When a sign reading “HL Asian Market: Coming Soon” appeared at 7113 South Tamiami Trail early last year, Sarasota food enthusiasts went wild with speculation. Although our area already boasted a handful of small, well-stocked Asian specialty stores, food lovers often found themselves driving to Tampa to track down rarer global ingredients. No longer. At the end of 2024, the giant HL market opened to enormous fanfare. Cars lined the trail, waiting for a parking spot to open up. It was worth it. Inside, patient shoppers found a 23-aisle market teeming with products ranging from cookware to snacks, live seafood and hard-to-find sauces, plus an enormous produce section filled with fruits and vegetables you can’t get at other local markets. 

The HL site used to be an event hall called The Devyn. The former owners sold the 2.2-acre property for $4.7 million in 2023 to Xiong Di Group LLC, which owns a smaller HL Asian Market in Spring Hill, Florida, near Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.

Brush up on your tea knowledge at HL, where you’ll find dozens of varieties ranging from rooibos to oolong, matcha and chai, and herbal teas galore. In that same aisle, you’ll even find fairly priced teapots and teacups in both plain and artistic styles.

In addition to food offerings, the market also has a beer and wine license and an entire section dedicated to imported alcoholic beverages like sake and soju, a distilled rice drink. There are plenty of fun non-alcoholic drinks, as well.

Besides now being the largest Asian market in town, HL also has the most generous hours. It opens daily at 8:30 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m.

HL is also home to a huge meat department and several aisles are loaded with frozen goods, ceramics, noodles and rice, all available in small or bulk quantities.

HL’s three aisles dedicated to produce offer some unique finds. Splurge on a pricey Asian pear, grab a handful of lychees or rambutan and don’t forget aromatics like lemongrass, Thai basil and garlic chives.

Condiments reign supreme at HL, with several aisles dedicated to global sauces organized by country of origin. Close your eyes and grab a bottle of something new to try at home. If you need a little help, we recommend some aged Chinese black vinegar.

HL’s seafood department is the most impressive in all of Sarasota. You’ll find standards like branzino, snapper and sea bass, but you’ll also see live eels and lobster, small sharks, king and Dungeness crabs and a lot more.