It’s been a bittersweet trend in Metro Vancouver—longtime food spots are shutting down what feels like every single week…
And unfortunately, we’ve got another to add to the list.
One of our Noms Mag community members (@mathggl) spotted a closure sign at James Snacks, a beloved stall inside Richmond’s Empire Centre food court.
After over 15 years of serving some of the best Chinese clay pot rice in town, James Snacks has officially closed its doors.
For the uninitiated, Empire Centre food court is one of Richmond’s OG hidden gems, located in an unassuming plaza (with a terrible messy parking lot).
Locals know it well, and you might too if you’ve dined at Chef Tony, shopped at the supermarket, or grabbed coffee at Sunny M.
But the food court itself is a nostalgic favourite that transports you back to the 90s or early 2000s.
James Snacks was one of its longest-standing gems.
James Snacks was famous for its generously portioned, wallet-friendly clay pot rice.
For claypot rice, it’s all about crispy rice bottom and James Snacks HAD THAT!
And ofcourse it had a wide variety of options, like Minced Beef with Egg, Short Rib with Chinese Sausage, and Basa Fish with Shiitake Mushrooms.
Each bite was a warm, comforting hug, and the large portions meant perfect for saving leftovers for the next day.
The closure notice on the stall thanked customers for their support over the past years.
It’s a hard loss for locals who grew up eating here, and like many, we didn’t know about the closure in time to have one last taste.
But Empire Centre food court itself has been evolving recently.
Last year saw the arrival of Cha Kee’s sister stall Cha Don, Admiralty Centre’s Riceholic, and just this month, Parker Place’s One Cafe opened a new stall here.
Despite the changes, James Snacks’ absence will leave a void that’s hard to fill.
This one will be missed.
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Address: 1160 – 4540 Number 3 Rd, Richmond, BC V6X 4E4