When January of each new year rolls around, there's always a fresh slate of incoming new Vancouver restaurants to keep an eye on.
Now that we are halfway through 2024, it's time for a little progress report.
While there have been plenty of openings and closures, as the year began, there were 19 noteworthy restaurant openings on the watch list.
Of those 19, nine have opened:
Here's a look at the remaining 10 - with updates - and a few additions, giving us 15 noteworthy Vancouver restaurant openings to be excited about. From an ambitious new brasserie from an award-winning cocktail bar team to several major global brands pinning Vancouver to their maps, here's a breakdown of some of the top restaurant debuts V.I.A.'s Forking Awesome is tracking.
P.S.: Want to get a first look at content like this? Sign up for the Forking Awesome newsletter. It's a weekly digest of the city's restaurant news, with recommendations, insider insight, and exclusive info. Don't miss a bite!
Hard Bean Brunch Co.
Opening: August 27
Port Moody's Hard Bean Brunch Co. began with a simple mission to serve pancakes for dinner alongside creative cocktails and other dishes - in case everyone wasn't feeling like breakfast at night. At the end of 2023, they opened a second spot in Langley, and the plan has been to follow with a Hard Bean in Vancouver's Coal Harbour, in the former home of Don Francesco.
A rep for the biz confirmed with V.I.A. this week that the restaurant is expecting to open at the end of next month.
Address: 909 W Cordova St
Per Se Social Corner - Coal Harbour
Opening: Summer
Yaletown's popular Per Se Social Corner is set to open a second Vancouver location in the former Chewies restaurant space in Coal Harbour.
The opening should be soon, and it looks like the biz is plotting a Langley outpost for 2025.
V.I.A. has contacted them to get confirmation but has not heard back yet.
Address: 1055 W Hastings St
June
Opening: Fall 2024
The space at 3305 Cambie St has been vacant since Biercraft wrapped up its run in Dec. 2022. Now, the team behind the award-winning Keefer Bar is opening June there, a brasserie with a French-inspired menu and cocktails.
June is positioned as a "family-friendly dining experience," according to a typed note of intro the business has posted at the venue.
It appears the initial name for the concept was Wilma, according to a business licence application that is currently pending for the location.
According to area residents, information was sent out in the community regarding the business' intent to pursue not only a liquor licence but to also incorporate dancing and live entertainment, with a capacity of 180 indoors and 40 more patio seats.
Address: 3305 Cambie St
Selene Aegean Bistro
Opening: TBD
A new venture from the crew behind Michelin Guide-recognized Nammos Estiatorio (and sexy upstairs hideaway Ama) is headed for the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood. The concept looks to be centred on seafood and cocktails; expect to learn more soon about this forthcoming East Van concept.
Address: 360 Penticton St
Toyokan
Opening: TBD
There's no info out there yet about Toyokan, but we do know that this venture comes from the same parent company (Tamaru Shoten Marketing) as popular Vancouver Japanese restaurants like Raisu, Takenaka, and New Fuji, which happens to be across the street.
Toyokan, which has a pending business licence application with the City of Vancouver, is moving into the former Kitsilano location of Robba da Matti, which closed in February.
V.I.A. reached out to Tamaru Shoten and several of its concepts this spring to ask about Toyokan but did not receive a response.
Address: 1898 W 1st Ave
Aburi Hana
Opening: TBD
Aburi Restaurants Canada - known locally for its Miku, Minami, and Aburi Market concepts - has teamed up with developer Westbank for Aburi Hana Vancouver, which will occupy 3,000 square feet of Alberni by Kengo Kuma.
Aburi Hana aims to redefine "washoku," the cultural practice of preparing and eating traditional Japanese ingredients and dishes. Diners can expect the integration of "Japanese ingredients, seasonings, and cooking methods alongside local elements."
Given the Michelin Guide's affection for high-end Japanese restaurants in Vancouver (Okeya Kyujiro, Masayoshi) this could be an exciting 2024 debut, provided its open in time for the anonymous inspectors to get a taste.
Initially, plans were for Aburi Hana to open this spring. No word yet on when it will get going.
Address: 1550 Alberni St
Odd Burger
The Ontario-based vegan fast food burgers chain has been at work on its first Vancouver restaurant for over two years, and it's still "coming soon."
In early July, a rep for the brand told V.I.A. by email they're almost done with construction at the Vancouver location, so expect to hear more shortly.
The Odd Burger menu offers several kinds of burgers, including riffs on high-profile fast-food classics (the Famous burger with its double meat and cheese, secret sauce, and shredded lettuce looks like something from the "Golden Arches," while the Vopper's name immediately calls to mind a royally popular burger). They've also got chicken alternative sandwiches and strips, breakfast, salads, wraps, and sides, along with shakes to drink - all plant-based.
Address: 2821 Main St
Saijo Handroll
Opening: TBD
Vancouver will be home to the first location of this concept under the Jinya umbrella (as in the U.S.-based ramen folks). Saijo's roots stem from one of its enduring L.A. restaurants, Robata Jinya, which has been serving up Japanese charcoal-grilled skewers alongside sushi bar selections there since 2010.
They had been eyeing a spring opening but that hasn't come to pass. V.I.A. reached out to their reps this week for another update but didn't hear back.
Address: 2036 W 4th Ave.
Din Tai Fung
Opening: TBD
The Taiwanese restaurant chain with over 170 locations worldwide and 13 in the U.S., is coming to Canada for the first time, and the debut is here in Vancouver. Din Tai Fung is undergoing property renovations to slightly reconfigure and improve its space, which will be a two-storey restaurant.
Din Tai Fung is best known for its Xiao Long Bao (XLB), aka soup dumplings, which they have, according to its legions of fans, mastered to perfection.
Address: 1132 Alberni St
Paris Baguette
Opening: TBD
It's been nearly three years since Paris Baguette made its big plans for the Canadian market known; in October 2021, the global franchise operation made waves by announcing its intention to open 100 locations nationwide, including several in Vancouver.
The first Vancouver location of Paris Baguette was announced in February and it's right by Din Tai Fung - which is no accident.
Despite its French-leaning name, Paris Baguette is a South Korean company that dates back to 1988. The brand is known for its menu of grab-and-go foods, like sandwiches - on baguettes - and salads, as well as baked goods like filled croissants, danish, mochi donuts, and cakes. The company's Asian influence is evident in its use of ingredients like red bean paste and rice flour for some of its novelty treats.
In February, a rep for Paris Baguette spoke with V.I.A. about the brand's plans for the Metro Vancouver market.
Address: 1150 Alberni St.
Nook - Downtown
Opening: TBD
Nook is set to occupy a sprawling 5,000-square-foot space on the first floor of The Stack, the architecturally interesting new build downtown that will have the distinction of being Vancouver's tallest office building. The local Italian chain's expansion comes courtesy of its new ownership, LFG Growth Partners, aka Richard Jaffray (former Cactus Club leader).
LFG's portfolio includes The Chase Restaurant, Hawksworth Restaurant Group (comprising Hawksworth Restaurant at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Nightingale, and Bel Café), Nook, Oddfish, Radish, PLANTA, Shelter Restaurant, and Shed.
Address: 1133 Melville St
Nightingale - Yaletown
Opening: TBD
You can thank LFG (see above) for being one of the driving forces behind this expansion, as David Hawksworth's Michelin Guide-recommended Nightingale doubles down on its Vancouver presence this year. It will occupy the former Distillery space in Yaletown, which is an ideal location for this pizza, pasta, share plates, and cocktails spot.
No word yet on opening.
Address: 1131 Mainland St
Fogo de Chao
Opening: TBD
Global Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão is supposed enter the Canadian market with its flagship location landing in the heart of Downtown Vancouver in 2024. Taking a whopping 7,778-square-foot space in the ambitious The Post development, Fogo de Chão will join the ranks of Amazon, and Loblaws City Market.
Fogo de Chão began in Brazil in 1979, and is known for its interactive dining showcasing churrasco - grilled meats presented tableside on skewers that are hand-sliced to order.
In early July, a rep for The Post told V.I.A. there were "no updates" for Fogo de Chao; reps for Fogo de Chao did not respond to an email inquiry.
Address: The Post - 658 Homer St
Saan Saan
Opening: TBD
In the works since the summer of 2022, Saan Saan is a modern Hong Kong-style cafe that had initially hoped to be open some time ago. V.I.A. checked in with one of its owners in late October, and was informed the project is still a go.
According to a comment left on Saan Saan's Instagram, as of this spring, the restaurant was still forthcoming, though no new information has been shared.
Address: 227 Main St.
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop
Opening: TBD
This popular New York-based dumpling restaurant is entirely grab-and-go, clerk-less, and automated.
In late 2022, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop signed an international multi-unit deal to bring the popular dumpling concept to Vancouver. The franchise has taken over the space from Food Republic, but a rep for the business says they are still securing their permits, so there isn't much progress to report.
Could this get open in 2024? It's possible, but, first, they have that red tape to clear.
Address: 488 Robson St
