I have been coming to Sweet Culture for many years. It's my go to place for traditional Chinese desserts and savoury snacks. The place has an oriental feel with wooden tables and chairs. Nothing that is too comfortable but good for a quick snack or when craving something chinese and sweet. Big tables for a group or with a few friends. The service is fast and friendly. You will hear mostly the Chinese language around you so the experience is immersive like being back in Hong Kong culture. We had the traditional double skin steamed egg with milk. This was so comforting to eat and not too sweet. The black sesame paste soup is very smooth and yummy, it's my favourite dessert. We also had some snacks like steamed rice rolls with sweet soya sauce, peanut sauce and sesame sprinkles. Yummy! Finally our favourite dessert... Crispy milk fried and you can dip it in caster sugar. This place has reasonable prices and it is as traditional as it is Chinese. If you haven't tried Chinese desserts you are missing out. What you find at Sweet Culture is the traditional, authentic desserts and nothing fancy at a reasonable price. Just bring cash otherwise pay upcharge for credit card payment. read more

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Thanks to my buddy Jesse to take me to this place after we had dinner. I am not from here, let's make that clear, and there are things Markham just does better than where I am from (Vancouver), one... it's the price... I looked at the menu and thought I was transported to the late 90's, and the other thing is the feel of this place, true Cantonese desserts, I saw the savoury snacks they had, but I only wanted sweets, and this place delivers. I had their black sesame tong yuen in ginger soup, and this, to say the least, a sweet way to end the night. Being in this OG place having Cantonese songs playing in the background, a few tables of people poking at their phones, some people coming in to pick up take out, and friendly staff which seems to know the returnee customers that come through the door. If you need a place where you want either Cantonese sweets, or savoury's, a place to just sit there and not be disturbed, or really a place to bring friends and chat, where you can actually hear eachother and have something good to eat, come here. I wish we had a place like this in Vancouver. read more

Sweet Culture - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

This is a OG Chinese dessert restaurant with all the wooden furniture. I have been to this place for a few times, the service was quick, and if you dine-in, they would offer teas for you as well. We had sweet soup of bean curd sheet & egg, i prefer it will come with more bean curd sheet to strengthen the texture but it is more like soup. For green bean sweet porridge, it was a little bit too sweet for me. Overall, The quality of the dessert is just on average but not outstanding. The price is reasonable. One thing need to keep in mind is that they only accept cash and debit card. read more

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Looking for a good place for Chinese dessert and tea. There is a reason this places been so long. Their traditional Chinese desserts and herbal tea is excellent. We found our go to place for desserts. read more

Came here to warm up on a cold gloomy winter day. Chairs were those wooden lacqured chinese chairs. There wasn't much people sitting in at around 6pm in the evening, but people come and go for takeout orders. Green bean soup - Water to bean ratio was on the low end. Still had some green bean flavour. Seaweed provided a good chew. Wouldnt get again. Bean curd soup with hard boiled egg - Lacked bean curd flavour. Hard boiled egg was ultra boiled, almost rubbery. Would not recommend. Black sesame balls were okay, they had good filling. Wasn't spectacular, but wasn't bad either. Abit expensive for something that feels like you can make at home. Might come back for the fruitier options. read more

Sweet Culture - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

One of the oldest standing traditional chinese dessert places in the GTA. An OG if you will. I don't really dig their silky egg pudding (steamed) because a lot of places dnt do it right (this place is no exception). But their mango pomelo sago is ON POINT. I like that the sago is super chilled and not lukewarm like a lot of places serve it. Also a lot of large table seating inside the store so you'll often see large groups chilling w/ their friends over some dessert. read more

After a disappointing dessert experience earlier this evening, my cousins and I decided to try Sweet Culture for take-out. We ordered the black sesame paste and added black sesame sweet rice balls. The paste had the right gloopy consistency, but lacked the rich, roasty black sesame flavor I was expecting. The rice balls were filled with a generous amount of black sesame paste filling, which we enjoyed, but I would have preferred a chewier texture. These rice balls were on the mushier side. The black sesame paste at Sweet Culture gets the job done, but it's nothing spectacular. Overall, I'd give this a 3.5/5, but there's no half stars on Yelp so 4/5 it is. read more

Sweet Culture 架勢堂 is a popular traditional Chinese dessert shop. The space hasn't changed in years, and it's so wonderfully nostalgic. They've always been consistent and is the perfect place to have some childhood fave Cantonese desserts, popular snacks and street foods. Always packed here, so be patient! read more

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This place is my go to for Chinese desserts when I'm craving sweets and it is too cold outside for bingsu. We tried the mango pancake which was very good but small size. The cream was cold enough it was almost like ice cream. 4/5 The mango sago was decent but who can go wrong making mango sago. Unfortunately the mango was sour which threw the whole dessert off. 3/5 Their egg custard is delicious! Best one I've had. 5/5 Would come again. Definitely not crowded when we went and usually people come for takeout so dine in is almost always empty. The staff are nice service was good as well. read more

Sweet Culture - Mango pancake, mango sago, - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Best place for traditional dessert . Great staff that provides fast service. Everything is made from scratch and you can taste real fruits not flavoured ones read more

Had a craving for Chinese desserts and came across this place at New Kennedy Square. They have a large variety of Chinese desserts however I was craving steamed milk but they did not have it. The restaurant had ample seating to be distanced from other parties. Ended up ordering hot coconut purple rice dessert, hot black sesame dessert and tea egg in hot tea. The purple rice dessert was my favourite of the three; the purple rice tasted similar to other stores however the combination of the purple rice and coconut milk resulted in a smooth overall texture which also wasn't too sweet. I felt the black sesame dessert didn't have as strong of a black sesame flavour as other Chinese dessert stores however the texture was very smooth. The tea egg in hot tea was interesting as well, the egg looks like it's been marinated like a soy sauce marinated egg and it tasted similar to a normal boiled egg, with a subtle tea flavour. When I mixed the egg with the hot tea, the sweetness of the tea adds another layer of flavour to the tea egg. read more

Sweet Culture - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Sweet Culture offers a variety of traditional Chinese desserts. For example, they have desserts like Coconut Milk with Egg White and Ginger Milk Pudding, among others. This time, I tried their Coconut Milk with Egg White, and it turned out to be even more delicious than I expected. It wasn't overly watery but had a rich milk flavor. However, their other desserts weren't particularly exceptional. If you visit again, I highly recommend trying their Ginger Milk Pudding or any of their steamed egg-based desserts, as they should be quite good. 架勢堂呢間甜品舖有好多好傳統嘅中式甜品，譬如有椰汁撞奶、薑汁撞奶等等。我今次呢就試咗佢嘅椰汁撞奶，比我想像中好食嘅因為首先呢佢唔係非常之水，食落去呢係有好重嘅奶味。不過佢其他嘅甜品就冇乜特別，如果下次再食嘅話高度推薦大家可以試吓薑汁撞奶，或者燉蛋類型嘅甜品，都應該唔錯嘅。 read more

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Ate here today for dessert with my family to try this place out for the first time while visiting Toronto. We all had different kinds of desserts to eat and enjoy together as a family. I got the mango dessert and it's super good and sweet. The service was also was attentive and great that we couldn't agree more. Finally, I would definitely eat and again maybe in the future when I visit Canada someday maybe in the future! :) read more

Sweet Culture - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

We had a craving for Asian desserts after shopping nearby, and a quick Yelp search brought us to Sweet Culture which was just opening for the evening. We arrived to an empty store front as the one person working was prepping in the back kitchen. A quick hello to the back caught their attention a we seated ourselves with a paper menu. We picked the almond paste, sesame paste, mango sago and a papaya slush. Since there was only one person, she was working the online orders, making the items, cashing out takeout and basically running the store single handedly. Despite the severe personnel shortage, we got our desserts quite quickly and we enjoyed it in relative peace. My papaya slush was freshly made with real papaya, so it was not overly artificially sweet and was refreshing on a hot day. My table mates enjoyed their respective desserts and had no complaints either. Will be back to try something else! I feel like the vibe would be a lot better later at night, as these places are meant to be late night-after dinner establishments. read more

Sweet Culture - Mango sago and papaya slush - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Following another recent Yelp review, we tried Sweet Culture. Amazingly it was our first time even though this place has been here for some time. We tried the stewed papaya with white fungus and almond ($7.25). As well, the black sesame paste dessert ($5.00). Both were pretty good and very (temperature) hot. There's plenty of parking and at 6:30pm, there was no lineup to order. Will try the steamed milk and red bean next time. With such a large menu and variety of dessert options, there'll be many 'next time's read more

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A Markham go-to if you just want your late-night fix without IG bull. Everything is more than reasonably priced at this mom-and-pop shop. This place is definitely worth the stop. Our order: Diced Papaya Sago, Fried Milk and Sesame Glutinous Balls read more

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Crossing another traditional Asian dessert place off my list! We came on a Saturday evening and lots of tables available. We were given a menu and pencil to mark on, the menu of course didn't have any pictures so I can imagine it hard for those not familiar with Asian desserts to order or get a sense of the items. I ended up getting the durian and sago mix while my partner got the almond paste with sesame balls as the optional extra. There seems to be only one lady at the front making all of the desserts so we did wait for a bit to get ours. I would say that the durian sago mix is good for the price and super refreshing. One thing I wish they could change is to have some actual durian chunks in there instead of blending everything up, it made the durian kind of diluted. Either way, still a good dessert. My partner really enjoyed his, the almond paste was not too sweet and the sesame balls hit the nostalgic factor and he was thoroughly satisfied. We'll be back to try the other dishes when we're in the area again. Note: Like most traditional dessert places, this place is cash only! read more

Sweet Culture - Almond paste with sesame balls - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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Sweet Culture, sweet nostalgia. As someone else mentioned in their review, Sweet Culture is one of the oldest dessert places in Markham for traditional Chinese sweets. My parents used to take us here after dinner for some sweets and snacks and now I get their stuff to-go as an independent adult. How times have changed, but certain things on their menu haven't. The staples that we have gotten over the last decade or so are as tasty as ever. Each of my family members still have their favourites, unchanged to this day. My mom's beloved sesame dumplings are nice and chewy, with flavourful sesame and sugar mixed onto it. My dad's herbal jelly is strong as ever. Bitterness equals health after all, when it comes to medicinal foods. The sweet crispy milk has always been incredibly unique, not seen much in other places and certainly not as deliciously made as they are at Sweet Culture. As for snacks, the curry fish-ball and siu mai have always been a nice savoury option. I've always loved this place. Understandably, nostalgia might give me rose-coloured glasses but I think I'm objective enough to know when some things are good and some things aren't. For example, their fresh fruit sago options were never a favourite of mine. I gave it a try again recently and the sago was in clumps and the fruit, while fresh, wasn't very flavourful. If you're a sago fan, go for the mango and pomelo with tapioca cream (杨枝甘露) instead. Deliciously citrusy and creamy. There's something old school to Sweet Culture that makes it very endearing. It's casual, it plays Cantonese shows on the TVs, and they serve up very traditional Chinese snacks. It will always have a place in my heart and I will always get my sweet crispy milk from them. read more

Sweet Culture - Curry fish ball and sweet crispy milk - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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Desserts just a bit above average; pricing is fair. Better than most Chinese dessert places around Markham and Scarborough area.

This is a good choice for Hong Kong style desserts. Mango grass jelly was great. Grass jelly was firm and had a good flavour. It was pretty smooth (though it's not the slippery silky type). Crispy milk was good. Crispy on the outside but really soft inside and with a very light taste. It's basically deep fried congealed milk. Almond paste with rice balls was smooth & rich. You can't taste the powder. The rice balls are excellent - soft, with a lot of black sesame paste. The stuffing tastes good but is coarse ground. read more

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Traditional Asian dessert spot that's open late. Has lots of seats and the prices are decent but dessert is just ok. I got the grass jelly with watermelon and my friend got the steamed egg with milk and ginger. The grass jelly was not that soft and tasted like the canned grass jelly you get from grocery stores. The steamed egg was lumpy and not as silky as it should be. Heads up this is a cash only establishment. read more

Sweet Culture - a bowl of watermelon and blackberries - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Hey, no one answers the phone and no one at the door during advertised opening hour's.

Might be the best black sesame tong yuan I've had! The texture and flavor are perfect, we even came back for more the next day. They make them by scratch and it's the owner's recipe. AND it's peanut powder free for my fellow allergy sufferers. The fried milk is also good here, but different than the one I love from Keung's Delight. I would say the one at Keung's has a slight coconut flavor to it and the outside is panko, whereas the outside here is tempura and the texture is smoother. The black sesame soup and sweet glutinous rice soup were ok to me. read more

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I have been going to this place for many years. My favourites include the mango pudding, almond paste, and black sesame paste. This is one of the few places in Markham that serve HK style desserts! Very heartwarming on a cold, winter day. read more

Sweet Culture - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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I love me some good Chinese dessert! This place did not disappoint. We ordered a bunch of sago soups with mango, honeydew and watermelon. The fruits were fresh! It wasn't too sweet at all. We also got mango pudding, mango pancake, mango slushy, purple rice with red beans and watermelon slush sago. A good ambience feel and the staff was nice. Overall a must try if you love Chinese desserts which isn't too sweet. read more

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This is my first time visiting Sweet Culture. I would say the desserts are average or below average. I had almond paste with sweet sesame rice dumplings. The almond paste is thick and bitter. Generally almond paste is lighter than the other dessert. In Chinese it is typically called almond tea, rather than almond paste. This version is definitely a lot thicker with a bitter after taste. I am not a fan. The sesame balls were okay. It also had a strange after taste. Staff seems to be unsure of what are the ingredients in the items. As well, the bathrooms are not very clean. I walked out and decided to go to the bathroom at home! Pro tip: if you ever visit, I recommend using the bathroom beforehand. read more

Tried 4 different places for herbal jelly and this was the best one. The staff was super friendly and nice. I was surprised that they don't open until 3PM on Sat but they do stay open until 1AM. I'll definitely come back to try some of their other menu items! read more

Sweet Culture - Menu as of June 2023 - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

All the snacks, dessert and drinks here are delicious. I like that they're open until late too

Chinese dessert restaurant. The desserts tasted good and prices were reasonable. Service and food came out slow as there were only 2 people working. Restaurant closes late so you can enjoy a snack or dessert after dinner read more

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Casual spot with simple desserts. Not as trendy as other dessert spots so we have never had to wait for a table. It's not the most creative desserts but they have all the classic Chinese style desserts, both hot and cold. I always get one of the steamed egg/milk ginger desserts, love that it's not too sweet but the past couple of times it's been lacking in ginger flavor. My husband loves their coconut sago with mango. Super refreshing and love that it's not too sweet at all. Lots of options. Can't really go wrong with this place if you're looking for something to curb that Chinese dessert craving. read more

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Mango pomelo sago and fried milk are must gets! They get super popular after 9pm. This is a classic place for dessert read more

Sweet Culture - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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+.5 for service I'm not a crazy dessert person, but this place does its job well especially after a refreshing dinner. One can never go wrong with the Traditional Desserts section of their menu. Personally I'm a sago fan, so I stick with their sweet glutinous rice with sago. Their stewed desserts are good too, and if you want an appetizer consider their stuffed peppers as well. Service is always good and consistent here. A longtime staple in Asian desserts, it frequently gets my support whenever I'm back in the GTA. read more

Been coming here since I was a kid and this place never disappoints. I was so happy to find that this made it through the pandemic. The fried milk is my favourite ! The purple rice was really good too very light in sweetness if that's what you like. read more

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Good HK style traditional desserts. We had the mango pomelo sago, the black sesame soup with black sesame glutinous balls, the glutinous rice with tapioca. They were quite good and one of the better places for traditional HK desserts. read more

Great spot for late night Hk style desserts and snacks. Really liked the steamed rice rolls and ffied squid! Mango sago dessert was perfect, fresh, not overly sweet. Ill be back in those later hours for sure read more

Sweet Culture - a bowl of soup and plates of food - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Located in one of the many plazas in Markham. Free parking. We went on Sunday night, not busy at all. There are tables good for small to larger group sizes (max 8 at their biggest table). If you're looking for Chinese sweet soup/dessert this is one place good for it. Lots of options on their menu. They even have snacks if you want something salty with dessert. I thought the dessert was standard, nothing special. But if you have a craving for Chinese dessert, this is your place. read more

A neighbourhood gem that's been open for 15+ years. Sweet culture specializes in tong sui, or Cantonese soup/custard desserts. My favourite tong sui to order at sweet culture is the steamed milk custard. read more

This is one of the oldest Chinese dessert places around. It used to be so good. I haven't been for a long time and just recently visited it again. Everything is just average. Nothing stands out. There are just so many better choices nowaday. read more

Sweet Culture is another one of the Chinese Dessert place.. opens late in the afternoon till 1 to 2 AM. It is excellent choice to drop by for an afternoon snacks or a midnight snacks! There are also quite a good choice of fresh fruits desserts on the menu. Healthy and Tasty, what a good combination! Dropped by here on a Sunday afternoon. A lot of the table ordering their special afternoon noodle set that let you pick your own ingredients and comes with a drink. Me.. I opt for the Herbal Turtle Jelly with Fresh Fruits ($7.50) Thanks God.. though there are only 3 kinds of fruits watermelon, cantaolpe and honeydew diced up in small cubes but at least they are all fresh! What a good snack! I would for sure to be back to try Durian Sago Mixed ($4.50) next time! The seats and the tables are wooden without cushions so not really comfy however the services are nice and friendly! They accepts Cash only! read more

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During my recent visit I had their curry fish balls and street rice rolls. I surprisingly loved their curry fish balls. It had a very fragrant curry flavour which was nice considering many other places tend to water down the curry for their curry fish balls. The street rice rolls were also soft and a good amount. The prices are reasonable for the quality you get. Overall I'd rate it 5/5. read more

Sweet Culture - Curry fish balls and street rice rolls. - Chinese Near Me - Markham, Ontario