Markham's Best Chinese Food Plazas: A Local's Guide

If you know Markham, you know it is home to some of the best Chinese food outside of Asia. The city's large Chinese-Canadian community has built a culinary ecosystem that spans Cantonese, Szechuan, Shanghainese, Taiwanese, northern Chinese, and Hong Kong-style cuisines — all within a few square kilometres of each other.

And much of this food is concentrated in Markham's iconic plazas and food courts, where dozens of restaurants, bakeries, tea shops, and specialty stores operate side by side. For locals, these plazas are everyday dining destinations. For visitors, they are a revelation — a taste of Asia without the flight. This guide takes you through Markham's best Chinese food plazas, what to eat at each one, and why they have earned their reputation as some of the finest food destinations in Canada.

Pacific Mall — The Landmark Destination

No guide to Chinese food in Markham would be complete without Pacific Mall. Located at 4300 Steeles Avenue East, Pacific Mall is one of the largest indoor Asian malls in North America, and its food court is the beating heart of the operation.

What sets Pacific Mall apart is the sheer variety. In a single visit, you can enjoy:

Cantonese roast meat. Several stalls specialize in BBQ pork (char siu), roast duck, and soy sauce chicken — carved to order and served over rice with a drizzle of rich, savoury sauce.
Bubble tea and desserts. Pacific Mall has been at the centre of the GTA's bubble tea culture for decades. You will find both classic milk tea shops and newer brands offering cheese foam teas, fruit teas, and brown sugar boba.
Taiwanese street food. Think popcorn chicken, oyster omelettes, scallion pancakes, and lu rou fan (braised pork rice) — all the comfort foods of Taipei's night markets.
Hand-pulled noodles and dumplings. Several vendors serve freshly made noodles and dumplings, including knife-cut noodles (dao xiao mian) and pan-fried potstickers.
Japanese and Korean fusion. While the focus is Chinese, Pacific Mall also features stalls serving Japanese curry, Korean corn dogs, and takoyaki.

Pacific Mall is busiest on weekends, especially Saturday afternoons. For a more relaxed experience, visit on weekday evenings. Parking is free with a large lot and underground parking available.

First Markham Place — The Foodie Favourite

Located at 3255 Highway 7 East, First Markham Place is often considered the more serious food destination compared to Pacific Mall. While Pacific Mall leans toward quick bites and street food, First Markham Place houses several full-service restaurants alongside its food court options.

Highlights include:

Dim sum restaurants. First Markham Place is home to multiple dim sum establishments that serve traditional Hong Kong-style dim sum — har gow, siu mai, cheung fun, and egg tarts — often made fresh on-site by veteran dim sum chefs.
Hot pot. Hot pot restaurants here offer the full communal dining experience with a wide selection of broths, meats, seafood, and vegetables. It is a perfect option for groups and families.
Pork katsu and Japanese-Chinese fusion. The plaza's pork katsu spots have gained a TikTok following for their perfectly crispy cutlets served over rice with tonkatsu sauce — a cross-cultural comfort food favourite.
Specialty bakeries. Chinese-style bakeries offering pineapple buns (bo lo bao), egg tarts (dan tat), and savoury pastries are essential stops after any meal at First Markham Place.
Late-night dining. Some restaurants in the plaza stay open later than typical suburban hours, making First Markham Place a go-to for dinner after 9 PM.

Times Square — Concentrated Flavour

Markham's Times Square, located at 550 Highway 7 East near the intersection of West Beaver Creek Road, is a compact but flavour-packed plaza that punches well above its weight. Despite being smaller than Pacific Mall or First Markham Place, Times Square has developed a cult following among Chinese food enthusiasts.

Szechuan and northern Chinese cuisine. Times Square is known for its spicy, bold flavours. Szechuan restaurants here serve mala tang (spicy numbing soup), mapo tofu, and dry-pot dishes that are among the best in the GTA.
BBQ and skewers. Chinese-style BBQ skewer shops offer lamb, chicken, seafood, and vegetable skewers seasoned with cumin and chili — a staple of northern Chinese street food culture.
Noodle houses. Hand-pulled noodle shops here are worth visiting for the theatre alone — watching a chef stretch and pull dough into thin, elastic noodles is mesmerizing, and the result is a bowl of soup that you cannot get from dried or machine-made noodles.
Tea shops and dessert bars. From traditional Hong Kong-style milk tea to trendy fruit tea concoctions, Times Square has a drink for every taste.

Splendid China Tower and Nearby Plazas

Along the Highway 7 corridor between Woodbine Avenue and Kennedy Road, you will find a cluster of smaller Chinese-anchored plazas that collectively offer an incredible range of dining options. Splendid China Tower, Metro Square, and the surrounding plazas are home to some of Markham's most respected Chinese restaurants.

Peking duck specialists. Several restaurants along this stretch specialize in Peking duck — served with thin pancakes, scallions, hoisin sauce, and crispy skin that crackles with every bite.
Seafood restaurants. Live tanks stocked with lobster, crab, fish, and shrimp allow diners to choose their seafood before it is prepared. These restaurants are popular for family gatherings and celebratory dinners.
Congee and breakfast spots. For an authentic Chinese breakfast experience, several spots serve congee (rice porridge) with preserved egg, minced pork, and fried dough sticks (youtiao) — a warm, comforting way to start the day.
Herbal tea and tong sui shops. Traditional Cantonese herbal tea shops and dessert houses offer remedies and sweets that are part of the cultural fabric of the community.

What Makes Markham's Chinese Food Plazas Special

Other cities in Canada have Chinatowns and Asian restaurants, but Markham's Chinese food scene is unique for several reasons:

Scale and concentration. The density of Chinese restaurants in Markham — particularly along Highway 7 — is unmatched in Canada. You can eat a different Chinese meal every day for months and never repeat a restaurant.
Authenticity. Because Markham has such a large Chinese-speaking population, restaurants do not need to adapt their menus for a general audience. The food is prepared the way it would be in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Taipei, or Chengdu.
Competition drives quality. With so many options side by side, restaurants must maintain high standards to survive. Mediocre food does not last long in Markham's competitive food court ecosystem.
Generational knowledge. Many restaurants in these plazas are run by chefs and families who have been cooking for decades, bringing recipes and techniques that cannot be replicated by newer operations.
Community gathering spaces. These plazas are more than restaurants — they are places where families gather for Sunday dim sum, where friends meet for bubble tea after class, and where the community comes together around food.

Tips for First-Time Visitors

If you are visiting Markham's Chinese food plazas for the first time, here are some practical tips to make the most of your experience:

Come hungry and bring friends. Chinese dining is best experienced communally. Ordering multiple dishes and sharing allows you to sample a wider range of flavours.
Ask for recommendations. Don't be afraid to ask staff what they recommend. Many servers are happy to guide you, especially if you express interest in trying something authentic.
Visit during dim sum hours. Dim sum is traditionally a morning and early afternoon affair. Arrive between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM on weekends for the best selection. Some restaurants require reservations for weekend dim sum.
Explore the grocery stores. Many of these plazas also have Chinese supermarkets and specialty grocery stores. Browse the aisles for unique snacks, sauces, and ingredients you may not find elsewhere.
Cash is still accepted widely, but most restaurants now take debit and credit cards. Having some cash on hand is useful for smaller vendors and bakeries.

Explore More on MarkhamBusiness.com

Markham's Chinese food plazas are a testament to the city's rich cultural heritage and its status as one of the best food cities in Canada. Whether you are a lifelong resident who has been eating at these plazas for years or a newcomer discovering them for the first time, there is always something new to taste, a new stall to discover, and a new favourite to find.

Browse Chinese restaurants and food plazas in the Markham area on MarkhamBusiness.com — your local business directory for Markham and Richmond Hill.