The Toronto hot pot spot that regularly draws two-hour lineups just opened its doors in Richmond.
Loon Fong Hotpot is now officially open as of Wednesday, February 25 at Empire Centre, marking the brand’s first location outside of Ontario.
The Toronto location holds a 4.6 star rating on Google and was recognized in the 2025 Chinese Restaurant Awards.
We first reported on Loon Fong’s plans to open in Richmond earlier this year after spotting the signs go up at the previous North Bistro unit.
We got an early preview of the space and the food, and spoke with co-founder Simon Zhang about the expansion.
If you have seen photos of the Toronto location, the Richmond spot delivers on that same energy.
The entire interior is what Zhang describes as “a nostalgic love letter to the golden era of 1980s and 90s Hong Kong,” inspired by the neon lights, bustling streets, and cinematic energy of that era.
The result is a space packed with details Hong Kongers will recognize instantly, from a recreated Australian Dairy Company sign to Street Fighter arcade posters and Hong Kong flags strung from the ceiling.
The entrance itself is a speakeasy-style hidden doorway.
In Toronto, guests walk through a fake 7-Eleven to get inside.
“For Richmond, we wanted to play with another quintessential part of the Hong Kong streetscape: the classic local real estate agency,” Zhang said.
The team built a mock Midland Realty office, complete with property listings in the window.
“It creates a fun, immersive contrast where guests step off a regular street and are instantly transported into an atmospheric, old Hong Kong alleyway.”
And Loon Fong opening in Richmond is no doubt the perfect place as its first BC outpost.
“Richmond is undoubtedly one of the best culinary hubs for Asian cuisine in North America,” Zhang told Noms Magazine.
“We’ve always wanted to be part of this vibrant food scene.”
Afterall, Richmond Chinese restaurants basically swept the recent Chinese Restaurant Awards, taking up more than half the placements.
The restaurant takes over the entire former North Bistro unit with two general dining areas and several private rooms.
The menu brings over signature dishes from Toronto along with new items exclusive to Richmond using local ingredients.
The star of the menu is the Fish Maw Chicken Pot at $69.80.
The price may seem steep, but you get a whole chicken dumped into the pot, and the rich, collagen-packed broth is easily enough for a meal on its own.
The hand-sliced meats held up just as well, with beef tongue, marbled ribeye, and chef’s selection chuck eye all well-marbled and tender.
For the handmade meatballs, go with the Four Treasures Balls for a mix of shrimp and meat varieties.
You can see the team making them fresh behind the counter.
The iced HK milk tea at $4.80 was a standout and one of the best we have had.
Not too sweet, with just the right tea strength.
The yuenyeung was a bit sweeter by comparison.
For dessert, there is pudding on the menu, but unlike Big Way, Haidilao, and Dolar Shop, there is no free soft serve at the end of your meal.
Richmond has no shortage of hot pot spots, but Loon Fong’s combination of immersive decor and quality food puts it in a different category.
Loon Fong joins other recently opened food spots in Richmond like Shawarma 2 Go, Pho Capital, and Miku Richmond.
For more new and upcoming food spots in Metro Vancouver, take a peek at our tracker here, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Address: 4540 No. 3 Road #1200, Richmond, BC (Empire Centre)