If you’ve been paying attention, you might’ve noticed that Hong Kong-style food stalls have been popping up everywhere.
Well, mostly in Richmond.
But Marine Gateway is finally getting in on the action with a new HK-style cafe.
For the past eight-ish months, the former Yifang Taiwan Fruit Tea spot in Marine Gateway’s second floor has been sitting there, collecting dust.
The bubble tea brand pulled out of BC in late 2024, leaving locals (and us) wondering what would take this location’s place.
And after months of seeing its lights off, we finally have an answer!
We spotted a hiring sign on the front door and signs inside that Smart N Save Cafe is moving in.
Yes, Smart N Save—the Asian convenience store in Richmond’s Lansdowne Centre that’s basically a goldmine for snacks and hard-to-find Southeast Asian groceries—is opening a cafe in Vancouver.
They’ve been slinging Asian snacks at affordable prices since 2004, making them the go-to alternative to the always-packed T&T Supermarket.
But here’s something longtime Richmond locals might remember—this isn’t Smart N Save’s first foray into the HK cafe scene.
Back in the mid-2010s, they had a hidden gem of a cafe tucked away in the industrial area of River Road.
That space is now home to Wasuta Pasta, but it looks like Smart N Save is bringing the concept back—this time, to a more central location at Marine Gateway.
A rep from the Smart N Save Cafe team told Noms Magazine:
“We wanted to bring back old-school HK-style street food to Vancouver. We think that simple delicacies from Hong Kong can bring a sense of comfort to the Canto community as well as introducing new people to foods so close to home.”
Their previous cafe had a rather large menu with items like drunken chicken, spam and egg sandwiches, iced milk tea, and their signature deep-fried chicken wings.
It even had this fake shark fin soup at one point.
But the team shared with us that this new cafe will have a more limited selection of items, which they will share closer to the opening date.
Likely you can expect iconic HK style cafe items though!
Peeking inside, we also spotted dine-in seating, meaning you won’t have to take your milk tea to go.
And for anyone working or living around Marine Gateway, this means another HK-style food option aside from Joy Cafe across the street.
No official opening date yet, but the team said it should be quite soon.
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Address: #302-470 SW Marine Dr., Vancouver, BC