AnnaLena in Kitsilano was promoted to two Michelin stars in the 2026 Michelin Guide selection, while Kavita and Chef’s Choice Seafood Restaurant earned Bib Gourmands.
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AnnaLena has become Vancouver’s first restaurant to receive two Michelin stars, with the Michelin Guide’s 2026 selection announced Tuesday, Oct. 6. The guide also added Bib Gourmands for Kavita and Chef’s Choice Seafood Restaurant and introduced four new “Recommended” listings.
Located at 1809 West 1st Ave., AnnaLena is the tasting-menu restaurant of chef Michael Robbins. The guide describes the promotion as recognizing his contemporary, globally influenced approach with a seasonally changing menu. It also notes examples from inspectors’ experience, including dishes such as Sungold tomatoes with house-made XO sauce and caramelized buttermilk infused with Thai green curry, along with fresh pasta with charcoal-roasted asparagus and a wine sauce finished tableside. The restaurant’s service, cocktails and wine pairings were also highlighted in the guide’s assessment.
Kavita, at 250 West 3rd Ave., received a Bib Gourmand for its cooking and Michelin’s Outstanding Service Award for general manager Yash Shah. Chef-owner Tushar Tondvalkar said he hoped recognition would help introduce more diners to the restaurant while preserving what it is like when guests walk through the door, adding that his cooking draws on Mumbai, where he grew up, and the coastal food traditions of Malvan, alongside B.C. produce, seafood and seasons.
Chef’s Choice Seafood Restaurant, at 955 West Broadway, also earned a Bib Gourmand in the 2026 guide. The Cantonese restaurant had previously been Recommended by Michelin, and this year’s distinction was described as recognizing value as well as the cooking.
The guide’s new “Recommended” entries for Vancouver include Jay Nok at 127 West 2nd Ave. for modern Thai cooking in Olympic Village, Jeju at 540 East Broadway for modern Korean cooking with a family story connecting Vancouver, Tofino and ingredients sourced from Korea, Niwa at 1875 Powell Street for chef Darren Gee’s ingredient-focused East Vancouver menu, and Peya at 2101 East Hastings Street, where the drinks program also received recognition through Chris Enns’s Exceptional Cocktails Award.
In the 2026 selection, Burdock & Co and St. Lawrence retain one Michelin star each. The guide also says the changes bring Vancouver’s total to 11 starred restaurants, compared with 12 in the online selection recorded before the announcement. The Michelin release lists seven restaurants that do not appear in the new selection: Bar Gobo, Bonjour Vietnam Bistro, Café Medina, Dynasty Seafood, New Mandarin Seafood Restaurant, The Lobby Lounge & RawBar, and Wildlight Kitchen + Bar. The release does not provide reasons for the omissions, and it notes that absence from the guide does not itself indicate closure. It also lists Wildlight’s planned closing date of Nov. 28, 2026, and says Five Sails does not appear in the 2026 selection.
Michelin’s Vancouver results for 2026 include: Two stars—AnnaLena. One star—Burdock & Co; iDen & QuanJuDe Beijing Duck House; Kissa Tanto; Masayoshi; Okeya Kyujiro; Published on Main; St. Lawrence; Sumibiyaki Arashi; Sushi Hyun; Sushi Masuda. Bib Gourmands—Anh and Chi; Chef’s Choice Seafood Restaurant; Farmer’s Apprentice; Gary’s; Good Thief; Karma Indian Bistro; Kavita; Little Bird Dim Sum + Craft Beer; Lunch Lady; Magari by Oca; Motonobu Udon; Phnom Penh; Seaport City Seafood; Song (by Kin Kao); Sushi Hil; Vij’s.
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