25 of the saddest restaurant closures we saw in 2025
While this year saw many new and exciting restaurants come to the city, we unfortunately lost some fan-favourite eateries.
From much-loved seafood chains to decade-old Italian eateries, beloved fried chicken restaurants, and the final location of a Thai restaurant chain, these are the saddest restaurant closures we saw in 2025.
The Boathouse Restaurant Kitsilano and White Rock
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Shah Ghani, COO of The Boathouse, broke the news that The Boathouse closed both its White Rock and Kitsilano locations on Sept. 21, 2025, adding that the reason for these closures was the expiration of their leases.
“We are grateful for everyone that has made our time at these locations special, and are thankful to our dedicated employees for their hard work throughout the years,” added Ghani. “While it’s time to close this chapter, the spirit of The Boathouse lives on at our other nearby locations, where we remain committed to providing an exceptional experience for our guests.”
MeeT in Gastown
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“After an incredible 10 years of MeeT in Gastown, we’ve made the heartfelt decision to close our Gastown location,” shared the restaurant on Instagram.
Meet in Gastown was located in the historic 12 Water St. building at the former Shirakawa (and Boneta) space.
The restaurant, which also operates locations in Yaletown and on Main Street, is one of the main players in the vegan food scene in Vancouver. It’s best known for its selection of vegan comfort food classics like its fan-favourite Mac N’ Cheez Bowl.
Address: 12 Water St., Vancouver
Mila
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Mila Plant-Based, an iconic Vancouver vegan restaurant that has been a go-to for the city’s plant-based community, has closed
The restaurant, located in Vancouver Chinatown at 185 Keefer St., called it quits after five years, with its last day of service being Nov. 14.
“We’ve decided that after five great years, it’s time for Mila’s journey to come to an end,” wrote the restaurant.
The Vancouver vegan restaurant added that it has been “the biggest joy of our lives to bring Mila to life and watch it grow.”
Address: 185 Keefer St., Vancouver
Darby’s Pub
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Located at 2001 Macdonald St. at the corner of West 4th Avenue, Darby’s was an independently owned and operated pub that opened in 1981.
It was revealed last fall that the popular drinking hole would be redeveloped into a mixed-use development with rental housing. The pub’s last day of operation was Nov. 1.
Address: 2001 Macdonald St., Vancouver
The Sea House Fish and Chips
Known to many as one of the best fish and chips spots in the city, Sea House broke the sad news on Facebook, adding that the reason for the closure was that the two owners were going into a well-earned retirement.
“Affectionately known by many loyal customers as ‘the two grandmothers,’ they’ve been the heart and soul of The Sea House Fish and Chips since 1997,” said Sea House. “For almost three decades, they’ve proudly served what many consider Vancouver’s best thin-battered fish, prawns, and calamari.”
However, a new restaurant has taken over the space and is serving the same fish and chips recipe as Sea House.
Address: 3003 Kingsway #7, Vancouver
Chewie’s Chicken and Biscuits
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Chewie’s Chicken and Biscuit shared that the reason for the closure was that the whole block it was on is being taken down for redevelopment.
“Since 2018, our little Biscuit shop has been part of Kits — but you are the ones who made it special,” wrote Chewie’s. “You turned us into your weekend ritual, your comfort spot, your ‘just one biscuit… okay maybe three’ place. We’re forever grateful for the regulars who stuck with us through everything, for the laughs, the friendships, the support, and the countless memories.”
Chewie’s final day of operation was Nov. 23.
Address: 2822 West 4th Ave., Vancouver
Mahony’s Tavern False Creek
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Mahony’s Tavern closed the doors to its False Creek location.
Mahony’s operated until October 2025, and then, a new pop-up called Bae-Side started operating in the space.
Later, major renovations are slated to start in the space for it to be transformed into a new bohemian-inspired concept called Mishree on the Water. This concept is brought to us by Mishree Restaurant Concepts, which operates multiple restaurants like Tandoori Flame and Happy Singh Eats, to name just a few, and is expected to open in spring 2026.
Address: 601 Stamps Landing, Vancouver
Zefferelli’s Spaghetti Joint
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Zefferelli’s Spaghetti Joint closed its doors after the May long weekend.
“In 1989, I could not have imagined writing this goodbye letter,” wrote Alberto Lemmo, owner of Zefferelli’s.
“There are precious few independently owned restaurants that get a 35-year run. It’s humbling and astounding to me,” he added.
Located on the second floor of 1136 Robson St., Vancouver, the restaurant is best known for its cozy and charming atmosphere alongside its Italian dishes and pastas.
Address: 1136 Robson St., Vancouver
Potluck Hawker Eatery
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Potluck Hawker Eatery broke the news that it closed its doors on Oct. 19.
“We launched our hawker-inspired eatery in the summer of 2020, a time when the future of restaurants was uncertain,” shared the restaurant on Instagram.”Despite the additional hurdles of opening during a pandemic, Potluck became more than just a place for rice bowls and fried chicken sandwiches—it became a cornerstone for the community. It’s this very community that has sustained us, and we wholeheartedly thank you for making Potluck what it is today.”
However, this isn’t the end for the space, as the Potluck team shared it will be transitioning it into its sister concept, Street Hawker.
Address: 3424 Cambie St., Vancouver
Remi Patisserie
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Remi Patisserie opened its doors on Oct. 8, 2020, but had been operating as a pop-up beforehand. The spot was best known for its hand-crafted desserts inspired by owner Remi Ho’s Chinese heritage and birthplace, French Guiana. It was particularly well known for its mango mochi.
“2019 to 2025, six years and about eight months. Start to end. It is the biggest achievement of my life to date. I am proud of myself that I took this leap to start this business. I had to gather a lot of courage to jump into entrepreneurship. I used every determination in me to persevere. And I worked hard, really hard. I thank myself I did that,” said Remi.
Its final day was Oct. 12, 2025.
Address: 511 W. 7th Ave., Vancouver
Meinhardt Downtown Pacific Centre
An employee from Meinhardt Fine Foods confirmed with Dished that the grocery store had closed its Pacific Centre, with its final day being March 31.
For those unfamiliar, Meinhardt has been serving the Vancouver community since 1997 at its first location in South Granville. In 2012, the store was acquired by Buy-Low Foods LP, and in 2015, it expanded to its second location in the heart of downtown Vancouver, at Pacific Centre. But don’t worry, its South Granville spot at 3002 Granville St. is still up and running.
Address: 609 Granville St., Vancouver
Flamingo Chinese House
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Flamingo Chinese House opened its doors in 1974 in the Victoria-Fraserview neighbourhood. It serves a selection of traditional Cantonese cuisine and dim sum.
“After a wonderful run, our team is ready to hang up their aprons and enjoy a well-earned retirement,” shared the restaurant on its website. Its final day of service is Sept. 28.
In the closure announcement, the restaurant also went on to share that it will be passing to Little Bird Dim Sum, where its recipes will live on for a new generation.
Address: 1652 SE Marine Dr., Vancouver
The Greek Broadway
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The Greek has closed its Broadway location, citing the construction of the Broadway subway project as the reason for the closure.
“With construction delays and ongoing disruptions, it’s become impossible for us to keep this location going until the SkyTrain is completed in 2027,” wrote the restaurant.
The Greek, which was founded in 1984, currently operates locations in Yaletown and Gastown, as well as its other restaurant, Anatoli Souvlaki, in North Vancouver. Its Broadway location opened near the end of 2023, serving the brand’s signature Greek dishes, including calamari, souvlaki, lamb yevetsi, and more.
“This isn’t the ending we hoped for, but the memories made here in such a short time mean the world to us. To everyone who came through our doors, thank you. Your support, your celebrations, and your love for Greek food and culture have kept our family going,” added the restaurant.
Address: 382 W. Broadway, Vancouver
Bar None
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After operating in Vancouver for over three decades, the Yaletown nightclub Bar None has ceased operations.
“For over 30 years, Bar None has been more than just a nightclub. It’s been a home for music, culture, and unforgettable nights in Vancouver,” wrote the nightclub.
Bar None first opened its doors in 1992 and over the years has hosted some legendary live performances, including Drake, Ty Dolla $ign, Party Next Door, and Anderson Paak.
Its final day of operation was Sept. 27.
Address: 1222 Hamilton St., Vancouver
White Spot Richmond Centre
“We have made the difficult decision to close our Richmond Centre location on Sept. 15 as a result of business challenges specific to this site. This decision is not a reflection of the incredible work of the team at Richmond Centre, who we are committed to supporting through this transition,” White Spot President Trent Carroll told Dished.
We’ve been proud to be part of the Richmond community since 1990 and are grateful to our loyal guests and team members who have made this location what it is. We’re taking the time to celebrate that legacy and express our thanks to those who have contributed to it,” Carroll added.
This isn’t the first White Spot location to have closed in the last couple of years. At the end of 2023, we witnessed the closure of a White Spot location in Langley, on Fraser Highway, due to the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension, with no plans for relocation.
Address: 6551 Number 3 Rd. Unit 1902, Richmond
Bob Likes Thai Food
Marco Ovies/Dished
“We regret to announce the closing of ‘BOB LIKES THAI FOOD,'” shared the restaurant on a notice posted to its doors.
“We have been in business for over 15 years and would like to thank our staff, loyal customers, friends and family for their support over the years,” added the restaurant. Its final day was July 1, 2025.
Address: 3755 Main St., Vancouver
Aphrodite Organic Cafe
Longstanding Kitsilano staple Aphrodite Organic Cafe closed for good on Feb. 2, 2025, after over 20 years of serving the community.
“After many years of being a beloved destination in Kitsilano, the rising costs of doing business has simply become too much for us to continue,” said the cafe. “We want to take these last couple of weeks to honour and celebrate our amazing staff, our wonderful customers and our incredible products.”
Address: 3605 W. 4th Ave., Vancouver
Salmon House on the Hill
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Salmon House on the Hill, dubbed “Vancouver’s original seafood grill restaurant,” broke the news that it had closed its doors on July 12.
“It is our honour and pleasure to serve you and your loved ones,” said the restaurant.
Address: 2229 Folkestone Way, West Vancouver
Ma Dang Goul
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Korean restaurant Ma Dang Goul shared on Instagram that it has closed its doors after serving the Vancouver community for 20 years.
“Thank you all for the love and support throughout the years,” said the restaurant. “We will miss you all.”
Ma Dang Goul first opened in 1995 and was best known for its variety of Korean dishes like samgye-tang, Korean pancakes, and kimchi fried rice, alongside its selection of soju.
Address: 847 Denman St., Vancouver
Poor Italian Ristorante
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After 16 years of operation in the East Side, Vancouver’s Poor Italian Ristorante announced it will be closing before the end of the year.
“Thank you for 16 wonderful years of support! It’s been an honour serving the Hastings-Sunrise community,” shared the restaurant on Instagram.
Poor Italian, located at 3296 E. 1st Ave., is best known for its selection of pasta and risotto, alongside other Italian favourites.
Its final day of operation was Dec. 21, 2025.
Address: 3296 E. 1st Ave., Vancouver
Pizzeria Barbarella
The East Vancouver pizza destination posted the news on social media over the weekend, just one day before its last day of service on Sunday, March 2. It had been open at 654 East Broadway for over a decade.
While the news was heartbreaking for longtime customers, the owners shared nothing but gratitude for its loyal community.
“Huge thanks to our loyal customers, our wonderful suppliers, and to our truly awesome staff,” said Pizzeria Barbarella in a post on Instagram and Facebook. “Despite the lack of financial success, Barbarella has always been a very special place because of all of you, and it’s been an honour to be part of the community.
Address: 654 East Broadway, Vancouver
Paragon Tea Room — Cambie Street
Paragon Tea Room announced on Instagram that it closed its Cambie Village location, with plans to relocate to Vancouver. The tea room said the reason for the closure is that the landlord is preparing to make way for a new development.
“While we understand the nature of change, it’s hard to say goodbye to this space that has been home to so many great moments shared over tea,” said Paragon.
Paragon continues to operate its locations in YVR Airport and its new location at 4328 No. 3 Road in Richmond, which opened in September 2024. It also plans to open a new location on Cambie.
Address: 3361 Cambie St., Vancouver
Wally’s Burgers Vancouver
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Wally’s Burgers broke the news that it had closed the doors to its Vancouver location after 15 years.
“After so many great years, it’s time to say goodbye to our Vancouver location,” shared Wally’s. “This wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s time for some of our senior crew to retire and the younger crew to reset.”
This location opened in 2010, but Wally’s has been a burger staple in Vancouver for over 60 years, having opened its first location in 1959 on Kingsway. In 2008, the burger restaurant closed its Kingsway location, and in 2010, it relocated to its now-closed location in Killarney Center.
While its Vancouver location will be missed, folks still looking to get their Wally’s fix are in luck. Wally’s North Vancouver location in Cates Park will remain open and operating from May to September, weather permitting.
Address: 2661 E. 49th Ave., Vancouver
Perverted Ice Cream
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Perverted Ice Cream closed its doors at midnight on Oct. 31.
“This closure was not my choice and came as a shock but, for many reasons, it turned out to be a blessing,” said owner Jade Ratcliffe.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom for the ice cream spot. Ratcliffe shared that this is not a goodbye but a see you later, and to expect bigger things to come.
Address: 797 Thurlow St., Vancouver
The Buck & Ear
The Joseph Richard Group (JRG) broke the news that The Buck & Ear pub would be closing its doors.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Steveston community for making The Buck & Ear such a special place for so many years,” said Ryan Moreno, CEO of JRG.
“This pub has been more than just a business—it’s been a gathering place, a home for stories, laughter, and friendships that have lasted a lifetime. While this chapter is closing, we remain committed to Steveston and to honouring the history that The Buck & Ear has been a part of.”
As for the reason for the closure, JRG cited ongoing economic pressures, rising operational costs, fees, and taxes.
Address: 12111 Third Ave., Richmond
With files from Amir Ali, Daniel Chai, and Hanna McLean
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