Taste the West Coast: Burdock & Co

When it comes to seasonal and sustainable dining, Vancouver offers more choices than almost anywhere else. Since our city is perched right on the edge of the ocean and fully immersed in nature, it’s no surprise that sustainable seafood, locally farmed produce and wild foraged foods take centre stage here.

Ask a local for one of their favourites, though, and they’re more than likely to point you toward Burdock & Co.

Ever since chef owner Andrea Carlson opened the restaurant in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood in 2013, this elegant but unfussy spot has endured as a cozy neighbourhood staple. For over a decade, Burdock & Co has been encouraging diners to learn and taste the stories of the earth beneath their feet through sharing unforgettable meals rooted in the land.

Under Chef Andrea Carlson’s leadership and creative commitments to sustainable, elevated dining, the restaurant became the first Canadian restaurant owned and operated by a female chef to earn a Michelin Star in 2022, among many other accolades. This year, Burdock & Co won Vancouver Magazine’s 2025 Sustainability Award, and we can absolutely see why.

Part of the restaurant’s appeal can be chalked up to its unique, seasonal approach to dining. Burdock & Co exclusively serves tasting menus inspired by the Pacific Northwest. Throughout the year, six Moon Menus are crafted to align with a moon phase, changing to reflect the botanical motifs, seasonal shifts, and hyper-regional ingredients available locally at that time.

Using healthy, unprocessed foods, Burdock & Co is constantly seeking to deepen connections with local growers, producers, and foragers, supporting local food security while expressing Chef Andrea Carlson’s reverence for the land and the people who nourish it.

This philosophy can be observed up close in the Burdock & Co garden, located on the restaurant grounds at the corner of Main street and 11th Avenue, where green foliage and leafy vegetables blossom and bloom.

Take the fennel plant as an example. In the Burdock & Co kitchen, the fronds (that’s the feathery, leafy part of the plant) and green fennel seeds are utilized creatively, then the other parts of the plant are pickled to bring a sweet anise flavour to the plate. This garden’s not just for humans, though. Plants like fennel are extremely important to urban pollinators.

With this deep connection to the land comes a love of showcasing foods that are unusual in some way, from burdock root to sea urchin.

Working with fishmongers like Jenice Yu of EatFISH.ca, Chef Andrea Carlson features sustainable seafood on the menu in a big way. Maintaining meaningful relationships with local fishmongers is one of many ways that Burdock & Co participates in Vancouver’s vibrant food ecosystem.

Taking part in local initiatives like the “Eat the Invaders” program, which highlights the Red Sea Urchin’s destructive impact on local kelp forests and encourages more sustainable seafood practices, Burdock & Co serves unexpected delights like their famous Uni (sea urchin) Gelato, featuring local Red Sea Urchins, almond, burdock and radicchio crumb. Dishes like these are acts of preservation in action, since there is an overabundance of Red Sea Urchin in the ocean right now and eating these “invaders” can be a part of the solution.

And, beyond the confines of the menu, the rustic 32-seat space itself offers a microcosm of these same values. Low-flow fixtures ensure water conservation is a top priority, and you’ll feel right at home among the beetle-salvaged pine, weathered barn boards and handmade ceramics by local artists.

So, next time you find yourself itching to explore the culinary delights of Vancouver’s MICHELIN Mile, book a table at Burdock & Co and experience the seasonal rhythms of the Pacific Northwest right there on your plate.