New Concept Restaurant Coming to Granville Island

A dream team of chefs is set to offer gourmet counter service in repurposed shipping containers this summer.

One good reason to actually brave the tourist crowds that swarm Granville Island this summer: a brand-new pop-up concept restaurant led by four of the city’s hottest chefs.Angus An (Maenam, Longtail Kitchen), Robert Belcham (Campagnolo), Hamid Salimian (consultant for Earls, founder of NextJen) and Joël Watanabe (Kissa Tanto) will be running the show at Popina Canteen, their gourmet counter-service spot. The intention is to house the kitchen and takeaway counter in repurposed shipping containers on the northwest side of the Public Market; outdoor seating will look out over False Creek and downtown.No word on an opening date or what the actual menu will be, but there’s enough to get excited about here with this list of names alone—provided the Granville Island seagulls don’t snatch the Japanese-Italian-Persian-Thai upscale Dirty Burger or whatever out of your hands halfway through your lunch.

For more on the latest restaurant openings and events, subscribe to the VM newsletter!