Last week, Dished shared the news that Vancouver has just been named a Michelin Guide destination, joining Toronto as the only other Canadian city in the program.
Dished is told the first Michelin Guide Vancouver selection will be revealed in the fall and that the confidential guide inspectors are already visiting local restaurants.
While details about which restaurants will be included remain tightly under wraps, Vancouver locals and restaurant industry folk have their own predictions and opinions about which spots deserve inclusion.
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Last week on the Dished Vancouver Instagram account we asked our readers to let us know which restaurants they think should get the Michelin treatment, and while there was a wide range of answers, a few places in particular stuck out.
The Michelin Guide is occasionally considered a controversial program, with some believing that small, more casual dining spots get ignored while fine dining establishments that do receive stars become overwhelmingly busy as a result.
Regardless of your opinion on the matter, here are the Vancouver restaurants our readers think should be included in the Michelin Guide, as well as a few of our own nominations.
Hawksworth
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Located inside the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Hawksworth is an award-winning contemporary dining destination serving inventive Pacific Northwest cuisine. It’s long been a go-to spot for upscale diners looking to try chef David Hawksworth’s seasonal menus.
Address: 801 W Georgia Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-673-7000
Tojo’s
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One of Vancouver’s premier, long-standing restaurants, Tojo’s has been serving up incredible sushi to diners since 1988. It’s also been named one of Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants – now that’s impressive.
Address: 1133 W Broadway, Vancouver
Phone: 604-872-8050
Masayoshi
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Situated in Vancouver’s Fraserhood, this omakase-style restaurant is reservation only, with two seatings, at 6 and 8 pm. Founded in 2015 by renowned Chef Masayoshi Baba (who was previously at Tojo’s for more than a decade), Masayoshi is an intimate and transformative sushi experience.
Address: 4376 Fraser Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-428-6272
Published on Main
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Recently named the best restaurant in Canada – the very first time a Vancouver restaurant has been named in the top spot on the prestigious Canada’s 100 Best lists – Published on Main would be a natural choice for the Michelin Guide. Beyond its award-winning status though, Published also serves inventive and playful but refined dishes.
Address: 3593 Main Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-423-4840
Miku
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Another sushi spot on the list of potential Michelin restaurants (this is Vancouver, after all), Miku is the flagship location for the renowned Aburi restaurants. Located on the waterfront of the Burrard Inlet, Miku is helmed by Executive Corporate Chef Kazuya Matsuoka and Executive Chef Kazuhiro Hayashi.
Address: 200 Granville Street #70, Vancouver
Phone: 604-568-3900
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
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Located in the Sutton Place Hotel, Boulevard is led by Chef Alex Chen and Chef Roger Ma, showcasing fresh seafood and West Coast-style cuisine. Even John Cena is a fan of this renowned Vancouver restaurant.
Address: 845 Burrard Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-642-2900
Nightingale
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The sister restaurant to Hawksworth, Nightingale is a slightly more informal take on the same chef’s modern Canadian fare. This spot is located in Coal Harbour with a “social, family-style dining” approach with “simple, ingredient-driven dishes.”
Address: 1017 W Hastings Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-695-9500
Botanist
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Botanist is the epitome of “new Pacific Northwest” cuisine, making it a natural choice for a Vancouver Michelin guide. Not only is the food here exquisite, but the drink menu is also one for the books, too.
Address: Inside Fairmont Pacific Rim – 1038 Canada Place, Vancouver
Phone: 604-695-5500
Kissa Tanto
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With an Italian-Japanese menu and a cool, 1940s lounge vibe, Kissa Tanto is at the top of a lot of Vancouver diners’ lists as our city’s best. Because of its impeccable food and completely unique approach, Kissa Tanto is well-deserving of all the recognition it gets.
Address: 263 E Pender Street, Vancouver
Phone: 778-379-8078
St. Lawrence
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Serving classic French and Quebecois cuisine, St. Lawrence is truly unique in the Vancouver restaurant scene. Here, diners can expect to find some Quebecois classics as well as seasonal, regional menus.
Address: 269 Powell Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-620-3800
With files from Hanna McLean