Best restaurants in Burnaby

Masayoshi

★ Michelin$$$$japanese

Chef Masayoshi Baba brings Japan's luxurious, jewel-box sushi counters to Vancouver with this eponymous restaurant. The best seats are always at the counter, and guests seated there are in for a treat as the chef ceremoniously crafts each course. Fret not if you're seated at one of the four tables though, as the meal will be equally enjoyable. Chef Baba lets British Columbia's bounty guide this omakase, spotlighting locally sourced fish in his Edomae-style nigiri. But first, a chilled dish of uni, junsai, mountain yam, crab and tomato dashi gel starts things off. Supple sea bass folded over sn

🕐 Mo-Sa 18:00-22:00; Su off

Motonobu Udon

Bib Gourmand$$japanese

It's worth frequenting this spot, where a simple, light-flooded dining room buzzes with tables full of diners slurping bowls of noodles and savoring sides. As the name hints, it's all about udon here, where the noodles are handmade and cut fresh to order. Traditional varieties are available hot or cold, served with tempura bits and fresh green onions or with mentsyu sauce and tempura egg. Specialty bowls, such as the spicy tanton with braised pork belly, Shanghai bok choy in a spiced chicken and dashi broth, are equally enticing. Peruse the add-ons and you may find yourself topping your bowl w

🕐 Mo-Fr 11:30-14:30,17:30-20:00; Sa-Su 11:30-20:00; PH off

Magari by Oca

Bib Gourmand$$italian

Although there may be a number of Italian-leaning restaurants and pizza spots scattered around Vancouver, this simple pastificio invites diners to pull up a chair and savor authentic, well-prepared dishes. They have bistro charm down pat, with black-and-white tiled flooring, a chalkboard emblazoned with the daily specials and a window onto an open kitchen. Consider the specials, then peek into the pasta rolling station and watch as your meal is made. The kitchen's singular devotion to the craft of pasta-making is evident in dishes of studied simplicity, like a single spiraled raviolo with a cr

🕐 We-Sa 17:00+

Lunch Lady

Bib Gourmand$$vietnamese

Chef Nguyen Thi Thanh's legacy continues at this beloved East Vancouver spot. The menu is endlessly enticing and inspires immediate decision paralysis. One could fill up fast on starters like fried black tiger prawns with fish sauce or beef carpaccio buried under a blanket of fresh herbs, pickled onions and lime vinaigrette. Garlic fried noodles are another big hit, but then will you still have room for the wagyu beef noodle soup?

🕐 Mo-Su 11:00-21:00

New Mandarin Seafood Restaurant

$$$chinese, seafood

This boisterous dining hall draws crowds for its highly enjoyable Cantonese fare, while dim sum rules the day and dinner service offers a wide range of specialties. The interior leans elegant with a curved wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, glittering crystal beaded chandeliers and a photo-realistic mural of cherry trees in blossom. However, families and groups looking for good eats and good times keep things grounded.Diners check off their dim sum choices from a printed menu bearing helpful photos for novices, and selections emerge from the kitchen freshly prepared and steaming hot. Some of th

🕐 10:00-15:00, 17:00-22:00

Zab Bite - Thai E-Sarn Cuisine

$$thai

Focusing on the cuisine of northeastern Thailand, this cheery operation has quickly become one of Vancouver's favorites for casual Thai. The sizable menu makes the typical concessions to crowd-pleasing mainstays like pad Thai and pad see ew, which are prepared diligently, but it's the regional specialties on offer that will leave the strongest impression. Think boat noodles, featuring funky, aromatic beef broth loaded with bouncy meatballs and tripe, or crunchy, succulent grilled pork jowl with toasted rice and a punchy nam jaew dipping sauce. Although there are options for all tastes, diners

🕐 Mo-Fr 11:30-21:00; Sa,Su 11:30-21:30

Bravo

$$$Contemporary, Seafood

This buzzy neighborhood spot has no shortage of admirers, and it's not hard to see why, between the friendly, down-to-earth service, thoughtful bar program, and satisfying, lively cooking. The small menu of seafood-centric offerings changes frequently, but bold, punchy flavors are a consistent element. Guests are liable to start with raw items like oysters on the half shell, paired with fermented hot sauce made from red jalapeño, or hiramasa, dry aged in house and served with a passionfruit aguachile and cantaloupe. More substantial options might include seared Hokkaido scallops with coconut,

Bonjour Vietnam Bistro

$$$vietnamese

With looks somewhere between a tropical greenhouse and a nightclub, plus a cool, clubby atmosphere, this lively, colorful boîte could just as well be in West Hollywood as Vancouver. Some of the plant life is artificial, but rest assured the homey Vietnamese fare is the real deal. A hip, fashion-forward clientele is drawn in by the cooking, but the energetic vibe and disarmingly sweet service can’t hurt. You might start with grilled skewers, like a pork sausage shaped around a lemongrass stalk, or a pepper-crusted beef carpaccio topped with fragrant herbs, crispy garlic and shallot—but save roo

🕐 Tu-Th 17:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 12:00-22:30; Su 12:00-21:30

Nammos Estiatorio

$$$mediterranean, greek

Escape to Greece via Nammos Estiatorio, whose white-washed walls, bare wood tables and azure accents evoke a breezy, sunny feel. Vancouver has no shortage of Greek fare, but the cooking at this charming enclave sets itself apart thanks to a clear dedication to quality ingredients and careful preparation. Traditional dishes reign here, starting with spreads like tzatziki and taramosalata, to an excellent example of spanakopita, with ideally crispy phyllo pastry around a savory filling of spinach and feta. Seafood options are, unsurprisingly, a strength, from crispy fried kalamari to whole grill

🕐 Mo-Tu 17:00-"late"; We-Su 12:00-"late"; Dec 24-26 "off; Jan 1 "off"

Nero Tondo

$$$Contemporary

While you can't count on enjoying the same dish on repeat visits to Nero Tondo, you can count on it being hyper-seasonal and Canadian to the core. Chefs/owners Devon Latté and Lucas Johnston have fashioned a farm-to-table spot where most of the ingredients hail from British Columbia, and the wine list is equally patriotic. These are ingredient-driven dishes, as in a bowl of kohlrabi mixed with caramelized honey and makrut lime nahm jim sauce, or albacore tuna served two ways for a simple but stunning plate. Dessert may include delightful offerings like a wildflower honey gelato or a Basque-ins

Osteria Savio Volpe

$$$Italian, Regional Cuisine

Clean and contemporary, with white marble and modern light fixtures, Osteria Savio Volpe could easily fit right in on a street in Milan, Naples or Rome. Simple materials, including red-and-brown tiles and a muted palette, set a modern tone for cuisine that takes inspiration from the regions of Italy while balancing authenticity and expectations. Dig in to warm and tender garlic knots studded with black pepper and a thatch of grated pecorino. Sop up every last dot of the piquant marinara—it's worth the additional charge. Thinly sliced beef carpaccio is plated in traditional fashion, then topped

The Acorn

$$$Vegetarian, Vegan

The kitchen at this enduringly popular vegetarian restaurant has clearly established great links with organic suppliers in BC, hence the name-checks on the menu. These ingredients are put to very good use on an imaginative list of dishes that both intrigues and satisfies. Choices like sunchoke with salal berry and burnt onion, and beer-battered halloumi also demonstrate that the kitchen understands the importance of texture as well as taste. Many dishes are also vegan and gluten-free; to really appreciate the variety, first-timers should place their trust in the tasting menu and enjoy getting

🕐 Mo-Th 17:30-22:00; Fr 17:30-23:00; Sa 10:00-14:30,17:30-23:00; Su 10:00-14:30,17:30-22:00