Kissa Tanto

Kissa Tanto
Company type	Private
Industry	Restaurant
Founded	June 2016; 10 years ago
Headquarters	Vancouver, Canada
Area served	Vancouver's Chinatown district
Key people	Tannis Ling (co-owner), Joël Watanabe (executive chef and co-owner), Alain Chow (sous chef and co-owner)
Products	Italian-Japanese fusion cuisine
Number of employees	80 (seating capacity)

Kissa Tanto is a fusion restaurant combining Italian and Japanese culinary traditions, situated in Vancouver's Chinatown district. The establishment, accommodating 80 guests, opened its doors in June 2016 on the upper floor of 263 E Pender St. Its name merges the Japanese word kissa, referring to the jazz cafes of 1960s Tokyo, with the Italian term tanto, which translates to "very much" or "a great deal". The restaurant is jointly owned by restaurateur Tannis Ling, executive chef Joël Watanabe, and sous chef Alain Chow, who envisioned the concept as an immersive, nostalgic dining retreat.

The design of the venue plays a crucial role in defining its character. While the exterior is modest with a small awning and neon signage, the interior showcases mid-century modern influences through curved banquettes, banker’s lamps, maple and walnut wood finishes, alongside polished brass details. Elements reminiscent of jazz cafes are evident in the glossy coved ceiling and stacks of vinyl records positioned behind the bar instead of a conventional mirror.

Kissa Tanto presents a contemporary fusion menu that harmonizes Italian and Japanese cuisines, capitalizing on their mutual focus on simplicity, umami taste profiles, and locally sourced ingredients. This culinary blend is adaptable, integrating traditional aspects from both cultures without strict adherence to rigid formulas. A standout dish is their whole fried fish.

Since its inception, Kissa Tanto has garnered praise for its evocative vintage ambiance and inventive dishes. It consistently ranks among Canada’s top dining establishments, including appearances on Canada's 100 Best lists. Within its debut year, it was recognized by several critics as the "best new restaurant," and in 2022 it was awarded one Michelin star.

Description and development

Located on the second floor at 263 E Pender St. in Vancouver’s Chinatown neighborhood, Kissa Tanto is an Italian-Japanese fusion eatery. Its name fuses the Japanese term kissa, inspired by 1960s Tokyo jazz coffeehouses, with the Italian word tanto, meaning "so much" or "a lot".

The partners behind Kissa Tanto—Tannis Ling along with executive chef Joël Watanabe and sous chef Alain Chow—had previously worked together at Bao Bei, another well-regarded Chinatown brasserie. After Bao Bei’s success, they aimed to create a new concept without predefined boundaries. Collaborating once again with Ste. Marie—the design firm responsible for Bao Bei—and drawing inspiration from local establishments such as St. Lawrence and Savio Volpe, Watanabe suggested exploring a Japanese-Italian fusion theme which ultimately shaped the restaurant’s identity.

Envisioned as a romantic getaway spot described by Ling as a "little secret hideaway," Kissa Tanto was deliberately placed on an upper floor to cultivate a dark and adventurous mood. After securing a lease in February 2015 for a space that had remained empty for three decades, staff recruitment began by October that year. Construction proceeded through March 2016, followed by a soft opening in late April before officially launching in June 2016.

Visual design

The exterior of Kissa Tanto is designed to be discreet, blending seamlessly into its surroundings and inviting discovery. The red brick structure topped with jade-green Chinese roof tiles retains much of its original slightly weathered appearance. Its presence is subtly marked only by a small purple neon "KT" sign and a royal-blue awning displaying the restaurant’s name. Access involves ascending a steep staircase concealed behind heavy blue velvet drapes.

Inside, the décor channels mid-century modern aesthetics alongside inspiration from Italian architect Gio Ponti’s work and evokes jazz clubs like Tokyo’s Hotel Okura. Notable features include a high-gloss coved ceiling and pixelated floor tiles influenced by John Gall’s artwork for Haruki Murakami novels. The color scheme—incorporating raspberry, blue-green, and royal blue tones—has drawn comparisons to scenes from David Lynch films. Mid-century furnishings such as curved banquettes, banker’s lamps, maple and walnut wood accents, and polished brass fixtures contribute to an unmistakable ambiance. A distinctive elevated dining booth known colloquially as "the hot tub" anchors the back area of the room. Instead of traditional mirror-backed shelving behind the bar, vinyl records and assorted curios are displayed.

To comply with Vancouver’s energy standards, most lighting fixtures utilize LED bulbs that offer subdued, atmospheric illumination through a single chandelier complemented by eye-level lights enhancing mood. The soundtrack predominantly features jazz and blues music selections.

This design approach creates an environment that feels timeless rather than tied to any particular era or location, evoking memories of New York or Los Angeles during their golden years. This distinctive aesthetic underpins Kissa Tanto’s acclaim as an immersive dining destination celebrated by critics and industry accolades alike.

Cuisine

Kissa Tanto presents an innovative blend of Italian and Japanese cuisine, a combination deeply rooted in culinary tradition and harmony. Italian cuisine, referred to as itameshi in Japan, has enjoyed popularity there since the 1920s, with Italian ingredients frequently incorporated into Japanese dishes. Both culinary styles prioritize simplicity, umami-rich flavors, and the use of fresh, local produce.

The menu showcases chef Watanabe's diverse heritage—having a Japanese father and a French-Canadian Corsican mother—and his culinary experiences spanning South American and Mexican food cultures. With a decade of expertise as a sushi chef complemented by training in Italian and French kitchens, Watanabe crafts his dishes based on instinct rather than rigid recipes.

All ingredients are sourced locally with sustainability in mind. Whole fish and meats are processed on-site, allowing the kitchen to offer less typical cuts such as pork loin, pork belly, and fish collar as daily specials. Additionally, dressings, pickled vegetables, garnishes, and sourdough bread are all prepared in-house. The sourdough is accompanied by nori butter and olive oil.

The dishes creatively marry classic Japanese components like kombu, miso, and katsuobushi with traditional Italian fare such as lasagna and tajarin. Other offerings include Japanese croquettes (korokke) and chawanmushi enhanced with Italian ingredients like parmesan cheese. Watanabe explains that the fusion varies: “Sometimes dishes lean more Italian, other times more Japanese. It’s uncommon for them to be perfectly balanced.” Alexandra Gill of The Globe and Mail commended items such as the chilled vegetable platter for capturing the essence of Vancouver's culinary scene. Despite the unconventional combination, Watanabe reports favorable reactions from both Italian and Japanese diners.

Kissa Tanto’s hallmark dish is its fried whole fish. This signature preparation involves scoring a whole fish or large cut in a diamond pattern, coating it in potato or rice flour batter, then quickly frying it. It is served alongside grated daikon soy sauce for dipping. Gill noted the rarity of whole fish presentations in Vancouver dining and praised the kitchen’s skillful execution.

Reception

Year	Rank	Change
Canada's 100 Best Restaurants ranking
2017	14	new
2018	10	Template:Up 4
2019	16	Decrease 6
2020	12	Template:Up 4
2021	No List
2022	29	Decrease 17
2023	10	Template:Up 19
2024	10	Template:Nochange
2025	18	Decrease 8

Since its inception, Kissa Tanto has regularly appeared on leading restaurant rankings. In 2016, it was named the top new Canadian restaurant by EnRoute magazine and was ranked first among Vancouver’s best new eateries by Alexandra Gill. Vancouver Magazine honored it with "Best New Design" (2017) and "Best Pan-Asian" awards (2017, 2019). The restaurant was recognized as the best new establishment on the 2017 Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list. From 2017 through 2020, Kissa Tanto consistently placed within the top twenty—14th in 2017, rising to 10th in 2018, then ranking 16th in 2019 and climbing to 12th in 2020. The list was suspended in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; it returned with Kissa Tanto positioned at number 29 in 2022.

In Vancouver’s debut year within the Michelin Guide in 2022, Kissa Tanto earned a coveted Michelin star alongside seven other local establishments. This prestigious recognition has notably elevated its status within the market, with one critic describing it as "arguably Vancouver’s most difficult reservation to secure."

Design

Kissa Tanto's enchanting and surreal ambiance has been celebrated for immersing guests in a fantastical environment. Described by Canada's 100 Best as a "delightfully quirky, genre-blending retreat," the venue's design invites patrons into an alternate reality. Pete Wells remarked that the interior evokes "a fictional parallel universe." Meanwhile, Vancouver Magazine compared it to "a setting so romantic and meticulously crafted, it resembles a movie set." EnRoute drew parallels to film noir enhanced by Italian-Japanese subtitles, while ChefsFeed likened stepping inside to entering a story by Murakami. Critics observe that visitors are drawn to its imaginative style; Lindsay Anderson of Bon Appétit noted it as "an event that calls for dressing up," and Wells pointed out that guests often appear dressed up purely for enjoyment. According to Condé Nast Traveler, the clientele’s fashion is trendy yet casual, perfectly complementing the atmosphere.

Cuisine

Kissa Tanto’s creative blend of Italian and Japanese culinary traditions has earned widespread praise from both critics and patrons. Chef Joël Watanabe is acclaimed for skillfully uniting these two distinct food cultures. EnRoute commended Watanabe for demonstrating how Italy and Japan naturally align through their mutual appreciation of noodles, mushrooms, and umami flavors. The Vancouver Sun emphasized his exceptional ability to balance and harmonize diverse tastes. Monocle acknowledged his expertise in integrating ingredients and techniques from both cuisines, enhancing the strengths of each. Mallory Farrugia characterized the menu as maximalist, highlighting its varied textures and bold inventiveness. Wallpaper magazine observed that the dishes possess a subtle complexity akin to the restaurant’s layered interior design.

References

Description and development

Visual design

Cuisine

Reception

Design

Cuisine

See also

References