I have dined at a lot of new restaurants that have opened in 2019. These are the Best NEW Restaurants in greater Vancouver that newly define how we eat, drink and play. There are many elements to a restaurant being one of the best, it must excel in having not only delicious food, but also have consistent service that is on point, along with a great ambience. To make this annual list each of the restaurants must operate as a full service independent restaurant where customers are taken care of by servers in a sit-down environment. Also if a new restaurant is an additional location for the restaurant you won’t find it here on this list.
Note: These are not in any ranking order.

Banh Xeo Crepe
Do Chay Saigon Vegetarian
1392 Kingsway, Vancouver
Tel:(604) 225-8349
Web: https://www.restaurantji.com/bc/vancouver/do-chay-/
Instagram @eatdochay
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Little Saigon
Majority of the menu is plant-based which is the draw here for their delicious Vietnamese cooking, dumplings, potstickers, pho are all standouts it this family run spot in the Little Saigon neighborhood. They don’t take reservations, often there is a line-up but its well worth the wait.

Khao Soi
Unchai Restaurant
2351 Burrard Street, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 559-6484
Web: https://unchairestaurant.com/
Instagram @unchairestaurant
Cuisine: Thai
Neighborhood: Kitsilano
It’s all about very good Thai here at this husband/wife run spot serving up notable bowls of curries, salads and more, it’s small so expect a possible wait.

Spicy Meatballs pizza
Sprezzatura Restaurant
265 Kingsway, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 876-6333
instagram @sprezzatura_van
Cuisine: Italian
Neighborhood: Mount Pleasant
Casual Italian is the focus here at this beautiful eatery where it is all about pizza, roast dishes as well as salads, a couple pastas, desserts, wine and cocktails, it’s a large room so waits should be minimal and they do take reservations.

Braised Goat Spoons
Arike Restaurant
1725 Davie St, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 336-9774
Web: https://arikerestaurant.ca/
Instagram: @arikerestaurant
Cuisine: West African
Neighborhood: West End
Standout unique dishes with wonderful flavours from West Africa utilizing Canadian ingredients, location is hidden downstairs off of Davie near English Bay.

T.R.A. Burger
The Red Accordion
1616 Alberni Street, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 428-6464
Web: https://www.theredaccordion.com/
Instagram @theredaccordion
Cuisine: Pacific Northwest
Neighborhood: Coal Harbour
Outstanding plates from creative Chef Mandy where almost everything is made from scratch in-house, elevated comfort food in a beautiful heritage home.

Dim Sum
Little Bird Dim Sum
2958 W 4th Ave, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 325-8132
Web: https://littlebirddimsum.com/
Instagram:@littlebirddimsum
Cuisine: Chinese
Neighborhood: Kitsilano
A modern take on traditional dim sum, along with local craft beer and wine; and it’s all very good and worth waiting for if you see a lineup.

The chicken
Elisa
1109 Hamilton St, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 362-5443
Instagram: @elisasteak
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Neighborhood: Yaletown
A modern steak-house where the rotisserie chicken is the star, here you can splurge or you can share a few dishes with friends for a more affordable price. It’s a beautiful room with great people watching and quite the cocktail scene.

Spicy Laksa
Shiok Singaporean Cuisine
1716 Kingsway, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 423-3838
Web: https://shiok.ca/
Instagram: @shiok.ca
Cuisine: Singaporean
Neighborhood: Cedar Cottage
Family run serving up homestyle Singaporean food that’s affordable, small plates where sharing is encouraged.

Plum Franzipane Tart
Livia
1399 Commercial Dr, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 423-3869
Web: http://www.liviasweets.com/
Instagram: @liviasweets
Cuisine: Italian
Neighborhood: Commercial Drive
Claire Livia’s baking is exceptional from the breads, to the baking, to the larger plates, visit for breakfast and come back later for more sweets and coffee.

24 hour roasted beef chuck flat, Brussels sprouts, black garlic spaetzle
Dachi
2297 E Hastings St, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 569-0456
Web: https://www.dachivancouver.com/
Instagram: @dachivancouver
Cuisine: Local, ingredient forward
Neighborhood: East Village
Attentive service offering up tasty small plates and inventive cocktails with a menu that changes often.

Aburi Sushi selection
Sushi Jin
750 Nelson St, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 559-8834
Web: https://sushijin.business.site/
Instagram: @sushi_jin_vancouver
Cuisine: Japanese
Neighborhood: Downtown Vancouver
Korean owned fine dining Japanese fare and it’s top notch, it’s also quite expensive; you will want to order the aburi sushi, the nigiri or have one of the omakase.

French Onion Grilled Cheese
Douce Diner
1490 Pemberton Ave, North Vancouver
Tel: (604) 980-2510
Instagram: @doucediner
Cuisine: Diner
Neighborhood: North Van
Diner food done very well, a bit of old school diner decor modernized Chef Dawn Doucette’s way, great grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, fries, shakes and more.

Grilled Black Cod with turmeric
Wooden Fish
1403 Marine Dr, West Vancouver
Tel: (604) 926-6789
Web: http://www.thewoodenfish.ca/
Instagram: @thewoodenfish.ca
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: West Vancouver
Outstanding flavours from tasty salad rolls, to salads, and so much more.
Curious which restaurants were on last years list, take a look at my Best New Vancouver Restaurants of 2018.
By: Richard Wolak