Updated: 2026-06-17｜Please refer to official announcements for branch information and opening hours.
What’s most surprising in Canada is that the density of Asian supermarkets far exceeds expectations. Especially in Vancouver and Toronto, you can find almost any Taiwanese ingredient — even water spinach, sweet potato leaves, and winter melon tea blocks are no problem. This article breaks things down by chain brand and by city, sharing the few Asian supermarkets I personally visit most often, along with a list of ingredients most worth bringing back for travelers.
T&T Supermarket is Canada’s largest Asian supermarket chain. In 2009 it was acquired by Loblaws, Canada’s largest supermarket group, and it now has around 37 branches across Canada and is still expanding. For Taiwanese ingredients, you can find almost everything — thick soy sauce paste, sha cha sauce, winter melon tea blocks, tapioca pearls, Taiwanese instant noodles; fresh produce (water spinach, sweet potato leaves, bitter melon, banana blossom, and other Asian vegetables) and fresh seafood (live crab, live lobster, all kinds of fish) are even more of its strong suit, far fresher than at an ordinary supermarket. The deli section’s braised pork rice, three-cup chicken, Taiwanese-style braised pork, and bubble milk tea are also very popular. Prices are a bit higher than ordinary local supermarkets, but far cheaper than an Asian restaurant. The cities with the densest concentration of branches are Vancouver (Richmond, Burnaby, Metrotown) and Toronto (Scarborough, Mississauga).
H-Mart is North America’s largest Korean supermarket chain, currently with around 13 branches in Canada. Although it focuses on Korean ingredients, it sells far more than just Korean goods — Japanese, Taiwanese, Chinese, and Thai ingredients are all there, and its deli section is very strong. It has the most complete range of Korean instant noodles (Nongshim, Samyang, Ottogi), and a rich selection of Japanese ingredients (kombu, bonito flakes, sake) as well; the deli section has Korean fried chicken, kimchi, and all kinds of seafood, and some branches even have a Korean restaurant in an attached food court. Its main branch cities in Canada include Vancouver (Coquitlam, Burnaby), Toronto (North York), and Calgary.
If you’re looking for Japanese ingredients (miso, soy sauce, matcha, wagashi), there are a few specialty Japanese supermarkets worth a trip. Fujiya is a small Japanese supermarket on Main St. in Vancouver, with the most complete range of imported Japanese goods; the downside is that prices are on the high side. Osaka Supermarket is in Toronto, specializing in Japanese ingredients plus prepared bento. Sanko Trading, also in Toronto, is a long-established name for imported Japanese foods.
A Practical Shopping Map for Each City
Vancouver / Richmond: T&T Supermarket (Aberdeen Centre, Metrotown), H-Mart (Coquitlam), Osaka Supermarket (Richmond); to save a little, you can go to Nations Fresh Foods, which has a similar selection to T&T but is usually cheaper, and Richmond’s Welcome Supermarket is also a favorite of many travelers.
Toronto / Scarborough: T&T Supermarket (Scarborough Town Centre, Downtown), H-Mart (North York), Galleria Supermarket (a Korean supermarket; Thornhill, North York), PAT Asian Foods (Koreatown); for the most concentrated Taiwanese food, head to the various small supermarkets around Pacific Mall in Markham.
Calgary: T&T Supermarket (Sunridge), H-Mart (NE Calgary), and there are also Asian supermarkets like Ranch 99 to browse.
If you’re here on a short trip and want to bring a taste of Taiwan home or cook for yourself, here is my compiled must-buy list for travelers along with the most convenient places to shop:
| Ingredient | Where to Buy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Soy sauce paste / fermented soy paste | T&T, H-Mart | Kikkoman and Wan Ja Shan both available |
| Sha cha sauce | T&T | Bull Head brand |
| Tapioca pearls | T&T, H-Mart, online | Quick-cook pearls |
| Taiwanese instant noodles | T&T, H-Mart | Uni-President noodles, Wei Lih Jia Jiang |
| Winter melon tea blocks | T&T | A summer essential |
| Sweet potato leaves / water spinach | T&T produce section | Freshest on weekends |
| Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise | H-Mart, T&T | Often cheaper than in Taiwan |
A few money-saving tips I use myself: T&T usually has a weekly sale on Wednesdays, and downloading the official app lets you check the Weekly Flyer; deli items near closing time (8 to 9 PM) are often discounted; Costco’s Asian ingredients (instant noodles, seaweed, Korean snacks) also offer great value; and if you want to buy Taiwanese food in bulk, Facebook traveler communities across Canada often have online group buys you can join.
Let me also answer a few questions I’m often asked here. Can you buy Taiwanese instant noodles in Canada? Yes — both T&T and H-Mart carry Taiwanese brands like Wei Lih Jia Jiang Mian and Uni-President noodles; there just aren’t as many flavor choices as in a Taiwanese supermarket, and certain specific flavors may require buying online. Where can you find Taiwanese tea? You can find some high-quality Taiwanese tea brands at T&T, or go to a tea shop in Chinatown; Vancouver’s Granville Island Market and Toronto’s Kensington Market also have tea specialty vendors, but the most complete selection is still online. As for whether Asian supermarkets are more expensive than local ones? Asian vegetables (water spinach, sweet potato leaves, etc.) are usually cheaper than at local supermarkets; overall, T&T’s prices are close to those of Metro, a mid-priced local supermarket, while H-Mart’s Korean ingredients are a bit pricier — but with better quality and selection. For further reading, you can also check out our list of must-eat foods in Canada and Canada supermarket ranking.
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