Kowloon Market

A classic, traditional Chinese supermarket I’ve been visiting for 25+ years

Kowloon Market has been part of my Ottawa life since I first moved here more than two decades ago. For me, it’s always been the closest thing to a classic, traditional Chinese supermarket in the city — narrow aisles, boxes stacked for unpacking, the mix of bakery, BBQ, seafood, and produce all in one place. It feels exactly like the markets I grew up with.

What has kept me coming back all these years:

Authentic selection of Chinese and Asian ingredients you can’t find elsewhere in Ottawa.

Convenient location for quick stops on the way home.

Fresh BBQ items and a strong seafood section.

Prices that stay reasonable even as the city changes.

Yes, it can be crowded and a bit chaotic at times, but that’s part of the charm — it’s a real working market, not a polished boutique grocery. After 25+ years, I still find everything I need here, and it remains one of the most reliable places for Asian cooking essentials in Ottawa.

I see roaches almost every time I come here. Super gross.

Kowloon Market is a complete staple of the neighborhood and honestly one of the best reasons to live in the Chinatown area. It is that rare kind of grocery store where you can find everything from incredibly fresh produce to specialized items you just cannot get anywhere else in the city. The energy inside is always great and it serves as such a vital anchor for the local community on Somerset West. It is the kind of place that makes daily life here so much easier and more vibrant. Having a reliable, high-quality market like this within walking distance is a massive perk for anyone who calls this part of Ottawa home.

The location itself is perfect for anyone who values a truly walkable lifestyle. Being so close to the Pimisi O-Train station means the whole city is accessible, but everything you really need is right here. It is exciting to see a long-standing business like Kowloon thrive alongside all the new investments like the Adisoke central library and the massive redevelopment happening at LeBreton Flats. You can tell there is a real sense of optimism and stability among the residents here. It feels like the neighborhood is coming into its own as one of the most desirable and high-value pockets of the city. Seeing the balance of traditional businesses and modern civic projects makes me very confident in the future of Chinatown.

I bought carp filets, heads, and a salmon head from this market and every piece had a strong bile taste. This is the kind of bitterness that comes from a ruptured gallbladder during cleaning, and it made the entire purchase inedible. I have bought fish from many places and have never encountered anything this poorly handled. The fact that all items had the same fault points to a serious problem with preparation and quality control. I ended up throwing everything out, which was both disappointing and expensive. I will not return unless the store makes clear changes to its handling and cleaning practices.

Terrible, waist of money and time.
So we have a event that day Sunday June 7,2025
decide to place a order for a whole pig, also paid extra for them to cut it in pieces. But unfortunately at the time of pick up was a bad surprise, it’s not our first time buying a whole pig and cut. This time they throw all in without placing like a pig shape. At the event, our guests didn’t have appetite for that dish. So we have so much left over, and that leftover right the next day was bad already. So it’s all went in the trash. Also the skin wasn’t crispy. Dont think pig was fresh at all! Anyway for the price we paid it would be our last time. Thank you!