Ha Tien Grocery Store

For years, I drove by Ha Tien without giving the place a single care in. Sadly, I also assumed that Ha Tien was some creative play on the word «Haitian». After getting bored with some of my favorite Asian go-to’s on Univeristy Ave, I came across reviews on Unilocal for Ha Tien. I instantly felt like an idiot for A: not going here sooner and B: thinking this whole dang time that Ha Tien was a Haitian market (don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Haitian food).
Here’s Why I love Ha Tien:
–The Deli: OMG Ha Tien not only has the best egg & spring roll sin the Twin Cities, they also have a ton of items that I can maybe find at one or two other restaurants in the Twin Cities– Metro Area. Not to mention, Ha Tien puts most other Asian deli’s and restaurant to shame with how cheap and flavorful their food is. It’s not the best food I’ve ever eaten, however they have the best tasting and most authentic Asian food in the Twin Cities besides Hmong Village, Quang’s and On’s Thai.
My Favorite Deli Items: Spring Rolls, Egg Rolls, Ribs, Pad Thai, Banh Mi,
Ha Tien has become my Target. Every time I go here I say to myself «I’m only going to get one or two things». Next thing you know my basket is over flowing and I end up spending almost triple the amount that I had intended to spend. Not to mention, my new ition is showing up with Spring and Egg Rolls from Ha Tien for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Rookie Tip — don’t put the peanut sauce near the mashed potatoes if you bring these nummies for Christmas and or Thanksgiving… my aunt will tell ya’ that it’s very easy to mistake peanut sauce for gravy; she had quite the surprise!
–Grocery: Ha Tien carries a small selection of popular snack food items. However Ha Tien is much cheaper than some other larger Asian Grocery Stores and carries the necessities for snacking, cooking and celebrating a variety of holidays.
Parking: There’s a tiny private lot for Ha Tien patrons. However it’s very small and getting in and out of here majorly stinks on the weekends!

I am surprised that I actually like this place a lot for my Asian grocery shopping. It is located on University avenue St Paul where lots of people think it’s rough and wouldn’t even drive by it. As for me, I have no qualms about the area. Just be vigilant and use common sense. I have to admit in the summer, there can be street peddlers but just ignore them and keep on walking. That’s part of living in a city.
So the last time I visited this store, there were no peddlers and ample of parking at their lot. Score! When I walked in, the store was fully stocked with all kinds of Asian goodies ranging from fruits to vegetables, live fish in tanks to lobsters and an array of meat and interesting parts of the animal. Ahhhh, just like a good old fashioned Asian store! There is also a little deli to buy prepared food. So I was getting a bunch of food for my hotpot party and to my amazement, I got everything I needed in this store. I only spent $ 60+ for a long list of food. Awesome variety. The staff were also very helpful and they were all in high spirits during my visit. It looks like they enjoy working there. I also saw the staff vacuuming the floor for crumbs and all so the place is clean.
There are only a few downsides to this place. The store is small and packed with stuff so it could deter people who are claustrophobic. However, i have to give credit to the owner that despite having a tight space, they still offer carts for the ease of shopping. Some of their exotic fruits are very pricey. But if you can’t afford an air ticket to Asia, the 25/​lb longan or rambutan will satisfy your craving for a taste of Asia because the fruits looked fresh.
This place is going to be my one stop shop for everything Asian from now on. Score!

From the outside of this building, you think you’re looking at something from the disco era or even further back. Once inside though, you feel that you are in an Asian supermarket. I’d say the selection here veers more toward the Vietnamese side, but there is still plentiful offerings to get your groceries for Thai, Chinese, or other cuisines. They carry all the well known brands of sauces and seasonings, as well as lots of dried noodles, frozen items.
The crown jewel of this place that most Unilocalers will likely be interested in is the hot deli area. On offer are hanging roast duck as well as roast pig. Additionally, there are various things you can order by the pound, such as salt and pepper shrimp, barbeque beef, and more. They also sell banh mi’s, as well as other Vietnamese deli items such as tapioca drinks, sticky rice, and more. I have not tried the roast duck or pig, but the way it looks, it seems authentic.
All this is contained with a relatively clean environment — things looked fresh, aisles were clean and orderly.
As an asian grocery store, I’d highly recommend this place to get your groceries and some hot deli items.

omg. I love going to the deli to get lunch. however, today I went and got this coconut ball with peanuts and more coconut filling inside. I took one bite and spit it out. the dessert was spoiled. I should have known not to buy it because there was no label on the pack. be aware of the dessert on the foam tray. who know how long it’s been sitting out there.

We stopped by at 6:30 pm on Friday. End of the day for them, they were cleaning up. Very friendly, very homey. I like it. I like it a lot. Sorry Lu’s, you just dropped to number two in Banh mi sandwiches. I will still visit your location, because it is closer, and you guys make a great sandwich. But trust me this family makes a Dynamic Banh Mi sandwich! The bread was the classic baguette, a little dry being the end of the day, ton of meat and veggies, and so, so good. We both got the BBQ pork and it was the best. I didn’t get the taste of pâté but there was a tart flavor, some sort of vinegar. Really good sandwich.

Fabulous freshly made bun me sandwiches; for those fat-​averse, the roast pork is crispy deliciousness, but has a huge amount of fat on it, so beware… this sandwich may not be for you.

I hv been looking for a clean and neat Asian super mkt and this is it. I like the price in Shangher just across street but just hate the environment and smell there. Most time I tried to be in and out asap.
This is a much cleaner and neat place to shop. Have many selections as well and nice skus that the other may not have. Very clean meat counter and neat looks fresh.
Price is in line largely with others but vegetables seem more expensive.
They also have a small food court and sell nice bbq pork, roast pork, and roast duck (duck seems not Chinese style as it is super red) but cheaper than other places you can get.
I highly recommend it and for sure will come back often.

Being that I’m from CA, this place is a tad small for an Asian Grocery store, but it is probably the best one in the area. The outside is a little run down and there are lots of potholes in the parking lot. They have limited seafood and most of it is frozen and the veggies are a hit and miss. I noticed that you really have to check them. The prices are a bit higher than in CA but I guess it’s ok since they have the most variety compared to all the other stores in the area. This is probably your best bet if you’re looking for vietnamese/​asian groceries in St. Paul.

Was trying to find a place with some good Bahn Mi. Been to a couple of places around town and they were just OK.
So anyways, i walk in, find my way back to the deli, which looked amazing with the roasted ducks and pig hanging behind the glass. I see there menu on the plasma tv, the roast pork and bbq caught my eye. I asked the lady working behind the counter for 1 of each. She proceeds to hack off some part from the pig hanging there. I think, WOW AWESOME. Then brings it back to her cutting board and chops it up like a boss.
She hand me the sandwiches, and im like «Holy crap, these are HEAVY». My lord these are beasts of sandwiches.
So i get home, open one up. This thing is massive and has a huge amount of meat in it. Imagine if chipotle made bahn mi, and its on the best days where they dont skimp on meat or anything, that this bahn mi.
Now for the taste. Awesome! the meat was bbq’d great, seasoning perfect. This sandwich is VERY juicy, not that dried out crap you can get elsewhere. I also liked the fact there there were a few pieces of tasty pork fat in there too. You can tell this is not some prepackaged meat. Its straight off the pig.
Anyways Ide rate this is the best bahn mi in the mpls/​stpaul area (So far). As long as its consistantly this good each visit, this will be my goto bahn mi.

These guys will hook you up with a lechon! (suckling roast pig)
Had to throw this in here since couldn’t find any results for lechon in the TC for an upcoming graduation party I’m helping organize for a friend. A Filipina woman at work gave me a tip to check this place. I should say lechon a few more times so it comes up in the search results (and save some pain for the next guy): lechon lechon lechon. Phew thats over.
It was a little pricier than what you’ll get back in CA, but they had it. And 70lb is the smallest they’ll go (or rather, the smallest their supplier sends them) and they don’t do half pigs (not as much demand for the other half here as there is in like, Daly City) so you can get down to the 3^rd cousins for your pig eating party, whatever it may be.

The banh mi here ARE superior — possibly even better than those served at Ai Hue’s, just down the road, and that’s a huge compliment. Contrary to what another poster wrote, they actually offer three basic sandwiches — roast pork, bbq pork or the ‘standard’ banh mi thit («mixed cuts special», as I understand it).
(Aside, personally, I’ve found the sandwiches at Trung Nam to be a little wanting. but having said that, it’s been more than a year since I’ve had one — Trung Nam is THE place for croissants, though).
Speaking of croissants, the folks at Ha Tien have made their foray into that area as well, and if the Almond (really, marzipan.) croissant is any indicator, they may soon be a worthy challenger.
I can now also suggest the papaya salad. When they first began to offer it, it was bland and not to my taste at all — but recently, they tweaked their recipe and it’s much better — way more sweet/​sour lime & tamarind flavor, more garlic, just more more of eveything you want from a green papaya salad.
They get ⁴⁄₅ because the woman at the deli counter wrecked my last bbq sandwich with too much sauce — turned the bread to slop. But it’s not like I haven’t been back!

Don’t be fooled by the drab retro exterior. Ha Tien has all the goods one could ever want in a Southeast Asian grocery store. An abundance of fresh herbs and vegetables for stir fries and soups? Check. The box full of blue crabs with one tong that provides entertainment for kids while their parents shop? Check. Qual eggs, frozen gyoza, and pork meat loafs? Of course. Ha Tien is legit, yo.
In addition to being a grocery store, Ha Tien also has a robust deli with affordable and delicious eats. Bo Kho (braised beef), salt and pepper shrimp, spring rolls, che bap (Vietnamese corn pudding), banh mi, and fatty roast duck — I already gained some calories just thinking about these treats! My biggest regret today was not stocking up!
Although this Midway hideaway is awesome, there are a couple of things the staff here could do better. First, the front could be more organized. I had trouble leaving the grocery store because of all the carts blocking the entrance. I literally had to push several carts just to make my way to the automatic doors. LOL. Second, some of the goods aren’t labeled, so I wasn’t sure how much I should pay for some items. That’s slightly annoying.
All-​in-​all, if I lived in the Saint Peezy, I’d probably frequent it regularly.

I haven’t been in here in a long time. I like it how they expanded the back side. It is a lot more cleaner and spacious. They stocked up a lot of good products from Asia, but make sure you check the expiration dates. I remember finishing a bag of dried shrimp chips and not checking the date. I was fine after but just a warning. I like their little deli area, they serve duck meat and a whole body of fried pig:) The staffs are very friendly and nice. They owner I believe is Vietnamese but they speak Khmer as well.
Parking is free.

Good not great. The Banh Mi served here got some serious attention after the Minnesota Monthly posted a fluffy article about how renowned (and, in my opinion, immensely talented) chef Tim McKee said he had the best Banh Mi from this market. They even included a photo and description of how good it is. Here’s the problem: the sandwich I got on a typical workday (by a frantically working deli employee) was _​nothing_​like the one described or photographed in the Minnesota Monthly. It was a good Banh Mi, but nothing mind-​blowing. I also had a good dish that is popular though out the region (including Hmong culture): glutinous rice and pork steamed in a banana leaf. In the end, from the discrepancy in look and taste of the Banh Mi, I suspect this place knew Tim McKee was the guest or they’ve decided to cut corners with the new-​found fame. Disappointing, but still good.

I grew up eating Banh mi sandwiches all from different university street shops and I have to say the Banh mi here is one of the best I’ve had.

Great Banh mi here, my new favorite. Standard comes on fresh housemade baguette with generous portions of pickled veg, carrots, cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro, delicious pâté, pork loaf, amazing head cheese, and a house sauce thats to die for. All for under 3 $ tax included.
Their deli has amazing looking roast and bbq pork, crispy whole bbq duck (18.50 for a whole duck!) And an assortment of delicious other goodies.
Great place and one ill be sure to come back to many times. Definitely a must try taste of frogtown.

4 stars for their deli.
The small pork intestines and ears at their deli are to die for, as well as their large egg rolls and roasted pork. Their version of the ban mi sandwiches are the best on University and probably a one of kind experience in the twin cities. You have to try it to believe it. Roast pork or BBQ pork are the best and usually sell out around lunch time.
One of the biggest con is that they don’t have enough. Every time I go there, I buy out their egg rolls. So if you happen to go one day and there are none left, it’s because I’m eating them for lunch. You snooze, you lose. Same thing with their roast pork. Once they’re done, they’re done for the day. Your attempt at 4 or 5 pm won’t get you the good stuff.
They have a variety of egg roll wraps in their freezer. I’ve tried a couple of them out and they’re decent. The Lumpia brand is the best, but very hard to peel. A good egg roll has a good crispy wrap. Be careful when buying them because a lot of them have freezer burn.
The cashier system is too slow. I have to wait a long time just to pay for 2 egg rolls. They should have a cashier at the deli for just deli orders.
Parking kinda sucks because their lot is so small and street parking is very limited.
I’m only their for the deli. I rarely buy anything else because their prices are kinda high.

I went to Ha Tien’s deli counter to try their Vietnamese Sandwiches (banh mi) to share with friends. We all agreed, Trung Nam Bakery’s sandwiches are tastier and a little cheaper ($ 2.50 vs. $ 2.75). Ha Tien has only two options: pork or ham. Pâté is a standard ingredient, as are carrots, cucumber, jalapeño, and cilantro. Ha Tien doesn’t automatically put mayo on the sandwiches. I also picked up a tray of three fresh spring rolls, really tasty and fresh, for about $ 3.50.
As a grocery, there’s a good selection of veggies, a GREAT selection of herbs, and tanks in the back with live fish. Ha Tien appears to cater to a Southeast Asian clientele. Since I cook mostly Chinese food, I’ll do my Asian grocery shopping elsewhere, but it’s a kick that I can travel up and down University Ave. and see such a variety of Asian groceries.

The grocery store is just ok for an asian market probably a 3 star. The reason I give it the 4 stars is because of the vietnamese sandwiches (banh mi). At $ 3 or $ 4 a piece they’re a steal and way better than subway (although i like the 5 dollar footlong commercials).
I used to get Vietnamese sandwiches in SF and really didn’t think i’d find any around here but luckily have stumbled upon this shop.
The peppers can be hot for some so beware.
The counter for ordering sandwiches in toward the back of the store not up at the checkout counter.