Lily Market — Attraction in Portland

Consider the Lily of the Market! Now here is an Asian Market with charm packed in like those sardines packed into a little tin can, with spices!

It’s a wonder. It’s colorful and organized, plentiful and interesting, diverse and inclusive. Not so crowded that you can’t get around, but absolutely bursting with a huge variety of all things Asian. All the sauces, all the spices, all the condiments, the implements. It’s amazing how much they have managed to cram into such a small space without creating havoc.

The place straddles Halsey and Weidler like a land bridge for shoppers with checkout points on each side and you can roam between the two streets like wild grazing wildebeests discovering new noodles and curry pastes. A gentleman came out of the back and asked if he could help me find anything… I’m sorry, when was the last time THAT happened at an Asian market? Usually you are left to sink or swim on your own as you forage the unknown aisles.

And then there is the the robust Deli section on the Weidler side! Lunches to go, made hot, while you wait. Premade grab and go, tons of interesting deserts, great looking meats! Really, this was one of the most interesting, welcoming Asian markets I’ve ever visited! And I’ve visited a lot, not just here.

Lily Market is a fusion market. Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Filipino and probably a lot more and the clientele reflected that, it was a comfortable mix of people, a nice warm flow of all ages and cultures happily finding exactly what they were looking for. Everybody seemed to be in a great mood and the store seemed to be right in the middle of that. A fulcrum right there between the two streets, a balancing act of cultures and food and people. My new...

The deli food is better than any local Thai restaurant. Their larb is generously seasoned without being overwhelming and loaded with fresh herbs. Watch out for the tiny green chilies. They are hot! For hot foods, the bamboo and coconut chicken dish is our favorite. The pad Thai is usually perfect, though occasionally a bit fishy, which I don't care for, but some enjoy this. Everything we've tried here is very good. The business is family owned. The vibe is friendly and accommodating. They've shared recipe tips and recommendations, (although once, this meant that they talked me out of buying one of their products when they discovered it wasn't the flavor I was looking for). It's not always easy to find recipe starter/season packets that are free of preservatives and msg, but Lily Market has a good amount of these. Look for Asian Home Gourmet. They are in the middle of the store against the west wall in the flavoring packet display. They're more toward the left of this display, kind of middle bottom. We've never been disappointed. Also, near the cash register on the north side of the store (where the deli is) there's coconut milk with no preservatives or added ingredients -just coconut- at a much better price than any other store. We...

This neighborhood market is almost a community center and institution as a local gem and favorite, long before the influx of bigger named companies came in. With an emphasis on Thai imports, but so much more, the friendly staff will be happy to talk you through myriad of Asian offerings. They have a deli that serves up Thai standards from both hot and cold cases and you can even call ahead to order a delicious and affordable lunch or arrange for catering an event. Both the deli and the market serve as an excellent option to stop at for a picnic, a potluck or even a unique housewarming gift basket. They have beautiful tea pots, dishes and a large selection of teas. The produce feels locally grown and picked that day fresh. It's the place to go if you need cheap kitchen staples like strainers, bowls, a can opener, measuring cups etc. The wall/aisle of candy, snacks, treats, chips and cookies is worth the trip alone as the mind boggles with all the offerings. If you're wanting to discover something new, shop small and shop local from a small, yet abundant, family owned business,...