Chinatown: Exotic Cuisine and a Vibrant Culture

Destination Vancouver

The culinary landscape of Vancouver’s Chinatown is a dynamic meeting of cultural heritage and present-day innovation. As the heart of the Chinese Canadian community, Chinatown contains many long-time shops and restaurants that are beloved for their unique food offerings. The neighbourhood is currently undergoing an exciting revival as new establishments open, many of them representing the next generation of Chinese Canadian restaurateurs.

Chinatown, bounded roughly by Taylor Street and Gore Avenue from west to east and Georgia Street and Hastings Street from south to north, was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2011. It’s the largest historical Chinatown in Canada and the third largest in North America. The neighbourhood emerged as an ethnic enclave in the 1880s as Chinese residents began congregating on Carrall Street and what was Dupont (Pender) Street. Chinese association buildings, theatres, and schools subsequently opened to serve the expanding community. Read more…

Shanghai Alley Street Sign