15 notable Vancouver restaurants that closed this spring
Something we don’t love? Vancouver restaurant closures. The restaurant industry in Vancouver can be fickle, and – once again – the city’s dining scene has suffered some casualties.
Here is your update on restaurants in and around Vancouver that shuttered this spring.
Chewies Oyster Bar — Coal Harbour
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The family-owned oyster house, known for southern cuisine and good times, posted a statement sharing the initial closing info in March.
The restaurant cited challenging decisions in the form of limiting lease options as the reason for this move. Chewies said it had been notified it had 60 days to vacate its #110-1055 West Hastings Street address.
Kent’s Kitchen
Max Hill/Daily Hive
In mid-March, Dished shared the unfortunate news that Kent’s Kitchen, a beloved Vancouver spot for affordable Chinese food, would be closing its doors in April.
During a brief phone call with the restaurant, Dished was able to confirm that the 232 Keefer Street eatery would officially be closing on Sunday, April 30.
Bel Café Kitsilano
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Bel Café, which is operated by David Hawksworth of the Hawksworth Group, has permanently closed its Kitsilano location.
The 1780 West 3rd Avenue spot served coffee, artisan teas, pastries, gourmet sandwiches, and more. This location officially closed on Sunday, June 4. You can still visit the Bel Café location at 801 West Georgia Street.
La Taqueria Hornby
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The much-loved mini-chain known for its tacos, burritos, and beyond confirmed the news to Dished, saying the lease at the 586 Hornby Street space was ending and it was time to focus on future launches for the group.
In addition to the nearby food truck at the Vancouver Art Gallery, this concept operates outposts on W Hastings Street, Yukon Street, in North Vancouver, Victoria, and at Burnaby’s The Amazing Brentwood.
Supper Suppermoment
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Richmond’s Supper Suppermoment, a casual and comforting spot for Hong Kong-style eats, announced its closure earlier this spring.
The restaurant shared the news on its Instagram account, noting that “Due to uncontrollable external factors, the store will be officially closed on April 22.”
Sciué (all locations)
Daily Hive
Earlier this spring, we reported that Sciué’s Yaletown location had shuttered.
Now, all of the brand’s Vancouver locations are marked as permanently closed, according to Google.
BierCraft UBC
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Another one of BierCraft’s last remaining locations announced earlier this season that its UBC location has now shuttered permanently.
“We will be closing the BierCraft UBC location as of May 1 to make way for a new concept in Wesbrook Village,” the post on BierCraft’s Instagram page explains.
La Bottega di Mangia
Courtesy La Bottega Di Mangia
The 1155 Pacific Boulevard business first opened back in 2021. It was brought to us by the folks behind local Italian restaurant Mangia Cucina & Bar (2211 Manitoba Street).
The destination for Italian fine foods and fresh pasta didn’t provide much information regarding its decision, only an auto-response from its general email stating, “La Bottega di Mangia is now permanently closed.”
Chimec Vancouver
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Some sad news for fans of Chimec Vancouver, as the fried chicken joint has suddenly called it quits.
The West End destination, located at 835 Denman Street in Vancouver, shared the news with patrons last month.
Buckstop
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The West End’s Buckstop, a local favourite for BBQ and cocktails, announced that it would close for good after 10 long years.
Fans of this place can make the restaurant’s iconic cornbread themselves at home, as the recipe was shared as part of Buckstop’s heartfelt goodbye note.
Aperture Coffee Bar
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Aperture Coffee Bar, which has operated at 243 West Broadway for the last decade, has closed its doors.
In an Instagram post shared earlier this season, the cafe said, “It has been a pleasure to be a fixture of the community for the past ten years.”
Old Bird
(Hanna McLean/Daily Hive)
Main Street’s Old Bird which served recognizable Asian street food favourites, has now permanently closed.
The eatery opened in 2020, but after a little over three years of serving the community, it is saying goodbye.
Wild Thing on Main
Daryn Wright/Daily Hive
Less than two months ago, Wild Thing Snack Bar announced it would be closing permanently.
The Powell Street vegan restaurant and bar shared it would be closing permanently in April, and its space would become a venue for future pop-ups and rentals. Now, with barely a moment to grieve, Wild Thing’s sister location on Main Street has also permanently closed.
Nada Grocery
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It was just at the end of April when Nada, the city’s first package-free grocery store, announced it would be closing the doors of its brick-and-mortar store.
The concept explained that it would be pivoting to an online order-only system, with delivery or pickup available from its Olympic Village warehouse.
Barely a month later, it seems this model wasn’t enough to keep the business going, as Nada has announced it will be closing – this time, for good.
Buttermere Patisserie
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Buttermere’s owner and head pastry chef, Jamie Tung, has made “the difficult decision to temporarily close” in order to head home to Taiwan to spend time with family.
This much-loved sweet spot’s last day of operation was on June 10, 2023.
With files from Daryn Wright