Richmond, B.C. Holds One of Canada's Best Asian Food Scenes
Some places ask you to stop by. Richmond, British Columbia, asks you to show up hungry.
Richmond, B.C., is home to one of Canada’s most vibrant and diverse food scenes, and it does not take long to taste why.
Whether you are visiting from nearby or flying in from another part of Canada, this destination is worth the trip for the food alone. People have been coming here for years, eating incredibly
well, and quietly telling their friends to do the same. But a place this good cannot stay a secret forever. This is the kind of place where you plan lunch, accidentally find three more things you need to eat, and start wondering why all weekends are not built like this. Luckily, they can be in Richmond, B.C.
First Discovery: Dumplings
Start with Richmond’s Dumpling Trail and you will quickly see why it has become one of the city’s most memorable culinary experiences. This year round, self guided experience takes you through 16 eateries, each offering its own take on dumplings and dim sum inspired favourites.
It is a fun way to experience Richmond through the cultures behind the food. One stop for steamed dumplings, another for pan fried, another because, well, you are already there.
Richmond is celebrated for its Asian cuisine. (Tourism Richmond)
Three blocks. Endless opportunities.
Richmond is celebrated for its Asian cuisine, and in Canada, that is really saying something. With more than 800 restaurants, it has built a reputation as one of the country’s most exciting places to eat.
The Richmond Public Market is a strong next stop if you want to sample a range of flavors under one roof. It is lively, casual, and packed with variety, from produce and baked goods to ready to eat dishes that make it easy to turn a quick visit into a satisfying one.
Then there is Food Street, a walkable three block stretch along Alexandra Road in the heart of Richmond’s Golden Village district. With more than 70 Asian eateries packed into one corridor, it is one of the city’s best known destinations for ramen, hot pot, noodles, bubble tea, and authentic Asian style barbecue.
(Tourism Richmond)
Sunset, seafood, Steveston
When you are ready to slow the pace and settle in for dinner, head to Steveston Village, a quaint waterfront fishing village lined with shops, restaurants, and views that make you want to stay awhile.
Steveston’s fishing heritage is part of what makes it feel so special. At Fisherman’s Wharf, you can watch working boats come and go, chat with local fishers, and pick up fresh fish, prawnsand crab right from the source. For a quieter moment, Fishers Walk offers an easy way to slow down and take in the waterfront at your own pace.
And if you are hungry right away, Pajo’s Fish & Chips is sitting there like a very good idea. It has been serving fish and chips in Steveston since 1985, and ordering some on the spot still feels like the right move.
This part of Richmond makes the world feel a little simpler again. You are by the water, eating seafood from the source, and remembering that sometimes the best experiences are the least complicated.
Fresh food. Ocean air. Good people. That’s the kind of magic we know and love in Canada.
P.S., put this on your calendar
The Richmond Night Market, known as North America’s largest night market, runs from April 24 to September 20 this year, on Fridays, weekends, and stat holidays. It brings together more than 200 food and retail stalls, high energy entertainment, and an open air festival atmosphere shaped by Richmond’s diverse Asian influences.
And in May and June, the Steveston Spot Prawn & Seafood Celebration adds another reason to visit, with fresh spot prawns, seafood dining specials, and even more ways to experience Steveston’s connection to the water and the local catch.
What makes Richmond so memorable is not just the quality of the food, but the diversity behind it. Each neighborhood, market, and waterfront stop offers something distinct, giving you a taste of the cultures and communities that shape the city. It is that variety, and the experience of discovering it bite by bite, that makes Richmond one of Canada’s most exciting places to eat.