One of Vancouver's go-to spots for plant-based sushi and non-alcoholic beverages is growing with the forthcoming addition of a second location.
Cofu, which operates a restaurant near Granville Island, shared the news on its Instagram page Tuesday (Feb. 18), also launching an Instagram account specifically for the new location, @cofu_chinatown.
The second Cofu vegan sushi restaurant is moving in at 488 Gore St. The location was previously home to Kevin & Kevin Juice, which was a café by day and a cocktail lounge by night; it closed in January 2023.
Cofu launched vegan sushi in 2022
Cofu initially operated as a take-out sushi spot with seafood when it launched in the fall of 2021. In early 2022, Cofu re-launched with an all-vegan food and "sober bar" menu.
The reason for the change was to answer what Cofu CEO Akiko Otsuka says was a demand for health-focused restaurant fare. Capitalizing on the popularity of sushi in Vancouver, Otsuka created a menu that marries the deep-rooted traditions of pressed sushi with modern components, like fully plant-based ingredients that parallel seafood in texture and taste with a line-up of creative and colourful sauces not typically found in sushi bars.
The Cofu menu is centred on pressed sushi, with a list of set combos being the most popular draw. Customers can also order pressed sushi as individual orders, and a menu of plant-based appetizers round out the food options - things like fried mock fish or chicken made using a soy protein, served with a vegan dipping sauce.
Plant-based sushi is more than simple veggie rolls
Although Otsuka herself doesn't follow a plant-based diet, she's keen to show Vancouver the plant potential of Japanese food, while demonstrating that a vegan version of sushi can be much more than plain cucumber or avocado rolls.
Otsuka found success with Cofu's sushi and expanded in 2023 by launching the Cofu vegan ramen food cart.
Atsuka shared a heartfelt message to Cofu's customers in announcing the new location. "You, the customers who eat my food with a twinkle in their eyes, are the reason I have been able to stay here to this day. You are my friends and I am here for you.
"I am very grateful that you take the time to dine out at my restaurant, especially in Vancouver, where the cost of living is still so high that even eating out is no longer an easy option."
While not many details about the new Cofu location in Chinatown have been shared, the goal is to open the restaurant by the summer.
The neighbourhood comes with some built-in competition, as not too far from 488 Gore St is plant-based restaurant Mila, which features several popular sushi options on its menu.
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