Vancouver's Japanese Scene Expands
A much-anticipated Japanese restaurant is opening in Richmond while ten Metro Vancouver restaurants made Canada's Top 100 Romantic list. The Vancouver Sun's latest reviews highlight the city's thriving Japanese dining scene alongside its pizza renaissance, with several local pizzerias receiving critical acclaim.
- The much-anticipated Japanese restaurant opening in Richmond is Miku, renowned for its aburi-style or flame-seared sushi. This will be the second Miku location in Metro Vancouver, situated in the new River Rock Casino Resort. The Aburi Restaurant Group, which operates Miku, also runs other local establishments like Minami in Yaletown and the Aburi Market. - While ten Metro Vancouver restaurants made OpenTable's 2026 list of Canada's Top 100 Romantic Restaurants, none of them were Japanese establishments, with the list featuring a prevalence of steakhouses and fine dining with a European focus. - Vancouver's history with Japanese cuisine runs deep, with the city being credited as the birthplace of the California Roll, which was invented by Chef Hidekazu Tojo in the 1970s to make sushi more appealing to Western palates. This innovation played a significant role in popularizing sushi across North America. - The city's love for Japanese food is so strong that a 2022 study by Chef's Pencil, analyzing Google Trends data, named Vancouver the most "sushi-crazed" city in the world outside of Japan. As of March 2024, there were 108 Japanese restaurants in the city of Vancouver, making it the most prevalent cuisine type. - The "pizza renaissance" is marked by a number of critically acclaimed pizzerias. For instance, Via Tevere Pizzeria is certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, adhering to strict traditional Neapolitan pizza-making standards. - Other pizzerias contributing to this trend include Pizzeria Barbarella, known for its creative topping combinations, and Nicli Antica Pizzeria, which was Vancouver's first to receive the Vera Pizza Napoletana certification. - Beyond traditional sushi and pizza, Vancouver's Japanese dining scene offers a wide variety of specialty concepts. Establishments like Saku are dedicated to tonkatsu (breaded and deep-fried pork cutlets), while others, like Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba, focus on brothless ramen. - An interesting crossover of the Japanese and pizza scenes can be found in a Chinatown restaurant ironically named "Pizza Coming Soon." Despite its name, the restaurant serves Japanese snack food and has garnered positive reviews for its unique concept and dishes.
