Vancouver’s West Broadway City Hall area has just gotten a new sushi experience with the arrival of Junzushi, a new omakase spot focused on bringing out the full potential of local seafood.
Set to soft open from March 11-17, with its official opening on March 18, this intimate 10-seat sushi counter is all about precision, technique, and an appreciation for the art of nigiri.
The new spot takes over the former Genki Eki unit beside Michaels, which quietly shut down back in November 2024.
Behind Junzushi is Chef and Owner Andrew Guan, a Vancouver-born sushi chef whose passion for Edomae-style sushi started back in high school.
After seven years working in Vancouver’s sushi scene, he took his training to Japan, spending a year at Ebisu Endo in Tokyo, refining his craft and deepening his knowledge of sourcing, curing, and preserving fish.
“I wasn’t originally planning to open right away when I came back to Vancouver,” he shared with Noms Magazine, “but during my year in Japan, my boss and colleagues highly encouraged me to do it as soon as possible.”
That advice led him to quickly secure a space and bring his vision to life.
Junzushi’s menu takes a hyper-focused approach to sushi, with 50-60% of the fish sourced locally and the rest carefully selected from Japan.
“Most omakase places rely heavily on fish from Japan, but in our local waters, we have fish that would be really delicious if properly made into nigiri sushi,” Chef Andrew explained.
With Junzushi, he looks to highlight underappreciated local seafood using traditional Edomae and regional Japanese sushi techniques.
Expect nigiri with Haida Gwaii wild king salmon, Vancouver Island scallops, and Nova Scotia bluefin tuna, alongside Japanese favourites like Hyogo horse mackerel and Kagoshima longtail snapper.
“The heart of the shop is the hinoki wood counter,” Chef Andrew said.
The restaurant itself is designed with minimalist elegance, featuring a 6-metre-long hinoki (Japanese cypress) counter and a handcrafted ajiro (woven bamboo) ceiling flown in from Japan.
The lighting is warm, the decor is understated, and the experience is set to be an intimate deep dive into the art of sushi-making.
Junzushi joins a growing wave of high-end omakase spots in Vancouver, but with a distinct emphasis on local seafood and traditional techniques.
“I want to make sushi that makes people say, ‘I didn’t know salmon could have this depth of flavor’ or ‘I usually don’t like albacore tuna, but this is different,’” Guan said.
If you’re a sushi purist or just someone looking for an elevated dining experience, this is one to check out.
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Address: 693 W Broadway, Vancouver BC