If you were craving pizza, then you’ve come to the wrong place. Pizza Coming Soon is a Japanese restaurant with a name just as unique as its menu — even if it is misleading.
“It’s a confusing name, some people legitimately hate it,” co-founder and graphic designer Alex Usow admitted “Everything is so dumbed-down these days, but there’s magic in leaving people confused— there’s an intrigue.”
With its laid-back and no-fuss ambiance, Pizza Coming Soon attracts young and “fun” adults (scare quotes mine) who are looking for a destination with good drinks and food. Whether you come in with one friend or a group, the restaurant knows how to keep its customers engaged, with events ranging from karaoke nights to spontaneous afterparties, like that for band BADBADNOTGOOD earlier this year.
Pizza Coming Soon opened in Chinatown in late 2020, amidst COVID-19 restrictions. The restaurant was founded by Usow, bar manager Dylan Jones and head chef Keith Allison. After hearing so many Vancouverites complain about how the city is boring and there’s nothing to do, the friends decided that rather than complain, they would give the city a fun and unpretentious restaurant.
Many of their dishes can accommodate dietary restrictions, like their fried rice, which has a vegan or gluten-free option, and their popular mushroom tempura, which can be made with vegan batter.
“You’d have to be a lunatic to open a restaurant in Vancouver that doesn’t have vegan or vegetarian options,” said Usow.
While much of their menu features traditional Japanese dishes, like their nasu dengaku, which is grilled eggplant topped with a sweet miso sauce, other dishes are fusion-style Japanese-inspired dishes, like their periyaki chicken, which consists of a sauce that is best described as a combination of Peri-Peri and teriyaki sauce.
Their expansive drink menu follows a similar theme with seasonal drinks and traditional Japanese beverages. Their original concoctions still take clear inspiration from Japan, like their “Piña Coming Soon” which contains sake and Calpico, a popular Japanese soft drink.
“We do have some weird dishes that you can only find at our restaurant, to keep things fun,” Usow said.
Some dishes are limited due to their use of seasonal ingredients, some are “experiments that should have never seen the light of day,” and some swap out based on availability. They recently had to pull their aigamo sumiso a duck-based dish, from their menu due to an avian flu that has severely affected the duck industry.
Beyond excellent food and drinks, the restaurant sells apparel designed by Usow himself. It also occasionally hosts events, like DJ nights, or special chef collaboration nights. Usow, who also likes to DJ, explained that these events are really just the owners inviting their friends over to have some fun.