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This place has great Cantonese HK desserts. Everything we ordered was delicious. Really liked the ginger milk pudding. We waited 40 mins to get a seat. Staff were attentive.
Delicious, not too sweet, great balance, and great to share with large group. Each portion is small and shareable. We tried 8/50 selection on different kinds, flavors, and variety of delicious authentic dessert. Their sweetness level is just right and that's what made this place so great. They have a long line but are super accommodating. If anytime we return to visit Vancouver, this is a must stop after a long dinner. The wait of their long line is totally worth it. Vibe of the place is old family wooden house furniture where family and friends gather. We love their vibe and old TVB movie playing on TV. Love it!
Friends and I stayed in the area while visiting Vancouver. We came across this chinese dessert spot. Very small with not many tables. We ordered manado sago with pomelo, hot taro dessert, and a mixture of grass jelly, mochi, red beans, and some other things in it. All the desserts were delicious but I wished they added fresh chunks of mango to the Mango Sago desserts. They accept card but with additional charges. We paid in cash instead. There's plenty of street parking in the area.
Quick to get a table for 5, and they always kept our tea full. All desserts were delicious and came out fast, I got the peach gum with mango in dairy milk and now that it's mango season all the chunks were super sweet and went well with the peach gum!
The first dessert reminds me of the traditional dessert from Hong Kong. The dishes are very authentic and not sweet at all as it brings the true taste and savory of various ingredients. I was really amazed by the delicous tastes of its dessert as it will just melt in your mouth. All dishes are so affordable and come in perfect portion size. Service was excellent and our waiter is really nice and kind. I really like the Chinese porcelain and wooden table/chair which reminds me of the historical time where people would just sit down enjoy some tea/dessert and spend some quality time with friends and family. Overall, I highly recommend this place if you are in Vancouver. Thanks again for having us and can't wait to come back for more.
A friend of mine from the Bay Area recently told me about the ginger milk custard at this place. She had taken her mom from Seattle here every time they visit Vancouver. Needless to say, I need to try it. My husband and I came here tonight after dinner and we both order their ginger milk. As expected (as told by my friend and videos from Google Reviews), they poured the warm milk into bowl with ginger juice at the table. A 3-minute hourglass was then placed on the table to let us know when the mixture would be set and prêt à manger. The custard was very light but also very gingery spicy which we both loved. While the storefront form the outside doesn't have much to speak of, the interior was very well adorned with traditional Chinese tea house furniture. Service was very attentive as well.
My favorite Chinese dessert spot. They have traditional desserts and the options are plentiful. This is not the place with modern recipes.
Surprisingly good Asian (Cantonese style) dessert place on Kingsway near 43rd. Was wondering why there was a pile of people waiting outside. Parking is available on Victoria, as well as the side streets. The place is actually quite small. There are maybe 10 tables, each able to seat maybe 4 people. There is a QR reservation system. Staff are friendly and helpful. Desserts are good value. Had the cold mango mango with mochi + sago. Tasty. Not too sweet. Good presentation with the vintage style (blue and white) bowls. Buddy and I gobbled out the desserts. Definitely a good place to check out if one doesn't mind waiting a bit if needed. Recommended.
Small shop with 6 tables, each with 4 stools. On a Tuesday evening it wasn't busy so we sat ourselves. There's a small bench for 3 people if you're waiting for your to go order! The durian sago was good but the scoop of durian was tiny, and there wasn't much sago either. The bowl looked bigger but was shallow in comparison to the other bowls. I loved how strong the ginger was in the ginger milk and ginger syrup for tofu. I had enough peach resin for every bite of the ginger milk. The tofu wasn't too sweet. If you're eating in and post your dessert to social media, they offer a small cold red bean or green bean dessert you can take to go.
One of our favorite stops during our Vancouver trip! Great place for those of you looking for traditional Chinese desserts. The restaurant is pretty small, so be prepared to wait. The tables are also small, so I wouldn't recommend coming with a big group. They have an extensive menu. In addition to the traditional desserts like Sesame Paste and Almond Paste, they also have lots of different combos with sago, taro balls, grass jelly, and more. The Sesame Paste had great texture- very smooth and thick. My favorite was the Sago with Coconut Milk and Taro Mochi! It was just the right about of sweet and the Taro Mochi was very chewy. Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu!
This is one of my favourite Asian dessert spots. Great hot and cold options, so it's perfect for any season. It is consistently busy, but you don't usually have to wait too long. They keep people flowing through the tables. Everyone at the table must order an item and typically it is a 45 min limit to the table if it busy. Make sure to bring cash. I've tried multiple desserts and they have all been delicious.
The First Dessert Grass Jelly with Taro Mochi + Mixed Jelly $10.95 Durian Mango Dessert $11.95 Sesame Rice Dumplings $8.95 Curry Fish Balls $8.45 Review: A very nostalgic place to get dessert! I'd definitely say that the prices are significantly higher than that of Hong Kong especially $8.45 for some curry fish balls? That felt like a rip off Nevertheless, I'm never disappointed when I come here and the desserts hit. I just wish it wasn't so expensive Rating: 7.5/10
The ambiance was very traditional HK design feels. From the plates to the tables to the interior decors, they remind me of the good old times. The service was okay and they provided good instructions on how to eat the desserts. The only thing that we had trouble with was trying to explain what we wanted for one of our dessert. We had to explain it over 4 times and at the end, it was still wrong but it's okay. The desserts were decent especially the ginger milk (my friend's favorite) and the mango dessert was okay, I wished they provided fresh mango. But overall, it wasn't bad.
1 month ago
I needed a pick me up and I needed it badly. The First Dessert was a convenient place to go for my pick me up but know that I wouldn't choose a dessert place purely for convenience. If I need a pick me up, it means I need my dessert to be more than just convenient...it needs to actually be good. We ordered the following: Mango Mango with Mini Mochi & Ice Cream Mango Pomelo Sago Walnut and Almond Paste (Hot) Roasted Milk Tea Seems they changed their menu a bit since the last time we came here. No more slush drinks on their menu. Thankfully our daughter is older and her taste buds have evolved. No more Lychee slush on the menu so she ordered Mango Pomelo Sago and Roasted Milk Tea. So we probably wouldn't have ordinarily ordered this much, but we saw that they had a special deal where if you order $20 worth of stuff, you could order one more item (from a select list of items) for just $1. In order to take advantage of this offer, our daughter ordered the Roasted Milk Tea and then we chose the Mango Pomelo Sago as our $1 item. They also have gelato here now and I was hoping to try their Hojicha gelato but there was none available when we were there. Better luck next time perhaps. Everything we ordered was delicious. Just what I needed. Loved my Mango Mango with Mini Mochi & Ice Cream. So tasty and refreshing on a hot summer day. Tried my daughter's Roasted Milk Tea and was very impressed with that as well. I'm not a Walnut person, but I do like Almond so I took a spoonful of my husband's hot Almond paste and enjoyed that as well. My mood was much improved by the time we walked out of this place. read more
3 months ago
This is the place for authentic Hong Kong dessert. We tried the walnut black sesame (核桃芝麻糊), steamed egg with milk (阿一雙皮奶), mango mango with mochi and vanilla ice cream (多芒迷你芋丸，冰淇淋), and taro sago with mini mochi (芋丸椰汁米露，迷你芋丸). The server was incredibly friendly and efficient. Everything was fresh and smooth with the right texture and amount of sweetness. read more
I absolutely love the treats at The First Dessert. If you are looking for authentic Taiwanese desserts, this is the place to be. As someone who has tried similar spots down in the States, I can say that everything we tried was fresh, traditional, and not overly sweet. It's officially a must-visit every time I'm in Vancouver! read more
3 months ago
This place has great Cantonese HK desserts. Everything we ordered was delicious. Really liked the ginger milk pudding. We waited 40 mins to get a seat. Staff were attentive. read more
Delicious, not too sweet, great balance, and great to share with large group. Each portion is small and shareable. We tried 8/50 selection on different kinds, flavors, and variety of delicious authentic dessert. Their sweetness level is just right and that's what made this place so great. They have a long line but are super accommodating. If anytime we return to visit Vancouver, this is a must stop after a long dinner. The wait of their long line is totally worth it. Vibe of the place is old family wooden house furniture where family and friends gather. We love their vibe and old TVB movie playing on TV. Love it! read more
5 months ago
Friends and I stayed in the area while visiting Vancouver. We came across this chinese dessert spot. Very small with not many tables. We ordered manado sago with pomelo, hot taro dessert, and a mixture of grass jelly, mochi, red beans, and some other things in it. All the desserts were delicious but I wished they added fresh chunks of mango to the Mango Sago desserts. They accept card but with additional charges. We paid in cash instead. There's plenty of street parking in the area. read more
Quick to get a table for 5, and they always kept our tea full. All desserts were delicious and came out fast, I got the peach gum with mango in dairy milk and now that it's mango season all the chunks were super sweet and went well with the peach gum! read more
The first dessert reminds me of the traditional dessert from Hong Kong. The dishes are very authentic and not sweet at all as it brings the true taste and savory of various ingredients. I was really amazed by the delicous tastes of its dessert as it will just melt in your mouth. All dishes are so affordable and come in perfect portion size. Service was excellent and our waiter is really nice and kind. I really like the Chinese porcelain and wooden table/chair which reminds me of the historical time where people would just sit down enjoy some tea/dessert and spend some quality time with friends and family. Overall, I highly recommend this place if you are in Vancouver. Thanks again for having us and can't wait to come back for more. read more
A friend of mine from the Bay Area recently told me about the ginger milk custard at this place. She had taken her mom from Seattle here every time they visit Vancouver. Needless to say, I need to try it. My husband and I came here tonight after dinner and we both order their ginger milk. As expected (as told by my friend and videos from Google Reviews), they poured the warm milk into bowl with ginger juice at the table. A 3-minute hourglass was then placed on the table to let us know when the mixture would be set and prêt à manger. The custard was very light but also very gingery spicy which we both loved. While the storefront form the outside doesn't have much to speak of, the interior was very well adorned with traditional Chinese tea house furniture. Service was very attentive as well. read more
Surprisingly good Asian (Cantonese style) dessert place on Kingsway near 43rd. Was wondering why there was a pile of people waiting outside. Parking is available on Victoria, as well as the side streets. The place is actually quite small. There are maybe 10 tables, each able to seat maybe 4 people. There is a QR reservation system. Staff are friendly and helpful. Desserts are good value. Had the cold mango mango with mochi + sago. Tasty. Not too sweet. Good presentation with the vintage style (blue and white) bowls. Buddy and I gobbled out the desserts. Definitely a good place to check out if one doesn't mind waiting a bit if needed. Recommended. read more
3 months ago
Small shop with 6 tables, each with 4 stools. On a Tuesday evening it wasn't busy so we sat ourselves. There's a small bench for 3 people if you're waiting for your to go order! The durian sago was good but the scoop of durian was tiny, and there wasn't much sago either. The bowl looked bigger but was shallow in comparison to the other bowls. I loved how strong the ginger was in the ginger milk and ginger syrup for tofu. I had enough peach resin for every bite of the ginger milk. The tofu wasn't too sweet. If you're eating in and post your dessert to social media, they offer a small cold red bean or green bean dessert you can take to go. read more
2 years ago
One of our favorite stops during our Vancouver trip! Great place for those of you looking for traditional Chinese desserts. The restaurant is pretty small, so be prepared to wait. The tables are also small, so I wouldn't recommend coming with a big group. They have an extensive menu. In addition to the traditional desserts like Sesame Paste and Almond Paste, they also have lots of different combos with sago, taro balls, grass jelly, and more. The Sesame Paste had great texture- very smooth and thick. My favorite was the Sago with Coconut Milk and Taro Mochi! It was just the right about of sweet and the Taro Mochi was very chewy. Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu! read more
2 years ago
This is one of my favourite Asian dessert spots. Great hot and cold options, so it's perfect for any season. It is consistently busy, but you don't usually have to wait too long. They keep people flowing through the tables. Everyone at the table must order an item and typically it is a 45 min limit to the table if it busy. Make sure to bring cash. I've tried multiple desserts and they have all been delicious. read more
2 months ago
1 year ago
The First Dessert Grass Jelly with Taro Mochi + Mixed Jelly $10.95 Durian Mango Dessert $11.95 Sesame Rice Dumplings $8.95 Curry Fish Balls $8.45 Review: A very nostalgic place to get dessert! I'd definitely say that the prices are significantly higher than that of Hong Kong especially $8.45 for some curry fish balls? That felt like a rip off Nevertheless, I'm never disappointed when I come here and the desserts hit. I just wish it wasn't so expensive Rating: 7.5/10 read more
11 months ago
The ambiance was very traditional HK design feels. From the plates to the tables to the interior decors, they remind me of the good old times. The service was okay and they provided good instructions on how to eat the desserts. The only thing that we had trouble with was trying to explain what we wanted for one of our dessert. We had to explain it over 4 times and at the end, it was still wrong but it's okay. The desserts were decent especially the ginger milk (my friend's favorite) and the mango dessert was okay, I wished they provided fresh mango. But overall, it wasn't bad. read more
This is such a great place! Thought this was more of a gimmick due to the decoration, but I really enjoyed their desserts! Got the: - ginger milk $8.45 (this is where you pour in the hot milk (?) and then it solidifies into a pudding!) - grass jelly with taro balls+mini taro balls+sago+redbean $10.95 The gingermilk was super ginger-y and burns the throat, but was also SO delicious!!! If you ever want to get a not too sweet dessert for parents/aunties/grandparents, this is it!!! It was so fun pouring the milk into the bowl, and waiting for the timer finish and getting a pudding texture! The grass jelly dish was also packed with ingredients, loved the different taro ball sizes, and it was so refreshing! Definitely going to be a go-to for me when I'm craving some chinese desserts! read more
3 years ago
I must be deprived living in California because I thought the desserts here were really good. It is near impossible finding places like this in the United States with this much variety in their menu. I LOVE not-too-sweet HK style desserts and they taste amazing at First Dessert! The huge line out the door seems to agree with me. We ordered three for two persons: -- A10 Black Rice with Coconut Milk: the rice is perfection and it tasted so comforting -- A19 Sesame Paste with Sesame Rice Dumplings: this is like the best black sesame I've ever had (sorry, grandma). I ordered this hot! -- E8 Grass Jelly with Taro balls, sago, and red bean: this is the one I liked the least. I should've ordered a different grass jelly item because I thought there were too many toppings! It was still good..just too complicated. I also prefer it to be colder or with shaved ice. I will complain a little bit that First Dessert is oddly strict on certain rules. Such as: you must order one dessert per person at the table and debit/cash only! Despite the rules, I will definitely be back the next time I'm in Vancouver! read more
4 months ago
Our recent visit to The First Dessert left us pleasantly surprised. This spot is renowned for its diverse range of Chinese desserts, boasting over 100 options. We couldn't resist trying the Ginger Milk Pudding and Steamed Egg with Papaya. Have you ever wondered about the differences? Ginger Milk Pudding: Silky and custard-like with a perfect sweetness and a hint of ginger. They even pour it in front of you, making it an interactive delight. Steamed Egg with Papaya: Creamy like a soft custard with a refreshing tropical flavour from fresh papaya. Our dessert cravings are satisfied, and we are eager to return and explore more of their tempting treats. Food: 5/5 Must Try! Service: 5/5 Kids: 4/5 Yay! Price: $6-$10 each item Presentation: 3/5 Parking: Street parking available in the neighbourhood Tips: * accepts online ordering at TheFirstDessert.ca * offers FREE selected dessert with orders over $20. * has late opening hours for post-dinner gatherings. * can get a FREE DESSERT by sharing a photo on social media. * has dine-in restriction - minimum one order per person. Would I Return: Yes read more
9 months ago
2 years ago
These desserts got me going like-- @thefirstdessert will always be my top choice for Asian desserts in Vancouver Known for specializing in Cantonese style desserts, The First Dessert is the go-to option for anyone looking for an authentic taste of Asian dessert. We order it at least once a week and there's no other place in Vancouver that makes grass jelly like they do here. My favourite is their Thai Milk Tea Grass Jelly Series, but this time I also opted to try their Durian Mango Sago which has been added to my list of favourites as well. read more
The First Dessert specializes in old school, HK style desserts. They're one of the few dessert spots in the area that's open late, a few doors down from Mr. Waffle Bubble Tea. Been for a couple of visits. It's always busy with a lineup. Scan the QR code to put your name down on the wait list. Wait time has luckily been ~15 minutes. The inside is small with 7 tables but service is efficient. The staff come by several times to refill tea. Go up to the counter to pay when you're finished eating. Dessert menu has over 100 items with a minimum one order per customer. Trip #1 - Tea - subtle lychee flavour. Their tea cups are small and dainty. - Grass jelly with taro balls (E1) ($7.75) - plenty of grass jelly chunks, not much taro balls. Grass jelly had a slightly herbaceous note. Decent but doesn't beat Sweet Memory or Fresh Legend's homemade grass jelly. - Mango mango with mini mochi (M2) ($7.55) - flavours were good. Light, refreshing, good bite from the mochi. - Taro sago coconut milk + taro mochi (O2) ($8.45) - not sweet. Found it bland. Trip #2 - Sesame paste + sesame rice dumplings (A19) ($8.95) - good filling, sesame paste was just okay. Definitely overpriced for three sesame balls. - Grass jelly with taro balls + mini taro balls + sago + red bean (E8) ($9.95) - grass jelly was the only thing we liked about this dessert. The aga-aga jelly was tasteless. Wouldn't order again. - Almond tea with mini taro balls and taro balls (V6) ($7.45) - the almond soup had a strange chalky texture. Didn't love it. Debit or cash only. Average desserts. read more
The First Dessert is a dessert shop that specializes in traditional yet modernized Chinese desserts and snacks. They have an extensive menu with +50 desserts We tried: Durian Sago Cream $8.45 Mango Mango with Mini Mochi & Ice Cream $8.75 These two desserts are perfect for fellow mango and durian lovers! The desserts were packed with fresh fruit flavour As a bonus, the desserts are the perfect way stay cool in Vancouver's current weather Online ordering system is available through their bio or thefirstdessert.ca Get a FREE selected dessert with orders over $20 Post a photo on your social media channel to receive a FREE DESSERT Parking Food 5/5 Ambiance 5/5 Seating 4.5/5 Service 5/5 read more
2 years ago
YUM!!! Yummy, not too sweet, nostalgic desserts in a cozy intimate setting. Cute spot to share something sweet with friends/family. And I appreciated the complimentary lychee black tea! When my group and I stumbled in, this spot wasn't packed and had a relaxed vibe to it. We ordered efficiently with their write down order system, and received our bowls fairly quickly. Would definitely return again!! read more
Pretty authentic HK style dessert place right down to the little round tables and overwhelming menus with limited descriptions. Place was busy full of Asian folk given their good reputation. Another cash preferred, each customer must order a dish place. A little pricey given the lack of ambiance and the size of the items. Stars were earned back by the authenticity of how the ginger milk was prepared fresh at your table (hot water plus a one minute timer!), and the excellent purple yam ube special dessert. There is only seating at about 7 or 8 tables for maybe 35 people max so expect a wait at most times. The hot dishes did not stand out so I'd stick with the dessert items. read more
It is a cute place where they serve Cantonese dessert. The decoration is nice and the furniture is classic Asian style. They have a wide variety of dessert options. There are some options I don't even know what they are. I wish there were photos for samples. We tried the grass jellies and mochi in thai tea (excellent and interesting), hot ginger milk with mango (nice presentation in making the milk tea at the table but the ginger milk is lukwarm), tofu fa with red bean (it is what it is), soy milk with mochi and sago (again it is just what it said) and a taro soup with mochi, sago and taro chucks (pretty good). Thai tea with grass jellies is my favorite. We also tried cheung fun (too strong in housing sauce) and curry fish balls (very good). This is definitely a cash place. They charge extra for using credit cards. read more
I love all types of desserts. Tonight, I was craving for some Hong Kong style desserts and obviously I had to resort to The First Dessert. It was close to home and I haven't had them for almost a year. I ordered online and it was super convenient. They even give you an option to pay cash so you can save 10% when you pick up. I ordered hot almond tea with mini taro balls and hot black rice with coconut milk. It only took 15 minutes to complete my order. Both desserts were yummy! Almond tea was a tad bitter but that's okay because sometimes it's like that. I don't mind it. Since I'm pretty happy with this order, I might order again if I'm ever yearning for Hong Kong style desserts. read more
1 year ago
I don't care what y'all say this place is wayyy better than meetfresh! I yelled it so loud that people heard me HAHAHA. "Dam stupid loud American!" Im sorry but we don't have places like this in SGV California. Everything felt so authentic and I loved the variety of rice balls and dessert bases. I had a really hard time ordering since everything looked so good! read more
Had to hit up a HK dessert spot because they really don't have too many of these in LA. This place was so cute and there was about a 25-30 minute wait on a drizzly Saturday night. I really wanted to try their steamed egg milk but they unfortunately sold out so we got their ginger milk, red bean paste, coconut milk grass jelly/taro balls/peach resin, and a coconut milk mango. The red bean paste was a bit watered down and disappointing. The ginger milk pudding was very smooth and with a really strong ginger taste as you got towards the bottom of the bowl. The other two were good, can't really go wrong with coconut milk and toppings like mango, taro balls, and peach resin. A cute little dessert spot with an HK vibe that I'd love to return to to try their steamed egg milk pudding. read more
4 years ago
I come here very often, but I always get the same dessert so I don't know enough about the other desserts to really make a comment. However, I really enjoy their mango sago with jelly and ice cream!! It's definitely my go-to and always makes me feel like I'm visiting Hong Kong. The service is good :) not overly awesome, but it's honestly pretty good for a Chinese ran restaurant. Cash and debit only! You get 10% off if you pay by cash I believe. Their portions are fair for the price. However, their take outs are the same price, but an evidently smaller portion. I will be stepping out of my comfort zone to try new desserts when I visit next time :) read more
3 years ago
This place has such a neighborly vibe, filled with people of all ages, some who look like they've been coming for years. I appreciate how it's open late and the street parking feels safe. I tried the ginger milk with papaya. Love the thoughtfulness of the experience with the timer they give so you can wait a minute before eating it. It was (cliche) not too sweet. I think this place is a great place to decompress or take parents. Note: If you take a pic for social media to get free dessert, I think you need to show them the post on your phone. Lol I was waiting for a DM from them (unclear if it was a giveaway or for your next dining experience). There is a 1 order/person minimum. Cash or debit only. read more
Awesome traditional Hong Kong dessert place. I wish they had this type of dessert parlor back in Los Angeles. Definitely try the ginger milk dessert. You will be able to see the dessert turn from liquid to jelly. Not much parking in the area. Add yourself to the waitlist using their QR code. read more
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