Visiting Lotte Market in Orlando

Ever wondered what would happen if you combined a bakery, a Korean beauty store and an Asian supermarket under one roof? Well, wonder no more – Orlando has all this, and more, in the shape of the wildly eclectic Lotte Plaza Market, one of the city’s most unusual shopping options.

Now, you might think: “Why would I be interested in an Asian supermarket experience?” And it’s a perfectly good question. But we’re here this week to reveal the full intrigue and fascination behind this relatively humble superstore, which sits on Highway 50 just west of the city centre.

Lotte Market is actual a national chain that can also be found in New Jersey, Virginia and Maryland and it features a truly dazzling array of fresh produce and grocery items from as far afield as Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines. It can be found 20 miles north-east of Walt Disney World, just a 30-minute drive from the main tourist area. And it is an absolutely astonishing place to visit, even if you don’t buy anything.

Who created Lotte Market?

Dating back to 1976 in Maryland, Lotte Market is an offshoot of the giant Lotte Group of South Korea, and quickly opened up new locations throughout the state and neighbouring Virginia to serve a growing Asian population. It spread to Edison, New Jersey, and Orlando – its first Florida location – as recently as 2019, and has quickly become one of our most offbeat shopping options that caters directly to the local Vietnamese, Japanese, Filipino and Korean communities.

If ever you want to get an idea of the amazing ethnicity that modern Orlando has to offer, you only need to stop by this capacious store and marvel at the broad range of cultures flocking to its doors!

This part of Florida certainly has a hugely enticing array of supermarkets in the form of Publix, Winn-Dixie, Sprouts, Whole Foods, Fresh Market and even Aldi (one of the fastest-growing brands in the US), but there is nothing like Lotte Market, even in the downtown area nicknamed Little Vietnam on Mills Avenue.

What does Lotte Market sell?

If you think the likes of Publix and Winn-Dixie are well stocked, in the words of the song, you ain’t seen nothing yet. There are vegetables you’ve probably never heard of; different fruits that look like something from another planet; and a fresh fish and shellfish counter that makes the average fish-and-chippy look like a sad relic of yesterday.

This is Asian produce the like of which you are unlikely to see outside Asia itself. The photos themselves tell a great story of the variety – and sheer outlandishness – of the goods on offer, and browsing the shelves is an exercise in pure oriental charm. For those who enjoy their ramen and other types of noodles, this is an Aladdin’s Cave of variety. For those unfamiliar with this Asian cuisine, prepare to have your mind suitably boggled.

And, just when you think you’ve seen it all, you pass through the check-outs to discover another fascination – the Tous les Jours café and bakery, which suddenly adds a big dollop of French style to the location, as well as a delicious array of coffees and smoothies. If you didn’t sample the food court on the way in, this is definitely a must-try.

So, what’s there?

The first thing you see as out enter this warehouse-like store is the Asian food court immediately to your right, to give you a taste of the unusual right from the start. That’s right, a supermarket with its own food court. And here, you’ll find a wide range of cuisines, including a selection of traditional Korean dishes (at each of Izziban Katsu, Joen and Seoul Soon Tofu) plus Filipino, Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese fare. We highly recommend trying the Halo-Halo, or shaved ice dessert filled with ice, sweet milk, ube ice cream, crème caramel and cereal, all mixed with red bean, jackfruit, macapuno coconut and strawberry popping pearls. It’s one of the signature dishes at Filipino-inspired Taglish and is absolutely heavenly!

But all that’s just an appetiser for the dazzling array of goods when you step into the main part of the supermarket. Get ready for an exploration of exotic fruit and veg as you encounter things like banana flower, jicama, Korean melon and nagaimo (Chinese yams), plus Bac Ha (malanga stem), Gobo (burdock root) and six different types of international eggplant, including Indian and Thai. There’s the outlandish Jackfruit, Korean cucumber and Gingko Nut, as well as another welter of yam varieties.

From the fresh produce you then reach the fish counter, but this is not like any seafood selection you’ve seen in Europe. There is a huge tank of live blue crabs and a boat-load of live, locally-sourced crawfish; a choice of different clams; and several dozen types of fish, many of which you won’t have heard of (like Yellowtail, or Japanese amberjack). You want Fluke Collar? They’ve got that, too! Their fish preparation service can also serve up your seafood in any of five ways, including Gutted Head On and Butterfly Cut. Neat, hey?

And only then do you reach the dry goods section, which seems to go on for aisle after aisle of little-known goodies, including a huge Korean sweet and treats section. The range of sauces alone would easily fill your average corner shop, while there is even a section of housewares, if you’re ready to get a Korean cookbook and start your own culinary adventure.

Finally, after paying for all your goods at the checkout there is then a selection of beauty products, if you’d like to get your nails done or try Korean products such as Bellis and Adora. Need a haircut? You can get that, too, at the Lynx Hair Salon.

Why visit Lotte Market?

It’s still a fair question to ask, “Why should I bother with this strange shopping experience?” It isn’t exactly what anyone comes to Orlando to discover. But, for those who have been here multiple times and already know the likes of Publix inside out, this is definitely that “Something different” factor to keep you wanting to explore this amazing place even further.

It definitely puts the “super” in supermarket and is an absolute major surprise, tucked away along the sprawl of Highway 50 (the main route between Orlando and Clermont). It’s not the kind of place you’ll discover by accident. You have to be looking for it, but we think it is well worth the look! Lotte Plaza Market can be found at 3191 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando, 32808, and is open daily from 9am to 9pm.

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