Where to eat in Surrey: Punjabi food, sweet shops and the Vaisakhi Parade

Surrey is the second-largest city in Metro Vancouver, and for food lovers it is one of the most rewarding. It has one of the largest South Asian communities in Canada, and its Punjabi restaurants, sweet shops and grocery stores are a destination for people from across the region. It also has growing Filipino, Middle Eastern, Afghan, Korean and East African food scenes. Most of it sits in strip malls along big roads, so it rewards people who know where to look.

The SkyTrain's Expo Line reaches Surrey Central and King George, and buses cover the rest. A car is easier for exploring the further-out neighbourhoods.

Where is the best food in Surrey?

Surrey is large and spread out, but a few areas stand out:

• Newton, in the south-central part of the city, is the heart of the Punjabi community, with restaurants, sweet shops, jewellery stores and gurdwaras along and around 72nd Avenue and the Scott Road and King George corridors.
• Scott Road, on the border with North Delta, is lined with South Asian restaurants, grocers and sweet shops.
• Whalley and Surrey Central, near the SkyTrain, have a mix of cuisines and quick, affordable food.
• Fleetwood and Guildford have more family restaurants and malls with food courts.
• South Surrey and White Rock have seaside cafés and restaurants near the water.

What Punjabi dishes should you order in Surrey?

Dish	What it is
Butter chicken	Tandoori chicken in a rich, mild tomato and butter sauce
Sarson da saag and makki di roti	Mustard greens with corn flatbread, a Punjabi winter classic
Chole bhature	Spiced chickpeas with deep-fried, puffy bread
Tandoori dishes	Meat, fish or paneer cooked in a clay oven
Dal makhani	Slow-cooked black lentils with butter and cream
Parathas	Stuffed flatbreads, often at breakfast
Lassi	A yogurt drink, sweet, salted or mango

Many Surrey restaurants are vegetarian or have long vegetarian menus, which makes it one of the easiest places in the region to eat well without meat.

What should you buy at a Surrey sweet shop?

Sweet shops, or mithai shops, are an institution. Their glass counters are filled with brightly coloured sweets, many made with milk, sugar, ghee, nuts and cardamom. Look for gulab jamun (fried milk dumplings in syrup), jalebi (crisp, syrupy spirals), barfi (milk fudge in many flavours) and ladoo. Many sweet shops also serve samosas, pakoras and chaat, making them a great spot for a quick, cheap snack. They get very busy before Diwali and Vaisakhi, when families buy boxes for gifts.

What is the Surrey Vaisakhi Parade?

Each spring, usually in April, Surrey hosts one of the largest Vaisakhi parades in the world, a Sikh celebration also known as the Nagar Kirtan, centred on the Newton area. It draws hundreds of thousands of people. Along the route, families, gurdwaras and businesses set up tents serving free food to everyone who comes, in the tradition of langar, the free community meal served at Sikh temples. The food is vegetarian and ranges from roti, dal and pakoras to sweets and snacks. Expect crowds and road closures, and take transit if you can. Check the official date and route each year, since they change.

What else can you eat in Surrey besides Punjabi food?

Plenty. Surrey has Filipino restaurants and bakeries, Afghan and Middle Eastern grill houses, Korean and Vietnamese spots, East African restaurants and a long list of halal options. It is also a good place for affordable family restaurants, and malls such as Guildford have large food courts.

Is there a Punjabi Market in Vancouver too?

Yes. Before Surrey became the centre of South Asian life in the region, Vancouver's own Punjabi Market grew up on Main Street around 49th Avenue in South Vancouver, from the 1970s on. It is a short stretch of sweet shops, restaurants, fabric and jewellery stores and grocers, and it is easy to reach by bus along Main Street.

It makes a good option if you want Punjabi food without the trip to Surrey: samosas and chaat, a thali, fresh sweets and masala chai. The Punjabi Market is smaller than the Surrey strips, and some businesses have moved out over the years, so treat it as a place for a meal and a box of sweets rather than a full day out.

Is Surrey cheaper than Vancouver for eating out?

Generally yes. Many Surrey restaurants are family-run and aimed at local families, with generous portions and prices below downtown Vancouver. Sweet shops and snack counters are especially good value. BC menu prices do not include tax: food carries 5 percent GST, and alcohol also carries 10 percent PST. At sit-down restaurants, tip 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax amount; at counters and sweet shops, it is optional.

How do you plan a food trip to Surrey?

1. Take the SkyTrain to King George or Surrey Central, or drive if you plan to visit several areas.
2. Start with chai and a samosa at a sweet shop.
3. Have a big Punjabi lunch in Newton or on Scott Road.
4. Pick up a box of sweets to take home.
5. End at White Rock for a walk on the pier if you have a car.

Many of Surrey's best places are in unassuming strip malls, which makes recommendations from people who actually ate there especially valuable. On Mosey, you can rate the places you visit and the dishes you ordered, follow friends who know the area, and keep a list of Surrey spots worth the drive.

More guides to read next:

• Holiday dining in Vancouver: the Christmas Market, festive menus and booking tips
• Takeout and delivery in Vancouver: how to get better food at home
• What is West Coast cuisine? Vancouver's local food explained

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.