Ali Wong knows good food when she sees it — and while she was in town for a recent set, the comedy queen made a point of swinging by one of Vancouver’s Chinatown barbecue spots.
It’s a small moment, but it’s the kind that says something bigger. Visiting artists could eat literally anywhere in this city — and plenty choose the newest, flashiest opening instead. Wong picking a traditional Chinatown institution is a reminder that the neighbourhood’s old-school spots are still exactly what they’ve always been: some of the best food in Vancouver, full stop, celebrity endorsement or not.
Why Chinatown Still Matters
Vancouver’s Chinatown is one of the oldest and most historically significant in Canada, built by generations of Chinese immigrants who shaped this city’s food, culture, and economy long before “heritage district” was a planning term. Like a lot of historic Chinatowns across North America, it’s spent recent years navigating real pressure — rising rents, shifting foot traffic, and the slow work of balancing preservation with growth.
That’s exactly why moments like this matter more than they might seem to. Every visit, every recommendation, every bit of attention — celebrity or not — helps keep longtime family-run businesses in the neighbourhood viable. The food is the draw, but the story underneath it is about a community that’s been feeding this city for over a century and is still doing it on its own terms.
Got a favourite Chinatown spot you think more people should know about? Drop it in the comments — we’re always looking for the next place to send our friends (and apparently, our comedians).
