Richmond BC: Budget Friendly Food In This Suburb Of Vancouver
Going to Vancouver? Visit Richmond BC for some tasty budget-friendly eats!
My late father lived in Richmond BC and when I go back to Vancouver I either stay with friends or stayed with him. Richmond is a suburb of Vancouver with a large number of Asian immigrant residents. The best part about Richmond beside the things I have written about before (Steveston and Iona Beach) is the food. With the big Asian population, you know there are going to be some seriously good eating there.
I’ll take you on a visual dining tour of my favorite places:
Pho Lan – 6950 Number 3 Rd, Richmond BC
This place isn’t the best but it’s reliable, cheap, and it was close to where my folks lived. If you’re looking for the best pho in Vancouver area I’d suggest somewhere along the Fraser/Kingsway corridor but for those moments you find yourself in Richmond, Pho Lan is my go to. For $12 you get a big bowl of pho, a drink, and a fresh spring roll.
I always order the Pho Tai which is thinly sliced rare beef. Also ordered was a fresh spring roll with shrimp and peanut sauce to dip.
HK BBQ Master – Suite 145-4651 No. 3 Rd, Richmond BC
Ok…this is not for the vegetarians or vegans out there. This is gonna be seriously meaty and delicious. HK BBQ Master is underneath the Superstore grocery store on No. Three Road. It’s best for pick up but I did eat there. Service is gruff but who cares when the food is this delicious. Best char siu and roast pork belly in the Vancouver area. OMG! I’m starving just thinking about it. For 2 kinds of BBQ plus green vegetables was $13.
Meat sweats!
Oh boy! Super succulent and delicious. Seriously.
I love greens drizzled with oyster sauce. Omg, I’m hungry!
Another place I like to go to and eat is Asian Malls. They’ll usually have good food courts and super budget-friendly prices.
Aberdeen Mall – 4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond BC
Aberdeen Mall vibes
St Germain bakery. I buy Chinese pastries like coconut cocktail buns here
On the top floor of Aberdeen Mall is their food court
Lido Cafe – 4231 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond BC
And just steps away from Aberdeen Mall on the backside of Three Road on Hazelbridge Way is this Hong Kong cafe called Lido. It’s a cha chaan teng or teahouse.
Here’s an explanation of what a cha chaan teng is on Wiki:
“In early Hong Kong, only high-class restaurants provided western food and most of them did not serve local people. At that time, people saw western food as a luxury item. After the Second World War, Hong Kong culture was influenced by British culture. Hong Kong people started to like drinking tea and eating cakes. Therefore, some of the Hong Kong people set up the Cha Chaan Teng and their target audience was local people. Providing different kinds of Canto-Western Cuisine and drinks with very low price led to them being regarded as “cheap western food” or “Soy sauce western food” (si yasai chaan, 豉油西餐). In recent, the management of Cha Chaan Teng began to change in coordination with the development of Hong Kong economy and society. During the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, Cha Chaan Teng became much more popular in Hong Kong as they still provided the cheapest food for the public.”
It’s food history time!
I did not eat at Lido but as per suggestion by my Chinese friend Dickson (who is like my spiritual advisor for Chinese food), a pineapple bun or egg tart was highly recommended. The buns were sold out but I did get an egg tart! I can’t remember how much the egg tart was. No more than $2.
Bubble Queen – 8888 Odlin Crescent, Richmond BC
Do you love bubble tea? I didn’t even drink it before 2011. My friend Michelle in Sydney, Australia introduced me to it. I think I was scared of the little balls at the bottom. I didn’t get it. What was the deal? They are tapioca balls aka pearls. She ordered me a cold taro (purple yam) tea with pearls and I’ve never looked back. In a pinch, I’ll have one of those because it’s like a meal. Not kidding.
I tried to veer from my usual taro and ordered mango
These are my favorite budget-friendly eateries in Richmond BC I am still on a mission to explore more places to eat in this suburb. The best part about it is that you can get to Richmond easily now via the Skytrain (the Canada Line) and just walk to these places. No need to drive!!
FOR MORE HELPFUL POSTS AND LINKS:
- More Richmond, BC Restaurants To Try
- Iona Beach, A Hidden Gem In Richmond
- Exploring Steveston Village, A Fishing Village in Richmond, BC
- Dim Sum, A Pictorial Guide
- For more travel tips and other destination guides
- Use this link to book the best deals on your accommodations
- Use this link to research your flights and car rental
- Get a discount off your first stay with Air BNB by using this link
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