Try these Vancouver restaurants that earned Michelin recognition as “Bib Gourmand” selections
Tasting menus, wine pairings and fighting months in advance for coveted reservations at fancy restaurants may not be what Vancouver locals and visitors want.
Although the esteemed Michelin Guide just released its inaugural ratings for Vancouver, the second Canadian city on its list, and singled out eight restaurants it deemed deserving of a single star, the publication (yes, of the tire company) has also made a practice of highlighting places to eat that reflect a large amount of money.
What is a Michelin Guide ‘Bib Gourmand’ restaurant?
“The restaurants recommended within the Michelin guides are not just about expensive ‘good food,'” the publication explains. “Since 1997, our best-value restaurants, which offer a three-course meal at a reasonable price, have been distinguished with a special award: the Bib Gourmand.” The price amount varies from country to country, but for Canada, the limit was set at two-course meals plus wine or dessert for less than $60.
“Our teams of inspectors truly savored their dining experiences in Vancouver,” Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, said in a press release announcing the award on Oct. 27. “They were very impressed with the gastronomic dynamism of the city.”
That “dynamism” is certainly reflected in the dozen on the “Bib Gourmand” honors list, which includes everything from a seasonal shipping container bar to a street patio serving regional Mexican cuisine (it’s namely Chupito) to an all-vegetarian newcomer to posh Yaletown (Nightshade). to one of Vancouver’s (Phnom Penh) most enduring Cambodian-Vietnamese staples.
If making a reservation at any or all of Vancouver’s eight one-star restaurants isn’t in your budget, check out the Michelin Guide’s 12 Bib Gourmand spots in Vancouver.
Bib Gourmand Restaurants, Vancouver 2022
Anh and Chi
Amélie and Vincent Nguyễn built Anh and Chi based on the idea of bringing their family recipes and traditions to the next generation and creating a gathering place where everyone is welcome around the table. His parents ran Pho Hoang at the same location (3388 Main St) for over 30 years. Although their father, Hoang, died in 2010, their mother, Ly, is still very much in charge of Anh and Chi’s food. “The menu is a love letter to Vietnam,” says the Michelin Guide. “Chạo tôm bánh hội is prepared in a classic way, with grilled shrimp mousse served with a variety of fresh herbs, and there’s pho, of course.”
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Chupito, the hidden patio cocktail bar behind La Taqueria on Hastings Street, has revamped its menu this summer. A standout dish was this fish toast. Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver is amazing
Launching in the summer of 2021, Chupito is the seasonal patio bar accessible only through the alley behind La Taqueria on Hastings Street. A new lineup of cocktails inspired by the sights, sounds, and most importantly, flavors of Mexico emerges from Chupito’s tiny shipping container bar, to be enjoyed under the sky (or umbrellas) for an urban night out by the sea south of the border. “Come for a cocktail and the aguachile, but stay for the other winning dishes like a red pozole with carnitas and hominy gras,” urges the Michelin Guide. This is the one Bib Gourmand spot you’ll need to pin for warmer weather; Chupito has closed its 2022 season.
round kitchen
Fable Kitchen is a dark horse on the list; it’s the third-oldest location in the inaugural Bib Gourmand selection for Vancouver, opened a decade ago in Kits with Top Chef Canada contestant Trevor Bird at the stove. Not long ago, Bird stepped away from the business and chef life in general, and Fable’s kitchen is currently headed by Max Straczek, who not only helped open Poland’s first Michelin-starred restaurant, but also has played numerous roles. to Fable and his brother, Fable Diner. “During daytime hours, the team turns out Dutch eggs Benedict (and variations), Johnny cakes topped with pulled pork and tomato jam, and thick-sliced challah French toast with caramelized apples and whipped mascarpone,” praises the Michelin Guide , adding that Dinner Time also offers cozy and comforting farm-to-table dishes.
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Two of Fiorino’s signature sandwiches, served with homemade Tuscan bread called schiacciata. The Italian restaurant hopes to introduce Vancouver to ingredients and dishes that are hard to find on city menus. Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver is amazing
Fiorino opened its doors in late 2021. Located in a former pub-style restaurant space in Chinatown, the modern Italian restaurant offers daily and nightly service, including an aperitif offering with appetizers and drinks, also known as at happy hour, and a fun patio a space in front that puts you in the middle of a colorful neighborhood. Here, they serve Italian dishes that are close and attentive, including a couple more that showcase ingredients and preparations that you probably won’t find on the menus of other local Italian restaurants. “At lunch, focaccia sandwiches and schiacciata, like the stuffed guanciale, drizzled with honey and spread with walnut cream, are the hot ticket. At dinner, it’s all pasta,” points out Michelin.
Song by Kin Kao
The sister site to the much-loved Commercial Drive restaurant Kin Kao opened just over a year ago. Kin Kao Song’s Terrence Feng says guests can expect a different menu from the original Kin Kao on The Drive “with a strong emphasis on accessible Thai food that’s unique to Vancouver.” And Michelin says: “Kin Kao Song’s cuisine is driven by a creative spirit and the bounty of the region. The lemon wings are a special surprise.” (Also: Get the Pad Thai, it’s “best in class” here.)
Bird Dim Sum
Call them the rebels against tradition, with some credibility. Little Bird is a restaurant in Kitsilano that serves dim sum on weekdays and all day and late on weekends. They pair it with craft beer, and even make vegan dim sum. As it happens, the aptly named Little Bird is an offshoot of Vancouver’s veteran Chinese restaurant Flamingo. “Of course, there have to be dumplings, and Little Bird’s goes from the traditional (ha gow) to the surprising, with sweet corn, cilantro and shrimp,” notes the Michelin Guide.
lunch lady
The Lunch Lady on Commercial Drive in Vancouver. Photo: Feed the Frontline Canada/Facebook
“Like a grandmother who has prepared a feast for her family, Chef Nguyen Thi Thanh exudes a warm and loving presence as she looks out over her bustling dining room,” begins the Michelin Guide. In fact, Commercial Drive’s go-to for modern Vietnamese cuisine has deep roots with a modest food stand in Vietnam made famous by a celebrity chef and travelogue. Here you will find bowls of very tasty noodle soup (go for the braised duck soup on Sundays), steak luc lac and crispy chilli prawns.
solace
Yaletown’s Nightshade has impressive roots, grown in a province in Alberta; this debut venture in Vancouver is from the same folks behind well-known vegetarian spots The Coup and The Dandelion in Calgary and Nourish in Banff. The opening menu was designed by acclaimed chef Chanthy Yen, who trained in Vancouver and has spent time in kitchens across the country and the world. “Here, diners will discover a comprehensive list of well-crafted cocktails, local beers and a respectable wine list, along with a menu that travels the globe,” notes Michelin. Your foodie journey may find you tearing off pieces of fenugreek-garam masala-infused roti and grabbing a spread that fuses raita with vegan butter and golden spheres of roasted garlic, then slathering a palm sugar dip on a roll of Crispy fried taro paired with fresh basil, mint and butter lettuce.
Goose Pastificio
The restaurant is the brainchild of a duo who are longtime friends and Vancouver restaurant vets, including renowned Italian spot La Quercia. Oca Pastificio presents itself as “a welcoming, no-chichi place, serving honest, fresh, artisanal pasta based on local and seasonal ingredients.” Of this little spot on The Drive, says Michelin, “this simple pastificio invites diners to pull up a chair and savor authentic, well-prepared pasta dishes. Tagliatelle with a wine-and-rosemary braised rabbit ragout are particularly satisfying.”
Phnom Penh
What hasn’t been said about this humble but wildly popular Chinatown restaurant serving Cambodian-Vietnamese food since it launched in the early 1980s? It is also the oldest restaurant on the Bib GOumand list. The tables are packed, the dinner doesn’t stop, but the dishes are a massive and enduring draw. “The menu is huge, offering nearly 100 rice, noodle and soup preparations, but everyone knows how to lean on the classics. You could almost make a meal of No. 71, thin slices of almost raw beef marinated in a spicy mixture of puree, pineapple and fish sauce,” praises the Michelin Guide.
Say Mercy!
BBQ Bolo at Say Mercy in Vancouver. Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver is amazing
The food from Say Mercy! reflects a harmonious blend of Italian cuisine and American barbecue, with pastas, mains, salads and some gloriously buttery Parker House rolls served in its bright and cozy dining room. “Don’t even think about passing up the BBQ Bolo, it’s non-negotiable. Short for ‘bolognese’, it’s a signature dish of homemade spaghetti with pancetta, smoked pork butt and Grana Padana,” comments the Michelin Guide. (We agree!)
Vij’s
The veteran Indian restaurant in Vancouver founded by ex-spouses Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala has changed locations, started taking reservations and even does takeout (the latter two unprecedented before the pandemic).…