More Stars for Canada: Check out the Vancouver additions to Michelin’s list!
Since 1926 the Michelin Guide has been awarding fine dining establishments around the world their highly coveted stars. Initially developed by the Michelin Tyre Company to assist tourists visiting France find acceptable lodging, restaurants, and car service stations, the guide has become the foodie authority, the gourmand’s “bible.” Earlier this year the Michelin Guide revealed its debut list of Toronto-based Canadian restaurants and most recently awarded eight Vancouver restaurants with a sought-after Michelin Star while a dozen more received a “Bib” Gourmand designation, a ranking that recognizes friendly establishments which serve good food at moderate prices.
The Michelin Guide gives out up to three stars with only the world’s greatest dining establishments attaining that ranking – only 137 restaurants worldwide were bestowed that honor in 2022. According to the guide, one Michelin star is defined as a “very good restaurant in its category” while two stars represent a restaurant displaying “excellent cooking that is worth a detour.” Three stars is the ultimate mark of distinction only given to those restaurants which showcase “exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey.”
For the past four years, Michelin’s anonymous reviewers have been visiting and assessing Vancouver’s restaurant scene, judging the establishments on five universal criteria including the use of quality products, mastery of flavour and cooking techniques, personality of the chef in the cuisine, value for money and consistency in food
The selection of eight Vancouver restaurants is just as diverse as the city itself, commemorating Vancouver as the second city in Canada and the seventh in North America to become a Michelin Guide destination.
Check out the one-star awarded Vancouver list below:
Restaurant: AnnaLena
Cuisine: Contemporary
Located just steps from the Kitsilano Beach, AnnaLena is named after Chef-Owner Mike Robbin’s grandmothers, Anna and Lena. Offering a multi-course set Tasting Menu focused on seasonal local farms and suppliers, the Michelin Guide described dining here as a “polished experience from top to bottom.”
Restaurant: Barbara Restaurant
Cuisine: Contemporary
Named after his mother, the woman who taught him to cook, Chef Patrick Hennessy offers a tasting menu only experience. Featuring dishes such as crispy fried Japanese eggplant with local honey and chimichurri or Oysters with local Northern Divine caviar, the Michelin Guide calls the food offering “impeccable, delightful and a sensational bite.”
Restaurant: Burdock & Co
Cuisine: Contemporary
Portrayed by the Michelin Guide as a “Mount Pleasant Charmer that stands out with its rustic appeal,” the farm to table cooking highlights the best of the season guided by a principle of sourcing. The deconstructed chocolate soufflé with miso caramel and smoked mascarpone was depicted by the Michelin Guide as a “decadent delight.”
Restaurant: Kissa Tanto
Cuisine: Japanese
Inspired by the jazz cafes of 1960’s Tokyo and tucked into the upper story of a faded building in Chinatown, Kissa Tanto’s dishes combine the delicate flavours of Japan and the warmth of Italian cooking. While there is a definite laidback vibe, according to the Michelin Guide, the “ambitious kitchen pulls no punches with its cuisine.”
Restaurant: Masayoshi
Cuisine: Japanese
The intimate 24-seat dining room is best known for its elevated omakases—traditional Japanese meals that create one-of-a-kind dining experiences by leaving ordering up to the chef. Chef Masayoshi Baba allows the BC bounty to guide his menu, declared by the Michelin guide as “one hit after the next.”
Restaurant: Published on Main
Cuisine: Contemporary
Launched on the cusp of the pandemic, this modern and elegant culinary oasis found itself on the top of Canada’s Top 100 New Restaurants list for 2022. With a mandate of Canadian roots, globally inspired, the roasted halibut wowed The Michelin guide, proclaiming the dish as “unlike anything you anticipated.”
Restaurant: iDen & Quan Je Du Beijing Duck House
Cuisine: Chinese
Tracing back to an original location established in 1864 in Beijing during the Qing dynasty, the Vancouver location is known best for their crispy and juicy duck. The Michelin Guide encourages customers to try many more of the delicacies on offer including bird’s nest, sea cucumber and even a whole king crab.
Restaurant: St. Lawrence
Cuisine: French
A heartfelt homage to Chef/Owner Jean-Christophe Poirier’s heritage and formative years in Quebec, the Michelin Guide regards St. Lawrence “a hit ever since opening.” The charming bistro offers the perfect environment to enjoy a buttery and flaky tarte au sucre with a sweet maple syrup, vanilla and brown sugar filling that will “win your heart.”
Bib Gourmand List:
