MEK Latin & Asian Grocery Store INC
Closed nowOpens tomorrow 9:00 AMOpening hours
- Monday
- 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Tuesday
- 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Wednesday
- Closed
- Thursday
- 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Friday
- 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Saturday
- 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Sunday
- 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
1160 Rice St, St Paul, MN 55117, United States
About
MEK Latin & Asian Grocery Store INC is listed on FindALoco in St Paul, MN with address, phone, website, hours, and map location. Common services and related keywords include Grocery Store.
MEK Latin & Asian Grocery Store INC is a neighborhood grocery store at 1160 Rice St in St Paul, Minnesota. It brings Latin American and Asian groceries together with prepared hot foods, offering a practical place to shop and a welcoming spot to stop for a meal. Customers describe the store as a beautiful blend of Salvadoran and Karen cultures, reflecting the backgrounds of its husband-and-wife owners. Reviewers also often mention the friendly staff and the care behind the food, giving the shop a personal feel alongside its grocery selection.
For everyday shopping, visitors mention dry goods, spices, salsas, sauces, some dairy products, and produce. The shelves also include Latin and Asian groceries and treats, making MEK a useful stop for customers looking for familiar ingredients or hoping to discover something new. Reviewers have called out Mexican craft sodas made with cane sugar and tamarind candies among the treats available. Selection can vary, but customer feedback points to a mix of pantry staples, specialty flavors, and snack options in one neighborhood market.
Food is a particular draw. The hot-food counter offers ready-to-serve meals, and customer favorites mentioned in reviews include authentic-tasting pupusas and chicken curry served with rice and naan. Shoppers have also praised the food more generally for its flavor, and mangonadas are another treat reviewers say they enjoy. Whether you are picking up groceries, looking for lunch, or craving a snack, the combination of prepared dishes and market items makes it easy to make a visit for more than one reason. Some customers have also noticed tamales as an item they are eager to try.
MEK Latin & Asian Grocery Store INC may suit nearby residents, curious food lovers, and anyone seeking Latin or Asian grocery items in St Paul. Its mix of groceries and ready-to-eat options is handy for a quick lunch as well as a browse through the shelves, while the warm service helps create a neighborhood-market atmosphere. The business has a 4.9-star rating from 36 reviews, based on the supplied listing information. It is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday through Sunday; it is closed Wednesday. For a local stop on Rice Street that pairs groceries with a taste of Salvadoran and Karen food traditions, MEK offers a distinctive and community-minded option.
Ratings & Reviews
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Beautiful store, beautiful human story of love between 2 cultures, great food. I forgot to take pics of this store (EDIT: I just went back and took pics of some of the food)! The owners are a married couple from 2 different cultures: 1 is from the Karen people (an indigenous culture of Southeast Asia), and the other is el Salvadoreño. To give you an idea of the grocery selection: you can find both loroco & bitter melon here. The kitchen offers both Salvadoreño food like pupusas & general Thai dishes (only a few authentic Karen foods). They have a seating area if you wanna eat in. I tried their pupusas to go. They were delicious! I wish more people knew about Karen food so that this store feels confident to start cooking more authentic Karen cuisine. The owners were so kind to me & made me feel welcome. I really hope this business gets more customers. It has real potential! The concept is very cool, much like Brooklyn Park/Brooklyn Center has Asian/African stores with hot food. Support this business!
Great new Latin & Asian market! Some hot foods available. Lots of spices, salsas, sauces. Lots of craft sodas from Mexico with real cane sugar. Can't wait to try the Tamales 😋 …
Opened 4 months ago, this place is amazing! A beautiful combination of salvadorian and karen culture. The husband and wife duo are super friendly and passionate about their food. The grocery store portion is great for dry goods, lots of selection. Some dairy goods and produce. However, the main attraction is the hot food bar! Eat a tamale with your noodles and top it off with pepper paste! Food is so fresh and very affordable! I cannot recommend this place more. I went during a weekday lunch, but I will be back on the weekend and many more times in the future.
My favorite neighborhood spot with unbelievable pupusas muy auténticas, Asian and Latin groceries and treats, mangonadas and the friendliest staff. I get all my favorite tamarind candies from them. Great store managed by great people. We 💛 MEK …
Stopped in for lunch today and had an amazing experience. This grocery store has a hot food counter with ready-to-serve meals, and the food was absolutely delicious. I had a chicken curry with rice and naan, and it was easily the best lunch I’ve had in a long time. Everything was flavorful and tasted freshly made. I’ll definitely be back.
