Month: February 2026

Richmond had a special guest this Lunar New Year.

Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, recently shared a video on Instagram showing him celebrating Lunar New Year at Continental Seafood Restaurant, one of the city’s most well-known Chinese restaurants. In the clip, he’s seen greeting members of the Richmond community and handing out traditional red pockets, joining in on the festive spirit.

With Richmond being home to one of the largest Chinese communities in Canada, it’s no surprise that Lunar New Year celebrations here feel especially vibrant. Continental Seafood Restaurant has long been a local favourite for dim sum service and classic Cantonese stir-fries — the kind of place families gather for milestone celebrations and weekend brunches.

The BiteBuddy team has previously dined at Continental and showcased their impressive variety of dishes, from seafood platters to traditional dim sum staples. You can read our full review here.

Seeing a national leader celebrating the Year of the Horse at a Richmond institution like Continental highlights just how important food and culture are in bringing communities together.

For many locals, Continental isn’t just a restaurant — it’s part of Richmond’s story.

If you’re the type of person who asks for extra hot sauce… or keeps a bottle of Frank’s in your bag “just in case,” this one’s probably going to excite you.

Starting February 3, the McDonald’s x Frank’s RedHot Canada menu officially launches nationwide — and it’s not just one item. They’ve basically added heat across breakfast, lunch, and snack time.

And honestly? As people who love a little kick in our fast food, this might be one of the more interesting McDonald’s collabs we’ve seen in a while.

What’s On the McDonald’s x Frank’s RedHot Canada Menu?

Here’s what’s rolling out:

Frank’s RedHot Original McCrispy

100% Canadian-raised seasoned chicken topped with shredded lettuce, mayo-style sauce, and Frank’s RedHot Original Thick Sauce on a potato bun.
If you already like the McCrispy, this is basically the spicy remix.

Frank’s RedHot Original McVeggie

A breaded veggie patty with lettuce, mayo-style sauce, and that same thick Frank’s sauce on a toasted sesame bun. Nice to see a spicy option for non-meat eaters too.

Frank’s RedHot Hot Honey Dipping Sauce

Sweet honey meets heat — made for McNuggets. This one might quietly be the sleeper hit of the entire collab.

Frank’s RedHot Creamy Garlic McMuffin Lineup

Yes, even breakfast got the spicy treatment. The lineup includes:

• Creamy Garlic Bacon ‘N Egg McMuffin
• Creamy Garlic Sausage ‘N Egg McMuffin
• Creamy Garlic Egg McMuffin
• Creamy Garlic Chicken McMuffin

If you’ve ever thought, “Breakfast could use more spice,” this is your moment.

Why This Collab Actually Makes Sense

Frank’s RedHot is one of those sauces that people are weirdly loyal to. It’s not just heat — it’s flavour. So instead of just tossing a random “spicy sauce” on a burger, this feels like a proper partnership.

McDonald’s Canada is clearly leaning into bold flavours lately (we recently covered their $5 McValue Meal price lock too), and this fits right into that direction — giving people more variety without reinventing the entire menu.

If you’re into limited-time drops, this one won’t be around forever. The McDonald’s x Frank’s RedHot Canada menu is available at participating locations nationwide, in-store, through the McDonald’s app, and via McDelivery.

Our Take

If you love spice, this feels like a safe bet. It’s not extreme ghost-pepper-level heat — it’s more of that tangy, vinegary kick that Frank’s fans already know and love.

We’re especially curious about the hot honey dipping sauce and the breakfast lineup. Spicy nuggets are great, but spicy McMuffins? That’s something we haven’t really seen done like this before.

For more updates on new fast food launches, limited-time menus, and Vancouver food finds, keep checking our blog — and follow us on Instagram for real-time taste tests and reviews.

Before the wave of newer Hong Kong cafés like One Cafe and Cha Don reshaped Richmond’s Hong Kong café scene, there was one place many locals grew up with: Kingspark Steak House.

Now, Kingspark Steak House in Richmond has officially been sold — and honestly, it feels like the end of an era.

Kingspark Steak House Has Been Sold

The business was recently listed for sale at $388,000, and after just three weeks on the market, an offer was accepted.

At the time of writing:

• The final sale price has not been publicly confirmed
• There’s no official word on when the takeover will happen
• We don’t know who the new owners are yet

For now, all we know is that ownership is changing — and that alone is enough to make longtime customers feel a little emotional.

You can view the original business listing here.

One of Richmond’s Original Hong Kong Cafés

Long before newer, trendier spots like One Cafe and Cha Don started drawing lines, Kingspark was the place.

This was classic Hong Kong café culture:

• Sizzling steak plates
• Baked pork chop rice
• Milk tea and lemon tea combos
• Booth seating that felt unchanged for years

It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t trying to be viral. It was consistent — and for many people, it was comfort food.

If you’ve been in Richmond long enough, chances are you’ve had at least one late-night meal here.

Our Experience at Kingspark

We actually reviewed Kingspark Steak House ourselves not too long ago — you can watch our YouTube Shorts review here:
👉 Check out our experience at Kingspark!

Rewatching that video now feels different knowing the restaurant is changing hands soon.

Why This One Hits a Bit Different

Richmond’s food scene evolves quickly. We’ve seen massive growth in newer Hong Kong café concepts, sleeker interiors, and social media–driven menus.

But Kingspark Steak House represented something older — the original wave of HK cafés that built Richmond into what it is today.

There’s something bittersweet about seeing an OG spot quietly transition out, especially when we don’t know what’s replacing it yet.

What Happens Next?

Right now, it’s unclear whether:

• The new owners will keep the Kingspark name
• Rebrand entirely
• Or bring in a completely different concept

We’ll be watching closely and will update once more details become available.

For now, if you’ve been meaning to revisit Kingspark Steak House, this might be the time.

If you walked through Parker Place’s food court recently and felt like something was missing — you’re not wrong.

Bubble Waffle Cafe has quietly closed its Parker Place location, just about three months after opening in November 2025.

For a brand that’s been a staple in Metro Vancouver’s Hong Kong café scene for years, this one came as a surprise.

A Short Run at Parker Place

The Parker Place location of Bubble Waffle Cafe opened late last year, bringing its classic Hong Kong-style noodle soups, baked rice dishes, curry combos, and milk tea to one of Richmond’s busiest food courts.

But sometime recently, the stall shuttered without much announcement.

No grand farewell. No big social media post. Just… gone.

Why Parker Place Is a Tough Spot (Even for Big Names)

If you know Parker Place, you know the vibe.

It’s one of Richmond’s most established food courts — super busy, super competitive, and known for very low prices. A lot of long-running vendors have built loyal followings over years by offering generous portions at affordable price points.

That means competition is intense.

When you can grab filling meals for under $15 from long-standing vendors, it can be tough — even for a recognizable franchise — to carve out space.

At the same time, newer Hong Kong café concepts have been drawing big crowds elsewhere. For example, One Cafe has been seeing long lines at its Richmond locations, and they’re even expanding again at Lansdowne Centre.

Different malls, different crowds, different dynamics.

What’s Next for the Stall?

Right now, it’s unclear who will take over the former Bubble Waffle Cafe space at Parker Place.

Given how high-traffic that food court is, we wouldn’t be surprised if something new moves in fairly quickly. Richmond food court turnover can happen fast.

We’ll keep an eye on it and share updates once a new tenant is confirmed.

In the meantime, if you want to see what it looked like before closing — or stay updated on what replaces it — we’ll be posting updates on our Instagram.

Final Thoughts

Closures like this are always interesting, especially when they involve well-known brands.

It also highlights how unique Parker Place’s food court ecosystem is — affordable, competitive, and supported by a loyal local crowd.

Sometimes even big names don’t last long in a space like that.

We’ll update this post when we know what’s moving in next.

If you’ve walked through the Lansdowne Centre food court recently, you might’ve noticed something new happening.

The former Villa Vietnamese stall is officially being replaced by One Cafe, a growing Hong Kong-style cafe brand that’s expanding quickly across Richmond.

And honestly? Lansdowne’s food scene is shifting fast.

One Cafe Is Expanding Quickly in Richmond

This new Lansdowne Centre location will mark One Cafe’s third spot in the area.

They currently operate inside Parker Place, and just about a year ago, they opened another location at Empire Centre. Now, they’re adding Lansdowne to the list — which is a pretty quick expansion timeline.

Hong Kong cafes inside food courts seem to be becoming more popular lately. They’re casual, efficient, and serve a wide range of comfort dishes — from baked rice and pasta to milk tea and classic HK-style drinks. It’s the kind of menu that works really well in a busy mall setting.

Saying Goodbye to Villa Vietnamese

Lansdowne’s Food Court Is Getting Busier

With One Cafe moving in, finding seating at Lansdowne’s food court — especially on weekends — might get even more competitive.

Between this upcoming opening, Cotti Coffee recently launching at Lansdowne, and Baskin-Robbins coming soon to the mall, Lansdowne is quietly becoming a more interesting food destination again.

For a mall that’s also facing long-term redevelopment plans, it’s interesting to see new food brands continue to invest in the space.

When Is One Cafe Opening?

Baskin-Robbins Lansdowne Centre is officially happening, and it’s another sign that Lansdowne Mall is getting a bit of new life — at least for now.

After the recent arrival of Cotti Coffee in the mall (one of the world’s largest coffee chains — read our full coverage of Cotti in Lansdowne here: Cotti Coffee Opens at Lansdowne Centre), another massive global brand is making its way to the retail space: Baskin-Robbins.

According to recently spotted signage and industry tips, Baskin-Robbins is opening a new location at Lansdowne Centre, bringing its iconic ice cream and desserts to Richmond once again. The colourful “31 Flavours” brand — known worldwide for its rotating flavour lineup and fun frozen treats — has over 7,800 locations across nearly 50 countries and a decades-long history of serving scoops, sundaes, ice cream cakes and more.

A Little Background on Baskin-Robbins

Baskin-Robbins started in 1945 when two brothers-in-law, Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins, shared a dream of offering ice cream “fun for every day of the month.” They launched their first shops with 31 flavours, a number that became both a promise and a challenge to keep innovating. Today, the brand’s flavour library includes more than 1,000 recipes, and its bright, family-friendly shops are famous around the world.

In Canada, Baskin-Robbins has been expanding in recent years, including new shops in Burnaby’s Ironwood Plaza and Surrey’s Guildford Town Centre as part of a broader push in the Metro Vancouver area.

Why This Is an Interesting Spot

Lansdowne Centre has been in the spotlight for more than just new tenants. Richmond City Council approved a master plan for redevelopment of the mall site into a mixed-use destination with parks, public spaces, housing and more over several phases of development. The plan includes new green spaces like “Centre Park” with recreation, playgrounds, and off-leash areas, as well as expansive linear parks connecting to surrounding neighbourhoods — though it will be years before all that comes to life.

That long-term redevelopment hasn’t stopped new arrivals in the short term, however. For now, local shoppers and diners can look forward to ice cream scoops and sweet treats at Baskin-Robbins while the broader transformation of the mall unfolds over time.

What to Expect

Details like the official opening date and menu offerings haven’t been published yet, but the Baskin-Robbins name carries a lot of expectations: classic fan favourites like Pralines ‘n Cream, Jamoca Almond Fudge, Chocolate Mousse Royale, plus sundaes, shakes and ice cream cakes.

Whether you’re already a fan of the chain or just looking forward to a cold treat after a Cotti coffee (watch our reel coverage on Instagram!), this will be a welcome addition to Lansdowne Centre’s growing roster of food and dessert options.

Final Thoughts

A new food hall-style dining concept is quietly taking shape near Metrotown, and if you’re into shared dining spaces and discovering multiple vendors under one roof, this is one to keep on your radar.

The upcoming spot is called Chill Plate Foodie Market, and while it’s not open just yet, the space has officially been leased and wrapped with window signage that gives us a pretty good idea of what’s coming.

What Is Chill Plate Foodie Market?

Based on the signage and early clues, Chill Plate Foodie Market appears to be an all-in-one foodie market, similar to a modern food court or food hall. The concept looks to revolve around:

• Multiple independent food vendors operating in one shared space
• A communal dining area for guests
• A variety of cuisines rather than a single restaurant focus

One phrase on the window stands out in particular: “An all-inclusive foodie market offering generous leasing opportunities.” That tells us they’re actively recruiting food vendors, which means the final lineup of cuisines and stalls is still being built.

Because of this, it’s likely we’re still some time away from a full opening — but it also means there’s potential for a really diverse mix of food once it’s ready.

Location: Right by Metrotown

Chill Plate Foodie Market is conveniently located near Metrotown, on Beresford Street, right next to Chung Chun Rice Hot Dog. That area already sees a ton of foot traffic, especially from mall-goers and transit users, which makes it a smart location for a food hall concept.

For Burnaby locals, this could eventually become a go-to casual dining hub — especially once more details on hours and vendors are announced.

Why Foodie Markets Are Trending

This type of shared dining concept has been popping up more frequently around Metro Vancouver. Just recently, Richmond opened a new foodie hall featuring multiple cuisines in a single dining space — a clear sign that demand for this format is growing.

Food halls offer flexibility for diners (everyone can order something different) and lower barriers for small food businesses to enter the market. If Chill Plate Foodie Market follows this model successfully, it could be a strong addition to Burnaby’s food scene.

(We recently covered Richmond’s newest foodie hall opening soon — worth a read if you’re into this style of dining.)

When Is Chill Plate Foodie Market Opening?

There’s no official opening date yet. Since they’re still actively looking for vendors, we’re expecting this to be a longer-term build-out rather than an immediate launch.

That said, the concept, location, and timing all make this a spot worth watching.

We’ll be keeping an eye on Chill Plate Foodie Market and will check it out once more details (or an opening date) are announced.

For ongoing updates on new food spots, food halls, and local food events, follow us on Instagram and keep an eye on our blog for the latest Vancouver food news.