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Hong Kong-style cafes, known as cha chaan teng, began in 1950s Hong Kong as affordable places where working people could get a taste of Western food. Their menus mix Cantonese and Western cooking: baked pork chop rice, macaroni soup, French toast, borscht, and pineapple buns with a slab of butter, all washed down with strong milk tea.
Metro Vancouver has one of the largest Hong Kong communities outside Asia, so it has a lively cha chaan teng scene. This guide covers 11 cafes across Vancouver, Richmond and Coquitlam, from Lido's famous pineapple buns to a food court stall with an awards pedigree to a heritage Chinatown bakery and a new gluten-free cafe in a 1904 house.
Looking for another cuisine? Browse our full guide to the best restaurants in Vancouver by cuisine.
How We Chose These Hong Kong-Style Café Restaurants
We looked for cafes that serve the core Hong Kong cafe menu well: milk tea, buns, set meals and baked rice. We checked recognition from the Chinese Restaurant Awards, local food coverage and the cafes' own published information.
We list only cafes we could verify, so this is a Top 11 rather than a padded list. The Michelin Guide Vancouver does not currently list a Hong Kong-style cafe.
Best Hong Kong-Style Café Restaurants in Vancouver at a Glance
| # | Restaurant | Area | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cha Kee | Richmond (President Plaza) | Breakfast and milk tea | $ |
| 2 | Café Gloucester | Cambie Village, Vancouver | All-day set meals | $ |
| 3 | New Town Bakery & Restaurant | Chinatown, Vancouver | Steamed buns and quick bites | $ |
| 4 | Saan Saan Cafe & Restaurant | Chinatown, Vancouver | Gluten-free diners | $ |
| 5 | Ho Yuen Cafe | Marpole, Vancouver | Fresh pineapple buns | $ |
| 6 | Cha Don | Richmond (Empire Centre & Yaohan Centre) | Quick rice plates | $ |
| 7 | Lido Restaurant | Richmond (Hazelbridge Way) | Pineapple buns with butter | $ |
| 8 | Silver Tower Cafe Restaurant | Richmond (Alexandra Road) | Late-night baked pork chop rice | $ |
| 9 | Copa Cafe | Coquitlam | HK breakfast and mini sets | $ |
| 10 | Van Tea Cafe | Main Street, South Vancouver | HK comfort food in South Van | $ |
| 11 | Happy Day Cafe | Richmond (McClelland Road) | HK café classics | $ |
Top 11 Best Hong Kong-Style Café Restaurants Near Vancouver, BC
1. Cha Kee – Richmond (President Plaza)
A food court stall in President Plaza that has drawn long lines since it opened, Cha Kee was named a Chinese Restaurant Awards Top 50 Honouree for Canada in 2025.
What to order: Scrambled egg sandwich, pineapple bun and Hong Kong milk tea.
Why it made the list: Award recognition and some of the most faithful Hong Kong breakfast food in Metro Vancouver.
Address: 8181 Cambie Rd, Richmond | Price: $
2. Café Gloucester – Cambie Village, Vancouver
A Cambie Street institution for more than 20 years, Café Gloucester serves a huge all-day menu of Canto-Western set meals. It opened a second location in Richmond in 2026.
What to order: Baked pork chop on rice, the signature mixed grill and borscht.
Why it made the list: A long track record and a menu big enough for every craving.
Address: 3338 Cambie St, Vancouver | Price: $
3. New Town Bakery & Restaurant – Chinatown, Vancouver
A Chinatown classic for around four decades, New Town is part bakery and part cafe. Its beef brisket rice noodle soup won a Chinese Restaurant Awards Signature Dish Award in 2025.
What to order: Steamed dai bao, egg tarts and beef brisket rice noodle soup.
Why it made the list: A heritage Chinatown stop with an award-winning signature dish. Cash only.
Address: 148 E Pender St, Vancouver | Price: $
4. Saan Saan Cafe & Restaurant – Chinatown, Vancouver
Siblings Eric, Jamie and Sarena Siu opened Saan Saan in 2024 in their grandparents' 1904 home. Their Hong Kong cafe menu is gluten-free.
What to order: Yuen yeung, milk tea and gluten-free cafe plates.
Why it made the list: A rare gluten-free cha chaan teng with a stylish, nostalgic room.
Address: 227 Main St, Vancouver | Price: $
5. Ho Yuen Cafe – Marpole, Vancouver
A family-run cafe near YVR whose roots go back to a 1960s food stall at Lion Rock in Kowloon. It bakes its own buns on site.
What to order: Pineapple bun, satay beef instant noodles and salted egg chicken wings.
Why it made the list: In-house baking and real family heritage.
Address: 113-1750 W 75th Ave, Vancouver | Price: $
6. Cha Don – Richmond (Empire Centre & Yaohan Centre)
Cha Kee's sister stall focuses on hearty Hong Kong cafe rice dishes, with stalls in two Richmond food courts.
What to order: Baked pork chop on rice, pineapple bun sandwiches and milk tea.
Why it made the list: Cha Kee quality with shorter lines and more rice dishes.
Address: 4540 No. 3 Rd, Richmond | Price: $
7. Lido Restaurant – Richmond (Hazelbridge Way)
Lido Restaurant is a Hong Kong-style café at 150-4231 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond.
What to order: A fresh pineapple bun with butter and a Hong Kong milk tea. Buns often sell out, so expect a line.
Why it made the list: Often named the most traditional cha chaan teng in Metro Vancouver.
Address: 150-4231 Hazelbridge Way | Price: $
8. Silver Tower Cafe Restaurant – Richmond (Alexandra Road)
Silver Tower Cafe Restaurant is a Hong Kong-style café at 100-8500 Alexandra Road, Richmond.
What to order: Baked pork chop rice or a mix-and-match set with milk tea.
Why it made the list: A consistent, late-opening Richmond favourite.
Address: 100 - 8500 Alexandra Road | Price: $
9. Copa Cafe – Coquitlam
Copa Cafe is a Hong Kong-style café at 300-1175 Johnson Street, Coquitlam.
What to order: A Hong Kong breakfast set or a mini set meal with milk tea.
Why it made the list: One of the few established HK cafés in the Tri-Cities, with big portions.
Address: 1175 Johnson St | Price: $
10. Van Tea Cafe – Main Street, South Vancouver
Van Tea Cafe is a Hong Kong-style café at 5688 Main Street (at 41st Avenue), Vancouver.
What to order: A rice or noodle combo with Hong Kong milk tea.
Why it made the list: A well-reviewed neighbourhood cha chaan teng in South Vancouver.
Address: 5688 Main Street | Price: $
11. Happy Day Cafe – Richmond (McClelland Road)
Happy Day Cafe is a busy Hong Kong-style café in central Richmond, serving the usual cha chaan teng menu of set meals, baked rice and milk tea.
What to order: Classic Hong Kong café set meals with milk tea.
Why it made the list: A popular, well-reviewed Richmond cha chaan teng (it also has a Kingsway location in Vancouver).
Address: 1450-4771 McClelland Road, Richmond, BC | Price: $
Hong Kong-Style Café Dishes to Know Before You Go
- Hong Kong milk tea: black tea strained through a cloth "silk stocking" and mixed with evaporated milk.
- Yuen yeung: a blend of coffee and milk tea.
- Pineapple bun (bo lo bao): a sweet bun with a crackly topping; it contains no pineapple.
- Baked pork chop rice: pork chop over fried rice, baked under tomato or cream sauce.
- Hong Kong French toast: deep-fried, often filled with peanut butter and served with syrup.
- Macaroni or instant noodle soup: classic breakfast set mains.
- Borscht: a tomato-based Hong Kong take on the Russian soup.
Where to Find Hong Kong-Style Café Food in Metro Vancouver
Richmond (President Plaza)
Home to Cha Kee.
Cambie Village, Vancouver
Home to Café Gloucester.
Chinatown, Vancouver
Home to New Town Bakery & Restaurant and Saan Saan Cafe & Restaurant.
Marpole, Vancouver
Home to Ho Yuen Cafe.
Richmond (Empire Centre & Yaohan Centre)
Home to Cha Don.
Richmond (Hazelbridge Way)
Home to Lido Restaurant.
Richmond (Alexandra Road)
Home to Silver Tower Cafe Restaurant.
Coquitlam
Home to Copa Cafe.
Main Street, South Vancouver
Home to Van Tea Cafe.
Richmond (McClelland Road)
Home to Happy Day Cafe.
Tips for Eating Hong Kong-Style Café Food in Vancouver
- Expect value: Set meals often include soup, a main and a drink.
- Try milk tea: Hong Kong-style milk tea is strong and silky.
- Go late: Many cafés keep late hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cha chaan teng?
A Hong Kong-style cafe that serves affordable Canto-Western comfort food and milk tea.
What is the best Hong Kong cafe in Vancouver?
Café Gloucester and New Town Bakery are long-standing favourites in Vancouver, while Cha Kee in Richmond has award recognition.
Where are the most Hong Kong cafes in Metro Vancouver?
Richmond, especially along No. 3 Road.
Is there a gluten-free Hong Kong cafe in Vancouver?
Yes, Saan Saan on Main Street.
Does a pineapple bun contain pineapple?
No, the name comes from its crackly topping.
Are Hong Kong cafes expensive?
No, most are among the most affordable sit-down meals in the region.
Is there a Michelin-listed Hong Kong cafe in Vancouver?
Not currently.
What should I order on my first visit?
Milk tea, a pineapple bun with butter and baked pork chop rice.
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