The Michelin Guide has deemed eight Vancouver restaurants each worthy of one of its prestigious culinary stars. The Parisian ode to gastronomy revealed its second Canadian edition that touted foodie standouts including the Vancouver outpost of celebrated Beijing restaurant iDen & Quan Ju De and the Japanese-Italian fusion of Kissa Tanto.

“The very first selection is a good start. (It) really represents the high quality of the local culinary field and the great diversity and the great care around the incredible local products,” the guide’s international director Gwendal Poullennec said before the reveal.

The guide’s anonymous inspectors praised the “crispy and juicy duck” found at iDen & Quan Ju De Beijing Duck House, where the signature dish sells for $128 and comes with caviar for an additional $140.

Also earning praise were the contemporary eateries AnnaLena, Barbara, Burdock & Co and Published on Main, which each won a star that identifies them as very good in their category.

A single Michelin star also went to the sushi bar Masayoshi and the Quebecois bistro St. Lawrence.

No restaurants earned two stars, which go to establishments with “excellent” cuisine, nor did any capture a rare three stars, which single out exceptional cooking that is worth a special trip.

However, Poullennec stressed the high standards necessary to achieve even a single star, which anonymous inspectors determine using a global methodology that Poullennec said is applied equally in every country the guide visits.

Factors include flavour, culinary technique, product quality, consistency and whether the chef’s personality is reflected in the dishes.

“You know to be part of the selection is really an achievement in itself. To be awarded with one star means that you are not only one of the best restaurants in your city, but in your country and in the world,” Poullennec said.

The century-old system also awarded 12 eateries with Bib Gourmands, reserved for establishments offering good food for good value, defined as a two-course meal with wine or dessert that costs less than $60.

Vietnamese eateries figured prominently in this ranking – among them Anh and Chi, Phnom Penh and Lunch Lady – while Italian, contemporary and Indian fare also made the cut.

The full selection, including recommended eateries, totals 60 restaurants.

Michelin’s Vancouver guide follows a Toronto-focused list in September that minted Canada’s first two-star restaurant and bestowed single stars on a dozen eateries.

As in Toronto, Michelin’s arrival in Vancouver is thanks in part to a multi-year funding deal to help promote international travel slashed by the pandemic.

The head of Destination Vancouver said the marketing organization negotiated a five-year minimum commitment from Michelin, with the hope that boosting the global profile of local food stars could lure back visitors.

Royce Chwin added that although the partnership means Destination Vancouver will tout the Michelin accolades of certain restaurants, it does not preclude the organization from also promoting other eateries.

“We know that there is a type of visitor out there that will look at who are the Michelin cities, and they will arrange trips and go to those cities to visit to Michelin-rated restaurants,” Chwin said. “When we do that, we actually build capacity, we build a visitor economy for Vancouver.”

Here are the Michelin-starred restaurants, with inspector notes from each (inspector comments in full on the MICHELIN Guide website and mobile app):

AnnaLena (Contemporary): Don’t be fooled by AnnaLena’s unassuming atmosphere, as dining at Chef Mike Robbins’ restaurant is a polished experience from top to bottom. Beginning with the graceful service and carrying through to the impeccably prepared dishes, this is a restaurant that aims to impress — sans the fuss.

Barbara (Contemporary): Chef Patrick Hennessy spent time at many top spots, including Eleven Madison Park in New York, but he is clearly at home at Barbara. The kitchen feels like a stage, with guests perched at the L-shaped bar watching with bated breath as he performs culinary magic.

Burdock & Co (Contemporary): This Mount Pleasant charmer straddles a corner of Main Street in an area rich with top spots, but Burdock & Co stands out with its rustic appeal and Chef Andrea Carlson’s farm-to-table cooking. The concise menu highlights the best of the season.

iDen & QuanJuDe Beijing Duck House (Chinese): It has a pedigree that traces back to Beijing from 1864, but the latest outpost in Vancouver proves that QuanJuDe hasn’t lost any of its luster. It is best known for its superlatively crispy and juicy duck. Delicious as the signature fowl may be, there is plenty more from Chef Allen Ren: A bevy of other delicacies are on offer, including bird’s nest, sea cucumber and even a whole king crab if you’re up for a splurge.

Kissa Tanto (Japanese): Inspired by the jazz cafes of 1960s Tokyo, Kissa Tanto seduces with a moody vibe complete with white mosaic floors, antique Japanese panels and steely colored walls loaded with artwork and photos. There is a definitive laid-back vibe here, but Chef Joël Watanabe’s ambitious kitchen pulls no punches with its mingling of Japanese and Italian cuisine.

Masayoshi (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. Chef Baba lets British Columbia’s bounty guide this omakase, spotlighting locally sourced fish in his Edomae-style nigiri.

Published on Main (Contemporary): Timing is everything, but Chef Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson and his team have a preternatural ability for sensing when produce is at its peak. Whether showcasing it on the plate or pickling and preserving it (those jars even double as decor), they’re sourcing and foraging from local farms and forests. The contemporary fare bears the chef’s distinct imprimatur. This is food that is at once familiar and surprising.

St. Lawrence (French): A hit ever since opening, this charming Québécois bistro shares a true sense of place — it’s even named for the region’s mighty river. Sit close enough to Chef/owner Jean-Christophe Poirier’s kitchen to experience the heady aromas of his rustic and hearty French-Canadian cooking.