SeeWoo

Spanning four storefronts on Lisle Street, this supermarket has operated as the primary supply line for Chinatown’s kitchens since 1975. When the Tse brothers first established the business, they were instrumental in introducing ingredients like pak choi, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots to a British public that had largely never cooked with them. Today, that inventory has swelled to over 8,000 products, ranging from distinct regional soy sauces and sacks of jasmine rice to restaurant-grade woks. The interior prioritizes density over maneuverability. The ground floor aisles are narrow and stacked high with dried goods, snacks, and pantry staples from across East and Southeast Asia. It is a working grocery store where you often find yourself squeezing past local chefs stocking up for the evening service. The atmosphere changes noticeably when you navigate the stairs to the basement level. This is the wet market, dominated by the sound of running water from live seafood tanks holding flower crabs, lobsters, and fish. The lower floor also houses the fresh meat counter and the dumpling steamers. It is worth noting that the layout reflects the building’s age – there is a step up at the entrance and no lift access to the lower level – but the lack of modern polish is part of the trade-off for the sheer depth of stock available.