Downtown Vancouver just lost another dessert spot.
Babatang, the coconut pudding and cute character bun shop, has quietly shut down, marking yet another closure in Downtown Vancouver’s food scene.
If you’ve walked down Robson Street recently, you’ve probably noticed all the ongoing construction near one of the busiest sections of the shopping district.
While it hasn’t exactly helped business, high rent prices have also made it tough for smaller brands to survive, leaving only big-name chains to keep up.
Babatang, which had been operating in this high-foot-traffic location since 2022, is the latest casualty.
Babatang first started as a Richmond Night Market stall in 2021, before expanding to a retail spot near Richmond Costco and then eventually taking over the former Feng Cha bubble tea unit on Robson in 2022.
The brand was built around a heartwarming story—inspired by a father’s mission to create coconut desserts for his daughter, who grew up wanting them but never had access to them.
That passion turned into a business, spreading the love of coconut treats far and wide.
Despite being in a prime location, Robson’s steep rent wasn’t easy to keep up with, especially for independent businesses.
In fact, the two units beside Babatang have been sitting empty for years.
While the shop quietly closed earlier this month, it didn’t take long for the space to be filled—Caffe W, a longtime coffee shop, has already taken over the unit.
Peeking through the windows, much of Babatang’s interior remains intact, but the new cafe seems to have added gelato to the menu.
Babatang’s closure is just another sign of the challenging times for Vancouver’s food scene.
Downtown has seen a string of closures lately, including Helka Cafe, Keto Caveman Cafe, International Village Mall Starbucks, Xing Fu Tang Granville Station, and Kev’s Epicure.
While Robson Street remains one of the city’s busiest shopping destinations, the question remains—how many small food businesses can actually survive in this high-rent district?
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Address: 1185 Robson St, Vancouver BC