They've been closed for a while, but it looks like they're opened again! Kind of like a mini H-Mart or Ranch 99, lots of unique and cool asian snacks. A little jam packed when it's crowded but they sometimes give out gifts if you buy over a certain amount. read more

Ming Lee Trading - the aisle of a grocery store - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

Folks here are super helpful and there's a good variety of snacks as well as different cooking sauces! We were able to pick-up different kinds of cookies and wafers for Christmas gifts. You do have to walk down a set of stairs and the aisles may be slightly narrow. Recommend stopping by if you are looking for unique specialty items as the nearby grocery stores are quite limited in space and stock. Bring cash! read more

Just a classic asian grocery mark for quick snacks and extra. Great spot to get all your classic asians goods from snacks to pantry items to other small kitchenware read more

Good family run business. They were extremely helpful in finding the items I needed. Store is quite large and so it can be a bit confusing to find everything. But it is very clean and well kept. read more

Great place for a bunch of unique snacks but... Always count up your total before heading to the register. Caught them overcharging $4-5 almost every time I'm there. When I asked about the price not adding up, they just said "oh" and gave new a new price that made sense. It was the same cashier when it was overcharged. read more

I must have walked by many times and never knew about this grocery store. Maybe because it's signage is all in Chinese characters, except for its name, Ming Trading Inc. Now I know why I should have gone to Chinese school. But I finally discovered this place when a friend took me here. From the street, you walk down the stairs to the basement level and there's this large store. Ming Trading is a dry-goods store, so they don't carry any perishables. But if you're looking for kitchen staples such as condiments, flours, starch, sauces and oils, they have them here. You can also get canned goods, instant noodles, teas and beverages and your snacks such as cookies, candies, mochi, and jerky. The prices here are also less too. Compared to prices I paid for items I usually get from my go-to's on Stockton St., they got them beat. Looks like I have my new go-to grocery store in Chinatown and it is Ming Trading. read more

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These old school Chinese shops really bring a tear to my eye. The place smells like funky dried random animals and herbs, the interior is completely cramped and probably fails most modern safety regulations, and the staff will hassle you over 5 cents, but the selection (for those who know what to look for) can't be beat. All those (likely banned) goods you grew up eating as an Asian can be found here. So beautiful. read more

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Lots of cheap and yummy snacks here! The first floor has wall to wall shelves full of candy and pocky and hi-chews!! You just get dizzy and overwhelmed at looking at all the goodies!!! The other side of the wall is all their teas!! Go downstairs and you'll find MORE snacks!! From pumpkin and melon seeds to wafers and cookies!! There's a new extension to that room. Up a few steps there's dried noodles, cooking sauces, canned goods galore!!! Everything is pretty reasonably priced here! It's right next to Garden Bakery and across the street from the All You Can Eat Dim Sum place!! The store looks small from the outside, but once you set foot inside you are in a crazy snack world!! I got... - canned eel ($.95) - dried veggie noodles ($.45) - gummy candies shaped as sunny side up eggs ($.85) read more

Ming Lee Trading - the front of the building - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

all this time .. yes, all this time I walked by this place many times not knowing about this awesome dry goods store. it doesn't say anything in English and if you're not a Chinese you're likely doesn't know about it. I found out of this place myself through my friend. inside, there are so many snacks and condiments and all kind of Asian goods. just like any American Supermarkets this place have aisles and provide its customers with shopping baskets. load them up, try some wacky stuffs, be adventurous. read more

If you're looking for a one-stop shop for Chinese cooking ingredients, this is the place! This hole in the wall shop is easily missed, so pay close attention to Google Maps and look for a staircase that leads down into a basement (I know, it sounds sketch but trust). They've got everything here: soy sauce, Sriracha, chili sauce, fried shallots, palm sugar, Milo, an entire ramen aisle, dry noodles, rice paper, dried shitakes, cookies, Asian candies, and so much more. Everything is a lot cheaper than you'd find at the "International" aisle in a major supermarket chain and there's a ton more variety. This is my go-to when I run out of pantry items. But just a heads up, this place is cash only! read more

Ming Lee has pretty much everything you could want and didn't know you wanted. The small entrance hides a huge store packed with snacks, teas, and all the Asian goods you can think of. I like the packaged dried fruits on the ground floor near the entrance. I got the dried lemon and lemon kumquat as sweet snacks when I was sick and craved lemon. Also on the same floor is a huge variety of tea, including tea cookies! Tie guan yin ("Iron Goddess") tea is my favorite. I even saw tourists trying to buy it who needed my boyfriend's help in communicating so. Definitely get it! Don't miss out on the underground as well with even more snacks. I saw the lychee jelly cups I used to love snacking on as a kid, as well a ton of other childhood snacks. I usually go here to get my black sesame paste, a sweet and healthy dessert I'd highly recommend. Everything is super cheap. That's why we all shop at Chinatown anyways, right? Definitely come here if you're looking for snacks and more! read more

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Wow...I just spent an hour or so at this place! Lol It's mainly a basement location but they do have a smaller upstair area. However, to enter, you will need to use the staircase to go down. It's a bit narrow so best to wait on the side if you see people coming in or out. They have all sorts of Asian snacks, dry groceries, canned drinks, cooking sauces, and a huge selection of instant noodles. They have some Japanese and Korean items, but mostly Chinese. Things here are pretty reasonably priced. Some Asian snack items are cheaper than Walgreens, but for some odd reason, Pocky was not. Lol Also they don't always carry the item you purchased before, so you may need to try different brands. The register lady was nice and she seems to have all prices memorized. I'm certain I will be back here soon! read more

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Wing Li Trading is an expansion of Ming Lee. it's added a basement full of goodies too (mostly, cookies, snacks, condiments, et al)..herbals, chinese medicines/drugs upstairs. buys: mochi cream(1.29) tasted soo good and fresh. the bad-palm oil in it -ribbed crackings in salt & vingegar(.99) from philippines, tasty, salty the bad-msg and palm oil take outs: -up really cramped, downstairs is roomy, well ventilated. -cashier downstairs too. -would avoid the cheap china mainland stuff. read more

Truly "underground" place for all your Asian snack and packaged dried good needs (note: no fresh produce). Stop fighting with all the Asian grandmas on the street and come down here. From Asian spices to noodles to drink mixes, this place will carry them at cheap prices. Unsurprisingly, it's cash only, so come prepared. read more

Hands down one of my favorite grocers in Chinatown SF to satisfy my Asian snack cravings. Ming Lee's Trading is always an absolute guaranteed drop by every time I'm in the Chinatown area. You name it and they'll most likely have it in terms of Asian snacks. They're always well stocked head to toe with snacks and other Asian-esque pantry necessities, like various sauces, spices, and ramen. Unlike a lot of other similar grocers in the area, I hands down prefer their selection of sweets here the most, on the downstairs floor (mostly bc it's one of the few shops where I can still find green tea white rabbit candy). I also noticed that they sell a lot of the Popin Cooking sets here, which is also kinda interesting since I haven't seen that in many other grocers in this area either. But seriously. They have every Asian snack I'd ever want/need under the rainbow, and I'm always happy inside. Their salty snack selection also doesn't disappoint either. I'm always a happy camper grabbing a bag of shrimp chips with my siblings. Cash only. The grandma who normally works the top half (floor level) speaks pretty good English, and she's very sweet. Prices here are also relatively inexpensive, so that's also a plus. I mean don't really have complaints on Ming Lee's Trading, other than the fact it's cash only. It does the job and then some, and at an affordable price that also won't break the bank. Forever one of my favorite mom and pop grocers in SF Chinatown, and always stocked with my favorite childhood Asian snacks! read more

This place is the BEST!!!!!!! Everything you want and more. They have an underground area with tons of things. It's packed with snacks from Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, HK and more. The prices are extremely low. This is a must visit if youre in Chinatown. Cash only read more

AW yeah I love this place. My cousins and I call it the candy store. They have a huge variety and while the people working there aren't always the nicest, they have a huge selection and it's not overpriced unlike some places. read more

RAMEN GALORE!!! This is the go to spot for stocking up all essential Asian supplies! Every time I take a trip to Chinatown, I make sure to bring extra grocery bags to load up on drinks, snacks, and ramen! This is a two story market with every single Asian childhood option, dreams, desires, that fulfill your hungry taste buds! I like to take my time here though, don't rush, and try EVERYTHING. read more

Craving some Asian sweets? This is the place! Although their snacks aren't super cheap, they have anything you can find from gummies to huge pocky sticks, to Asian herbs to any type of cracker or packet drinks you may need. This is definitely my go-to spot for a quick treat! read more

Convenient place in Chinatown for a couple staples for a student on a budget including dried and preserved goods, snacks, and seasonings and spices. Staff were friendly! More fresh options a street or two away. read more

Was strolling around the city one Friday evening until from the corner of my eye I saw a wall of snacks. They then called me to and that's when I had to walk in. ASIAN SNACKS GALORE. Everything so well priced and then when you reach the end of the aisle-surprise! More snacks downstairs!!! There are a lot of good asian products here- some I also want to try. I bought a handful of random non-grocery items but this place has the most sauces I have ever seen. They literally have everything- I bought won ton soup powder. WHO DOES THAT. I LOVE IT. Lots of good snacks and one item that has me addicted is the hard boiled eggs in like a vacuum sealed package. LOL it sounds really weird but it's basically lightly flavored tea eggs that are individually wrapped so they can keep well. I must go back to buy 4 more packages to last me the month. Aside from that, small local business and the cute grandma speaks very good engish-way better than my parents. It is cash only so def bring some on hand because once you think you're done, a new snack pops up at you. read more

This is my go to CT snack shop especially now since I realized items here is actually cheaper than items at the shops on Stockton St. My fiance and I parked closer to stockton st. So decided to buy a bunch of can drinks from a shop there so we can load it into the car before walking over here. I realized that my can soy milk was $1 at stockton and here at Ming Lee it was .79 sure it doesn't seem like a lot but when you buy a case of it here and there it'll add up. The top floor is now closed from the outside and you can only enter to the bottom entrance and the top floor is now particularly empty... not sure what's going on there. Best place in my opinion to stock up on snacks. read more

It's relatively cheap compared to other markets in Chinatown, and they have a lot of floor space. I wouldn't trust half the made-in-China noodles or sauces (don't want lead poisoning), but they have a nice array of sundries and staples for a good price, like sugar, rice, and ramen (they even have the Indonesian IndoMie among other Indonesian products, which aren't always easy to find) . Wish they had a lot more drinks and sodas (esp. the Japanese sodas that all the other Chinatown bodegas carry), otherwise, an all-around good place to buy snacks and packaged goods. read more

Looking for a place to buy Asian snacks in San Francisco's Chinatown? Go to Ming Lee for a decent selection. I usually come here to get my snacks, noodles, sauces and spices, tea, and Pocky. People tend to only notice the store on top but there is a floor underground where they have any kind of dry Asian goods you can think of. Compared to all the other stores in Chinatown, Ming Lee is probably one of the cheapest as the rent is really cheap for the basement which brings savings to the customers. The downsides is that they are cash only so be sure to go to the bank before coming. read more

I've died and gone to Asian market heaven. Ever miss all those rows and rows of Asian drinks that you can only find in a 7-11 in Asia? Well apparently this place has it too (albeit, a bit smaller, but still!) Walk downstairs and it's like the BEST grocery store that has all your asian food needs. Seriously, I almost squealed with joy and I never squeal (ask my friends). It's off Jackson near Stockton street and it's REALLY easy to walk right past it. Please note that the store upstairs IS SEPARATE from the store downstairs, even though there's stairs leading downstairs. They'll even tell you when you try to take anything you carry. But both are equally great and awesome. read more

Thank you Yelpers for helping me find this place! It's the mother-lode of Asian snacks, teas, herbs, and other exotic ingredients. And if you need dried squid or goji berries, they have that, too. So much fun to wander the packed aisles (two floors!) and discover new as well as familiar flavors. For $11.21 I got: Two bags of noriten fried wasabi seaweed snacks 1 bag of Japanese spicy crispy seaweed 1 box Indonesian ginger chews 1 bag of individually wrapped red-bean mochi candy 1 6 pack of assorted mochi balls 1 package of sesame peanut pancake You can't beat that with a stick of ginseng.... read more

Open again! I walked by today and the sign was out and doors open! Was so nice to go in and get my favorite hot sauce as well as other goodies. I was so bummed when I thought they were gone for good. Welcome back read more

Ming Lee Trading - Super hot! This stuff is no joke. I've yet to meet anyone, other than myself, who can eat this and not break a sweat - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is an absolute jewel. Look for the anime sign out from pointing to an otherwise nondescript storefront. What sets Ming Lee apart from other stores in Chinatown is that it doesn't sell produce, meat, or frozen goods and therefore is probably the cleanest store. For much less than you'd spend at 99 Ranch, you can get: - hot pot essentials: sauces, soup bases, dried mushrooms, goji berries - various types of flour: glutenous rice flour, bun flour, wheat flour, sponge cake flour, etc in preportioned packets (rather than in the usual 5 pound bag) - Chinese spices to your heart's content: sichuan numbing peppercorns, prickly ash powder, dried galangal root, white pepper ... - so many types of chili sauce (Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese) - pantry staples: cooking wine, sesame oil - Chinese dessert mixes (grass jelly, mango pudding, tofu jello) - a wallful of instant noodles - teas and traditional beverages made of various herbs and flowers - powdered mixes, teabags downstairs - cans and boxes upstairs - snacks you've never even heard of (and others that you grew up eating) - jelly/pudding cups - vegetarian "beef" jerky (regular ones too) - many types of mochi - dried fruits and veggies - crackers, cookies, biscuits - candy (recommend trying the green tea latte hard candies and the asian kitkats) Tl;DR: come here for everything but your meat and veggies. mainly to satiate your snack cravings. read more

Discovered this place a few years ago. How? Their storefront display of soft drinks and snacks from HK. Schwepps cream soda, ginger beer to name a few that were hard to find a while back. Once you walk in, it's like a junk food heaven. Attractive and colorful packages everywhere of varieties of candies, snacks...bottles and boxes of juices, sodas... Don't stop there, go on to downstairs (they have expanded!) where you'll find aisles of crackers, cookies, instant noodles, condiments...just about anything you can think of and at good prices too! My nieces love this place and can spend an hour upstairs if you don't hurry them along. My siblings had a field trip here too, picking up baskets of stuff they say were less costly than their neighborhood Asian stores. It was a good day, everyone walked away with a bag or two and all spent less than $20! read more

Oh, Ming Lee Trading Company! I mistakenly took my mother on a tour of Chinatown, believing that she would enjoy going to a place where people spoke her native language. Although my mother greatly enjoyed Chinatown, I learned, once there, that my mother could not communicate with the majority of locals since the majority of Chinatown consists of Cantonese people and my mother speaks Mandarin. It was not until we reached Ming Lee Trading Company that I felt a glimmer of hope that my mother would be able to enjoy a conversation in her native tongue. I smiled, as my mother actively waived her cane in the air as she enthusiastically (and loudly) engaged in conversation with two other people in the supermarket. My pleasure was dashed later, however, after learning that my mother had actually butted into a labor dispute and had sided with the employee. The owner shot us dirty looks as we left the store. Sigh . . . Although I was pleasantly surprised about how much larger the place is inside than it appears from the outside, I only found this place to be about average. At Ming Lee Trading, the selection of snacks (preserved plums, candies, etc) is large and more diverse than most other Asian supermarkets but becomes much more limited if you're looking for refrigerated/frozen items. The prices are about average. In summary, this place offers a wide selection of dry Asian snacks and food (such as canned food and sauces) and is an excellent place to go if you are looking for Asian sweets and snacks. It is not, however, a grocery store and does not have much selection outside of sweets, snacks, and other food items that do not require refrigeration. read more

AWESOME & CHEAP! Holy shit this place is huge. Ming carries pretty much every Asian snack/food there is. Snacks, teas, noodles, sauces, spices galore! I wish I lived in SF so I could come here everyday... I bought green tea kit kat ($5...best price I've ever seen in the U.S.), taro rolls, wafers, vermicilli noodles, sauces, and spices. Did I mention this place is cheap? It's because they are the supplier. No middle man! Tips: bring cash bring your own bag read more

I've been searching for a good grocery store for asian snacks in Chinatown that's not as chaotic as the storefronts on Stockton street where there is nonstop shoving, pushing and basket stealing. Just half a block from the main Stockton street where all the 30 and 45 buses go down, its conveniently located. Whether you're a tourist or a local that has a sweet tooth or craving for Asian snacks, this is the place to go to. From giant pocky sticks, to instant chinese soy milk powder drinks, to a large variety of mooncake selections (they even have just lotus seed paste without any egg yolks at all! I'm not a fan of egg yolks), to dried plums... There's a lot to pick from. I also found a lot of good brands that you would normally find in a Ranch 99 or as the east coast would say, Hong Kong Supermarket. :). I bought 12 or 15 items that amounted to $35. Chinatown is cheap already so this place's prices are consistent with that. Some other items I bought: pineapple cakes (from taiwan!), instant cereal packs (good for breakfast), japanese mango and yogurt candy, salad pretz sticks (taste like pizza), hot spicy dried squid (great with beer apparently), flat egg rolls. Great place to also buy little food gifts for family and friends for Chinese holidays. The only drawbacks are: CASH ONLY (common for places in chinatown), the whole store is packed with goods to a point where you feel like you only have enough space to walk (so not great for you claustrophobes out there) and sometimes there can be a lot of people in tight places but come on, it's Chinatown, what do you expect?? Also - $11.50 for that large box of giant strawberry pocky sticks is NOT worth it unless you're in high school and you want to please that cute girlfriend of yours who is in LOVE with pocky sticks. Because if you get a few of the smaller packs, it's cheaper and more for your money. But they won't have that GIGANTIC Pocky stick effect. Making her eyes widen and go OMG! YOU DID NOT JUST DO THAT! can be worth your $12 bucks. :). Anyways, if I was dating someone, I would SO want someone to get that for me... kind of like when someone knows you like Chuppa Pops or Pixie Stix and they get you the GIGANTIC versions! You're probably not going to eat all of it at once but hey, it's the effort that counts! Only con: The aisles can be a bit narrow and at times it can get pretty crowded. read more

Ming Lee Trading - GINORMOUS pocky sticks. What more can I say? - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

My 5-year-old self would have had cried tears of joy if she'd been able to go into Ming Lee Trading. Asian snacks galore!! Literally every Asian snack I'd ever had as a child. Oh my geez, it makes me emotional just thinking about it. Prices are really reasonable, too! I limited myself and only got a pack of the matcha green tea Pocky & a pack of dried mangoes, and my total came out to be about $4. Not bad at all. Definitely coming back, although can't promise that I'll be able to limit myself this time... read more

this little shop has all the Asian Snacks, or more specifically, Chinese snacks such as : Shrimp chips, crackers, mochi, candy, Aloe drinks, and many more. If you are ever in Chinatown and you are just craving for or want to stock up on some snacks, this is the place to be. this is a little shop down on Jackson. It may look small from the outside, but once you step in, you will soon realize that this magical place is full of snacks. Moreover, When you discover that there is a secret chamber downstairs, you will be full of joy and realize that you are in the most happiest place. read more

Ming Lee Trading - Junkie - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

My foodie stop: cookies, pockys, ramen, udon, candy, squid! nom nom, all in one little hole in the wall store! love this place, prices are decent, cash only.. i believe.. unless of course, you have the infamous... EBT(food stamp) card read more

Great Place to find snacks and candy. Don't expect the lady at the cashier to speak much of any English. You can find the popular Chen Pei and KumQuat Candies. But they usually run out. Good prices as well. UPDATE: They have a lower floor. It's clean and bright. A lot more goodies and grocery items. read more

I really love this one!! Its so cheap and convenient! I bought pineapple buns, instant noodles and lao gan ma here!!! Bad thing about Chinese stores here was cash only lol read more

Ming Lee Trading - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

Just popped in here quickly because I just found out that there's supposedly an "underground market" in Chinatown! Well, I originally thought I'd find something like fruits and veggies, but this place sells things like snacks, spices, and sauce. I think I'll have to go again to really get the feel of it. read more

Half the items on the shelves were expired. The layout was somewhat illogical which made it hard to navigate. Cash only.

An oasis of relatively hassle-free grocery-shopping for those of us who prefer not to be bumped, elbowed or inadvertently groped by the sea of humanity that has flooded Chinatown on a Monday morning. The prices are reasonable, and because the store has a larger capacity than most with a semi-downstairs expansion, the selection is decent. I had hit three stores prior looking for a specific item and only found it here. Their plastic bags are also very sturdy and reusable--I am definitely getting my ten cents' worth! read more