A popular restaurant is expanding yet again, and this time it is finally landing in Burnaby.
John 3:16 Malaysian Delights, a longtime staple in Richmond and Vancouver, is preparing to open its very first Burnaby location in Metrotown area.
The space, which formerly housed SOJU (at the ground level of the heritage house) before it quietly shut down this past spring, had initially shown signage for “Malaysian Delights.”
Most people (including us) thought it was a new brand incoming.
But just this week, we spotted an additional sign being put up and confirmed it: John 3:16 is officially on its way.
For those unfamiliar, the restaurant’s journey began when owner Daniel Chew immigrated to Vancouver in 2009.
He started with a modest food court stall called Yummy Malaysian Delight in the Richmond Public Market.
That stall became the foundation for what grew into one of Richmond’s top-rated Malaysian restaurants near City Hall, which opened in 2016.
By 2020, the brand had expanded to West Broadway in Vancouver, bringing their signature dishes to even more fans.
In 2023, they opened up an express stall at the buzzing Aberdeen Centre food court.
This will mark their fourth location in Metro Vancouver.
Speaking to Noms Magazine about the Burnaby expansion, the John 3:16 team explained, “We chose Metrotown because it’s such a lively, multicultural neighborhood, and we’re excited to bring the taste of Malaysian cuisine closer to the community there.”
As for the menu, Burnaby locals can expect the same favourites that keep people coming back at their other two dine-in locations.
That means rich beef rendang, smoky char koay teow, spicy kari laksa, fried rice classics like nasi goreng, and plenty more.
An exact opening date wasn’t shared, but the owner simply said “coming soon”.
John 3:16 Malaysian Delights now joins a growing list of upcoming Burnaby food spots, including Matcha Tea Lab, XISHI, and Vegas Donuts.
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Address: 5152 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 2E8