⭐️ 10+ New & Closing: Vancouver's Top Ramen Chain Opening New Location

🍦 Free Gelato And BOGO Bubble Tea On Renfrew This Weekend

In Partnership with M Cha Bar

🧋🍦 M Cha Bar, the Canadian cafe putting premium bubble tea and house-churned artisanal gelato under one roof, just opened its first BC location on Renfrew.

Inside, you’ll find house-made toppings like taro paste and osmanthus jelly, plus gelato flavours from Pistachio to White Rabbit, Black Sesame, and a limited Durian.

The grand opening runs May 9 to 10: free scoops for the first 100 each day, BOGO drinks for the first 50, and 50% off BOGO after.

Gooooodmorning there!

Here’s your May 8th 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: Fresh Drops 👇

👀 FRESH DROPS

Spots opened or are opening soon

🍜 Vancouver's top Japanese ramen chain finally hits Main Street - New signage is up for Ramen Danbo on Main Street, marking a fourth Vancouver location for the chain known for long daily lineups.

🍞 A popular HK-style cafe is quietly opening a pineapple bun bakery in Richmond - One Cafe is building a new shop called One Bolo at Empire Centre, just steps from its existing food court stall.

☕ Popular HK-style cafe stall just soft opened at Crystal Mall in Burnaby - The One Cafe stall at Crystal Mall is the chain's first location outside its Richmond food court strongholds.

🥣 A new Chinese Chaoshan meatball noodle shop just quietly opened in Steveston - Uncle Noodle serves handmade beef, pork, and fish balls from a family recipe dating back to 1954.

🧋 A popular Taiwanese bubble tea chain is relocating to the Cambie corridor - CoCo is moving near Langara, growing the corridor's already dense bubble tea cluster.

🍜 A new modern Vietnamese pho spot is setting up across from Richmond Centre - Pho 19 is opening beside Long Shan Dong inside the Paramount Building.

🥙 A massive Canadian shawarma chain just opened in downtown Vancouver - Tahini's, the 74-location chain, quietly opened at 488 W Pender and stays open until 3AM.

🥐 Vancouver's popular artisanal bakery cafe is expanding to North Vancouver - Coming Soon signs for Small Victory are up across the bridge, marking the bakery's first North Shore location.

🍦 A tiny new Vietnamese coffee and gelato shop just quietly opened in Richmond - At Daydreamers, you can add a scoop of gelato to any drink for just $4.

🥖 Vancouver's popular croissant bakery is opening a new West End location - Angus T is taking over the former Matchstick Coffee unit on Davie Street, marking its fourth location.

☕ A new Chinese coffee shop with fruit americanos opened on Aberdeen Square's second floor - Magpie Coffee is tucked above Aberdeen Square in Richmond, serving fruit-infused americanos from $5.99.

👉 See more Fresh Drops here.

🪦 GRAVEYARD

Spots that closed or are closing soon

🧋 A longtime Richmond bubble tea and dessert spot is shutting down after 21 years - If you grew up in Richmond, there's a decent chance your first Ferrero Rocher bubble drink came from Bubble Queen Cafe.

🌮 A West End Mexican restaurant got its lease terminated for unpaid rent - Los Chavos, the Denman Street spot known for birria tacos and chilaquiles, closes after under 3 years.

☕ Another stall at the Amazing Brentwood food court is closing - Soon Coffee shuts down May 31, with its beans moving to Monogram Coffee.

🍕 A North Shore pizzeria just quietly pulled out of its Vancouver expansion - Alberello scrapped its planned Denman Street expansion, and the unit is back on the market.

🥢 A West End Korean-Chinese restaurant quietly shut down after 8 years - Joongwon on Robson Street, which reopened just last year, is now closed and being replaced by a Hong Kong cart noodle shop.

🥣 A longtime Richmond food court stall has shut down after 15+ years - Taikoo Yummy, the HK-style stall in Pacific Plaza, quietly closed with the owner retiring.

👉 See all recent Heartbreaks here.

💰 DEALS DESK

Money-saving food deals

🧋 M Chá Bar Renfrew Grand Opening Freebies & BOGO — First 100 customers each day score a FREE scoop of gelato; first 50 customers each day get Buy 1 Get 1 FREE on top selected drinks (limit 2 per person); all-day Buy 1 Get 2nd 50% off on top selected drinks (limit 3 per person); available May 9–10 only

🍵 Matcha Cafe Maiko's 7th Anniversary — Buy one soft serve or drink and get a second of equal or lesser value 50% off; available May 9 & 10 only; first 70 customers spending $10+ each day score a lucky draw entry for prizes

🐟 $10 Thursday Cod & Chips at Cockney Kings — 1pc cod & chips for just $10 every Thursday all day; available throughout May; dine-in and takeout, no limits; Main Street & Kitsilano locations only.

🥖 BOGO Deals at Bánh Mì Très Bon — Buy one get one free favorites or free drinks; available daily; BOGO offer valid 3–5PM only.

🌯 Cheap Monday at Budgies Burritos - Enjoy $10 burritos and $3 beers every Monday; helps support local amidst Broadway closure

🗓️ THE BULLETIN BOARD

Our curated events calendar

☕ [POP UP] Too Good Coffee & Roastery Pop Up (May 9) - pour-over coffee tasting with curated specialty coffees from around the world; @ Butter & Joy Richmond

🥪 [POP UP] Mimi's Bread Window Pop-Up (May 9 & 16) - cozy gathering with espresso, tea lattes, sandwiches, and wine selections; @ 417 Industrial Ave, Vancouver

🍢 [POP UP] Jiyu No Tori × Ratking Pop Up (May 9) - one-night collaborative dinner with charcoal-grilled yakitori, fresh unagi, and housemade kimchi; @ Modus Coffee Broadway Vancouver; TICKETED

🥮 [POP UP] Jusko Jorge Panaderya Takeover (May 18) - Filipino-inspired bread and pastries celebrating 1 year of takeovers, featuring mango susôs, cornbread bibingkas, ube cold foams, and leche flan specials; @ Merci Boulangerie Vancouver; TICKETED

🎪 [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.