Live crabs, crawfish, and eels are waiting in tanks at the back of a grocery store. Yes, a grocery store.
And somewhere near the front, a boba stand is busy shaking up drinks.
This Kansas market stocks more than 20,000 specialty products. Japanese snacks share space with Korean noodles, Thai sauces, and Filipino treats.
There’s even a bakery and a full cafe making hot meals to order. I like how the place blurs the line between errand and adventure.
A quick trip for rice could easily turn into a sushi lunch and a bag of pastries. I can’t imagine leaving with only what’s on the list.
The store also moved into a much bigger home recently. So what fills all that new space?
Plenty of things worth knowing before your next grocery run.
A Bigger Home Means Way More To Explore
Bigger really is better here. Pan-Asia Supermarket moved into a larger location in spring 2025, and the extra room shows up everywhere.
The store first opened in Overland Park back in 2016. Now it serves as the Kansas flagship for the whole Pan-Asia Supermarket chain.
That chain has humble roots. It started as Asian Market in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2010.
So a small Nebraska shop grew into a regional name with a showpiece store in Kansas. That’s quite a glow-up for about fifteen years of work.
The move gave the team space to add features older shops simply couldn’t fit. A cafe, a bakery, a boba stand, and a beauty shop all live under one roof now.
Groceries still lead the show, of course. Fresh seafood, meat, produce, and packed aisles fill the main floor.
The new layout is clean and well-organized, with sections that are easy to follow. That matters when you’re hunting one specific noodle brand among hundreds.
Give yourself extra time on your first visit. A store this size rewards slow browsing far more than a rushed dash.
The Seafood Tanks Might Stare Back At You
Live eels are not a typical Tuesday grocery item in most of Kansas. At this store, they share the seafood department with live crabs and lobsters.
The seafood department sits toward the back and works like a full fish market.
You’ll also spot unusual specialty seafood products, which can be conversation starters for shoppers unfamiliar with them.
Beyond the tanks, the counters carry a wide spread of fresh fish and shellfish.
Clams, razor clams, abalone, oysters, shrimp, squid, and octopus may all make appearances, depending on availability.
Live lobsters are another attraction. If you’re planning homemade sushi or another raw seafood dish, check with the seafood department about appropriate products and safe preparation rather than assuming any fresh seafood is suitable to eat raw.
Seafood arrives daily, which helps keep the cases fresh. For a landlocked state, that’s a pretty big deal.
A little planning helps here. Bring a cooler if you live farther away, especially in warm weather.
It also pays to know your recipe before you go. Staring down a tank full of choices can make anyone forget what they came for.
Kids usually love this part of the store. Honestly, adults do too, even the ones who pretend they’re only here for shrimp.
Japanese Pantry Finds Worth A Special Trip
Japanese cooking gets serious love at Pan-Asia Supermarket.
The store is recognized as a go-to Japanese grocery for shoppers around Kansas City.
That means you can find the building blocks for sushi night, ramen night, or a snack haul. Fresh fish from the seafood counter pairs nicely with pantry staples from the aisles.
The ramen selection deserves its own spotlight. Shelves hold an enormous lineup of noodle brands, so picking just one becomes a fun challenge.
Japan isn’t the only country represented, though. Products also come from Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Thai, Filipino, Indian, and Middle Eastern traditions.
I believe that mix is part of the charm. You can grab Japanese ingredients, then wander into a Korean aisle and leave with kimchi.
The freezer section is huge too. Dumplings, buns, and other frozen treats make weeknight dinners a lot more interesting.
A smart tip is to bring a list and a little flexibility. Some items will tempt you with packaging you’ve never seen before.
Treat unfamiliar snacks as tiny experiments. Worst case, you’ve learned something new about your taste buds.
Lunch Is Served Right Inside The Front Door
Turn right after entering, and suddenly you’re in a cafe. Pan-Asia Cafe and Bakery sits right there, ready before you even grab a cart.
The cafe opens daily at 10:30 a.m. and runs until 8 p.m. That covers lunch, dinner, and the hungry hour in between.
Ordering is flexible. You can tap your order into a kiosk or order with a person at the counter.
Seating includes tables and booths, so you can eat on the spot. Then you can shop with a full stomach, which is honestly the safer strategy.
The menu leans big and varied. Made-to-order Southeast Asian dishes, Chinese favorites, and Korean options all show up.
Fresh sushi is available, plus grab-and-go options when you’re short on time. Ready-made picks make an easy bento-style lunch for work or the road.
This area can get very busy. Mealtimes and weekends tend to fill up quickly.
If you want a calmer bite, try an off-peak hour. Your patience and your appetite will both thank you for it.
Roast Duck, Soup Dumplings, And A Menu That Keeps Going
Soup dumplings at a grocery store? Absolutely, and they’re just the start.
The cafe menu covers a lot of ground. Hot meals sit beside sushi, noodle dishes, and snacks.
Chinese-style roast duck and barbecue pork appear on the lineup. Made-to-order xiao long bao, wontons, and dumplings help round things out.
Steamed barbecue pork buns are another option. So is takoyaki, a Japanese snack made with pieces of octopus inside small, savory batter balls.
Portions are known for being generous. Sharing is a solid plan if you want to sample several dishes at once.
That variety makes the cafe a good pick for groups. One friend can chase sushi while another goes for noodles, and nobody has to compromise.
Picky eaters get options here too. A familiar rice or noodle dish can be an easy starting point for someone who isn’t ready to experiment.
My advice is simple. Pick one dish you know and one dish you don’t, then split both.
That way, every trip teaches you something. Before long, you might have a favorite dish you couldn’t even pronounce on day one.
Pastries And Boba Make Great Bribes For Kids
Sweet tooth alert. Pan-Asia Supermarket has an in-house bakery turning out fresh baked treats.
Baked goods are made daily, and the pastries sit near the front door. That placement feels a little sneaky, in the best possible way.
Cream-filled breads and soft buns are part of the lineup. They make an easy snack for the drive home, if they last that long.
Right nearby, a dedicated boba tea stand serves a range of drinks. Slushies and fruit teas join classic milk teas on the menu.
Toppings like nata jelly let you customize your cup. Many boba shops also let you adjust sugar and ice levels, so ask about your options.
A boba and a pastry together make a pretty great reward. Kids who sat patiently through the seafood section have definitely earned one.
The freezer aisles carry fun desserts too. Fruit-shaped ice creams have become a popular find.
Plan to grab treats at the end of your trip. Starting there means sticky fingers on every shelf you touch.
Produce Bins That Look Straight Off A Farm
Wood and black framing give the produce section a farm-stand feel.
The store uses classic wood orchard bins with a vintage look.
It’s a fun design choice for a big suburban grocery. The bins make even bok choy look like it deserves a photo shoot.
Produce is one of the store’s biggest strengths. You’ll find a wide variety of fresh vegetables alongside exotic fruits.
Many items may be totally new to you. That’s part of the fun, especially for curious cooks.
Here’s a practical idea for first-timers. Pick one unfamiliar vegetable each visit and look up a simple recipe at home.
Over a few months, your cooking skills grow without much effort. Your dinner table gets a lot more colorful too.
Bring reusable bags if you plan to load up. Leafy greens and bulky fruits fill a cart fast.
Shopping earlier in the day can also help. Fewer people means more room to browse those good-looking bins at your own pace.
Skincare Shopping Happens Before The Groceries
Groceries and glow-ups in one trip? That’s the deal at the front of this store.
Pan-Asia Supermarket includes a beauty shop stocked with Korean beauty products. It sits near the entrance, so it’s easy to spot.
Korean skincare has a big fan base across the country. Having a shop inside a grocery store makes browsing super convenient.
Staff members can help point you toward products for your goals. That’s useful if you’re new and feel buried by serums and sheet masks.
This section also gives non-cooks in your group something to enjoy. Not everyone gets excited about a hundred kinds of soy sauce.
Plan your route with a little strategy. Visit the beauty shop first, before your cart fills with frozen dumplings.
That keeps cold items colder and your shopping trip less hectic. Nobody wants melting ice cream while comparing moisturizers.
Start small if skincare is new to you. One cleanser or mask is an easy, low-pressure way to test the waters.
Open Every Single Day, Even When Other Stores Aren’t
Holiday cravings are covered. Pan-Asia Supermarket stays open 365 days a year, although hours may be shorter on major holidays.
Regular hours run from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily. That makes it easy to swing by before work or after dinner.
Check for special holiday hours before making a trip.
You’ll find the store at 12035 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS 66213. It sits in the Southglen shopping center, right next to an Aldi.
Metcalf Avenue is a major road in the Kansas City area, so getting there is simple. The location works well for shoppers across Johnson County and beyond.
Crowds can build on busy days. Checking Google’s live busyness meter before you leave can save some stress.
Weekday mornings are usually a safe bet for calmer aisles. You’ll have more room to compare noodles in peace.
Plan for a long visit if it’s your first time. Between the cafe, bakery, seafood, and aisles, an hour disappears fast.
Kansas shoppers have plenty of grocery options. Few of them come with live eels, boba, and sushi under one roof.