Some Richmond regulars ordered takeout on a Sunday night and had no idea it would be their last bowl.
By Monday, the doors were locked and a closure notice was taped to the glass.
Grandma Liu Hot Pot, known in Chinese as 刘姥姥砂锅麻辣烫, has shut down at Union Square Shopping Centre on Capstan Way in Richmond after nearly six years.
The closure notice, dated April 27, 2026, states the shop closed due to a lease expiration and thanks customers for their continued support.
A Richmond local first spotted the closure in late April 2026, and news quickly spread across Red Note, where several commenters said they were shocked because they had just eaten there the night before.
Grandma Liu opened around 2020 as a DIY malatang concept where you pick your own raw ingredients, choose a broth, and have the kitchen cook it for you.
Pricing was by weight at $3.99 per 100 grams, with rice at $2 and unlimited refills.
What made the spot stand out was the broth.
Founded by Karry, a female entrepreneur in her 30s, the concept was built on her grandmother’s secret recipe, a slow-simmered base passed down through generations that gave the place its name and its edge.
Grandma Liu was doing DIY malatang in Richmond before Big Way Hot Pot arrived in 2022 and turned the format into a full-blown craze across Metro Vancouver.
In 2021, the brand expanded to Burnaby with a new location on Kingsway, which later rebranded to JOJO Pot.
The new name was inspired by Grandma Liu’s grandson, and the concept promised a more refined experience with expanded broth options.
But JOJO Pot did not last either.
The Burnaby location closed in January 2026, and the West Vancouver outpost shut down soon after.
We covered the JOJO Pot Burnaby closure earlier this year.
Now with the Richmond original gone, there are no remaining locations tied to the Grandma Liu brand.
Whether they will reopen elsewhere is uncertain as their official Instagram page has yet to announce their closure.
Grandma Liu joins other recently closed food spots in Richmond, including Katte Lansdowne, Golden Time BBQ, and Ajishou Japanese Restaurant.
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Address: 1463-8388 Capstan Way, Richmond, BC V6X 4A7
