Richmond Public Market — Attraction in Richmond

Chinese fast food galore! Among other things.

If you've checked out the Richmond food scene you've most likely heard of the Richmond Public Market. I have not been to China, but from what I hear, being here is much like being in an authentic Chinese market with many vendors crammed into it. Along with that comes the street vendor, hole-in-wall vibe. But that is part of the charm and you are not coming here for the updated, modern ambiance which is not here.

The bottom floor is mainly vendors selling groceries, clothes, etc. But you are here for the 2nd story, where all the food is. Be sure to bring some cash and if you don't there is an ATM so you can pull out cash. Most places are cash only from what I could gather.

I went with what I'll call the "authentic Panda Express" for my meal. It was a 3 item combo with chow mein/white rice. You'll find more than 2x the entree options that you'll find at Panda. The lady who helped spoke enough English that I could understand her. I was trying to order orange chicken as one of the entrees but to my surprise, 3 options which all resembled orange chicken were all pork dishes. So I went with two of those along with a tofu/veggie choice. Also had to get one of the crabs that are on display in front of all the entrees luring you into purchase.

One of the pork entrees was really good & fresh while the other seemed like it had been sitting for a while. The chow mein was quite bland but the food had so much flavor so it was not too bad. I believe the crab is coated in corn starch and then flash-fried. Went with the spicy option which is basically chili & garlic. It had good flavor but it would probably work better as some type of sauce. One win though was the excess garlic & chili tasted good with the chow mein & white rice.The 3 item combo was a large portion but since it was my only real meal for the day I finished it, but was very full.

There are many other options, such as rice rolls, wheel cakes and drinks. It's a pretty big place but still small enough to check it all out pretty quickly. There is a parking structure which is great, but it was very busy so be prepared for that. Also, there are a good amount of tables in the place, so once you grab your food, just find an available table.

Have I had better food before? Yes. Was the food tasty and a good deal? Yes. Do I plan on coming back? Most likely...

At least a century old public market with variety of kiosk type eateries forming a mini food court, convenience stores, greens, groceries, barber shops and many other outlets right in the heart of core downtown Richmond. Slowly and steadily wearing out over a period of time without any major updates looking either for a full renovation or a brand new structure in this priceless area would be an ideal choice. Ill-maintained washrooms show their presence by strong and bad stench and odour emanating in the whole food court area making one wonder how the people eat in this kind of environment.

At the best one can do a takeout, if someone loves the style and type of food available here but making the hygiene part double checked. Prices are not low like before and they are as expensive as in a modern nearby malls, so that’s a great minus! Gone are the days, this place used to attract decent crowds for affordable prices, matchless taste and huge portions! Now, those things are in the rear view mirror. Eagerly I visited this place to try a bit almost after 15 years when I used to live nearby and have my dinner and do a takeout as well for the family. Honestly, it’s no more possible!

I don’t think I will visit again in another 15 years if I hit the 80 mark (I am 65 now) or any grand renovation or reconstruction takes place, whichever comes first! Currently, the whole place is smelly and shabby thus becoming unattractive and repulsive. Sorry RPM, the one I used to remember fondly as a nice place for either a quick bite or a full meal is no more existent! Bye for...

Upon landing in YVR, the plan was to pick up our rental car and drive to Whistler. But, we needed lunch. When I saw that Richmond was right near the airport, we decided to make the Richmond Public Market one of our stops. It was a Thursday at around 12:30. There is a free parking lot with various levels, which looked pretty full despite the market seeming a bit empty - but it was easy to find a spot, and people are always leaving.

I think I expected more of this market and was a little disappointed. On the lower level, you have all of your groceries like produce, seafood, meat, a few bakeries, jewelry stores, kind of like a mini Chinatown. Upstairs is the food court. I was hoping there would be more of a variety, but most of the stalls were just selling pre-cooked Chinese food - the ones where you can pick a variety of 3 or 4 dishes for a set price. None of them looked too appealing. We ended up picking some rice rolls and spicy intestines from two of the stalls.

If you're staying in Downtown Vancouver, this isn't close. So I would say it's not really worth going out of your way for (unless you have a car).

Tip - a lot of the stalls...