Vancouver Chinatown’s New Digital Passport Is Your Excuse To Eat Your Way Through The Neighbourhood This July

If you’ve been looking for a reason to spend more time exploring Vancouver’s Chinatown this summer, consider this your sign.

Launching July 1, the new Chinatown Passport is a free digital experience that turns eating and drinking your way through one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods into a fun, stamp-collecting adventure—with a getaway to Galiano Island up for grabs.

Created by a coalition of 19 beloved restaurants and bars, the month-long initiative encourages both locals and visitors to rediscover Chinatown while supporting the businesses that make the neighbourhood so special.

Participating spots include Bagheera, Barbara, Bar Gobo, Bao Bei, The Chickadee Room, Chinatown BBQ, DD Mau, Fat Mao Noodles, Harvest, Irish Heather, Juke Fried Chicken, The Keefer Bar, Kissa Tanto, Lao Wai, Meo, Pizza Coming Soon, Propaganda, Say Hey and Touski, with more venues expected to join throughout the month.

“The World Cup has brought incredible energy to the city, but that excitement hasn’t been evenly felt across every neighbourhood,” says Tannis Ling, co-owner of Bao Bei, Meo and Kissa Tanto. “We wanted to create something fun that encourages people to come back, explore and support Chinatown.”

The passport couldn’t be easier to use. There’s no app to download—simply open the web-based experience on your smartphone, browse an interactive map of participating restaurants and bars, then collect a digital stamp by scanning the unique QR code at each venue after making a purchase. Once you’ve collected eight stamps, you’ll automatically be entered to win a two-night getaway to Bodega Ridge on Galiano Island (terms and conditions apply).

For chef-owner Pat Hennessy of Michelin-starred Barbara, the passport is about showcasing just how much the neighbourhood has to offer.

“Whether you’re visiting Vancouver this summer or live just a few blocks away, we want people to experience Chinatown,” he says. “We have one of the highest concentrations of incredible cafés, bars and restaurants in the city. This gives people a reason to revisit old favourites while discovering places they may never have tried before.”

Running from July 1 to 31, the Chinatown Passport is a delicious reminder that some of Vancouver’s best meals, cocktails and hidden gems are just a few blocks apart—and now, every stop brings you one stamp closer to your next getaway. —Noa Nichol