Vancouver Dim Sum Price Guide 2026: Richmond & Beyond, By Neighbourhood

Vancouver Dim Sum Price Guide 2026: Richmond & Beyond, By Neighbourhood

Introduction

Richmond has one of the best concentrations of Cantonese dim sum outside Hong Kong. So why is there no single, current, organised reference for where to actually go and roughly what it costs?

I got tired of looking for one and not finding it. Most lists rank "the best" without telling you whether a place uses push carts or à la carte ordering, whether you need a reservation, or roughly what you will pay per person. And several of the places those lists still send you to have closed.

This is a complete 2026 reference. Every notable dim sum restaurant I could verify across Richmond, Vancouver, and Burnaby — organised by city and neighbourhood — with signature dishes, a price level, the service style (à la carte, push-cart, or Shanghai-style dumpling house), and an honest note about reservations, lineups, and awards.

I am Wendy Huang. One thing I want to be straight about: dim sum menus rarely publish clean per-dish prices online the way ramen shops do, and prices change. So in this guide I have used price levels (budget, mid, upscale) and per-person estimates drawn from recent menus, awards lists, and 2024–2026 reviews — not invented exact dollar figures. Where I cite an approximate number, I have marked it. As a general anchor, standard dim sum dishes in Metro Vancouver run roughly $5–$12 each, with premium seafood and specialty items higher; a typical sit-down lands around $25–$40 per person. Confirm any specific number against the restaurant's current menu before you rely on it.

This pairs with our deeper pieces: Richmond dim sum restaurants, ranked, how to order dim sum in Richmond for beginners, and the Aberdeen Centre food court guide. New to the city and budgeting? Our free income tax calculator helps you plan take-home pay first.

How to Read This Guide

• Price level — budget, mid-range, or upscale, inferred from current menus and recent reviews. Standard dishes generally run $5–$12; premium seafood and specialty items cost more.
• Per-person estimate — where I give one (e.g. "~$25–$40/person"), it comes from a recent reviewer's bill or menu, not a quoted average. Treat it as directional.
• Service style — à la carte (order from a menu or order sheet; now the norm), push-cart (the classic trolley service, increasingly rare here), or Shanghai-style (dumpling houses built around xiao long bao rather than Cantonese dim sum).
• Closed restaurants are listed separately so you do not waste a trip — several long-standing names shut their doors in 2025.

The Complete Metro Vancouver Dim Sum Table (2026)

Summary: Metro Vancouver dim sum in 2026 centres on Richmond, where seven strong à la carte rooms cluster within a few minutes of each other. Standard dishes run roughly $5–$12; a sit-down lands around $25–$40 per person. The top award-winners are Sea Harbour (Elite 30 No. 6) and Golden Paramount (Elite 30 No. 14); the last common push-cart service is Continental Seafood. Several long-running names — Floata, Kirin City Square, Fortune House — closed in 2025.

Richmond: The Heart of Metro Vancouver Dim Sum

If you only have time for one neighbourhood, it is Richmond's City Centre and Brighouse. Seven serious rooms sit within a short drive.

Sea Harbour Seafood (150–8888 River Rd) is the prestige pick — ranked No. 6 on the 2025 Elite 30 Canada list. The room is luxurious and the kitchen runs 90-plus made-to-order dim sum items, including a famous king crab with wasabi mayo and steamed egg served in the crab head. Reviewers report around $15 a dish; confirm the current menu, because premium seafood pushes the bill higher. Dim sum is served 10:30am–3pm.

Chef Tony Seafood (4600 No. 3 Rd, Empire Centre) is the creative high-end room — black-truffle pork-and-shrimp dumplings, a gold-brushed salted soft-yolk bun, egg-white custard tarts. One reviewer reported roughly $100 for three people across eight dishes; treat that as directional, not a quoted price. Expect weekday lineups and book ahead.

Jade Seafood (280–2811 No. 3 Rd, upstairs) is the value-conscious favourite — Daily Hive has called it a "gold standard," and the Globe and Mail has praised it. Look for the mushroom dumpling with truffle oil and the oversized har gow, and time your visit for the weekday early-bird discounts (around 20% off 10–11am).

Empire Seafood (200–5951 No. 3 Rd) is the big banquet room near the SkyTrain, with 300-plus seats, free two-hour parking, and the classics: taro dumpling (wu gok), abalone dumpling, char siu bao, egg tart. Mid-range; expect weekend waits.

Fisherman's Terrace (Aberdeen Centre) is the in-mall option with fast à la carte service — no carts. Siu mai and shrimp-and-eggplant are the staples, with one reviewer's bill around $22–25 per person. Reserve on weekends.

Continental Seafood (150–11700 Cambie Rd) is the one to visit if you want the old-school push-cart experience — increasingly rare in this region. Call ahead, and note there is sometimes evening live entertainment.

Golden Paramount Seafood (8111 Anderson Rd) is small, busy, and decorated: Elite 30 Canada 2025 No. 14, with Chef May Chau named 2024 Master Chef of the Year. The crab-meat and pork dumpling and the sesame egg tart are the things to order.

For Shanghai-style dumplings rather than Cantonese dim sum, Dinesty Dumpling House (150–5555 Gilbert Rd) and Top Shanghai Cuisine (120–5880 No. 3 Rd) are the Richmond picks — built around xiao long bao, with weekend waits.

Summary: Richmond's City Centre and Brighouse hold seven strong dim sum rooms. Award-winners: Sea Harbour (Elite 30 No. 6) and Golden Paramount (Elite 30 No. 14). Jade is the value gold standard with early-bird discounts; Continental is the last common push-cart service; Dinesty and Top Shanghai cover Shanghai-style XLB. Most are à la carte; reserve on weekends.

Vancouver: Main Street, West End & East Van

Sun Sui Wah Seafood (3888 Main St) is the Vancouver institution — open since 1988, with a reputation built on garlic-steamed Alaskan king crab and roasted squab alongside handcrafted dim sum. Mid-to-upscale; dim sum runs to about 3pm (weekends from 10am).

Kirin (1172 Alberni St, Downtown) is the upscale, view-forward room that has won "Best Dim Sum in Vancouver" in multiple years, with a dim sum program that changes monthly. Reservations advised. Note that Kirin's former City Square location at 555 West 12th Ave has closed; the group now runs Downtown plus Richmond (200–7900 Westminster Hwy).

Western Lake Seafood (4989 Victoria Dr, Kensington-Cedar Cottage) is the East Van workhorse — Yelp-topping, award-winning, reasonably priced, generous portions, all-day dim sum. The jumbo siu mai and prawns with candied walnuts are the signatures. It is always busy; reserve. Note the address is on Victoria Drive, not Cambie — older guides sometimes get this wrong.

Burnaby & Coquitlam

Burnaby's dim sum thinned out in 2025 (see closures below), but two spots are worth knowing:

• Shanghai Dim Sum House (Crystal Mall, 4500 Kingsway, Metrotown) — casual Shanghai-style, built around xiao long bao and sheng jian bao (pan-fried pork buns).
• Neptune Wonton Noodle (Station Square, Metrotown) — modern and creative, known for Instagrammable dim sum like turtle pineapple buns alongside its wonton noodles.

In Coquitlam, Dim Sum World (1163 Pinetree Way) is a daytime option; I could not verify its current dishes or prices, so confirm before you go.

Permanently Closed (Do Not Make the Trip)

Several long-standing names closed in 2025. If your list still includes them, retire these rows:

• Floata Seafood (Chinatown, Vancouver) — locked out by the City of Vancouver in October 2025 after 30 years; it was the city's largest dim sum hall.
• Kirin — City Square (555 W 12th Ave, Vancouver) — closed; the Kirin group still operates Downtown and Richmond.
• Fortune House Seafood (Metrotown, Burnaby) and Chef Tony Dim Sum (Metrotown food court) — both listed closed as of 2025.
• Shiang Garden (Richmond) — listed closed as of early 2026; confirm before relying on it.

How Much Should You Budget?

There is no single published "dim sum price" in this region, but here is a realistic 2026 frame:

• Standard dishes (har gow, siu mai, char siu bao, rice rolls): roughly $5–$12 each.
• Premium items (king crab, abalone dumplings, specialty creations at Sea Harbour or Chef Tony): substantially higher; these are what push an upscale bill up.
• Typical sit-down: around $25–$40 per person at mid-range rooms; more at the high end.
• Save money: look for weekday early-bird discounts (Jade is the clearest example, around 20% off mid-morning).

For ordering tips, read how to order dim sum in Richmond for beginners. Planning your monthly food budget? Our rent affordability calculator shows what is left for eating out.

Key Takeaway

In 2026, Metro Vancouver's dim sum centre of gravity is Richmond, where seven strong à la carte rooms cluster in City Centre and Brighouse. Standard dishes run roughly $5–$12 and a sit-down lands around $25–$40 per person. The top award-winners are Sea Harbour and Golden Paramount; Continental Seafood is the last common push-cart service; and Vancouver's classics — Sun Sui Wah, Kirin, Western Lake — remain strong. Several long-running halls (Floata, Kirin City Square, Fortune House) closed in 2025, so check before you rely on an older list.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does dim sum cost per person in Metro Vancouver in 2026?

A typical sit-down lands around $25–$40 per person at mid-range rooms, more at upscale spots. Standard dishes run roughly $5–$12 each, with premium seafood and specialty items higher. These are directional estimates from recent menus and reviews, not quoted averages — confirm against the restaurant's current menu.

Where is the best dim sum in Richmond?

Richmond's City Centre and Brighouse hold the densest cluster. Sea Harbour (Elite 30 Canada No. 6) and Golden Paramount (Elite 30 No. 14) are the award-winners; Jade is the value gold standard with weekday early-bird discounts; Chef Tony is the creative high-end pick. Most are à la carte and worth reserving on weekends.

Are there still push-cart dim sum restaurants in Vancouver?

They are increasingly rare. Continental Seafood (150–11700 Cambie Rd, Richmond) is one of the last rooms still offering classic push-cart service. Most other Metro Vancouver restaurants have switched to à la carte order sheets.

What dim sum restaurants in Vancouver have closed recently?

Floata Seafood in Chinatown (the city's largest hall) closed in October 2025, Kirin's City Square location closed, and Fortune House and Chef Tony Dim Sum in Burnaby's Metrotown both closed in 2025. Shiang Garden in Richmond is also listed closed. Do not rely on older lists that still include them.

Do I need a reservation for dim sum in Richmond?

For the popular rooms on weekends, yes. Sea Harbour, Chef Tony, Empire, Fisherman's Terrace, Kirin, and Western Lake all see weekend waits, and a reservation saves you a long lineup. Weekday mid-morning is the quietest time and sometimes comes with early-bird discounts.

What is the difference between Cantonese dim sum and Shanghai-style here?

Cantonese dim sum (Sea Harbour, Jade, Empire, Kirin, Sun Sui Wah) features har gow, siu mai, char siu bao, and rice rolls, ordered à la carte or, rarely, from carts. Shanghai-style houses (Dinesty, Top Shanghai, Shanghai Dim Sum House) are built around xiao long bao soup dumplings and pan-fried buns rather than the Cantonese trolley spread.

References

[1] Chinese Restaurant Awards, "Elite 30 Canada 2025," 2025. Sea Harbour (No. 6) and Golden Paramount (No. 14) rankings. https://chineserestaurantawards.com/list/2025/elite-30-canada/

[2] Daily Hive Vancouver, "Best Dim Sum in Richmond / Vancouver," 2025–2026. https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/best-dim-sum-richmond

[3] The Globe and Mail, "Richmond, B.C.'s Jade Seafood remains among the top standard-bearers," 2024. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/

[4] Continental Seafood Restaurant, dim sum menu, 2026. Push-cart service. https://www.continentalrestaurant.ca/dim-sum-menu/

[5] Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant official site, 2026. https://seaharbour.com/

[6] Kirin Restaurants, locations, 2026. Downtown and Richmond branches. https://www.kirinrestaurants.com/locations/

[7] Burnaby Beacon, "Best Dim Sum in Burnaby," 2025. https://burnabybeacon.com/p/best-dim-sum-burnaby

[8] Eater Vancouver and Vancouver Sun, restaurant coverage, 2025–2026. Closures of Floata and other halls. https://vancouver.eater.com/