As one of North America’s largest and most historic Chinatown neighbourhoods, Vancouver’s Chinatown is home to a multitude of longstanding businesses that form a mosaic of colours, fragrances, and landmarks on every street corner. One of the highlights of Vancouver’s Chinatown is certainly the mouth-watering bakeries that tempt you with both traditional and contemporary recipes.

For the last few weeks, a very special round shaped delicacy has been seen ornamenting some of the most emblematic bakeries in our neighborhood. More than just a delicious snack, mooncakes are a cultural tradition, symbolizing togetherness and reunion. During Mid-Autumn Moon these pastries are carefully carved and filled with diverse flavours: from fruit and vegetables, to pork, and even sea food.

With so many places to choose from, we have curated a list of some of our favourite places to enjoy these seasonal treats.

Starting in the heart of Chinatown at 257 Keefer St you will find the largest local Chinese bakery franchise in Metro Vancouver, Maxim’s Restaurant & Bakery 美心餅店. This community institution offers a large selection of locally made mooncakes, including Lotus Paste & Egg Yolk, Mixed Nuts, Snow Skin and Lava Custard, giving customers a chance to sample a range of options.

Down the street at 245 Keefer you will come across Sun Fresh Bakery House 新發餅屋, a local favourite and hidden gem in Chinatown.

Just a few blocks away, at 532 Main St, you cannot miss The Boss Bakery & Restaurant’s   大班餐廳餅店 vibrant blue sign and Hong Kong café style. This year they’re hosting a Mid-Autumn Festival for Children fundraiser, with a portion of sales from selected mooncakes Gift Boxes going to support BC Children’s Hospital.

Finally, no wrap up of Chinatown bakeries would be complete without New Town Bakery & Restaurant 新城餅家餐室, which just last year made an appearance on the Netflix 2019 movie Always Be My Maybe. This community staple carries a selection of miniature snack size mooncakes, giving customers the opportunity to enjoy the various delicious flavours without needing to buy a full one.

As we approach this year’s Mid-Autumn Moon on Thursday October 1st, we encourage you to reflect about the true meaning of this festival by coming together with your loved ones.

On behalf of the whole Garden team, we wish you a very merry (and delicious) Mid-Autumn Festival, filled with bliss and happiness. 皓月闪烁，星光闪耀，中秋佳节，美满快乐！