If You Haven’t Tried H Mart’s $3 Ice Cup, You’re Severely Missing Out
I love H Mart. Between the bustling food court and its selection of quick dinner shortcuts and surprisingly awesome produce, the grocery store is stellar in every way, shape, and form. I can spend entire evenings there (and I have), perusing the aisles and shopping for my favorite ingredients like lemongrass and dumpling wrappers, all while keeping my eyes peeled for new snacks (speaking of, have you tried Turtle Chips before?)
If there’s one massively underrated spot at H Mart, it’s the ice cup station. The days that I go to H Mart feel kind of like a personal date (that I’m taking myself on). All of that walking requires a bit of quenching, naturally, and for that I always swing by the ice cup station.
How the H Mart Ice Cup Station Works
In convenience stores across Asia — particularly in Japan and South Korea — it’s common to buy cups (full of ice) to pour coffee, juice, and tea into for an instantly refreshing drink. Most H Marts have adopted this model into their grocery stores, where folks can choose from a variety of pouched drinks to make their very own ice cup.
Prices vary from H Mart to H Mart; my local grocery store sells the cups of ice for $0.99, and the drinks are anywhere from $1.49 to $1.99.
Once you purchase your drink and cup of ice, take the lid off the ice cup and tear off the side of your juice pouch to pour that liquid in. You can then put the lid back on, and sip on your drink while wandering around the store or heading home.
What’s So Great About the H Mart Ice Cup Station
What’s not to enjoy about the Ice Cup station? Sure, I can bring my own water bottle or tea, but what’s the point of life if not for little pleasures? There’s something so joyful about reading through the different flavors (many, of which, have adorable graphics on them) to create an instantly delicious and gratifying drink. It makes me feel like a little barista!
I’m currently drinking my way through all of the options — so far I’ve tried the Americano, orange juice, grape juice, peach iced tea, and blueberry juice. My current favorite (and the first flavor repeat-buy!) is the blueberry juice. It ends up being around $2 to $3 dollars depending on the drink, which I write off as a little luxury of mine.
What’s your favorite section at H Mart? Tell us in the comments below.