Markets to Find Korean Ingredients and Asian Foods in Billings - Billings - 1

When Korean residents first move to Billings, there's a place they seek out right away: Isebela Asian Market.

Among the local Korean community, it's essentially known as the "Korean market in Billings."

While it's not large, it has a decent selection of basic Korean ingredients like ramen, rice, and various seasonings.

The address is 1005 24th St W, and it operates from 9 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday through Saturday, and is closed on Sundays. It's the first place that comes to mind when craving Korean food.

For those living in the eastern Heights area of Billings, Amaya Oriental Market is frequently visited. While it primarily offers Chinese, Filipino, and Vietnamese foods, it also has a fair selection of Korean ingredients, making it a popular spot for locals.

In fact, Billings isn't a city with multiple Korean markets like LA or Seattle. Newcomers often worry, "Can I make kimchi stew here?" But once they settle in, they find it's not as difficult as they thought.

The Korean residents here have their own ways of managing. First, they get basic ingredients from the local Asian market.

However, the items they want aren't always available. What they saw today might not be there next week. So, long-time residents tend to put anything they need into their shopping cart as soon as they see it.

For anything lacking, they order online. Amazon and H Mart online have become almost essential for daily needs. Especially for ramen, seasonings, snacks, and instant foods, it's actually more convenient once you get used to ordering online.

Markets to Find Korean Ingredients and Asian Foods in Billings - Billings - 2

It's interesting when it comes to traveling. Whenever there's a chance to go to Seattle or Salt Lake City, the first stop is always the Korean market before any sightseeing.

Loading up the car with kimchi, frozen dumplings, rice cake for soup, side dishes, and boxes of ramen is a very familiar sight for Koreans in Billings.

Local Walmart and Costco can surprisingly be helpful too. At Costco, you can often find Korean seaweed or frozen dumplings, and at Walmart, it's not hard to find Shin Ramyeon or Buldak Bokkeummyeon.

When talking to long-time Korean ladies, they often say similar things: "At first, I thought I wouldn't be able to cook Korean food, but as time went on, I found ways to make it work."

And that's true. By utilizing local vegetables and ingredients from American markets, they naturally create their own Korean recipes. In fact, many cook even more creatively than they would in Korea.

Billings is certainly not an easy city for finding Korean ingredients. However, it's not as inconvenient as one might think.

Instead, it fosters a habit of shopping thoughtfully and stocking up on necessities. That's why the Korean community here often says,

"Shopping in Billings is a skill in itself."