⭐️ 10+ New & Closing: Ice Cream Fest Items Is HERE!

Gooooodmorning there!

Here’s your June 19th local guide to what’s new, what’s gone, and what to do this week across Vancouver, Burnaby, and Richmond.

This week in 30 seconds
🥟 Fresh Drops: the newest openings
💔 Heartbreaks: the spots that said goodbye
💸 Deals Desk: discounts worth actually leaving the house for
📌 The Bulletin Board: your event plans

Start here: The Top Drop

🍦 ICE CREAM FEST ITEM NOW ON!

70+ items to explore!

It’s finally time - the largest self-guided Metro Vancouver Ice Cream Festival is BACK for its 4th year starting TODAY (until Aug 3).

For the next 6 weeks, you can discover over 70 limited-time ice cream and frozen desserts from 40+ festival vendors across Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, Coquitlam, and even North Vancouver. 

And like previous Noms Mag food festivals, attendees are supporting the local food scene as 100% of the festival item sales goes straight back to the vendor. 

Get ready to start your festival passport journey ;)

👉 See all the festival items here

The Vancouver Ice Cream Festival is presented by BC Dairy, celebrating real dairy ice cream and the makers behind Metro Vancouver's best frozen treats.

👀 FRESH DROPS

Spots opened or are opening soon

🍵 The viral rotating matcha pop-up lands a permanent home - Emeri opens its first storefront on Main Street in Mount Pleasant on June 20, sorting matcha and hojicha by strength inside a former Goldilocks bakery.

🍖 A family-run Texas BBQ smokehouse hits the Steveston waterfront - Wharf and Flame opened in early May with house-smoked meats, cold drinks, and a dog-friendly patio.

🍞 Vancouver's 24/7 bakery finally lands in Surrey - Breka Bakery opened June 18 next to the King George SkyTrain, after first teasing the King George Hub spot last fall.

🧋 The viral mango tea shop opens a bigger Robson spot that flips into a bar at night - Alfa Tea is pouring bubble tea now, with a food-and-alcohol bar concept launching in July.

🛒 A 26,425 sq ft grocery store with a carvery and donut shop is coming to Richmond Centre - Fresh St. Market lands its 10th B.C. location in 2027 with a carvery, hot bar, Peak Donuts, and fresh-baked cookies.

🥡 A food court stall reopened just a week after shutting down - O'Kitchen is back in Amazing Brentwood's TABLES food court with a new five-year lease and a 20% soft-reopening deal.

🧋 A popular bubble tea chain returns to Richmond in a former dessert unit - Bengong's Tea is taking over the old Milko unit, a year after its Yaohan Centre spot closed.

👉 See more Fresh Drops here.

🪦 GRAVEYARD

Spots that closed or are closing soon

🍕 A 14-year Yaletown Italian staple shut down without a goodbye - Robba da Matti has quietly closed its original Yaletown location, open since 2011, with no announcement.

🍝 A Richmond Asian-Italian fusion spot quietly shut down after 5 years - Broli Kitchen, the fusion restaurant from a former Sheraton chef, has quietly closed, spotted by a Noms Mag reader.

🍤 A Burnaby Japanese tempura bowl spot quietly closed after 5 years - Tendon Kohaku shut its Brentwood doors last week.

🥐 North America's only Japanese-style French croissant cafe is gone after 2 years - Hazukido Cafe+ closed at Aberdeen Centre on June 14.

👉 See all recent Heartbreaks here.

💰 DEALS DESK

Money-saving food deals

🍵 Summer Launch BOGO at Matcha Made - buy one get one 50% off all matcha; available June 20-21 only, 11am-6pm; first 10 attendees each day get a lifetime discount

⚽ Free Ramen When Canada or Japan Wins at The Ramen Butcher - visit the day after a Canada or Japan match win; 1st-10th customers get FREE ramen, 11th-40th get 50% off; potential dates June 13, 15, 19, 21, 25, 26 (only valid if the team won the previous day); dine-in only, one bowl per person, must show you follow them on social media

🍜 AFURI Vancouver's $10.99 Farewell Bowls - every ramen on the menu drops to $10.99 as both locations close for good; available until June 28, dine-in only

🍜 15% Off Pho 37's Tri-Cities Debut - Richmond's popular Number 37 beef noodle soup arrives in Port Coquitlam; available first two weeks from June 1; includes grand opening giveaway to win a pair of match tickets; located at Unit 200, 2748 Lougheed Highway (Westwood Centre)

🗓️ THE BULLETIN BOARD

Our curated events calendar

🍦 [FESTIVAL] Vancouver Ice Cream Festival (Jun 19 - Aug 3) - the self guided annual ice cream and frozen dessert festival returns for its largest iteration; around Metro Vancouver

🛍️ [MARKET] Summer Market (June 21) - Vancouver Pop-Ups brings together local vendors, unique finds, and small businesses for a day of shopping and community connection; @ 3102 Main St, Vancouver; FREE

🌿 [EVENT] Herbal Hugs (June 20) - a cozy cultural gathering celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival and Summer Solstice through tradition, food, and community; @ 310 E 5th Ave, Vancouver; TICKETED

🥕 [MARKET] Brentwood Farmers' Market (June 7 - August 30) - fresh local produce, baked goods, handmade products, and offerings from BC farmers and small businesses; @ 4567 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby; FREE

🎵 [MARKET] Shipyards Night Market (May 15 - September 11) - free weekly summer event featuring live music, food trucks, and a makers marketplace; @ 19 Wallace Mews, North Vancouver; FREE

🎪 [MARKET] Richmond Night Market (April 24 - Sept 20) - it’s that time again! The Night Market is back with more than 100 food booths to try!

🗓️ Check out more events happening in Metro Vancouver here.