Restaurant critic Mia Stainsby retires from The Vancouver Sun after 39 years

Mia Stainsby started working at The Vancouver Sun in 1987. Photo by Luis Valdizon /Mia Stainsby

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“I guarded my anonymity when visiting restaurants and still don’t use my name when I reserve,” says Stainsby, who started at the newspaper in 1987 before transitioning to the role of restaurant critic in 1993.

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In an industry, and at a time, when a negative print review could spell bad news for a business, the inability for restaurant teams to single out Stainsby in advance of a visit or meal was something of a pain point for people working within the local scene.

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“We never knew that it was Mia who was coming into the restaurant, because none of us knew what she looked like,” recalls Chef Vikram Vij of Vij’s restaurant, with a laugh. “So, for the longest time, I had no idea that she would come in regularly to the restaurant, and I had no idea who she was.”

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Stainsby’s closely guarded inconspicuousness has relaxed in recent years as the food media industry has evolved.

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“With the advent of social influencers, publicists and restaurant events, I ‘came out’ somewhat,” she says.

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But while her approach to anonymity changed, her steadfast commitment to sharing the stories behind each restaurant dish has never wavered.

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“She’d review the passion behind the restaurant, she did her homework, she knew the dish and asked questions about the dish that she ate. And so it always felt great being reviewed by her,” says Vij. “Because, even if she wrote something negative, which she didn’t, but even if she did, or about other restaurants, or anything else, her way of writing was very respectful.

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“She’s not just a food writer that writes and tries to demolish or hurt the restaurant. She wants to support the industry.”

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An archival review by Mia Stainsby, published in The Vancouver Sun on Feb. 13, 1993. Photo by PNG Archive

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For the past 30-plus years, Stainsby has invited readers to dine at her table as she mapped a guide through her column to the city’s diverse and ever-changing food landscape. And, in doing so, she’s helped to evolve the local industry as a whole.

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“Mia’s column has been an institution in this city and helped shape Vancouver’s culinary scene into what it is today,” says Chef Rob Feenie of Le Crocodile by Rob Feenie. “A restaurant critic like Mia can make a huge difference to restaurants. A great review can introduce new people to a place, while a tough one can affect its reputation. The best critics understand that responsibility, and Mia always approached it with fairness and respect.”

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Vancouver’s food scene, Stainsby summarizes is “beautifully poly cultural, blurring the lines between world gastronomies.” It’s that diversity, she notes, that best describes the city’s culinary identity.

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Noting the vast influences of local chefs and their ability to challenge diners — “recently, I discovered how good chicken knee and chicken artery yakitori are,” she notes — Stainsby says the city’s proximity to exceptional ingredients and farmers is the biggest “gift” of the Vancouver food industry.