New York may be known as the city that never sleeps, but these days, it feels like Vancouver might be the city that never sleeps when it comes to its culinary scene. There are many cuisines and cultures to enjoy in the city, and as soon as one restaurant shutters, another two (or three) pop up in its place. Here’s what’s been cropping up lately.
OPENING
Entrecôte
Set in Gastown’s brick-lined Gaoler’s Mews, sharing a wall with L’Abattoir’s private room, is Entrecôte, a steak-frites concept new to Vancouver. The French bistro opened on July 15 and is inspired by the dining concept first established in Paris in 1959.
Like its Parisian predecessor, bistro chairs surround tables of four and eight draped in red, green, blue and yellow tablecloths. Art Deco and Art Nouveau details appear against warm purple and walnut walls in a space designed by Le Studio and brought to life by contractor Moreno, which transformed the once-industrial space into the bistro it is today.
“We do one thing and we do it well,” says owner Florence Doumet. That one thing is an eight-ounce striploin smothered in a creamy green “secret sauce” and served with frites for $44.
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12 Water St.
Pony Room
Chinatown has long been the place for some of the city’s best underground music, and new event space-slash-restaurant Pony Room is the latest it-spot to know about. Run by the folks behind queer music and arts space The Birdhouse, Pony Room promises to be the “next chapter for queer culture,” serving up drag shows, food and funky cocktails in a 150-seat space that opened at the end of June.
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555 Gore Ave.
Rosalia Osteria
It’s impossible for me to think about Dom and Frank Morra without hearing the theme song for the Super Mario Bros. TV show ringing in my ears. The Italian brothers, instead of helming a plumbing business, have built quite the Italian food empire in Vancouver, including much-loved pizza spots Via Tevere, Don’t Argue Pizza and Straight Outta Brooklyn, along with sandwich chain Dante Italian Sandwich.
Come late summer, they’ll be adding yet another restaurant to the mix, this time in Yaletown. Named after the pair’s grandmother, Rosalia Osteria promises house-made pasta reminiscent of “Sunday dinner at Nonna’s table” in a 33-seat, 600-square-foot spot on Mainland Street.
1127 Mainland St.
Bevel
Another win for Yaletown: the folks behind Dovetail are set to open Bevel. While not much is public quite yet, we’ve heard that the concept is “inspired by New York,” and there’s definitely pizza involved.
The restaurant, which will take over Yaletown’s shuttered MeeT space, is set to open before summer’s end with room for 140 people.
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1165 Mainland St.
Benne Kits
New South Indian spot Benne is expected to open later this summer in Kitsilano from the team behind Michelin Guide-recommended Karma Indian Bistro.
“While South Indian cuisine is incredibly diverse, it’s still underrepresented in Vancouver, and we’re excited to introduce it through a thoughtful dining experience,” says owner Rahul Kumar.
The 20-seat restaurant will feature modern, minimalist design and highlight regional dishes such as fermented rice-lentil dosas, alongside a small, curated drinks list.
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2209 W 1st Ave.
Sumu
Inspired by Tokyo street culture and communal dining, Sumu is set to take over the former Sala Thai space on Burrard Street, serving Binchotan charcoal-grilled yakitori, hot pot and handcrafted drinks.
This one is still a bit of a mystery, and no opening date has been announced yet, but it teases “omakase-level yakitori,” a category currently represented locally by Sumibiyaki Arashi.
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888 Burrard St.
Earnest Ice Cream
One of Vancouver’s most iconic and enduring ice cream shops, Earnest Ice Cream, will open its fifth location on Granville Island this fall, marking a first for the company in nearly a decade.
The new shop will be located inside the island’s Chain and Forge building, with design by Studio Roslyn.
“Change can strain the culture our team has built together, so we’ve always been deliberate about where we put down roots. We open in neighbourhoods where we actually want to spend time,” says co-CEO and co-founder Ben Ernst.
Just Announced: ¿CóMO? Ultramar
We’ve talked about restaurants opening this summer, but a brand-new development is set to arrive this winter. ¿CóMO? Taperia founders Shaun Layton and Frankie Harrington are set to open ¿CóMO? Ultramar, a seafood-focused restaurant inspired by their travels throughout Northern Spain. The restaurant will be located near the Mount Pleasant tapas bar.
“There will be a definite focus on the cuisine of Northern Spain, such as the seaside towns of the Basque Country, Cantabria, and Galicia, but also the old-school seafood bars of Madrid, the modern, playful seafood restaurants of Barcelona, and the tabernas of Cádiz. In all these places, there is just big love for seafood in its simplest forms, but yet, full of flavour,” says Layton.
The 2,500-square-foot space will feature a dining room and second-level mezzanine in the Faber Block, with design by award-winning firm Ste. Marie.
592 E Broadway
CLOSING
Sadly, these establishments have closed, for now, as of July 2026.
Bar Terrasse
Almost as quickly as it came, it went. After just over a month in business, Bar Terrasse closed on June 13, bringing an end to its three-day-a-week pilot.
It was located at 275 E 10th Ave.
Pax Romana
Less of a goodbye and more of a “see ya later,” European tapas bar Pax Romana has temporarily closed while it moves to a new location on the Drive. Where exactly? We’re not quite sure, but we’ll certainly miss a couple of our favourite dishes while we wait for it to reopen.
It was previously located at 1670 Commercial Dr.
Tatchan Noodle
Tatchan Noodle’s brick-and-mortar location had been open for just a year before the Okinawa soba spot closed its doors at the end of June.
Originally a food cart, the Okinawan concept’s lease at 383 Raymur Ave. expired, but it continues to serve noodles from its mobile cart at various locations. Follow @tatchannoodle for its latest schedule.
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