Restaurant in Vancouver, Canada
Michelin-starred tasting menu, no stiff formality.
AnnaLena holds a Michelin star and a decade of consistent ambition in Kitsilano, making it Vancouver's clearest argument for the seasonal tasting menu format. The continuously rotating menu and a wine program led by sommelier Reverie Beall separate it from peers at the same price point. Book three to four weeks ahead minimum — demand is real and growing.
Book AnnaLena. A Michelin star since 2024, a place on Opinionated About Dining's North America ranking, and a 4.7 Google rating across more than 1,500 reviews confirm what regulars in Kitsilano have known for a decade: this is one of Vancouver's most consistently ambitious tasting menu restaurants, and it earns its $$$$ price point. If you want to eat at a seasonal, technique-driven counter without the formality of a white-tablecloth room, AnnaLena is the most compelling argument in the city. Just know that post-Michelin recognition, tables are hard to secure — treat this as a hard booking and plan accordingly.
AnnaLena turned ten in 2025, and rather than coast on reputation, the restaurant used the anniversary to accelerate. In January 2025, the room shifted from a bright, white-and-airy aesthetic to a dark navy palette — a deliberate tonal shift that makes the existing décor (Lego sculptures, Star Wars memorabilia, deliberately playful bric-a-brac) read differently, more dramatic, more considered. A kitchen remodel and bar replacement followed in June 2025. These are not cosmetic updates: the kitchen expansion signals a commitment to the technical range the tasting menu demands. For a returning visitor, the physical space has meaningfully changed. For a first-timer, the current room is the leading version yet.
Chef Mike Robbins leads the kitchen, and his approach is one of the reasons AnnaLena holds up across years: the tasting menu evolves dish by dish, continuously, rather than rotating wholesale between seasons. A few anchor preparations persist , the oyster with apple-jalapeño mignonette and shaved foie gras, the torn bread served with mussels and broth , but the menu around them shifts as the season dictates. This method means no two visits across a year will produce the same meal, and it also means timing your reservation matters.
Because the tasting menu moves ingredient by ingredient rather than in a full seasonal swap, the most useful question is not which season to visit, but which ingredients you want to catch. Spring and summer bring local morels stuffed with scallop mousse, accompanied by alkaline noodle and aerated porcini. Dry-aged duck appears in the warmer months too. These are not permanent fixtures , they arrive when the season supports them. The wine program, curated by wine director Reverie Beall, reflects the same logic: a thoughtful, modest selection weighted toward small producers, calibrated to complement what the kitchen is running rather than to impress on paper.
If you are planning specifically around ingredients, spring through early summer is the window for the morel preparations, which represent some of the more technically intricate dishes in the rotation. Summer brings broader produce range. That said, the menu's core dishes , the oyster, the torn bread , are available year-round and should not be skipped regardless of when you visit. The practical upshot: any season works at AnnaLena. But if you want the full range of seasonal ambition rather than just the anchor dishes, visit between April and July.
The room at AnnaLena seats a relatively intimate number of covers, and the atmosphere is deliberately relaxed. There are no white tablecloths. The service described consistently by critics is effortless and unobtrusive rather than formal. This is not a room that makes you feel watched or tested. Cocktails straddle tradition and experimentation with evident skill, and Reverie Beall's wine program has drawn specific, named praise from multiple sources for its hard-to-find selections and storytelling approach. At $$$$, you are paying for a complete package: tasting menu, wine pairings if you opt in, and service that matches the food's technical ambition without the stiffness that some tasting menu rooms carry.
For wine-focused diners, the sommelier program here is one of the more compelling reasons to visit AnnaLena over peers. Beall's focus on small producers and narrative wine service adds a layer of value that goes beyond a solid list. If you are used to tasting menus where the wine pairing feels like an afterthought, this will be a meaningful upgrade.
AnnaLena is open Tuesday through Sunday, 5 PM to 9 PM, with Mondays closed. At the $$$$ price point and with Michelin recognition, demand consistently outpaces availability. Book a minimum of three to four weeks in advance; for weekend dates in summer, go further out. The restaurant is located at 1809 W 1st Ave in Kitsilano , direct to reach from central Vancouver. Dress code is not formally stated, but the room's aesthetic (dark and deliberate, with whimsical detail) suggests smart-casual sits most comfortably; nothing too formal, nothing too casual.
For more Vancouver dining options at this tier, see our full Vancouver restaurants guide. If you are planning a wider trip, our Vancouver hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the broader picture.
Against Barbara and Kissa Tanto, AnnaLena occupies the more technically ambitious end of the $$$$ contemporary spectrum. Masayoshi competes on precision and ingredient quality but operates in a different format (Japanese, more counter-focused). Published on Main is worth considering if you want the seasonal tasting menu format at a lower price point ($$$). AnnaLena's specific value is in the combination: Michelin recognition, a wine program with real depth, a room that doesn't impose formality, and a kitchen that changes meaningfully across the year.
Within Canada, AnnaLena sits alongside Alo in Toronto and Tanière³ in Quebec City as one of the country's most consistent tasting menu destinations. Internationally comparable contemporaries include 63 Clinton in New York City and Bastion in Nashville , both running seasonal, chef-driven tasting formats at similar price tiers. AnnaLena's advantage over most of them is the wine program's depth and the accessibility of the room.
If you are weighing where to direct your $$$$ budget in Vancouver specifically: AnnaLena is the clearest answer for tasting menu format. Hawksworth is the better call if you want à la carte flexibility and a more formal room. Burdock & Co or Elem work if you want a lower commitment price point. Botanist is the stronger hotel-dining pick if accommodation context matters.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| AnnaLena | AnnaLena has been one of Vancouver’s most consistent and ambitious restaurants for the last years. New wine director Reverie Beall curates a thoughtful and modest wine program to highlight the restaur...; La Liste Top Restaurants (2026): 78pts; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in North America Ranked #460 (2025); UNSURPRISINGLY, this perennially improving Kitsilano gem has opted to celebrate its 10th anniversary year with style – lots of it. First, in January, came a dramatic change in the colour palette, from white and bright to dark (navy blue) and moody. Next up – in June – the kitchen will be remodelled and expanded, and the bar replaced. But for all the changes, the cooking from chef Mike Robbins that put this place on the map remains a constant: ultra-imaginative, refined, whimsical and seasonally attuned. The tasting menu evolves continually, one dish at a time. Although some signature items – like the oyster crowned with apple-jalapeño mignonette and shaved foie gras, or the torn bread with mussels and broth (and other seasonal complements) are not going anywhere. In spring and summer expect plump local morels stuffed with scallop mousse, accompanied by alkaline noodle and aerated porcini, and dry-aged duck. Culinary influences are disparate but always precisely executed. Despite the sophistication of what’s on the plate, the room remains relaxed and visually playful, its Lego sculptures, Star Wars memorabilia and other charming bric-a-brac popping more vividly than ever against their new dark backdrop. Celebrated wine director Reverie Beall bolsters the fun factor with delicious, hard-to-find wines from small producers, while cocktails deftly straddle the divide between tradition and modern experimentation. Outstanding WINE and STORYTELLING from sommelier Reverie Beall. Don House; You won't find white tablecloths or a formal atmosphere, but you will find one of Vancouver's most polished—and delicious—dining experiences. Effortless service, expertly prepared cocktails and unusually astute wine pairings are all part of the magic, but of course it's the seasonally inspired tasting menu that really steals the show. This globally accented cuisine consistently impresses, marrying precise technique and top-flight ingredients together in refined, focused dishes of exceptional clarity and depth of flavor. House-made torn bread, wagyu tartare, caramelized onions and red storm velouté are presented in a four-part display for a twist on a burger, while tempura fried green beans with an oyster emulsion are served over a nightshade jam for a side dish with plenty of panache.; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in North America Ranked #541 (2024); Michelin 1 Star (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in North America Recommended (2023) | $$$$ | — |
| Barbara | Michelin 1 Star | $$$$ | — |
| iDen & QuanJuDe Beijing Duck House | Michelin 1 Star | $$$$ | — |
| Kissa Tanto | Michelin 1 Star | $$$$ | — |
| Masayoshi | Michelin 1 Star | $$$$ | — |
| Published on Main | Michelin 1 Star | $$$ | — |
How AnnaLena stacks up against the competition.
Yes, at the $$$$ price point AnnaLena earns its keep. A Michelin star since 2024, an Opinionated About Dining North America ranking, and a kitchen that rotates dishes one at a time rather than swapping entire menus seasonally means regulars and first-timers both get something current. The wine program under director Reverie Beall adds genuine value if you opt for pairings. If you want à la carte flexibility, this is not the right format.
Bar seating is part of AnnaLena's setup, and the cocktail program is taken seriously — drinks straddle classic and contemporary technique rather than defaulting to either. Note that the bar is being replaced as part of the 2025 renovation, so confirm current seating arrangements when you book. The full tasting menu experience is available in the main room.
Yes. The relaxed, no-white-tablecloth atmosphere and counter or bar options make solo dining comfortable here. The tasting menu format also removes the need to negotiate dishes across a table, which works in a solo diner's favour. At $$$$ it is a considered solo spend, but the Michelin-recognised quality justifies it if the format suits you.
The room is deliberately relaxed — there are no white tablecloths, and the decor includes Lego sculptures and Star Wars memorabilia. Dress neat but not formal: the kitchen is Michelin-starred but the atmosphere is not stiff. Overdressing would feel out of place; underdressing would not get you turned away, but a step above casual fits the room.
AnnaLena is dinner-only, open Tuesday through Sunday from 5 PM to 9 PM, with Mondays closed. There is no lunch service to compare against. Book accordingly.
AnnaLena runs a tasting menu format rather than à la carte, so ordering is largely handled for you. Documented signatures include torn bread with mussels and broth, and an oyster with apple-jalapeño mignonette and shaved foie gras — both of which the kitchen has kept on the menu through ongoing rotations. Add wine pairings if budget allows; Reverie Beall's list focuses on small producers and hard-to-find bottles.
Book two to three weeks out as a baseline, and further ahead if you have a specific date in mind. Michelin recognition since 2024 has increased demand, and the restaurant operates on a relatively intimate number of covers. Tuesday and Wednesday evenings tend to be the most accessible; Friday and Saturday fill fastest. Check the website directly for availability.
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