After 30 years of service and countless weddings, clan association banquets, fundraisers, and more, Floata, Canada’s largest Chinese restaurant has shut its doors. 

The anchor tenant of Chinatown Plaza mall has been operating since 1995 with a capacity of over 1000 people, but has struggled in recent years, facing the challenges of COVID, and a recent kitchen closure. Through this, Floata has remained a staple of the Chinatown community, serving takeout through lockdown and aiding in vital food security work, and upon reopening continuing to serve dine-in dim sum and dinners, with wedding, political, and fundraiser banquets, as well as the ubiquitous clan and hometown association dinners interspersed throughout the year. 

With their 30-year lease expiring, the City has chosen not to allow Floata to renew it, and the lights in this Chinatown landmark have gone out for the last time. Those hoping for dim sum in Chinatown can still patronise Kam Wai Dim Sum (249 East Pender Street), New Town (148 East Pender Street), Sun Fresh (245 Keefer Street), or Jade Dynasty (137 East Pender Street). For the dine-in dim-sum experience, Jade Dynasty is your best bet, offering all-day dim sum as well as traditional lunch and dinner fare.

One can only hope that a similarly culturally relevant and affordable business takes Floata’s place, perhaps Pink Pearl (Vancouver’s oldest Chinese restaurant still operating in the same location), which was recently eyed for redevelopment?

In honour of the many meals, stories, and memories shared at Floata over the last three decades, we’re hoping to share our community’s stories of the restaurant. If you have a story or memory you’d like to share, please do so below!

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