BREAKING: New Portuguese Restaurant Maria Celeste to Open in Fraserhood

The list of cuisines to add to our ever-growing Restaurant Awards keeps expanding, and the announcement of a new Portuguese tasca has us wondering whether Best Portuguese will be our newest category in next year’s awards. (Psst, if you want to find out first who’s snagging top spots at the 2026 Restaurant Awards, there are only a handful of tickets left).

The 35-seater soon opening in Fraserhood is the brainchild of brothers Justin and Cristian Isidro, whose names you might recognize from Chinatown’s Kissa Tanto. The hospitality vets are calling the spot Maria Celeste, modeled after a Portuguese tasca, “everyday neighbourhood gathering places, where food, wine and conversation unfold naturally,” says a release.

“Tascas were always about more than what was on the table,” says Justin in the release. “They were about the community and being a welcoming place for everyone. Our goal with Maria Celeste is to capture the familial essence that flows through these culinary institutions scattered throughout Portugal. There’s nothing quite like it in Vancouver yet.”

An early sneak peek at the menu reveals dishes such as bacalhau à brás, a salted cod and crisp potato plate; arroz de marisco, a seafood rice layered with coastal flavours; and the Pastel de Nata, the well-known Portuguese custard tart. A wine list sourced entirely from Portugal will complement the menu.

“Our food is rooted in the way we lived and ate in Portugal. Simple, generous, and deeply connected to place and memory,” Cristian says.

“At Maria Celeste, we cook traditional Portuguese dishes through a modern lens, shaped by our own experiences and the things we love to eat. We’ll be utilizing the fresh ingredients we have right here in B.C., in addition to some unique flavours from home. Our cooking begins with necessity and ends in pleasure. We make the most of every ingredient, allowing one dish to lead into another, carrying forward a deeply Portuguese way of cooking.”

Designers Studio Roslyn is working on the 1300-square-foot space, which aims to feature warm wood, aged materials and a nostalgic aesthetic.

Maria Celeste is slated to open Summer 2026.

4181 Fraser St.