Cheap Eats Vancouver: H Mart food court grub for $15 or less

Those in the know will tell you that H Mart has more to offer than just produce and pantry staples.

The Korean grocer has five locations in Metro Vancouver, all of which will happily scratch your itch for authentic banchan (side dishes) and favourites like fish sausage and spicy instant ramen.

It would be more than enough to provide ample Korean goodies to hungry Vancouverites, but the flagship H Mart on Robson and Seymour also boasts a mini food court that offers some of the cheapest and most authentic Asian food in the city.

Max Hill

There are two small stands on the store’s second floor, a quick walk past the cash registers and fancy rice cookers.

You’ll know you’re in the right place when you spot the cramped tables and can take in the excellent view of busy Robson shoppers and local cuisine.

Max Hill

The first spot, E-Mo Noodle, is branded as offering Chinese food, and true to their name, they offer plenty of black bean noodles and seafood stews — but their Korean options are the real claim to fame.

Virtually everything on the menu is under $15, and most of their soups come with a side of rice and kimchi. 

We decided to go traditional with a kimchi stew ($12.45 with tax), which came with a side of white rice and was full of sliced tofu and boiled pork.

The heat was a reasonable medium-spicy, and the broth was perfectly salted and made to order in a bubbling earthenware pot.

Max Hill

Next door, you can find one of the city’s premier spots for Japanese curry, which is milder and smoother than its South Asian cousin. Like E-Mo next door, almost every dish at ZAC-ZAC comes in under $15, and options range from traditional pork katsu curry to brothy curry udon. 

We settled on the chicken curry udon ($13.48 with tax), which packed an umami punch and came with smooth and chewy noodles and plenty of tender chicken. With the money we saved, we were able to grab a couple of soft drinks from the grocery section next door, all of which came in at under $30 — hard to beat for a filling lunch for two downtown.

If you’re on the lookout for a reasonable meal in Vancouver’s otherwise-pricey downtown core, make sure to stop by H Mart.

Just don’t be surprised if you walk out of the store having spent just as much on their unique and delicious groceries.

H Mart

Address: Multiple locations in and around Vancouver