Richmond BC: Dim Sum, Night Market & Asian Food Capital

Richmond is the most remarkable food destination in Canada that most Canadians outside Metro Vancouver don’t know about. Located immediately south of Vancouver on a large river delta island, Richmond has a higher proportion of residents of Chinese descent than any other municipality in North America — approximately 54% of the population — and this demographic reality has produced something extraordinary: a concentration of Cantonese, Shanghainese, Hong Kong-style, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, and broader pan-Asian cuisine that rivals the best neighbourhoods of Hong Kong and Tokyo, and surpasses anything available in North America outside the specific corner of Richmond itself.

The city is also the location of Vancouver International Airport, which means that many visitors transit through Richmond without realising what is directly around them. Do not make this mistake. If your itinerary includes any time in Metro Vancouver, Richmond deserves at least a full day — and ideally an evening in addition, to catch the night market.

The Canada Line SkyTrain connects downtown Vancouver to Richmond’s central neighbourhoods in 20 minutes for the cost of a standard transit fare. This is one of the most cost-effective cultural experiences available anywhere in Canada.

Dim sum in Richmond

The case for Richmond dim sum

Dim sum in Richmond operates at a standard that many Hong Kong residents acknowledge is competitive with the best in their own city. The combination of first-generation Cantonese immigrant communities, consistent supply of high-quality BC seafood, and intense local competition has produced a dining environment where the craft is taken seriously and the results are exceptional.

The major dim sum restaurants in Richmond — most concentrated along No. 3 Road and in the Yaohan Centre and Aberdeen Centre malls — are large, typically seating several hundred people, and operate the traditional trolley service alongside made-to-order items. Weekend mornings from 9am to noon are the peak hours; queues outside the most popular restaurants before 10am on Saturdays are normal.

What to order

Har gow (steamed shrimp dumplings) is the canonical test of a dim sum kitchen — the pleats in the translucent wrapper, the snap of the shrimp, the delicacy of the seasoning. In Richmond, the best examples of har gow are genuinely extraordinary: thin-skinned, generously filled, perfectly pleated.

Siu mai (open-topped pork and shrimp dumplings) are another benchmark. The proportion of pork to shrimp, the seasoning of the filling, and the doneness of the meat are all markers of kitchen quality. The best Richmond versions are a reference point for this style.

Char siu bao (BBQ pork buns) come in two versions: baked (the shiny, slightly sweet bun) and steamed (the fluffy white version). Both should be tried. The bbq pork filling should be moist and faintly sweet with a slight smokiness.

Cheung fun (rice noodle rolls) can be ordered plain, filled with shrimp, beef, or BBQ pork, and dressed with a sweet soy sauce. The noodle should be silky and tender, the filling generous.

Beyond these classics, Richmond’s dim sum restaurants serve a vast range of items that extend well beyond the typical Canadian understanding of the cuisine: turnip cake (lo bak go), fried taro dumplings (wu gok), sticky rice in lotus leaf (lo mai gai), egg tarts (dan tat in both the Cantonese and Portuguese-influenced styles), sesame balls (jin deui), and multiple varieties of tofu pudding and almond jelly for dessert.

Top dim sum restaurants

Kirin Restaurant on No. 3 Road has been a Richmond dim sum institution for decades. The kitchen is large and consistent, the trolleys are well-stocked, and the quality of the premium items — abalone dishes, whole Peking duck — is impressive.

Fisherman’s Terrace Seafood Restaurant at Aberdeen Centre is known for its live seafood selection and some of the finest Hong Kong-style seafood preparations in the city. The lobster dishes and the fresh crab are benchmarks.

Empire Chinese Seafood Restaurant at Imperial Centre specialises in Cantonese banquet-style service and is where many Richmond Chinese families celebrate major events — a useful indicator of authenticity and quality.

The Richmond Night Market

Overview

The Richmond Night Market, operating on weekends and select weekdays from May to October, is the largest night market in North America and one of the most authentic outside Asia. Held in a large outdoor site near River Road, the market draws on the Taiwanese night market tradition of concentrated street food stalls, carnival games, and a general atmosphere of noisy, joyful commerce in the evening hours.

The market typically runs from 7pm to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays (5pm on Sundays), and crowds peak from 8pm onward. Admission is charged but modest.

What to eat at the Night Market

The food at the Richmond Night Market is the primary reason to attend. Over 100 food stalls operate simultaneously, most specialising in a single item or small range of items, and the competition between stalls drives quality upward. Do not attempt to eat everywhere — pick three or four items and eat well.

Stinky tofu (chou doufu) is the night market’s signature polarising dish — deeply fermented, intensely flavoured tofu that smells extraordinary and tastes unlike anything else. It is served fried with pickled vegetables and chilli sauce. Try it once.

Scallion pancakes (cong you bing) are the night market’s most universally loved item — crispy, layered flatbreads that are satisfying in a fundamentally simple way. The best versions have distinct lamination, visible scallion throughout, and a slight chewiness in the interior.

Fresh fruit drinks and bubble tea — the boba tea scene in Richmond is exceptionally competitive, and the night market versions are particularly good. Fresh fruit in season (mango, lychee, strawberry, watermelon) blended with milk tea or served as a slushy is the most refreshing option.

Takoyaki (Japanese octopus balls), tteokbokki (Korean spicy rice cakes), ramen burgers, and dozens of other pan-Asian street food items round out the market’s offering.

Beyond food

The Night Market has a significant non-food component: games of skill and chance, merchandise stalls selling K-pop merchandise, phone accessories, and various consumer goods, and live entertainment. The social atmosphere — densely packed, very loud, pleasantly chaotic — is itself a large part of the appeal.

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The mall food courts: Aberdeen and Yaohan

Aberdeen Centre

Aberdeen Centre is a Hong Kong-style mall on No. 3 Road anchored by a supermarket, multiple restaurants, and a food court that is — and this is genuinely true — one of the best places to eat in Metro Vancouver. The food court operates at a level far above any standard North American mall food court: the noodle stations serve hand-pulled noodles; the congee stall is the benchmark for the dish in the city; the Taiwanese beef noodle soup is remarkable; the Hong Kong-style milk tea is brewed properly with a cotton filter.

The supermarket level of Aberdeen Centre is worth an hour of exploration in itself — the fresh produce section has vegetables unfamiliar to most western shoppers, the prepared foods section offers several hundred ready-made Chinese dishes, and the dried foods aisle gives a sense of the culinary depth being drawn on in Richmond’s kitchens.

Yaohan Centre

Yaohan Centre on Number 3 Road is older and less polished than Aberdeen but has an equally impressive food court and a particularly strong selection of Japanese foods and goods. The Fujiya Japanese Foods section stocks the widest range of Japanese pantry ingredients outside Vancouver’s Japantown. The mochi, the freshly made onigiri, and the Japanese convenience store snacks available here are direct imports from a Japanese consumer culture that doesn’t typically export to western supermarkets.

Steveston Village

Overview

Steveston is Richmond’s historic fishing village, located at the southwestern corner of the city where the south arm of the Fraser River meets the Strait of Georgia. It is a significant contrast to the commercial intensity of No. 3 Road — a preserved heritage fishing community with a boardwalk, independent seafood restaurants, fish canneries, and a small-boat harbour that has been working since the late 19th century.

Britannia Shipyards and Cannery

The Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site preserves an 1880s shipyard complex on the riverbank, with several heritage buildings open for self-guided tours. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site (open seasonally) is the most complete surviving example of a BC salmon cannery and gives an excellent sense of the industrialised salmon processing that defined the Fraser Valley economy for a century.

Fresh seafood at Steveston

The fish market at the Steveston dock sells fresh-off-the-boat BC seafood in season — wild salmon from June through October, spot prawns in May, Dungeness crab through summer. The floating fish market stalls at the foot of No. 1 Road are the most direct connection to the fishing fleet. Pajos fish and chips, operating from a floating shack on the dock, is a genuine Steveston institution and a reliable choice for fresh-battered halibut and chips eaten at a picnic table by the water.

Getting around Richmond

The Canada Line SkyTrain is the primary transport connection. Three stations serve Richmond: Bridgeport (near the Night Market site), Aberdeen (for the food courts and dim sum corridor), and Richmond-Brighouse (for the southern reaches of No. 3 Road). All three are on the direct line from downtown Vancouver.

Driving is convenient for reaching Steveston and the outlying areas of Richmond. The flat, grid-planned streets of the city make navigation easy. Parking is abundant and mostly free at the major malls.

Combining Richmond with other Vancouver stops

Richmond is a natural first or last day activity for any Metro Vancouver visit, given its proximity to the airport. Arriving or departing visitors who budget an extra few hours on either end of their trip can reach world-class dim sum within 20 minutes of YVR by Canada Line.

A day itinerary combining Richmond’s dim sum for lunch, a mid-afternoon walk around Steveston, and the Night Market in the evening is one of the best value food days available anywhere in western Canada.

For broader Vancouver exploration, pair Richmond with a day in Gastown and Granville Island for a comprehensive introduction to the city’s food culture from multiple angles. North Vancouver makes a natural contrast on a separate day — the wilderness to counterbalance the culinary intensity.

Frequently asked questions about Richmond BC

Is Richmond better than Vancouver for dim sum?

Most serious dim sum enthusiasts in Metro Vancouver would say yes — the depth of choice, the consistency of quality, and the competition level in Richmond’s dim sum scene exceed what is available in Vancouver proper. The city’s large Cantonese-speaking community creates a demanding clientele that drives standards upward.

When does the Richmond Night Market open?

The Richmond Night Market typically runs from the Victoria Day long weekend in May through the Thanksgiving long weekend in October. It operates on Friday and Saturday evenings (7pm to midnight) and Sundays (5pm to midnight). Hours and dates can vary; check the Night Market’s official website before visiting.

Is Richmond safe to visit?

Richmond is one of the safest municipalities in Metro Vancouver. The No. 3 Road commercial corridor, the shopping malls, Steveston Village, and the Night Market site are all well-lit, busy, and without significant safety concerns.

How far is Richmond from Vancouver Airport?

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is in Richmond, on Sea Island adjacent to the main city. The airport is directly connected to the No. 3 Road commercial corridor by Canada Line SkyTrain in about 8 minutes.