Breaking: Beloved Tofino Korean Restaurant Jeju Opening in East Vancouver Next Week

This is not Tofino’s Jeju.

Over in your favourite Vancouver Island surf town, the Korean eatery embraces a identity as a casual spot to grab a hot bowl of soondubu after a day in the sand. But the second location for the family-run restaurant, opening November 13 on East Broadway, seems designed for a more upscale night out.

At Jeju Tofino, you could happily roll in with wet hair and a hoodie; here, the golden lighting and gleaming wood inspire visitors to dress it up a notch—and when the beautifully presented food arrives on the table, the “we’re not in Tofino anymore” vibe is made even clearer. This is a space where it’s clear from the second you walk in: something special is about to happen.

Despite the accolades and popularity of the Tofino location (it was a finalist on enRoute magazine’s 2022 list of Canada’s Best New Restaurants), owners Sungeun “Sung” Kim and Yunyoung “Dylan” Kim (Dylan is the executive chef) have been dreaming about a Vancouver location for years. Behind an oversized wooden door in East Van, that dream is coming true, in a warm, minimalist space designed by Vancouver design darlings &Daughters (they’re the studio behind the moody Ama Raw Bar).

Dylan developed the menu with his professional chef mother, Myungseok “Julie” Suh—a minimalist document on the table depicts a Venn diagram of dishes from either or both. On the “from Julie” side, you’ll find deftly executed Korean classics like japcheng ($27, in this case, served with pork loin) and crispy fried chicken with a punch gochujang glaze ($26); under the “from Dylan” heading, there’s bulgogi ($43) topped with truffle, tender octopus ($28) tossed with aged kimchi, seaweed and perilla oil; in the middle, choose from hearty, feeds-a-group platters of perfectly seared proteins like 35-day-aged prime short rib (galbi, $175) and meltingly tender pork belly ($97).

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Some Tofino classics have made the trip over to the mainland, like Chef Julie’s homemade kimchi and the restaurant’s signature spot prawns. But ultimately, the Kims are shooting for a more refined approach. The bar program reflects the elevated aspirations, too—a menu inspired by the four-seasons was developed in collaboration with Byungjin Lim from Bar Cham, #6 on Asia’s Best Bars 2025 list. Sip a Jeju old fashioned, warming and rich thanks to ghee butter and maple ($21) to capture the spirit of winter, or chase summer with an herbaceous and surprisingly translucent Bloody Mary ($21), made from clarified tomato vodka. A small selection of wines by the glass is available, too.

Over a leisurely preview dinner, we got a chance to get acquainted with a new side of Jeju. And while we’ll still be lining up for bibimbap served by staff in t-shirts and cutoffs on our next trip to Tofino (in their on-season), it’s nice to know there’ll now be a taste of contemporary Korea waiting here when we get home, too.

Jeju opens to the public as of November 13; reservations are available now.

540 E Broadway
jeju-restaurant.com