Restaurant
St. Lawrence
Chef Jean-Christophe Poirier's Michelin-starred restaurant on Powell Street serves refined Québécois and French cooking, with maple running through a weekly-changing table d'hôte.
Vij’s
Opened by chef Vikram Vij in 1994, this Cambie Street Indian restaurant is a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick and still welcomes walk-in guests every evening from 5:30pm.
At a glance
- Type
- Indian
- Area
- South Cambie, Vancouver, Canada
- Price
- $$$ · Upscale
- Official site
- vijs.ca
Good to know
- Michelin Bib Gourmand
- Walk-ins welcome
- Delivery
Why we recommend it
Vij's opened on 1 September 1994 and has been a fixture of the Vancouver dining scene ever since. Chef and owner Vikram Vij trained in hotel management in Austria and cooked at the Hotel Post in Lech, the Banff Springs Hotel and Bishop's in Vancouver before opening his own place. His approach, in his own words, is that cuisines should evolve while still honouring their heritage and culture, and the menu brings modern ideas to Indian cooking.
The restaurant has collected a long list of honours. It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand, the guide's award for good cooking at good value, in each edition from 2023 to 2026. Vij has been named Chef of the Year and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Vancouver Restaurant Awards, and the New York Times writer Mark Bittman once ranked it among the finest Indian restaurants in the world. The restaurant appeared in Canada's 100 Best Restaurants rankings from 2015 to 2018, placing 29th in 2015, 27th in 2016, 26th in 2017 and 50th in 2018. Vij is also known to many Canadians from television, as the first Indo-Canadian Dragon on CBC's Dragons' Den and from appearances on Top Chef Canada, Chopped Canada and Recipe to Riches.
Part of the Vij's experience is the welcome. The restaurant has always been friendly to walk-in guests, and Vij is known for handing out chai to people waiting in line for a table. It opens every evening from 5:30pm. You can now also book through Tock, which is the simplest option for a specific time, but the restaurant still states that walk-ins are always welcome, so it is a good choice for spontaneous plans.
It suits most visitors: couples, families and groups who want to share dishes, and anyone curious about how Indian cooking has developed in Canada. The menu is also available for delivery through DoorDash if you would rather eat in.
Check the website before you set off, as the restaurant occasionally closes for private events; it did so on 15 and 27 October 2026, for example, reopening as normal the next day. Vij's is at 3106 Cambie Street, south of downtown.
Vij’s FAQs
When does Vij's open?
Every evening from 5:30pm.
Can you walk in without a reservation?
Yes. The restaurant says walk-in guests are always welcome, and bookings can also be made through Tock.
Has Vij's received a Michelin award?
Yes. It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand, listed for 2023 to 2026.
Who runs Vij's?
Chef and owner Vikram Vij, who opened the restaurant in 1994.
Is there anything for people waiting?
Vij is known for personally handing out chai to guests waiting in line.
Does Vij's deliver?
Yes, through DoorDash.
Does it ever close for private events?
Occasionally. Check the website before you go.
Where is it?
At 3106 Cambie Street, south of downtown.