FOOD AND DRINK

5 of the best international markets in Greensboro

Shoppers shop at a grocery store in Wheeling, Ill., Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

If you’re searching for the best international markets in Greensboro, the places our readers swear by for authentic global ingredients, hard-to-find spices, and flavors from around the world, you’re in the right place.

Greensboro’s international markets are essential cultural hubs that help cover the needs of the city’s diverse population. From Italian delis stacked with handmade salamis to African and Caribbean groceries filled with bright produce and spices, these specialty markets play an important role in ensuring that every community can access the ingredients that feel like home. 

Since not every neighborhood has convenient access to fresh and culturally relevant food, these stores help fill critical gaps by offering items that many mainstream supermarkets simply don’t stock, giving families the ability to cook what they know.

What makes Greensboro’s international markets so special is the way they transform everyday shopping into an experience. Walking through the aisles of a global grocery is a sensory journey, with shelves lined with ingredients that might not be familiar to every shopper. Whether someone is seeking jackfruit and banana leaves, paneer and ghee, imported olive oils from Italy, or plantains and West African seasonings, there is a store in Greensboro that makes it possible.

Having access to a wide range of global foods is also a matter of community care. For many immigrant families, these markets provide a lifeline. For others, they offer the chance to learn and explore, breaking down barriers and building bridges through food. 

These five can’t-miss international markets in Greensboro stand out not only because of what they sell, but because of what they make possible. They support local families, celebrate cultural diversity, and expand the region’s palate in meaningful ways, shaping tradition and a sense of belonging.

Super G Mart

The Greensboro location of Super G Mart opened on June 26, 2008, under its original founder, Stephen Kim, who chose the city as the site for the company’s first store. In 2012, the business was acquired by the Irene Han-led Han family, who continue to own and operate the company. 

Inside the Greensboro store, shoppers will find a vast selection of international groceries, produce, seafood, meats, and household goods. The aisles span many regions of the world and offer items such as banana leaves, jackfruit, yucca root, live tilapia, blue crab, and even roasted eel. The layout reflects a conscious choice to divide aisles by U.S., Latin American, Indian, European, Middle Eastern, and Asian regions—with the Asian section further split into East Asian and Southeast Asian. The emphasis is on hard-to-find ingredients for global cuisines, enabling both immigrant communities to access familiar products and adventurous shoppers to explore new flavors.

The store also supports the local community beyond standard grocery retail. Super G Mart offers a dedicated space called “The Club,” which is used for cultural enrichment, including cooking classes, language immersion events, and community gatherings. Super G Mark becomes a venue where culture and connection intersect. It has been called a “meeting ground for different cultures.”

Super G Mart at 4927 W Market St. in Greensboro is an approved retailer that accepts EBT. So this long-established international supermarket not only offers an extensive inventory of global foods with a strong community orientation but also does its part to help with affordability.

Giacomos

Giacomo’s Italian Market in Greensboro opened in 1999, when the founders Giacomo Santomauro and his wife Laura Santomauro decided to bring authentic Italian-grocery fare to the Triad region. The couple scraped together everything they had, borrowed a deli slicer from Giacomo’s father in Long Island and launched the business with a focus on handcrafted deli meats and imported Italian specialties. 

Inside the store, you will find a well-curated selection of authentic Italian deli meats, salamis, sausages produced on-site or in partnership under the San Giuseppe brand, imported Italian cheeses and antipasti, a full deli counter with freshly prepared sandwiches, and shelves stocked with hard-to-find Italian imports like pastas, sauces, marinated vegetables, breads, and desserts. Their mission is to be “Your destination for hard-to-find Italian imports and Italian delicacies.” They also stress handcrafted quality for meats and deli specialties, and their made-to-order Italian sandwiches have become a local favorite, along with the ability to find carefully curated Italian grocery staples.

Li Ming’s International Mart

Li Ming’s Global Mart is a well-known international grocery destination at 3703 W Gate City Blvd that opened in the fall of 2012. It is part of the “Li Ming’s Global Mart” brand of Asian and international supermarkets.

Inside the store, shoppers find a broad inventory geared toward Asian and global food cultures. The shelves include fresh produce, including specialty vegetables often associated with Chinese or Southeast Asian cuisines, as well as a full seafood and meat section, frozen goods and prepared food, imported condiments, noodles, rice, snacks, kitchenware, and a bakery/deli area. The store includes a buffet-style meal counter and a bakery section with Asian-style buns and cakes, which adds to the diversity of offerings. 

Li Ming’s serves fills a niche for residents seeking ingredients from Asian cuisines, thus supporting immigrant and diaspora food cultures in the region. Asian grocery stores like Li Ming’s play a role in providing spaces where families can shop for familiar ingredients, connect with culture, and gather socially. 

Gapo International Market

Gapo International Market is an international grocery store located at 3829 W Gate City Blvd. The market was established around 2004. Inside the store, shoppers will find a varied selection of global food products with a particular emphasis on African and Caribbean ingredients. The store is a veritable treasure trove of exotic foods, spices, and ingredients that transport shoppers on a culinary journey around the globe. They offer fresh produce, quality meats, imported snacks, and beverages as part of the inventory. 

Gapo International Market serves as an accessible destination for residents seeking ingredients for international cuisines that may be underrepresented in larger chain supermarkets. By providing culturally relevant food items and operating in a neighborhood setting, the store supports food access and cultural diversity within Greensboro. 

Super Desi Bazaar

Super Desi Bazaar is an Indian and South Asian international grocery store situated at 1315-B Bridford Pkwy, in Greensboro. Inside Super Desi Bazaar, shoppers will find a wide array of fresh produce, particularly vegetables and herbs common in Indian and South Asian cooking, a substantial selection of spices, grains, and imported goods from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, as well as snacks, condiments, and household items catering to “desi” (South Asian) culinary traditions. The store accepts SNAP/EBT benefits.

In Greensboro, Super Desi Bazaar functions as an important local resource for residents seeking authentic South Asian ingredients that are often unavailable in larger national supermarkets. By offering culturally familiar foods, the store supports local immigrant and diaspora communities, helping preserve culinary traditions and making global ingredients more accessible in the region. Many reviews note the store’s friendly service, clean and well-organized interior, which makes it a perfect destination for first-time shoppers. 

 


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Authors

  • Stacy Rounds is a writer and growth producer for Cardinal & Pine. Prior to joining the team, Stacy has worked as a writer, editor, and engagement specialist covering topics ranging from local history, disability advocacy, recreation, and food hotspots to relationships and mental health.