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COFU is making some big changes this fall, including saying goodbye to the restaurant where it all started.
The plant-based Japanese restaurant will wind down its original COFU Pressed Sushi location at 1833 Anderson Street near Granville Island in September, with its signature pressed sushi moving across town to COFU Chinatown.
Fans shouldn’t worry though, as owner Akiko Gulkison said she’s already working on an entirely new concept for the Anderson Street space, with more details expected this fall. “We want our plant-based pressed sushi to continue growing with us,” Gulkison said in an announcement. “Bringing it to Chinatown gives us the chance to elevate the menu, while introducing new options to our supporters and reaching new diners as well.”
It marks another evolution for a restaurant that has done plenty of evolving since Gulkison opened COFU in 2021.
As the Straight explored in a profile of Gulkison earlier this year, COFU actually began with both fish and vegetable dishes. Just a few months after opening, however, Gulkison made the unconventional decision to eliminate meat and fish entirely, drawing on Japanese cooking techniques and lessons learned from her grandmother to develop a completely plant-based menu. Pressed sushi became central to the restaurant and helped COFU build a loyal following at its tiny Anderson Street location.
Then, in July 2025, Gulkison took a much bigger swing with COFU Chinatown. The restaurant expanded her approach into a more ambitious dining experience, including a fully plant-based omakase alongside tasting and à la carte menus.
Now the two sides of COFU are basically coming together.
Starting October 1, pressed sushi will be available for dine-in at COFU Chinatown with an updated menu that Gulkison describes as an evolution of what customers already know. And for Gulkison, the move also creates room at the old location to try something new back where COFU began. Exactly what that means remains under wraps for now.
“We are grateful to our loyal customers who have supported us since day one,” she said in an announcement. “We hope to see our customers at 1833 Anderson Street and look forward to introducing the evolution of our pressed sushi menu at COFU Chinatown.”
COFU Pressed Sushi will continue operating at 1833 Anderson Street through September, while the new concept planned for the space is expected to be revealed later this fall.
AloJapan.com