2022 in review: Vancouver's food and dining community rides the roller coaster, again
From MICHELIN surprises to one restaurant’s move toward better work-life balance, the local scene faced highs, lows, and everything in between
Published on Main.
THE PANDEMIC ASIDE, 2022 was another rollercoaster ride for the local food scene. The good news, as we close the year, is that many restaurants are reporting, anecdotally, that they’re not just back in business—they’re doing better than ever. Eating out was clearly one thing Vancouverites missed during the days of social isolation. By no means an exhaustive account of all that went down (and sideways) this past year, here’s a handful of moments that stood out.
MICHELIN MAKES ITS DEBUT
There was no bigger story for Vancouver’s restaurant industry than the launch of MICHELIN’s dining guide. At a red-carpet event at Vancouver Convention Centre in October, a total of 60 spots received recognition from the globally recognized ranking system, whether it was a One Star, Bib Gourmand (“great food at a great value”), or Recommended honour.
There were a few curveballs, however, as well as some glaring discrepancies with Canada’s 100 Best. (Consider that on the latter list, Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar placed 9th, La Quercia ranked 32nd, and Tojo’s hit 46, while all three restaurants were ghosted by MICHELIN.) Still, the buzz surrounding the places that did make the coveted cut isn’t about to die down anytime soon. And Published on Main proved to be the city’s reigning champ, earning a MICHELIN Star and topping Canada’s 100 Best list.
Burdock & Co. Photo by Hakan Burcuoglu
At the MICHELIN “Reveal” itself, there were some especially touching moments, including the tears of joy coming from Andrea Carlson, chef-owner of Burdock & Co, which earned a Star. (Carlson’s Bar Gobo also received a Recommended stamp of approval.) Carlson was just one of two women who own and operate their establishments of the eight restaurants that received Stars (along with Kissa Tanto co-owner Tannis Ling).
Another highlight was the presence of Nguyễn Thi Thanh. She’s the real-life Lunch Lady whose food stall in Ho Chi Minh City was one of Anthony Bourdain’s favourite Vietnamese finds and whose culinary legacy lives on at The Lunch Lady on Commercial Drive. The corner spot earned a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (awarded to places where you can get two courses and dessert or a glass of wine for less than $60). The local eatery’s co-owner Michael Tran made sure that Nguyễn, who speaks no English, had all the travel documents and arrangements in place she needed to attend the Vancouver event.
A lowlight of the in-person announcement? Hands-down when chef David Hawksworth, presumably miffed that two of his restaurants (Hawksworth and Nightingale) received Recommended status rather than a Star, flipped the bird on-stage for all to see just before for a group photo.
Yasma. Photo by Leila Kwok
NEW AND GONE
Restaurants and food ventures came and went.
By no means a complete list, 2022’s numerous notable newcomers include Suyo, a modern Peruvian restaurant helmed by Lima-born chef Ricardo Valverde; Zarak (late 2021), sister restaurant to South Surrey’s Afghan Kitchen; Yasma (ghost kitchen no more, with the eatery specializing in Levantine cuisine finding a home in Coal Harbour); Monarca, chef Francisco Higareda’s modern Mexican place in Gastown; Nightshade, a vegan resto and MICHELIN Bib Gourmand headed by Chanthy Yen, the Trudeau family’s personal chef; Delara, chef Bardia Ilbeiggi’s MICHELIN Recommended modern Persian restaurant; and Moltaqa Yaletown, Mimo Bucko’s second location of the restaurant serving halal Moroccan cuisine, complete with belly dancing on weekends.
Then there’s the city’s plethora of new Italian-focused food ventures. Of more than a dozen, they include acquafarina (MICHELIN Recommended) , Isetta Café Bistro, NOX, Carlino (MICHELIN Recommended), and Fiorino Italian Street Food (MICHELIN Recommended).
Oftentimes, the blame for closures lied squarely with exorbitant rent or lease increases. Among the several spots that Vancouver lost this past year, sadly, are iconic Bishop’s (which closed on December 31, 2021 after 36 years), Gramercy Grill, Super Hiro’s, The Whip (replaced by Bar Susu) Do Chay Yaletown, Martini’s (after 52 years in business), Fets Whisky Kitchen (which opened in 1986), Terra Breads Kitsilano (after 30 years), Huang’s Beef Noodle (after 25 years) and Slickity Jim's Chat N Chew (after 25 years), Café Deux Soleils (after nearly 30 years), and The Keefer Yard.
Rise Up Marketplace.
RISING UP
One of the most exciting and significant places to gain traction in 2022 wasn’t a restaurant but a community-focused food venture. Rise Up Marketplace (opened in late 2021) is helmed by co-founders Rajesh “Rags” Narine (of Cartems Donuts) and Roger Collins (Calabash Caribbean Bistro). The two overhauled the former Vernon Grocery, painting the century-old corner store’s dusty white walls bright shades of red, gold, and green and adorning the space with items that feel nostalgic to them, like a Pac-Man station, lava lamps, and records they listened to in their youth.
Collins (whose parents hail from Saint Vincent and Saint Kitts) and Narine (who is of Guyanese heritage) have both spent years in the restaurant and food business. When the two caught wind of the Vernon Drive shop—which is not far from historic Hogan’s Alley, Vancouver’s first Black neighbourhood—becoming available, they seized an opportunity to fill a gap with more than just food.
“We really felt like we’re in a day and age where connection is lost, and we wanted to create a space where people of every walk of life could congregate and feel warm and loved,” Narine told Stir. “We both have Caribbean heritage; for us, that’s second nature. Everyone just goes to everyone else’s home and shares meals and makes jokes and plays games, and we wanted to bring that to the space, to take the opportunity to develop everything that means community. That means locally made jams, locally made cookie mix, locally packaged cocoa powder from Guyana, locally made chili oils and sauces… Then we’ve got a whole culture shop, with everything from candles to cleaning supplies to clothing. So whether you’re an artisan or a patron or a human being, this place welcomes you.”
4 Stones Vegetarian Cuisine.
HONOURING CHINESE CUISINE
Chinese Restaurant Awards launched Vancouver’s 20 Best in a user-friendly dining guide. Each restaurant comes with a “signature dish” recommended by a panel of more than 20 judges. In most cases, they’ve recommended not just a single menu item but several, giving those who are new to or not overly familiar with Chinese and Taiwanese food somewhere to start. Take The Fish Man, for instance, which was crowned Restaurant of the Year and Best Sichuan. Recommended Signature Dishes there include grilled eggplant, grilled fish pot, Hong Kong-style Dungeness crab, spicy geoduck or razor clam, and wok-fried Manila clams with spicy sauce, to name a few.
Salmon n’ Bannock On The Fly.
OTHER 2022 PEAKS
Natural wine continued to grow in popularity, with places like Bar Susu (MICHELIN Recommended), The Modern Pantry Dundarave, and Winston joining the small number of well-respected Vancouver establishments that carry an impressive selection of it, such as Bar Gobo, Burdock & Co., Elephant (MICHELIN Recommended), Vini Volpe, and Grapes and Soda, among others.
We loved the fact that Windfall Cider Co., Metro Vancouver’s first urban cidery, introduced craft-cider and food pairings, enlisting chef Douglas Lee to create its ever-changing menu.
In a historic first, Vancouver's Salmon n' Bannock On The Fly became the first Indigenous restaurant in a Canadian airport (YVR). Brava to visionary owner Inez Cook, a member of the Bella Coola-based Nuxálk Nation and a survivor of the Sixties Scoop, who opened Salmon n’ Bannock on West Broadway 12 years ago.
Botanist.
A PEEK AT THE NEW YEAR
What’s ahead? Expect more collaborations, whether it’s local ventures teaming up or Vancouver dining rooms inviting chefs and/or bartenders from across B.C., Canada, and the globe for one-of-a-kind experiences. Consider Botanist (MICHELIN Recommended); it has plans to continue its international dining collaborations on a quarterly basis.
There will be more plant-based everything, and we hope that more restaurants will be up to the task of making their own vegetarian and/or vegan burgers rather than relying on patties from U.S.-based empires like Impossible Foods or Beyond Meat.
Expect to see continued interest in foraged ingredients, including seaweeds and spruce tips; zero- and low-proof cocktails, spirits, wines, and beer; and zero-waste kitchens and sustainable sourcing. There will be greater use and understanding of mezcal and tequila. We wish for more restaurants to use strictly Ocean Wise seafood.
In what we hope will become a trend, MICHELIN-starred St. Lawrence Restaurant announced operational changes designed to improve the health and well-being of its staff members. Chef-owner J-C Poirier is implementing changes such as a shorter workweek and better hours; enhanced extended coverage for mental-health treatments; and company-matched RRSP contributions. Now that’s starting the New Year off on the right foot.
St. Lawrence.
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