Z W Shanghai Kitchen remains one of the few places in Metro Vancouver serving truly authentic Shanghai cuisine. The dishes still deliver -- generous portions, deep home-style flavours, and prices that feel fair in today's dining climate. Their xiao long bao and braised dishes continue to remind diners why the restaurant earned pre‑pandemic acclaim. Unfortunately, time and circumstance haven't been kind. Since COVID, the buzz has faded, and newer diners -- especially Gen Z and Alpha crowds -- don't seem drawn to its classic atmosphere or understated presentation. In an era when restaurants live or die by social media trend cycles, Z W Shanghai Kitchen could benefit from fresh marketing: better visuals, outreach on local foodie channels, or even a small menu refresh to attract younger palates without losing tradition. The location hasn't helped either. Like many West Vancouver businesses near Broadway, the ongoing transit construction has eaten away at visibility and foot traffic. It's a tough environment, but if any restaurant deserves to survive it, it's this one -- anchored by culinary integrity and authentic taste. It matches the calibre of popular spots like Shanghai River and Top Shanghai Cuisine in Richmond. read more

We came in for some shanghai food on a Wednesday. The restaurant was pretty empty when we walked in. We got the soup dumplings, wonton with Chilli oil, sweet and sour soup. The soup dumplings were okay. Not a lot of soup. The skin wasn't too thick but the meat felt kind of rough and a bit too chewy. The wonton with Chilli oil wasn't fragrant enough. Overall I wouldn't come back again. The XLB were a bit of a disappointment. The service was Mediocre even with the restaurant being so empty. Wouldn't recommend unless you are really craving shanghai food in this area read more

Z&W Shanghai - Chinese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Looks like the AYCE sushi place closed down and is now Z&W Shanghai Restaurant. I came here with my parents and we ordered a few dishes to share: Steamed Cod, Braised Pork Belly, Meat Balls and Guotie. The food was quite solid. Portion size was good. Service was ok. Prices are ok these days given the fact we have inflation issues. There is complimentary parking but it is confusing on where it is. There are a few free side street parking and instead I parked there. As mentioned before the food is quite solid here. I liked the braised pork belly the most. The cod was very cooked perfectly and the fish was very fresh but the only con was too much bone. Everything else was very flavorful. I will definitely be back. read more

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I recommend the xiao long bao. Tasty, dumpling skin not overly thick. I also really enjoyed the Shanghainese Fried Noodles. Most places makes it way too salty. This place does it just right. The veggie baozi (steamed vegetables buns) are delicious too. You get 3 large buns. Very soft, chewy and satisfying. Be interested to try their smoke duck next time. read more

Z&W Shanghai - Xiao Long Bao - Chinese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

First time trying this Shanghainese style restaurant on the west side of Vancouver on busy W. Broadway. This is also from the list of places that I put together during the lockdown to explore, parking is mainly on street, and on a nice sunny Thursday, we have no problem finding metered parking nearby. Upon entrance, we noticed the dining room is empty, with a table full of take-out orders waiting to be picked up, the Chef and the waitress greeted us and welcomed us to have a dine-in experience, as I guess they were mainly focused on take-out orders. Since we are here the first time, we ordered a few typical Shanghai dishes just to get the feel of the kitchen and their taste. From cold appetizers to soup to noodles all were on point! I would say their flavours are slightly less salty then most restaurants with similar menu items, which is a good thing! As we wanted to try their XLB but unfortunately the server told us it was not available, in that case, we will be coming back to try our luck again next time! read more

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There weren't many people there when we went, which I was surprised by given how good the food was. It's a rare thing that I can say that I truly enjoyed ALL of the dishes we got- we ordered plates for the table- but it's absolutely true. We got the sweet and sour chicken, which perfectly crispy and definitely not stringy, with perfectly crispy vegetables including grilled mango, and had plenty of sauce. (And I'm not a vegetable person in general). The shanghai fried noodle was perfectly sauced, the noodles perfectly cooked. The spicy chicken was also perfectly spicy- not hot, but specifically spicy, which is a taste I haven't had much and really enjoy. The scallion pancakes were just the right amount of flaky, and the guotie was also pretty great. Overall, a fantastic dining experience. I enjoyed it just as much the next day for leftovers! read more

This is my new "go-to" place for authentic Chinese food on the west side. Am currently working my way through the menu and continue to find new favorites. - xiao long bao (XLB) - imo this is the best in Vancouver hands down. Skin is thin and tender, packing a burst of flavorful soup and tasty pork filling. Really high grade. - spicy sour fish - genuine mainland affair. Can't stop eating. Need more rice to cool my tongue. - hot and sour soup - savory with the right balance of vInegar and spicy. - rice cake stir fried - my current favorite. The rice cake seems freshly made. Nice chewy texture like high grade mochi. Reminds me of my mom's cooking. Interior is clean and the service is very good. Not pretentious and seems happy to serve non-Chinese customers. Tip: they usually have specials at a special price. Have ordered and they seem solid. This restaurant is firing on all cylinders. Five stars! read more

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Shanghai cuisine is my favourite food. We ordered the topical Shanghai fish, that is wonderful

Good Shanghainese food. Roomy restaurant with reasonably priced dishes. Will definitely return to try out their other dishes. read more

In mid-March, right before the whole coronapocalypse closed up all of the restaurants in town (other than take-out), we dropped by Z&W Shanghai Kitchen on West Broadway, near Arbutus. For the longest time, this location used to be the home of an all-you-can-eat Japanese place. Upon walking inside, we immediately noticed the improvements to the decor... including the elegantly adorned wall. As dine-in eating had slowed down in the weeks leading up to our visit, this place wasn't too busy at all. Perhaps that's why the food came out so quickly after we ordered it. Being a Shanghainese restaurant, we decided to start off with Hot and Sour Soup ($5.98) and then move over into the Xiao Long Bao ($8.98). The shrimp in the hot and sour soup was soooo good... plump and not overcooked at all. Next up was the Coconut Chicken Fried Rice ($15.98) which came in an overflowing half pineapple. This was the perfect accompaniment to the next two dishes that we ordered. We don't eat Mapo Tofu ($10.98) that often but, every now and again, we get a craving for it. This was a good dish with a nice spice level... a nice heat level but not numbingly spicy. Last up was the Mui Choy Kau Yuk ($25.98) or fatty pork belly with preserved mustard greens. We love ordering this dish but it's sometimes difficult to find. We liked how the pork was thinly sliced and mostly tender (some places serve the pieces a bit too thick and it winds up not being as melt-in-your-mouth as it should be). Overall, pretty good Shanghainese restaurant. read more

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Walk by here almost daily and watched them build out the restaurant. I deliberately gave them some time to adjust and go through soft opening before stopping in today. At 1145, it was fairly quiet (started to fill up a bit later) and we were greeted and asked to choose a seat. All in all, Excellent service, really good food (details to follow), and fair pricing. Not to mention the hot tea was also of very good quality. Ordered the scallion pancakes, XLB (soup dumpling), and shanghai fried noodles. Noodles came out perfectly cooked and seasoned and offered some sambal to spice it up. Serving dice was substantial for this dish. The soup dumplings were without a doubt the best I've ever had. It's really tough in my limited experience to do these well with just the right amount of soup so you taste it, but not so much that it explodes when you bite into it. Definitely the star! The pancakes were also the best version I've ever had, slightly browned, perfectly crispy but not at all greasy. Pictures of the noodles and the pancakes are after we already ate some FYI. Will definitely return and try some other things! Bathrooms nice and clean also. Bill was very reasonable compared to other places and for the neighbourhood and the quality and quantity of the food. They also have a selection of beers and wines at reasonable prices including some Chinese ones, local and craft. read more

Z&W Shanghai - Scallion pancakes (minus what we already ate!) - Chinese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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A much needed new Chinese food place in the Kitsilano area. My favorite Shanghainese restaurant in the city is Long's but I would say Z&W is a close second. This used to be a popular AYCE sushi place and recently reopened as a Shanghainese food restaurant, much needed as the closest competition close by would be Peaceful on 4th and it isn't really that good. The restaurant is pretty clean and bright - and the menu has good photos so it is easy to order. They have your usual dim sum like XLB, beef wrap, chili wontons but also dishes like spare ribs, crab, and even bullfrog! We ended up ordering a few small dishes (XLB, sticky rice dumpling, tofu wrap with mushroom inside) and some bigger dishes like Shanghai fried noodle and sweet and sour spare ribs. I have to say that everything tasted outstanding; in particular the noodle and the XLB. The XLB has really thin skin with juicy meaty soupy goodness inside which I was quite impressed by. Beer is also cheap as well which is a plus! Really impressed by the cleanliness, service (the servers all spoke English and were helpful in suggesting dishes), and most importantly the quality of the food. I would say that the price point is a little higher than Dynesty or Peaceful but I would definitely pay extra for the above average food and good service. There is free parking nearby at the medical building and also at the IGA/London Drugs lot, also really easily accessible by public transit being located at Broadway & Arbutus. read more

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We walked in here not knowing what to expect as the restaurant is newly opened with only 1 Yelp review. The restaurant is really big with tables nicely spaced out. Service was very attentive, the wait staff came by refilling tea frequently and checking to see if we needed extra plates or bowls throughout our meal. The menu has a range of day-to-day options as well as so fancier high end stuff (lobster, fresh fish, stuffed duck etc) so you can either come in for a quick bowl of noodles or have a fancy celebratory meal with a larger group as well. We had the simple stuff for this visit and the food was fantastic. This may end up being one of my new favourite Shanghainese restaurants in Vancouver, definitely taking the crown from Fortune Garden and Lin's nearby Szechuan beef noodle - broth was comfortably spicy, the beef was soft and tender without being overdone. Overall, a crowd pleaser Shanghai style mini wonton - comes out in a hotpot. Flavour was very good, wonton wraps could have been a bit thinner. Still, very decent. Ma Lan Tou tofu dish - very solid and if you haven't tried it, worth checking out. 口水雞 - spicy cold chicken - this was the star of the show. Drenched in Chili oil, Szechuan peppers, chilies and ground peanuts, this was easily my favourite dish of the night. The two types of "spicy" in Chinese cuisine came through with my tongue feeling tingly from the spices. We almost didn't order this, but the kitchen has run out of 小籠包 xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) which are one of my favourite dishes, so this was a total silver lining! We'll be back to try their xiaolongbao next time! read more

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Communication ability and service mindset both seemed really poor here. I asked if I could order any dish, even a sweet and sour dish with white meat chicken breast. Most respectable restaurants in Vancouver will do that. They told me they only use dark meat chicken in all the chicken dishes, and when I asked if they could ever accommodate my preference for white meat chicken breast in any of their dishes even with advanced notice next time me, the answer was a flat out No. It shows me they prioritize low cost products and their own convenience and higher profit over customer preference and selection. I will not return. read more

We are always on the lookout for new restaurants, and Z&W Shanghai Kitchen has been on our list ever since it opened earlier this year. As it was our first time, we decided to to try some of our Shanghai favourites to see if they are worth a return visit. We had their Xiao Long Bao, the Kou Shui Chicken, and their Boiled Fish with Pickled Cabbage. The prices were a tiny bit higher than average, but they make up for it with their portion size which were quite generous. After trying everything, we are happy to say that we will most definitely be back to try more! read more

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Decent meal at decent price. Had the XLB , scallion pancake and the beef noodles. Pretty standard fair and their quality was on par with my expectations. read more

family-run place. my parents love it and ppl from shanghai can confirm its authenticity. personally i think its average but it's a nice location, never full, dishes i recommend are ba bao ya/8 stuffing duck (call at least a day in advance), mei cai kou rou/pork belly w veg read more

This is a decent Shanghainese restaurant. Probably one of the best on the west side. Do try the Jelly fish ( very tasty) as an appetiser, but the salad is way to big for two. We also tried the smoke duck which was great but the fried rice is so-so. They used luncheon meet instead of Char Siew. The restaurant was a little quite during weekdays with plenty of open tables and you can stay as long as you like. A definite 4. read more

I echo what Tom W. said about this being the new "go-to" restaurant for authentic Chinese food on the West Side. This being our first visit, we ordered our "litmus test" dishes: XiaoLongBao (soup dumplings), Shanghai noodles, and sweet & sour pork. Everything we had was delicious! The sweet & sour pork was a lunch special, and it was a very generous serving. The pork was tender and the sauce was flavourful. No over-fried hard pieces of gristle in this dish. Shanghai noodles is one of my favourite dishes, and by far, this dish was the best I've ever had in 30 years of eating Chinese food in Metro Vancouver. The noodles were perfectly cooked, not mushy, and not underdone either. The pork was nicely seasoned, and the sauce was delicious. The XLB were also delicious. Just the right amount of soup in the dumpling, and the meat inside was tender and tasty. (I can't say enough how tasty everything was!) We will definitely be back! read more

Z&W Shanghai - Sweet & Sout Pork lunch special. Very generous serving for a lunch special! - Chinese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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The fish and vegetable are very delicious. The pork mooncakes are amazing. I will come again. read more

Z&W Shanghai - Pickled fish - Chinese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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The customer service was terrible! I wish I could give 0 stars but yelp wouldn't allow me to do so. A few days before Canada Day, I called to make a reservation. The staff assured me that they would be open on July 1, and took my reservation. However when I went there on that day, the restaurant was closed, without any notice to me. They wasted my friend's and my time going to this restaurant, and we spent another hour to find another place we can dine. I was very upset with their service and will never go. read more

The food was delicious. The restaurant was quiet even with 4 tables of socially distanced customers..would have been better to put on some music or something so it doesn't feel as sterile. read more

atmosphere: modern lots of space large customer service: friendly price: market value food: first experience in a Shanghainese restaurant and we had some shared dishes, all photos on my instagram and everything tasted good. read more

I gave this place another try, tonight's dinner very disappointing. Over priced food and not good. I eat at alot of chinese restaurants, in particular shanghai style, so I am well versed, our main dish was so bad we didnt eat much of it. We wont be going back. read more

This is our go-to local spot for Shanghai food. Our favourite dishes are the Chili wonton and Shanghai noodles, but you can't go wrong with anything, really. The service is also top notch with servers that speak Mandarin, Cantonese and English. read more

First time today,feeling this restaurant Dishonest in business,the restaurant need the quality of dishes and service to keep its guests.the food is not fresh. read more

It is a truly Shanghainess cuisine restaurant in Vancouver! The smoke duck marinated with tea is the best in Vancouver. Truly Shanghai style moon cake 鮮肉月餅 is very tasteful. The owner of the restaurant, Author, can be asked for special Shanghainess dishes. It's a great restaurant to be visited and enjoyed the truly Shanghainese style foods!! read more

Z&W has the best XLB soup dumplings in Vancouver, bar none! My family and I just celebrated my mother's birthday there. Chef Arthur came up with a phenomenal menu, choosing dishes so that no ingredients or flavours repeated. Each dish was executed perfectly. The stuffed duck was scrumptious. The golden crab was amazing. I can't wait to return! read more