I came here by accident as I was travelling with a friend looking for a specific noodle. Anyway it is a small location and not super tidy, but they have a VERY impressive selection of items. The staff was extremely helpful and welcoming. I tried a few snacks and found seasoning that I needed for my ramen! I will return. I also appreciate the labels of most products including an English sticker of ingredients. Having food allergies makes international shopping limiting. read more

First Oriental Market - Snack item. And yes it tasted like a ribeye well seasoned - International Grocery Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

Comprehensive selection of Asian cooking staples with an abundance of choices to suit your preference. Frozen, refrigerated options also. Snack food? You have an aisle of it every flavored crisp (potato chip), cracker, Pocky, chocolate, sweet, hard candy. Knife cut noodles? There's a range to choose from. Chili crisp? Which brand do you prefer? It's most likely there. Curry spices? They have that as well. Perhaps you need a new wok? Dishes? Saki cups? Tea or coffee? An entire aisle devoted to teas, whole dried herbs or flowers to bagged- organic American brands to global imports. Curry pastes, congee, miso, dumplings, spice blends, soup & meal starters- got the picture? Plus some Costco overstock, imported British staples, Asian shampoo, soap, detergent, hand-washing tubs, LED bulbs-- and assorted clothing and bags. Oh, and I feel obliged to reveal they have Cafe du Monde expresso, but please leave some for me. Prices are fair, also. The staff is helpful- you may even get a few spontaneous recipes. read more

Absolutely love this store for all Asian groceries. They have imported Japanese snacks and ramen ingredients. They carry groceries, produce, dairy, plants(bamboo/cacti), Chinese medicines, utensils, and cosmetics. The price point is a hit or miss based on the products. I prefer it for Thai and Japanese groceries. It can be seen from regular traffic, has a good amount of parking. The staff is courteous and friendly. read more

First Oriental Market - KitKat Japanese Kewpie Mayo Japanese Banana Milk Taiwan - International Grocery Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

This market is a gem. I always feel welcome and they have an array of items. The service is pleasant- the owners engage in delightful conversation and admire how much my girls have grown. The store is clean and has something for anyone looking for international beauty products and snacks. read more

Love this place! I go for bulk sesame oil and EVOO, plus the best deal on the best fish sauce, Red Boat. It has aaaaalll the things Asian. read more

First Oriental Market - shelves full of asian food - International Grocery Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

I made the hour long trek across the metro Atlanta area in a cold winter downpour of wind, rain, and occasional thunder to go to the Dekalb Farmers Market to find a product that I believed surely they would have it. But nope, epic fail. It was only by chance that I spotted First Oriental Market that truly was a bright light at the end of this rainy tunnel. First Oriental Market is a clean bright airy space with those hard to find items. The food is fresh and the prices are good. This will be the place that I will go from now on when I need to restock. I will gladly take the trek to pay a visit to First Oriental Market. read more

First time visiting this place. Speechless!¡¡¡¡ I like the variety of stuff. Well kept environment, friendly, joyful, and clean. I can't wait to return! read more

They have hard to get items that you cannot find at other oriental markets. They specialize in some hard to find food items. Found some authentic LUMPIA wrappers in the freezer section and was super amazed. Lumpia is one off my first international foods that I have ever had. This market also carries a huge arrangement of woks, utensils, sauces for exotic cooking. Lots of products from the Orient were on sale, from clothing to hats. The had a huge variety. have some patients and you may have to search high and low for the items you want, BUT the person at the cashier desk knows where everything is - finding help was not an issue. The have their own parking lot so there is always room to park and shop. It was a good info tight down the street from Your Dekalb Farmers Market read more

First Oriental Market - Conveniently located next to Pin Ups. Lol. - International Grocery Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

For a small shop front and area...they sure pack a lot of asian stuff in there! They have a wide variety of items, and they stock only the brands that matter. Boss Becky is lovely and when you can catch her at when she's free (without other customers to attend to) do ask her about some of the sauces they carry. I discovered some good Vietnamese sauces thanks to her. read more

First Oriental Market - a variety of food items - International Grocery Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

Eclectic mix of food, kitchenware and plants. I love this place and always leave with something interesting to sample.

A little pricey, but they have a really great selection of Asian ingredients and knickknacks. The staff is very friendly and kind.

This family owned business is amazing! They stock a varied amount of products ranging from sauces, spices and seasonings.. frozen foods including vegan products. I especially like that they carry vegetarian and vegan meat substitutes in family size portions. If you're looking for kitchen tools, pots, woks and skillets.. they've got it. Snacks and cute party foods.. Caribbean teas, drinks snacks and seasonings are also here. This quaint shop is located next to a popular gentleman's club.. okay, it's a strip club.. but they're separated by a cement divider and don't share parking. The ladies who run the store are extremely helpful and will guide you in how to prepare and combine food with the sauces they carry The downside to shopping there is that some may find it "cluttered" and unorganized. If you can't find what you're looking for ask them. read more

First Oriental Market - Yummy! And vegan. - International Grocery Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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I remember visiting this market one time when I was in middle school. I went with friends who bought some white rabbit candies, I was astonished by the cheese flavored ice cream I saw int he fridge, and I always remembered it and knew that I wanted to go back. Ten years later, I regularly stop by for all our Asian cooking needs, and I always feel good about supporting the owners and the ladies who work there. The staff has always known exactly where anything is, so even though the place can seem disorganized, knot that they'd be more than happy to help you find what you need. I find the disorderly cooking and serving ware sections endearing, actually. These ares have narrow aisles and remind me of a few markets I visited while in Korea, so it adds charm, in my mind. The staff is also very knowledgeable about their products. I came to the counter with rock salt and some rice noodles, and the cashier asked if I was making pho. I told her yes, it would be my first time, and she gave me some advice about cooking the noodles. I haven't yet NOT been able to find what I've needed at First Oriental Market for the Japanese and Vietnamese dishes I've tried to make. Granted, I haven't gone through every recipe of those cuisines, but I've been very happy that I can count on this store to have what I need. I also appreciate their ramen selection. It's not as large as H Mart's, but it branches more into the Thai and Vietnamese ramens. If you haven't been, it's a fun experience. I always enjoy my visits. The shop is small, but solid, and the staff is great. In fact, one of the ladies there gave me a free Thai Buddha calendar last December! How sweet is that! I've wanted to try some of the fresh made pastries for a long time but haven't, and one day I'm going to get bowls and cute little cups from here! read more

First Oriental Market - One of the aisles. Things are scattered in the front and the back, but the employees are always able to help you find things. - International Grocery Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

The owner, Mr. Hong, his two daughters, and work staffs... they are very knowledgeable of products they are carrying. They are very kind, has great smiles. And very willingly helping customers. And I find their prices it seems more than very fair over all other Chinese and South East Asian food markets. I live in panhandle Florida. And it's been a very while since last time I went there... But I go there whenever I go to ATL GA. I do go there to fill our vehicle with many shopping bags filled with Asian groceries. We love Asian food. read more

In the category of small, family-run, asian food markets, First Oriental is about as good as it gets. I love this place - I've been a customer for many years. Run by a Lao family, you'll always get a friendly greeting. I often just like to browse the aisles, they have so much interesting stuff. But sometimes I need something specific such as today's purchase of a new wok utensil (my old one is experiencing metal failure after years of service). While I was there, I picked up a new supply of Sichuan peppercorns and dried mushrooms. As others have mentioned, it's a bit of a cluster inside. But one thing I can say is that once you figure out their organization, you're good for years. It has changed very little over the 10+ years I've been a customer. Plenty of kitchen utensils, bowls, and the like, although you may have to search a bit because you'll have options. Not much in the way of fresh groceries, but they do have frozen goods. Easy parking in their private lot. read more

This place is a gem. Incredible selection, extremely patient and helpful staff who will give you tips on the best things to get for what you want to cook, even recipe advice! Also - bought a great wok here. I'm so lucky to live close by. read more

Great little market! I left my Siang oil in California and called all over the place and only this market had some in stock. Drove 40 minutes just to get there lol so that's just to give you an idea of how serious i am about this oil. The women inside were extremely helpful and friendly and there were so many goodies inside too. I wish I lived here because I'd definitely frequent this spot if I did. read more

This was 2 years ago but I suddenly remembered it and wanted to post. I leave reviews when either the place is awesome or a dump and I think people would appreciate knowing. Well, this was a good store where I found what I needed and explored some interesting new jars of food I couldn't even read. The staff was very helpful when I asked questions. However, the wonderful human beings that the people who manage this store are is what made my experience beautiful here. I watched, at the check out where a woman was short of cash to pay for her groceries, digging through her purse for every last cent while I stood there wanting to help but hesitant To say anything. The lady at check out, without making a big deal about it, told her it's okay, packed her groceries and waived the remaining amount. I was touched by her gesture. Staff at this store- you are decent human beings. read more

I really have to hand it to this little market. It's reminiscent of Chinese markets in the Bay Area, so that already told me that this is the real deal. While it's a bit chaotic and can be hard to find goods, the prices here are comparable to what I find at H Mart. A few weeks ago I purchased a couple of things here and kept the receipt. Yesterday, I brought that receipt with me when I went to H Mart out of curiosity. While they may not have as many items or specials as the big markets do, the location of this place makes it really handy if you're cooking Asian food and are too lazy to drive out to Buford or anywhere North. I'm Filipino-Japanese so whenever I don't want to drive and I'm out of sinigang powder, tonkatsu sauce, panko, hondashi, mirin, and all that I like to come here. Dekalb Farmer's Market often doesn't have the specific Asian ingredients I'm looking for--even if they do have most of them. I find the location of this place perfect since I stop by on the way home to get the things that the big farmer's market missed. I don't really mind that this market doesn't carry a lot of produce since I get that at the Farmer's market anyway. What's special about this place are the employees. They're very helpful in finding what you need since there's a lot going on. Once while I was checking out, a woman (maybe the owner) gave me her card and told me if I wanted something to be carried in the store I should just contact her, which I really appreciated. Too long, didn't read? - If you live out in the Decatur area and are too lazy to drive up North for the bigger Asian markets this place is the real deal and carries a lot of what you'd need in a pinch. - It is chaotic and hard to find stuff but the employees are very kind and helpful. - It does feel good to be supporting a mom and pop shop. read more

My personal experience was that almost all of the items I purchased (mostly candy) was all expired and inedible. I do not live close by so this was very disappointing. The store also is in disarray and does not seem clean. I hope they can turn things around. read more

Mom & pop shop. A bit chaotic in terms of organization, but the women who work there are really super kind, and more than happy to help. For example, the grandmother (?) showed me an amazing mushroom spice blend for soups and stir fry, thank you! They have a whole vegan frozen section, when you enter the store it's on the left. A little pricey tbh, $5 for the small packs of vegan chicken, $7 for vegan shrimp. Also, lots of utensils, pans, etc. I didn't take a close look, but recall others mentioning they're potential good deals. Not much in terms of produce, so buy that elsewhere. Lots of sauce, noodles, etc. Though check expiration, as some reviews have mentioned. I'll be back when I need a specific ingredient, like more vegan shrimp or a certain sauce. read more

I found almost everything I needed to make my Thai spring rolls. The service was great, fast, and the cashier didn't mind showing me where everything was. I'll return many more times. read more

My boyfriend said it best when we walked in here: "Aaah. There's the smell." Small towns often have Asian markets like this. This is no Super H, people. This is the real deal. It even includes a cute Asian grandmotherly type sitting behind the counter reading an Asian newspaper. The back of the store is like walking into your little Asian aunt's attic. (Oh yeah. You might not have one of those. Check this place out, and you'll get it.) It's chaos. Boxes and boxes piled high. Some things in the fridge were a little creepy. There are some canned goods well (and I do mean well) past their prime, and we all know how long that can take for anything canned to expire. We walked out a little reminiscent and reminded just how the 'real deal' Asian markets roll, and with a bag of shrimp chips and five packs of hard to find sauce mixes. Come here for the character of the market, to support these people, and to buy some of the guaranteed fresh items that are big sellers. Beware of freezer. read more

...I've passed by this place numerous times. It's definitely a "Diamond in the Rough"!!! I found the lumpia wrap & seasoning I was looking for without driving way too Memorial Dr or Hwy 85 in Riverdale!!! Everything is cluttered but it's so worth it. Being from California, this place really made me think of home!!! It has the aroma of Chinatown in San Francisco!!! And minus all the foot traffic in the other bigger markets in the Atlanta area, I can grab what I need and go read more

Five stars not for having everything, but for having stuff that is very hard to find. I went here looking for emping (Indonesian chips made from Melinjo nuts), and not only did they have it, they have a dozen different kinds of krupuk and the best selection of Indonesian sauces and spices I've ever seen in the US. The Malaysian woman who is usually there is very friendly and well-informed and always has good suggestions for me. read more

Need a a huge Chinese cleaver for your kitchen that's so cheap they're practically giving it away? Head to the First Oriental Market located just down the street from the Dekalb Farmer's Market. It's really a mom and pop grocery and miscellaneous junk store rather than a market. They know they can't compete with the fruits and vegetables of the Farmer's Market down the street and they don't try. Instead, they offer frozen specialty Asian food items, cooking equipment, and lots of decoration and pottery items. There's no real organizing principle to where things are located here, just dig in and see what you can find. There are some great bargains mixed in with a lot of junk. It's a bit run down and maybe even a little sketchy looking, but it's worth a side trip for a few minutes on the way to the Dekalb Farmer's Market. read more

The Kiwi knives are as sharp as they are cheap. Me and the hubby (a chef) swear by them - when they get dull, don't worry about spending time sharpening, just buy a new one! (send the old one to charity, of course) We also get sauces, frozen produce, and snacks here. I love the mom and pop feel and always will! Check out the back section with the kitchen ware too. I've found some really goood deals. read more

This place is crazy, but kind of endearing. It's conveniently located down the road from Your Dekalb Farmers Market (which has some, but not tons, of Asian ingredients). I come here for spices, sauces, and different kinds of noodles. They also have a ton of kitchen utensils and tools. Organization is NOT their forte. This is the kind of store where you either need to come here often enough to know where everything is, or you need to walk up and down each aisle to find what you need. About half the store is aisles with items on the shelves. The back half, though, is completely FILLED with random boxes of random crap. Just boxes and boxes and boxes. read more

Stopped by to check out this place on the way to YDFM, I wish I did sooner! They have all kinds of snacks, pickled things, teas, seasonings, cooking tools, and even some fresh produce. So fun to look around. The ladies working there are so sweet and helpful. Also, everything is pretty cheap! read more

My rating is based on the kitchen ware purchases of a beautiful stone mortar and pestle and a large knife. They really spent time in helping us to make a selection and the prices were fantastic. If you need special Asian kitchen wares, disregard the dank and cluttered appearance of the store and dive into the cutlery and kitchen utensils. read more

Ahhhh.... what a nice lil' asian mom & pop store! They got a lil' bit of everything! Too much maybe?!? It's had to find stuff but the lady there is always so helpful and knows where everything is! There must be a bazillion items all round the place. On Wed is when they get there bakery goods.... but you got to get them quick! She sells out all the time! Prices are not bad.... average like the big stores. There is a few fresh produce available but specific stuff for asian cuisines. The got canned or bottled juices. I'm telling you .... a lil bit of everything! Don't hesitate to ask the lady that is always there.... maybe sh'e the owner.... I'll have to ask her name the next time I'm there?! read more

I'm used to both big and small markets (Chinese/Japanese) in California. This isn't as big as a Ranch 99, but managed to have a good selection of some things. Organization? As far as I could tell, none. Perhaps the products are alphabetized or something. I was looking for ramen, and and didn't manage to find more than one type. Spices seemed to be scattered throughout. The people who work there are *very* helpful, so had I been looking for something in particular I'm sure they would have helped. But it is not a good place for efficient browsing. I was very impressed with the tea selection. I got pu-erh, both in bags and a tuocha - which I've never found in a shop before. The price and selection were better than the other markets I've been to. The frozen section manages to have a wide variety of things without having a lot of choice in the specific products. There seems to be one brand of pot-stickers, etc. Strangely, they keep the boba (tapioca balls) in the freezer - I'm pretty sure they were the dry sort that could be on a shelf. read more

I come here periodically as this is the closest market of its kind to my home and I rather like the disorganization. From this store I can stock and restock Mirin, Rice Wine Vinegar, Sesame Oil, other Asian sauces and a variety of noodles. I also like their bath soaps. I've suggested to the cashier that they clear up the rear of the store so customers can get a closer look at the non-food items. Lo and behold, the next time I visited they ACTUALLY made a huge effort to erect extra shelves and lay out the pots, pans, dishes etc. Now I will shop more often in the less cluttered space. read more

This place is sensational. It's family owned and run and has an incredible selection. I've gone several times looking for very specific ingredients and they always have what I need at great prices. They also couldn't be nicer or more helpful. The lovely woman who was working that day (her family has owned the store for 30 years) pointed me in the right direction and also explained the subtle differences between the various fish sauces, etc. Support family owned grocery stores and get exactly what you need. Win/win! read more

I searched all over Atlanta for yellow curry paste to make Thai yellow chicken curry. I ended up driving 45 minutes to First Oriental Market to find it. The staff was very helpful and friendly. read more

The friendliest people you ever want to met. Right down the street from the International Farmers Market. They have everything for Asian cooking. I love there Vega an selection. Highly recommended. read more

There was a nice Thai lady that was so helpful that it didn't matter to me that the store was worst than the inside of my ADHD brain which I like to describe as Mexico City inside of the Amazonian jungle which is inside of the Congo at the bottom of the ocean floor....with bioluminescent organisms. You get the picture. First let me go down memory lane, in October of 2009, I go to San Francisco and I eat Tea Leaf Salad at Burma Superstar, thus begins my fascination with all things Burmese. Ok so check this, I'm in THIS store last year and guest what I see on the shelf? Laphet Thoke also known as Fermented Tea Leaves with the crunchy condiments, the same lil packs of deliciousness that I was ordering online from a Burmese woman in Brooklyn, NY. But check this...it was like a dollar and some change a pack! To top off the whole experience some Burmese women came into the store, didn't speak a lick of English and was fully traditionally clothed. Inside my hyperactive xenophilic heart exploded with glee as did my stomach after I ate three packs in one sitting. Due to the fact that laphet thoke is a stimulant, I didn't sleep all night.... PS I also got a recipe from the woman on how to prepare sour leaves aka sour spinach, red sorrel, Jamaica sorrel (although these leaves aren't related to sorrel). I went home and prepared it, sweet culinary symphony in my belly. read more

They have a good selection of Asian condiments, sauces, noodles, tea, pots+pans. BUT they do NOT have much Asian veggies. I hope the selection will improve in the summer. The items are not well-organized, but the staff is very helpful to locate anything. A big plus for carrying some Burmese grocery (tea leave salad, anyone?). read more

You need Asian cooking supplies or ingredients? This is the place. Also friendly service!

This is not the most organized or clean supermarket but it's a haven for people who want to buy ethnic foods from SE and East Asia. The food there are probably cheaper than the ones you can find in other places (e.g. farmer's market) coz this shop is the distributor. I guess this is why Buford Farmer's Market carries pretty much the same Burmese food as FOM. I don't live around the place so I don't go there often but I go there every time i go to Dekalb Farmer's Mkt. They're like 1, 2 min drive apart from one another. read more