:

• Ask the front desk which MARTA station or bus line is closest.
• Combine your supermarket visit with dining in the same area so the trip serves multiple purposes.

When to Use Mainstream Grocers vs. Asian Supermarkets in Atlanta

Many Atlantans split their shopping between mainstream grocery chains and Asian supermarkets:

Use an Asian supermarket when you want:

• Specialty ingredients (for example, fish sauce, rice noodles, miso, gochujang, specific curry pastes).
• Better selection and pricing on:
  • Large bags of rice
  • Tofu and soy products
  • Frozen dumplings and buns
  • Asian snacks and beverages
• A wider variety of fresh Asian greens and herbs.

Use a mainstream grocery store when you need:

• Everyday items like basic bread, dairy, cereal, and mainstream household goods.
• A quick stop near home without a long drive.

Many people find that alternating between the two gives them both convenience and variety.

Shopping at an Asian supermarket in Atlanta, Georgia can open up a wide range of ingredients and flavors, whether you’re cooking a family recipe from home or trying a new cuisine. By focusing on the areas that best match your location—Buford Highway, the Duluth/Johns Creek corridor, or in-town markets—you can find the stores that fit your needs and make Asian grocery shopping a regular, rewarding part of living in or visiting Atlanta.