My family is from Iran, and I always appreciate that stores like H-Mart and Lotte stock hard-to-find ingredients outside of Korean cooking staples. They are our go-to for large quantities of fresh mint/parsley/cilantro/tarragon, fresh fenugreek, fresh fava beans in the pod, cardamom, yellow split peas, and more. A dedicated persian grocery store can be hard to find, and many don't carry certain fresh ingredients.

It's also a joy to wander around and discover new foods from all over the world - fresh lychee, frozen puffed tofu, salted puffed mung beans, and soursop juice are all things I only got to try because of H-Mart or Lotte. Their seafood selection is also incredible.