How Korean restaurants in Vancouver are putting spins on tradition

Vancouver, one of the culinary world’s best-kept secrets, is fast becoming a major player on the dining scene. Pacific Northwest cuisine still reigns supreme there, but the versatile city is also home to a buzzing Asian diaspora. And with Korean food continuing its international domination, it was only a matter of time before Vancouver embraced it. The result? A host of restaurants that balance authenticity with creativity, all while showcasing Canada’s bountiful produce. 

So, whether you’re looking for a hearty, home-style meal rooted in traditional flavours or creative fusion dishes prepared with modern culinary techniques, these are some of the gems at the forefront of  Vancouver’s thriving Korean dining scene. 

1. Dachi

Chef Jiwon Seo, of Dachi , combines her Western culinary training and experience at the Michelin-starred, farm-to-table eatery Burdock & Co.  with her Korean upbringing. While the restaurant doesn’t specifically identify as a Korean restaurant, Chef Seo presents a melting-pot menu that’s a reflection of the city with strong influences from Korean cuisine. The neighbourhood joint, located in East Vancouver, is a celebration of seasonal ingredients and local products. Sample creative dishes like beef tartare mixed with Korean tartar sauce, perilla cream, puffed rice and Treviso radicchio kimchi, or house cavatelli with pork, and beef ragout flavoured with doenjang (fermented soybean paste). 

2. Zoomak 

With a name that means “tavern” in Korean, this Gastown eatery run by chef Bobby Shin aims to offer that same warm, cosy experience – a place to rest and recharge with nourishing food and drink. Zoomak  is dedicated to spotlighting homemade ingredients and the distinctive fermented flavours of Korean cuisine. The restaurant’s Napa cabbage kimchi and mustard leaf kimchi are made fresh every week by Shin’s wife, Jane Lee, inspired by his mother’s time-honoured recipe. You’ll find kimchi is the foundation of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, like the kimchi jeon (pancake), reimagined with bacon and mozzarella, and the refreshing kimchi mul-kooksoo (cold buckwheat soup noodle), perfect for the summer months.  

3. Nui

This no-frills joint capitalises on Vancouverites’s love of piping hot bowls of soup, a non-negotiable for getting through the city’s chilly winters. The star of Nui ’s menu is gomtang, a clean, delicate broth with surprising depth, a favourite of chef Jae Hwang’s father. Traditionally, gomtang is made of long-simmered beef bones, brisket and intestines, but Nui is all about presenting a fresh twist on familiar flavours. Their take on the simple, satisfying dish is prepared with high-quality cuts of pork and vegetables, served with a mix of rice and barley. Those who crave a bold kick will appreciate the house-made kimchi and chilli shrimp paste on the side, with serrano oil being available upon request.  

4. Jeon

While chef Tom Jeon may be better known for his popular sushi bars , his newest venture, Jeon , is a return to his roots. This eatery not only takes on his last name, but also nods to the beloved Korean pancake. Fittingly, the restaurant’s signature jeon is crowned with caviar, a sophisticated take on the staple that exemplifies their mission: reimagining classic Korean cuisine with a refined, contemporary twist. Particularly dear to chef Jeon’s heart is the “Old Days Fried Chicken,” which harkens back to the fried chicken he had as a child in Korea, double-fried to achieve a thin, extra crispy batter.  

5. Jeju

Jeju  originally began in a quiet town on the west coast of Vancouver Island, so named because its landscape reminded co-owners Dylan and Sung Kim of the eponymous South Korean island. Husband Dylan is the executive chef, while wife Sung manages the restaurant. To recreate nostalgic flavours from their childhoods, the duo consulted their mothers, eventually bringing Dylan’s mother Julie on board as a chef. Ingredients like chillies and sesame seeds are imported directly from Sung’s grandmother’s farm in Haenam, beautifully complementing locally sourced ingredients from the Pacific Coast. 

This past November, Jeju  expanded to Vancouver, bringing the hits from their Tofino location. The boldly named “The Galbi”, a 35-day-aged prime short rib paired with homemade kimchi, ssamjang (spicy dipping paste), ssam-mu (pickled radish slices) and jangajji (pickled vegetables), exemplifies the restaurant’s collaborative spirit – Julie working her magic on the traditional elements, while Dylan labours over the short rib. Unique to the Vancouver location is a cocktail programme created with Byungjin Lim of Bar Cham in Seoul, voted one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars. 

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