Greater Vancouver’s South Asian food scene is one of the best in North America, and its centre of gravity sits firmly in Surrey — home to nearly half of the region’s Indian, Pakistani, Nepali, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi restaurants. But Vancouver proper, Richmond and Burnaby have their own heavy hitters. Here are our top picks, organized by area and by craving.
One caveat before you eat: much of the best food here is served without ceremony — in strip malls, basement food courts and unassuming takeout counters. That’s the charm. Come hungry, bring friends, and don’t be afraid to order the thing you can’t pronounce.
Surrey: Where the Scene Lives
Nearly half of the region’s South Asian restaurants sit in Surrey — Punjabi, Pakistani, Nepali and Sri Lankan kitchens clustered along Scott Road, 72nd Avenue and the Newton strip. If this is your first deep dive into desi food in BC, start here.
If you’re chasing Pakistani barbecue, start at Royal Nawab Kebab n Karahi on Scott Road, which specializes in slow-cooked karahi and tandoor kebabs — a local go-to for classic Pakistani barbecue. Nearby in Newton, Karachi Flame serves Karachi-style barbecue, biryani and karahi dishes, making these few blocks of Surrey some of the best hunting ground for Pakistani food anywhere in Canada.
Breakfast people should head to Lahori Sweets & Restaurant in Newton: this chef-founded spot is known for authentic Punjabi curries and a popular weekend halwa puri buffet — the classic desi weekend spread.
Best Sri Lankan: Sri Spices in Newton, Surrey runs an all-you-can-eat Sri Lankan buffet with a popular Friday spread of hoppers, koththu, yellow rice and sweet yogurt for dessert.
Surrey is also the momo capital of the Lower Mainland. Spice of Nepal in Newton serves handmade veg and lamb momos alongside thakali and Newari dishes and a traditional Nepali thali set. In Cloverdale, The Momo Grill Nepali Kitchen keeps it casual with nearly ten momo varieties plus chowmein, thukpa and Nepali-style chicken wings.
Vancouver Proper: Cravings A to Z
Modern Indian fine dining: Chef Vikram Vij’s Michelin-recognized Vij’s on Cambie Street remains the city’s landmark Indian dining room, famous for wine-marinated lamb popsicles and a lush patio. On Main Street, award-winning Sula Indian Restaurant pairs regional Indian curries and tandoori with a craft cocktail program — a great pick for a night out.
Best tandoori and BBQ on the south side: Victoria Drive’s Karakoram Restaurant is known for its Lahori chicken karahi and tandoori barbecue, while Dewan-E-Khass on Fraser Street is a longstanding favourite for classic Pakistani and Mughlai dishes. Both are fixtures of the Fraser Street–Victoria Drive stretch, which along with Scott Road in Surrey forms the region’s Pakistani food corridor.
Best momos: In Davie Village, Gurkha Himalayan Kitchen is the cozy choice for fresh momos, Nepali bhojan platters, thukpa and Himalayan-Tibetan comfort dishes — the whole Himalayan pantry in one small room.
Best Bangladeshi street food: Roti Wala Snack House & Cafe on Kingsway serves authentic Bangladeshi street food like crispy fuchka, beef tehari and khichuri with kala vuna — a rare and welcome glimpse of Dhaka-style snacks in the city.
Best Malaysian: Mamalee in Kitsilano is a long-running family Malaysian kitchen celebrated for Hainanese chicken rice, beef laksa and flaky roti canai, the kind of place that has fed generations of locals since long before Malaysian food was trendy. It’s proof that Vancouver’s South Asian table stretches well beyond the subcontinent.
Best Thai: Jay Nok in Olympic Village puts an elevated spin on street classics like bone-marrow khao soi, oxtail green curry and jumbo-prawn pad Thai — Thai food with a fine-dining edge.
Burnaby, Richmond and New Westminster
Best dosa: Davie Dosa Company in Richmond is a family-run spot (formerly of Davie Village) crafting gluten-free dosas, biryanis, momos and Indo-Chinese plates — South Indian comfort that even the gluten-free crowd can feast on.
Best Punjabi classics in Richmond: Ginger Indian Cuisine on Blundell Road is an award-winning Punjabi kitchen praised for butter chicken, garlic naan and creamy garlic prawns — proof that Richmond’s South Asian scene runs deeper than its famous dim sum.
Best Hakka Chinese: Burnaby’s Indian Wok on Kingsway is a halal Indo-Chinese hole-in-the-wall known for Calcutta-style Hakka chow mein, chilli garlic dumplings and made-to-order spicy Manchurian dishes.
Best chaat: 4 Seasons Chaat House in New Westminster is the region’s go-to chaat house for pani puri, papdi chaat, vada pav and slow-cooked curries made with hand-ground spices. Come ready to eat standing up if there’s a line, and let the person behind the counter call the shots — that’s the fun of a real chaat house.
Hungry for more? Browse the full list of Vancouver-area South Asian restaurants on desipages.org — with photos, addresses, phone numbers and hours for every listing.
