Hidden Gems Vancouver

Home
Canada
Vancouver, BC
Hidden Gems Vancouver

In-depth features of the best from the best small in �
—————————————————

(8)

We bring you the best lesser-known restaurants, food, and drinks in Vancouver, one at a time. Our diverse group of local food personalities curate and provide unbiased recommendations of unforgettable food and drinks that they’ve tried, so that you can enjoy them too! We care about our food and community and hope to bring more awareness to the overlooked local restaurants, as well as support their efforts in bringing sincere quality food to our city.

09/12/2023

Next time you are in Richmond, be sure to go and see chef Robert Duan hand-pulling the noodles right in front of you when you try their “Biang Biang” noodles. The #16 comes with a generous amount of pork shoulder, along with bean sprouts, cabbage, bok choy, and chili oil, covered almost all the noodles. Mix well and enjoy!

The Biang Biang Noodle dish has succulent and slightly fatty pork, crisp bean sprouts and bok choy, tangy pickled cabbage, and chewy, scraggly noodles.

08/26/2023

Macu Tea recently opened in Richmond and we tried the King of Mango Smoothie. We were happy with the flavour and mouthfeel of this mango smoothie, which came with plenty of toppings. We tasted the tea flavour in their jelly toppings, which complemented the drink very well. Nothing stuck inside the straw either! The service was polite and professional too.

Recommended by Teresa from

We were happy with the flavour and mouthfeel of this mango smoothie, which came with plenty of toppings.

08/24/2023

If you’re familiar with the Lougheed area, you’ve probably have passed by the HoHo Walnut Cake & Mini Taiyaki Food Truck. They sell Walnut Cake and Mini Taiyaki at an affordable price. We ordered the Walnut Cake and it was super cute with its walnut shape! The cake is soft and fluffy, and the inside is filled with red bean paste and walnut bits for extra texture. It’s a good snack to share with friends and family in between meals!

Recommended by Nicole from

The cake is soft and fluffy, and the inside is filled with red bean paste and walnut bits for extra texture.

08/18/2023

If you’re looking for tempura heaven, head to Tendon Kohaku. The signature Anago Tendon bowl has pretty much everything — eel, fish, prawns, chicken, French beans, shiitake mushroom, lotus root, and a soft fried egg! Everything is perfectly fried and the homemade sauce mixes so well with the rice.

Recommended by Ivan from

The signature Anago Tendon bowl has pretty much everything — eel, fish, prawns, chicken, French beans, shiitake mushroom, lotus root, and a soft fried egg!

08/16/2023

Time to enjoy a fantastic evening with great food and drinks at Sector 7 Kitchen + Bar in Richmond! Focused on high-quality and locally sourced ingredients, Sector 7 is your new hidden gem to check out for a diverse fine-dining experience. If you’re looking for a fun and fruity cocktail, try the Fruity Loop. It contains Fruit Loop infused vodka, orange, cranberry, and lime, topped with a cute little stick of real Fruit Loops for the crunchiness!

Recommended by Corey from .com/posts/dish_intro/fruity-loop/

It contains Fruit Loop infused vodka, orange, cranberry, and lime, topped with a cute little stick of real Fruit Loops for the crunchiness!

08/11/2023

Have you heard of Genki Eki Noodle Bar along West Broadway? What’s cool about it is that it’ll take you to a Japanese train station! Genki Eki serves a variety of Japanese street food, traditional Japanese oden, and customizable noodle bowls. One of my personal favourites was the Duck Duck Duck (Cold Noodle). The duck breast was so tender and the cold noodles were packed with flavor and cooked perfectly to al-dente. You’ll also get hot soup on the side.

Recommended by Melody from

Find Genki Eki Noodle Bar's best dishes here at Hidden Gems Vancouver

08/11/2023

The Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed French Toast from Honey Salt in Vancouver is the best French toast I’ve ever had! This delicious toast is topped with an amazing Nutella and caramel sauce, bananas, and mixed berries. I loved how everything just melts in your mouth! Try it the next time you’re craving something sweet for your weekend brunch!

Recommended by Margaret from

This delicious toast is topped with an amazing Nutella and caramel sauce, bananas, and mixed berries.

08/04/2023

Goen Sushi is a cute sushi spot hidden in Port Moody. Here, you’ll find a variety of affordable lunch sets from 12PM to 3PM every day. The Sashimi Plate lunch special features 2 pieces of salmon sashimi and 2 pieces of tuna sashimi. You’ll also get house salad, 2 pieces of gyoza, 4 pieces of california roll, japanese pickle, and miso soup. You can’t beat this combo for your lunchtime sushi cravings.

Recommended by Jane from

You'll also get house salad, 2 pieces of gyoza, 4 pieces of california roll, japanese pickle, and miso soup.

08/03/2023

Cafe Dang Anh on Victoria Drive is a must visit for authentic Vietnamese food with fresh ingredients and delicious flavours! I tried the Bun Cha Ca — fish cake in tomato soup with vermicelli noodles. It was the most flavourful and juicy fish cake I’ve ever had! It tastes like it’s fried with an egg coating. If you’re a Vietnamese food lover, check out this hidden gem.

Recommended by Kaye from

I tried the Bun Cha Ca — fish cake in tomato soup with vermicelli noodles. It was the most flavourful and juicy fish cake I’ve ever had!

07/29/2023

Dosanko Restaurant puts an authentic Japanese twist on some western dishes, making it one of the best fusion restaurants we have tried. We ordered the pork tonkatsu sandwich, omu-rice and crispy cheesy onigiris. The pork tonkatsu sandwich was amazing, made with house made tonkatsu sauce and koji mayo. The pork was super tender while the bread was thin and crispy. Overall, our dining experience was amazing here and the atmosphere and top notch service helped tie it altogether.

Recommended by Angela & Ken from

The pork tonkatsu sandwich was amazing, made with house made tonkatsu sauce and koji mayo.

07/26/2023

This is probably one of the fanciest take-outs I’ve ever had. Maeda Kanazawa Sashimi Bowl has the freshest Kaisen-don (sashimi bowls) that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home! I recommend the Oh! Toro Toro Bowl. This luxurious bowl comes with blue fin tuna otoro and uni (sea urchin) on top of seasoned sushi rice. To get your hands on this restaurant-quality bowl, you can call, walk in, or get delivery from UberEats or DoorDash!

Recommended by Rachel from

Maeda Kanazawa Sashimi Bowl has the freshest Kaisen-don (sashimi bowls) that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home!

07/22/2023

Teapurin makes premium Japanese puddings for pickup or delivery. I tried the matcha, houjicha, and black sesame flavours. One of my favourites was the matcha. The tea flavour was strong and the texture was so smooth. The adorable squeezy tube with syrup let me adjust the level of sweetness. Order your puddings via Instagram DM.

Recommended by Jovi from

The tea flavour was strong and the texture was so smooth. The adorable squeezy tube with syrup let me adjust the level of sweetness.

07/19/2023

Don’t be squirmish about eating raw shrimp. The Soy Sauce Shrimp Meal from Wooinara Korean Restaurant in Langley is affordable gourmet food. The raw shrimp offers the perfect bite —freshness, great texture, and flavour, with savoury, sweet, spicy, and umami all at once. The accompanying warm raw egg yolk over rice and the balanced kelp soup were great pairings. Simple yet complex at the same time.

Recommended by Teresa from

The raw shrimp offers the perfect bite —freshness, great texture, and flavour, with savoury, sweet, spicy, and umami all at once.

07/14/2023

Indulge in a fantastic evening with great food at Sector 7 Kitchen + Bar, a hidden gem in Richmond. One must-try highlight is their Taco Birria. Prepared with dedication, the beef is slow-cooked for 4 to 5 hours until it becomes incredibly tender and flavourful. The result is a scrumptious taco where all the delicious flavors are encapsulated within a crispy tortilla shell. Don’t miss out on this tasty appetizer.

Recommended by Corey from

Prepared with dedication, the beef is slow-cooked for 4 to 5 hours until it becomes incredibly tender and flavourful.

07/12/2023

The Matcha Soufflé Pancake from Hiel Cafe is worth indulging for every week. What more can you ask for? Rich and tasty cream, fresh garnishes, and a light, ethereal souffle pancake. Plus it’s freaking huge! I’ll gladly wait 20 minutes for this amazing dessert meal made to order while I take in their amazing espresso drinks.

Recommended by Teresa from

Rich and tasty cream, fresh garnishes, and a light, ethereal souffle pancake.

07/07/2023

The Typhoon Nuggets from Typhoon BBT are a step up from regular chicken nuggets. These deep-fried chicken nuggets are topped with a green onion, garlic, and lemon juice mixture. They actually taste similar to the famous Phnom Penh chicken wings (minus the deep garlic butter flavour).

Recommended by Therise from

The Typhoon Nuggets from Typhoon BBT are a step up. These deep-fried chicken nuggets are topped with a green onion, garlic, and lemon juice mixture.

07/05/2023

Located in the heart of Steveston, Toast to Coast Brunch Bar is a wonderful addition to Richmond’s brunch spots. I tried the famous KFCW or Korean Fried Chicken and Waffles. It was delicious, crispy perfection! The special maple syrup and honey fusion Korean dipping sauce made everything better! The place is small, so be prepared to wait in line on the weekend, or make a reservation on a weekday.

Recommended by Reg from

It was delicious, crispy perfection! The special maple syrup and honey fusion Korean dipping sauce made everything better!

06/30/2023

Short and sweet, Manpuku’s menu features generous-sized bentos (Japanese meal sets), dons (Japanese rice bowls), and a daily pasta special. Here, they make everything fresh to order. The bentos and dons come with free homemade tonjiru, a miso-based soup with stir-fried vegetables and pork. In addition to this soup, the Karaage Bento comes with two hefty pieces of deep-fried chicken karaage, rice, fresh cabbage, and free homemade sauce.

Served fresh out of the fryer, the chicken karaage bento features golden, crispy breaded chicken that’s not too heavy or oily.

06/28/2023

After walking past several times, we finally got to try Yuu Japanese Tapas and we weren’t disappointed! We ordered some of their signature dishes, including the Cream Curry Udon with prawn tempura. The Cream Curry Udon is quite unique, as it has a layer of mashed potatoes at the top with curry sauce at the bottom and therefore, no soup base. The prawns were freshly fried and were the best part of the dish!

Recommended by Angela & Ken from

The Cream Curry Udon is quite unique, as it has a layer of mashed potatoes at the top with curry sauce at the bottom and therefore, no soup base.

06/23/2023

A creative spin on this French classic, we really enjoyed Their There’s version of the Cassoulet. Richness from the tender beans, sausages, and succulent meats, crispyness from the fried onions, and slight astringency from the microgreens gave this dish more dimension. The deeply toasted foccacia was bold in presentation and paired well with the sauce.

Recommended by Teresa from

Richness from the tender beans, sausages, and succulent meats, crispyness from the fried onions, and slight astringency from the microgreens gave this dish more dimension.

06/21/2023

My sister treated me to Sushi Hachi for my birthday and the food was beyond delicious. The Special Assorted Nigiri was very fresh. I especially loved the otoro — it melted in my mouth, I needed a moment with it. What surprised me the most was the unagi. It was grilled till just right, crispy and warm and soft. If you’re looking for a special treat, try out Sushi Hachi!

Recommended by Cheery from

What surprised me the most was the unagi. It was grilled till just right, crispy and warm and soft.

06/16/2023

I was fascinated by cafe and life co.’s gorgeous tiramisu when looking at other foodies’ photos, so I had to check them out. Vibrant yellow in colour, the Mango Sago Tiramisu is a must-try dessert. The layers were super soft and creamy and each bite melted in my mouth! The mango flavour was enjoyable and didn’t taste artificial.

Recommended by Corey from

The layers were super soft and creamy and each bite melted in my mouth! The mango flavour was enjoyable and didn't taste artificial.

06/14/2023

Treat yourself to some fabulous dessert at Suika Japanese Restaurant! To be honest, I was a bit skeptical of this Kinako Tiramisu at first, but it was so delicious and unexpectedly good that I didn’t share it. This delectable dessert features rich mascarpone, layered with soaked bread crumbs and brown honey. I would definitely recommend this dessert to finish off the night!

Recommended by Cheery from

This delectable dessert features rich mascarpone, layered with soaked bread crumbs and brown honey.

06/09/2023

Many people haven’t heard of Katte Poke Don & Japanese Curry. It’s a hidden gem in the Lansdowne Centre food court that serves poke and Japanese rice bowls, including katsu and curry. I got the Chicken Katsu Curry, which comes with a generous portion of crispy chicken katsu, rice, shredded cabbage, and a side of curry sauce. Their prices are decent despite inflation, so I’d definitely recommend checking them out for a quick meal in Richmond.

Recommended by Andrea from

I got the Chicken Katsu Curry, which comes with a generous portion of crispy chicken katsu, rice, shredded cabbage, and a side of curry sauce.

06/07/2023

Wicked Cafe is one of our favourite cafes in town and they’ve got an amazing Matcha Cube Croissant! This drool-worthy croissant is filled with super creamy and satisfying matcha custard. The dark chocolate and powered sugar are like the icing on the cake adding extra flavour!

Recommended by Corey from

This drool-worthy croissant is filled with super creamy and satisfying matcha custard.

06/02/2023

Are you looking for a spot for some delicious sushi and BBQ food? Check out Real Love Sushi & BBQ located in London Plaza in Richmond. They have an amazing selection of sushi rolls, BBQ items, and lunch specials, including the Lunch BBQ Combo E. This BBQ set features lobster, steak, shrimp and assorted vegetables. This is a great combo to order if you want to try a little bit of everything. The lobster was so tender and flavorful!

Recommended by Melody from

This BBQ set features lobster, steak, shrimp and assorted vegetables. This is a great combo to order if you want to try a little bit of everything.

05/31/2023

Located near UBC, Four Olives Restaurant is the perfect spot for your upcoming date night or gathering. They offer a casual Mediterranean fusion dining experience with an upscale ambiance. Our favourite is the Baked Seafood Skillet. It has a variety of seafoods, including prawn, scallop, mussels, and white fish, all in a tomato and feta sauce, served with homemade focaccia. We loved the variety of seafoods and the cheesy tomato sauce.

Recommend by Nicole from

It has a variety of seafoods, including prawn, scallop, mussels, and white fish, all in a tomato and feta sauce, served with homemade focaccia.

05/26/2023

If you love stuffed cookies, make sure to check out YVR Cookie. They make huge stuffed cookies using real butter and the highest quality ingredients! We ordered a box, and our favourite cookie was the Dunka Cookie. Inspired by Dunkaroos, it’s made with a sugar cookie dough, loaded with rainbow sequin sprinkles, vanilla cupcake goldfish, and sea salt caramel chipits. The inside is filled with funfetti frosting. Delivery is available across Canada and the USA.

Recommended by Nicole from

Inspired by Dunkaroos, it's made with a sugar cookie dough, loaded with rainbow sequin sprinkles, vanilla cupcake goldfish, and sea salt caramel chipits.

05/24/2023

While Steveston is a tourist neighbourhood for many travellers and locals, the area has an increasing amount of hidden gems. CHJ Bistro is one of them. This authentic Taiwanese restaurant serves a variety of street food and classic dishes, including Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken. You’ll find CHJ Bistro beside Vancouver Whale Watch on the second level. Just be sure to get there early because they get busy on the weekends.

Recommended by Andrea from

This authentic Taiwanese restaurant serves a variety of street food and classic dishes, including Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken.

05/19/2023

We got to try a restaurant that we have been both eyeing for awhile now—Co’m Vietnamese in Richmond. The interior was aesthetic as the decor was chic and modern, making it a higher end experience. We tried the Pho Saigon, which had a light but flavourful beef broth, steak, and beef brisket. The ingredients were fresh and high quality, and we’ll definitely be back to try their other items.

Recommended by Angela & Ken from

We tried the Pho Saigon, which had a light but flavourful beef broth, steak, and beef brisket. The ingredients were fresh and high quality.

Address

Vancouver, BC

Website

http://www.tryhiddengems.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Hidden Gems Vancouver posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.