Four new restaurants make Michelin’s annual Vancouver guide, including another star

For the second year running, the Michelin Guide Vancouver has gained one newly starred restaurant, bringing the total number to 10. The five-seat Sushi Masuda, “tucked in the corner of an unrelated restaurant and through the glass doors of a print shop,” is the latest spot to receive a star.

Sushi Masuda, which opened in March 2024, is chef Yoji Masuda’s first restaurant. After working in a Japanese spot in his hometown of Vancouver, Masuda cooked in Sapporo and trained in sushi in Tokyo. Sushi Masuda’s roughly 18-course omakase meal of appetizers and sushi costs $230 per person.

The anonymous inspectors note that Sushi Masuda’s minimalist counter reminded them not to judge restaurants by their appearances. “The plain, spare room is brought to life by the artfully simple, meticulous preparations.” They add that though his time training at a top Tokyo sushi counter is evident, Masuda’s distinct style, honed over more than 13 years, shines through.

“With the assistance of his wife Akari, who provides a warm, attentive hospitality, the meal proceeds gracefully, from an indulgent savoury ‘pudding’ of sweet, pure-tasting monkfish liver to a wonderfully gelatinous beltfish cooked with sake and kombu, before arriving at the impeccable nigiri, which showcase exceptional ingredients alongside a singular delicacy and precision.”

The guide’s third edition names Gary’s as Vancouver’s 16th Bib Gourmand, recognizing good value. It also adds two new spots — Bravo and Zab Bite — to the list of 51 recommended restaurants.

Partners Bailey Hayward and Mathew Bishop opened Gary’s, “a convivial neighbourhood spot,” last fall. The inspectors note that their unpretentious take on French food is an easy sell.

“To match the relaxed, friendly vibe, the cuisine is rustic and approachable, offering hearty dishes that draw inspiration from French country cooking, as in asparagus with saffron rouille, or pork collar with parsley sauce — and don’t miss out on the fluffy, freshly baked rye rolls, served with green garlic butter. For a final slather of indulgence, do order dessert, like a rum baba soaked with chamomile-scented syrup and capped with a ribbon of decadent pistachio custard and a cloud of Chantilly.”

In total, the guide includes 76 restaurants across 23 cuisines. “As we toast to year three of the Michelin Guide in Vancouver, the growing momentum and talent of the restaurant community continues to be impressive,” Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of the Michelin Guides, said in a statement.

For the 2024 editions of the two Canadian guides, Michelin went beyond Toronto’s metro area but stayed inside the city limits for Vancouver. When asked if a “Vancouver & Region” guide was a possibility, the anonymous chief inspector for the Michelin Guide, North America, acknowledged that it could be, saying in an email to National Post, “As the Michelin Guide works on a long-term scale, we observe very often the extension of its geographical scope within a country, a region or a province over time.”

AnnaLena — one star Barbara — one star Burdock & Co — one star iDen & QuanJuDe Beijing Duck House — one star Kissa Tanto — one star Masayoshi — one star Okeya Kyujiro — one star Published on Main — one star St. Lawrence — one star Sushi Masuda (new) — one star

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