I dined at Folke, a MICHELIN-recommended plant-based restaurant located in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood. Rather than treating vegetables as alternatives to meat, Folke builds their menu around seasonal produce, fermentation and detailed house-made components.
Folke was opened in June 2022 by chef and restaurateur Colin Uyeda and pastry chef and front-of-house manager Pricilla Deo. The pair created the restaurant after reflecting on their experiences in hospitality and considering how they could build a healthier working environment for their team. Their hospitality-included model incorporates gratuities into the menu prices, with staff receiving salaries and benefits.
Uyeda’s culinary background includes time at Kissa Tanto in Vancouver, Pilgrimme on Galiano Island, RyuGin in Tokyo and Relae in Copenhagen. At Folke, he applies those experiences to a vegetable-focused menu made with ingredients from local farms and producers. The restaurant prepares many elements in-house, including bread, pasta, ferments and desserts.
Folke has been included in the MICHELIN Guide since 2023 and was named one of Air Canada enRoute’s Best New Restaurants in 2023.
What We Tried
The Kabocha Squash Croquette had a crisp exterior and a soft, naturally sweet centre. Smoked nori added a gentle flavour, and the fermented corn salsa brought acidity and freshness. The aioli tied the components together without overpowering the squash.
The Gyozas arrived pan-fried with golden, crisp wrappers. They were served over smooth aioli which gave the dish a creamy texture and savoury, smoky flavour. It was a comforting plate with more richness than I expected from a plant-based dumpling.
One of the more familiar ideas on the menu was the Spanish Tortilla, reworked with roasted sunchokes, potatoes and chickpea custard. It had the dense, satisfying texture associated with a traditional tortilla, but the sunchokes added a subtle sweetness. Green garlic ranch made it creamy and herbaceous, with sun-gold tomato bravas sauce adding brightness.
There was the Beetroot Tartare, made with roasted hazelnuts and hazelnut cream. The beetroot had a rich, earthy sweetness that worked well with the creamy, nutty base. Chicory added some bitterness, and the flowering blackcurrant dressing brought a tart, fruity note. The house-made olive oil crackers were crisp and sturdy enough for scooping everything together.
The Roasted Broccoli was one of the most layered dishes of the meal. The broccoli was tender with lightly charred edges, served over burdock gremolata and a glossy cherry glaze. Pears brought sweetness, kimchi added acidity and spice, and the pickled stachys had a crisp texture. There was a lot happening, but the flavours still felt connected.
The Chickpea Tofu had a soft, smooth texture and a mild savoury flavour. It was served with tart, spiced cabbage, which gave the dish acidity and a little heat. Toasted cashews added richness and crunch, creating a nice contrast with the delicate tofu.
For a more substantial course, we had the House-Made Tortiglioni. The ridged pasta held onto the pepperoni sauce well, giving each bite a savoury and lightly smoky flavour. Charred kale rapini added bitterness, dried tomatoes brought concentrated sweetness, and the parsley garlic crumbs provided a crisp, aromatic finish.
We also had the House-Made Bread, a warm spent-grain and sourdough dinner roll glazed with homemade Marmite and smoked maple syrup. The glaze created a sweet and savoury exterior with a subtle smokiness. It was served with sourdough miso butter, which was creamy, salty and full of fermented flavour. This was not simply bread on the side, it felt like a complete dish of their own.
Dining at Folke showed how satisfying a fully plant-based menu can be without relying heavily on meat substitutes. The food focused on vegetables, grains, nuts and fermented ingredients, with careful attention given to texture and seasoning.
Many dishes combined sweetness, acidity, smoke and savoury flavours in unexpected ways. The use of house-made bread, pasta, sauces and ferments gave the meal a distinct identity, and the sharing format made it easy to try a broad selection.
Folke is worth considering for diners who enjoy vegetable-focused cooking, creative flavour combinations and menus that change with the seasons. You do not need to follow a vegan diet to appreciate the amount of technique and thought behind the food.
Folke Restaurant
2585 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC