Ming Wo Cookware

I love the selection of products in this store. Living only a couple of blocks away from this location, I frequently stop by in search of a piece of kitchen paraphernalia or for a last minute birthday or Christmas gift for a friend. This location carries a good selection of kitchen products, and there is always some fun gadget to check out. The discounted items are great as well!
All of that being said, I am frequently very uncomfortable in this store. I understand that shoplifting must be an issue in such a busy location on West 4^th. Having worked in a large retail store in the past, I understand what shoplifting can do to a store’s profit. It can be absolutely devastating, and it is a shame that businesses like this have to deal with that.
I am sure that there must be a way to make customers feel more welcome at this location. More than once, I have literally been followed around the store by one of the staff members who consistently stayed about 10 feet away as I checked out the soap pumps and cutting boards towards the rear of the store. Once, there were even two people following me around, both keeping an eye on my every move. That kind of intense attention makes me very uncomfortable.
Today in particular, it was unsettling to be glared at by a stern-​faced staff member keeping an eye on those of us in the back of the store. Not once did she greet me or my wife or offer us help. In fact, we probably would have welcomed her help had she been approachable. I think that I would have been more okay with her presence if she had interacted with us in some way, letting us know that she valued our presence and business.
To top it all off, she actually followed us to the cash register as another staff member rang up our items. I’m not sure what kind of excitement she was expecting as we paid for our cooking twine and bottle opener, but fortunately we always pay for what we take home from a store. As we left, I turned around, and she was still glaring at us!
These experiences definitely don’t make me eager to return, but I’m sure we’ll be back. Just hoping to feel more welcome next time.

Easily the nicest MW, not just being in Kits, but high glass ceilings and good sales here for their dishware and towels, and other sales bins they put out in the front.
Good selection of knives too, with Henckels and Victorinox.
A nice place to browse for awhile.

am glad they have been more reasonable with their prices on certain items. This is a smaller location compared to others, however, they have a decent selection of bake ware and cooking and baking items with fun and personality that are both practical and have kitsch which are perfect for gifts. I don’t have a comment on the Customer Service as I was browsing and didn’t need existence. This one doesn’t have a lot of stuff compared to the Downtown location, however, what they do have works fine. They have the basics, just not a lot of options with the basics. I picked up some silicon cupcake liners.

Well stocked and not as cluttered as the original location in Chinatown, this branch offers more aisle space and I didn’t have to feel like a bull in a china shop. Of all cookery shops that I’ve been, Ming Wo has lots of deals that you might not expect. On a recent visit, I found great prices on Gordon Ramsey chinaware for four people and insulated Bodum glasses going for less than $ 20. I bought the latter together with a thermometer with my gift certificate. What is wonderful about Ming Wo is that they don’t force customers to spend all the money in a single visit. My only complaint? They need a more modern system for their gift certificates – they were still updating the amounts the old-​fashioned way with pencil and paper. =)

i have been here twice… both times the service was below average… that could easily change… their product is average but the price seems to be right

$ 5.99 5″ skillets great price if seasoned and kept oiled like you would a proper wok.
Was just window shopping, but being a cook and loving to cook, it is always fun to check out cookware shops. Ming Wo’s has been a business that I always enjoy shopping in and usually find something I want and get. It could be a pairing knife, a new steel, or mixing bowls or pan. I’m always looking for new pans.
For those who are ultimate foodies and love to cook, this is your bible store.

I could spend hours in this store! It’s got seemingly every gadget for cooking possible. The prices sometimes seem a little high but they do have some good deals and sales on at times. They certainly have an amazing selection and it’s rare that I can’t find what I’m looking for.

After moving to Vancouver (for the second time), I finally learn how to cook (barely) and Ming Wo has been a good place to find cute and utilitarian cookware. Either a knife or steamer, Ming Wo seems to always have what i am looking for.
Yes, some of the items are not exactly bargain price, but they are still affordable, especially the ones on sale. I have learnt my lesson not to buy functional cookwares from bargain places as most of the times they have design flaws. In my opinion, paying slightly extra for something that can help you get the job done in less time is definitely more worth it.

I went there looking for a lime crusher to make home made margaritas … It was 35 $!! Seriously. Too expensive, except for the knives :) (I just realized that sounds scary!)

I love going to cooking stores, and its not even that I cook THAT much, but there’s just something about having nice things in your kitchen that makes it a home (that and the people, of course). Ming Woo does a great job of displaying the fanciest and coolest new kitchen gadgets that make you ask, «what’s that?», and THAT’S exactly how it all starts.
The coolest thing I ever bought from Ming Woo was this super sweet noodle bowls with chop stick holes through either end! Seriously, I know its hard to imagine, but they really are glorious bowls!

Uncertain of my own culinary prowess, I am wary of cookware stores. All those pans and appliances… And the knives? How is a paring knife different from any other kind? What are the advantages of knives with serrated edges versus ones with granton edges?
Yes, I can «ooh» and «ahh» over how lovely the Japanese teapot sets are but beyond esthetics, I lack the recourse to choose something as simple as a pepper grinder. At Ming Wo, the staff is a different matter. Experts in the ways of the kitchen, they can demonstrate proper knife sharpening techniques, assist in picking out cooking sets suitable for your needs or talk you through different kinds of preparation techniques.
The stock at Ming Wo is equally impressive. Take the time to rummage through their merchandise and you’re certain to leave with at least a couple of bags of products for your home.

Way back in 1917, long before any of you kids were born, a little store called Ming Wo opened in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown. As it turns out, this is the little store that could — and would. Today, Ming Wo operates six locations throughout the city, and somehow continues to be a family owned company dedicated to providing professional and home chefs with all the cookware and kitchen products they need. Although I’m not much of a cook, I personally love Ming Wo for its quality and dedication, and find myself returning again and again.
With an extensive selection of Asian and North American cookware, you can choose from a wide range of woks, bamboo steamers, glassware, and dishware, many of which are imported from China or Japan. Ming Wo also offers well-​known North American brands of pots, pans, and accessories. Don’t forget to check out the selection of teapot sets and china — these make great little housewarming gifts.