There seems to be an endless stream of restaurant closure news in Vancouver, but the fact is, there have also been a staggering number of notable restaurant openings already this year.
With just half of the calendar year under our belts, choosing my picks for the best new restaurants of 2025 (so far) was no easy task. For one, there are a few that didn’t make my top five, including a couple that I just haven’t made it to yet (like Halina and Angela Pastificio, to name a couple).
This year, Vancouver has welcomed new places to enjoy Thai cuisine, exciting global fusions, and even the city’s only spot for Uzbek food. And just when you thought we’d hit peak hot pot…a few more spots opened up.
That said, after all of my dining out adventures in Vancouver so far this year, I’ve ranked my picks for the five best new restaurants of 2025 (so far).
Sumibiyaki Arashi
Sumibiyaki Arashi offers a rare omakase yakitori experience in Vancouver, where Chef Pete Ho guides diners through a 16-course journey centred on expertly grilled chicken skewers and seasonal highlights.
Served to just a few guests at a time in an intimate, renovated space on East Broadway, the meal honours the whole bird—each course, from a steaming broth to a charred skewer, showcases a different cut with care and precision.
Standouts included the crispy chicken wing with lemon, a silken crab chawanmushi, and optional add-ons like grilled chicken liver and artery—one familiar, one rare, both deeply satisfying.
Though unique in format, Sumibiyaki Arashi embodies a very Vancouver ethos: reverence for ingredients, thoughtful technique, and quietly bold hospitality.
📰 Read: The new Vancouver restaurant offering a unique omakase yakitori experience
@forkingawesomevia At this new Vancouver restaurant your seat is at the counter as you watch your 16-course omakase meal prepared on a charcoal grill. At Sumibiyaki Arashi, Chef Pete Ho is a yakitori (chicken skewer) master. This upscale, interactive, and intimate dinner experience is unlike anything else you’ll find right now in Vancouver. From juicy grilled chicken pieces glazed with various sauces, including the special tare passed to the chef from his mentor and master chef, to each special in-between course like chicken broth, chawanmushi, or “steak and egg,” this is a special place. #forkingawesome #vancouverbc #yakitori #japanesefood ♬ The Groove Architect - SrChillEasier
Nero Tondo
At Nero Tondo, chef/owners Devon Latté and Lucas Johnston proudly share the origins of every ingredient—from Cropthorne Farm daikon to Fanny Bay clams and Esquimalt’s Rosso Vermouth.
The intimate 18-seat spot on Powell Street is centred around a chef’s counter, where guests can watch the duo work amid cleverly tucked shelves of house-baked focaccia and carefully prepped ingredients.
A tasting menu dish of silky savoy cabbage over turmeric emulsion (from Chilliwack-grown roots) was a standout, as was a pairing of tuna and daikon with housemade nam jim—distinct components that came together in perfect harmony.
Here, food is both political and personal, rooted in transparency, seasonality, and care. Nero Tondo may be compact, but its approach to hospitality and flavour is expansive.
📰 Read: Political by nature: At this new Vancouver restaurant, everything is personal
@forkingawesomevia Want to eat local? How about all ingredients from Metro Vancouver and B.C.? Nero Tondo offers, hyper seasonal dining in an intimate setting. no pretension just a team that loves what they do and wants you to love it too. dining at this tiny east van spot kind of feels like being a guest in their home…and the food is excellent. They work closely with farmers and food producers, and can tell you where everything on your plate comes from. You’ll get to chat with the chefs with every course served which makes for a special experience. #forkingawesomev#vancouverbce#eatlocalc#canada🇨🇦 ♬ Relaxed (Sped Up) - MC Mablo Dos Paredões
Peya
Peya is a striking new addition to East Vancouver, blending French and Indian cuisines in a way that feels both refined and refreshingly original. Chef/owner Ashwani Dabas, drawing on his French culinary training and Indian heritage, has created a menu that thoughtfully marries classic techniques with bold flavours.
Housed in a purpose-built space on East Hastings, Peya’s design puts comfort and flow first—fewer seats, plush chairs, and a kitchen spacious enough to support whole-animal butchery and delicate raw seafood dishes. It's a setting built for lingering over multiple plates and cocktails.
The food is inventive but grounded, with dishes like mussels in a fragrant tomato rasam and rabbit kebabs that reflect a commitment to sustainability and precision. Dabas applies the shared principles of French and Indian cuisine—like foundational sauces and minimal waste—with finesse.
At the bar, acclaimed drinksmith Chris Enns delivers cocktails that are playful yet complex, using Indian spices, fruits, and teas to layer familiar classics with unexpected twists. The result is a dining and drinking experience that balances creativity with care, all in a warm and welcoming East Van setting.
📰 Read: Fusion done right: Why Peya is one of Vancouver’s most exciting new restaurants
@forkingawesomevia I went here for a drink and appy a few weeks ago and immediately knew I had to come back for more. So I did! Read my full story, including my interviews with the chef/co-owner and the bar director, in the Food and Drink section of Vancouver Is Awesome (dotcom). #forkingawesome #vancouverbc ♬ Vivid Lights - Claes Rosen
Chez Celine
Chez Celine is one of the most in-demand reservations in the city right now. The sibling to Michelin-starred St. Lawrence has slid into the former Say Mercy! space on Fraser Street with a sharp, Quebec-influenced French menu and a relaxed, confident vibe.
The restaurant nods to Quebec’s casse-croûte culture with dishes that are precise without being fussy. Highlights include a warm ricotta-topped bread with stinging nettles, a radish-turnip salad in tonnato, and gnocchi in truffle butter with sweet peas that burst with flavour.
Poutine arrives in a paper cup with crisp skin-on fries, rich gravy, and proper cheese curds, while dessert sticks to the theme: soft serve topped with crushed sugar pie and a pour of warm maple syrup.
Chez Celine doesn’t lean on its St. Lawrence pedigree—it builds its own identity with ease, adding fresh energy to the ever-expanding Fraser dining scene.
📰 Read: Best new Vancouver restaurant? This St. Lawrence sibling is a strong contender
@forkingawesomevia Chez Celine is the newest Vancouver restaurant from the team at the one Michelin-star St Lawrence. ⭐️ It’s an unpretentious bistro that blends Quebecois, European, and West Coast sensibilities with a fun wine program and a lot of character - their mascot is an adorable dog! I dined at Chez Celine and tried a few items from the menu, starting with a complimentary snack from the kitchen called a panisse-a little chickpea fritter. Next: the feature bread with stinging nettle and ricotta and a nice drizzle of fresh lemon. The radish and turnip salad was an absolute stealth sleeper hit, thanks to the tonnato sauce and olive oil. I almost didn’t choose this dish but I’m so glad I did. For my main, I had the gnocchi with peas and truffle. 🫛This was rich, hearty, and quite tasty. The gnocchi were perfectly tender and the peas so bright with a gorgeous vibrant pea flavour. I couldn’t resist getting the poutine as a side, even though I was definitely already in carb and cheese overdrive. The gravy was fragrant and once I dug down into the cute cup I was able to get cheese pull after cheese pull of melty real cheese curds. This and a glass of wine alone would be heaven. 🍷🍟🧀 For dessert: Their soft serve special with a smashed Quebecois sugar pie drizzled in warm maple syrup. Super decadent but also so much fun. 🍁 It’s been a tough reso to nab so far and I can totally see why (though I’m not surprised). This will likely end up being one of the best new Vancouver restaurants of 2025. 🔮 #forkingawesome #vancouverbc ♬ Neo Soul, Cafe, Adult-like fashionable songs(1372096) - Jasper Lab
Niwa
Chef Darren Gee is reunited with restaurateurs Miki Ellis and Stephen Whiteside at Niwa. The Powell Street spot is focused on local produce and Japanese-influenced cooking. The team previously collaborated on Ugly Dumpling, and while Niwa is a new project, its spirit—thoughtful, ingredient-led food—feels familiar.
Niwa’s menu is compact and precise, with an option to order à la carte or choose the omakase. Each dish reflects balance, restraint, and attention to detail. From the chef’s counter, diners can watch Gee and his team move with quiet focus in the open kitchen.
When I visited in the winter, the six-course tasting included dishes like karaage-style celeriac with yuzu-oyster mayo and a deeply savoury pork broth served with rice. The Cache Creek bavette steak with salsa verde and radicchio salad was a standout, and the chawanmushi with oyster mushrooms delicate and warming.
Niwa’s beverage program includes wine, sake, and well-executed cocktails—like a clarified milk punch with tequila and umeshu. The space is bright and minimalist, letting the food and hospitality take the lead.
📰 Read: Local produce shines at new Japanese-influenced Vancouver restaurant
@forkingawesomevia This new Vancouver restaurant is all about local ingredients prepared with a Japanese sensibility. They do an $85 tasting menu and have a chef’s counter you can book. Great little new spot! #forkingawesome #vancouverbc ♬ Vlog ・ Stylish city pop(1275391) - orino
Honourable mentions
These Class of 2025 members round out the top 10 and are each noteworthy in their own right.
- June: Splashy new spot for incredible cocktails and Euro-chic dishes, all presented with panache.
- Nui: Minimalist modern Korean spot on Main Street with a dialled-in menu and decor.
- Sainam: Chef Angus An's new laid-back West End spot zeroes in on the flavours of Northern Thailand.
- Tashkent: Vancouver's only restaurant dedicated to Uzbek cuisine is in the food court at the International Village Mall; their soulful dishes make the odd location worth a visit.
- Chupito 2.0: Now in a new indoor/outdoor space, the next iteration of Chupito does what they did before, only more of it, and it's as if the Michelin Guide-endorsed venture has a whole new identity.
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