¿CóMO? Ultramar Opening in Vancouver With Spanish Seafood
The team behind ¿CóMO? Taperia is opening a seafood-focused restaurant inspired by Northern Spain at East Broadway and Carolina Street.
Vancouver’s Spanish dining scene is about to gain a new seafood destination.
The team behind Mount Pleasant’s Michelin Guide-recognized ¿CóMO? Taperia will open ¿CóMO? Ultramar this winter at 592 East Broadway, bringing live-fire cooking, whole grilled fish and the seafood traditions of Northern Spain to the neighbourhood.
Founders Shaun Layton and Frankie Harrington are developing the restaurant around the coastal cuisines they have encountered during their annual research trips through Spain.
“Ultramar is inspired by the places Frankie and I travel to often during our annual trips to Spain,” says Layton. “There will be a definite focus on the cuisine of Northern Spain, such as the seaside towns of the Basque Country, Cantabria and Galicia, but also the old-school seafood bars of Madrid, the modern, playful seafood restaurants of Barcelona and the tabernas of Cádiz.”
While the inspirations span several regions, the common thread will be seafood served simply and confidently, using quality ingredients and careful technique.
Whole Fish and Live-Fire Cooking
Cooking at ¿CóMO? Ultramar will be centred around live charcoal, with whole fish prepared over the fire in the Basque style.
“The cooking will be centred around live charcoal,” Layton says. “Think whole fish over fire, Basque-style, with the best seafood we can source locally and from afar.”
Guests can expect classic seafood preparations, whole grilled fish and dishes influenced by the lively bars and coastal restaurants the team has visited throughout Spain.
“Our philosophy at ¿CóMO? Ultramar is to keep things simple with classic dishes and exceptional ingredients, all executed with great technique,” Layton adds. “We’ll also have a few fun surprises inspired by our favourite rooms in Spain.”
An Experienced Vancouver Restaurant Team
Joining Layton and Harrington as chef-partner is Daniel Kim, a veteran of Vancouver’s fine-dining community.
Kim spent nearly a decade at Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar, rising to the position of chef de cuisine. His previous accolades include the 2018 Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship and the 2021 RC Show Garland Competition.
Leading the front-of-house team will be general manager Sean Grady, who is moving over from ¿CóMO? Taperia after several years with the restaurant.
Ahead of the opening, Layton, Harrington, Kim and Grady will travel to Spain in September for further research and development.
A Historic East Broadway Location
The approximately 2,500-square-foot restaurant will include a main dining room and a second-level mezzanine.
¿CóMO? Ultramar will be located inside the historic Faber Block, a building originally constructed in 1926 and formerly known as The Carolina.
Over the past century, the building has housed several neighbourhood businesses, including a confectionery shop, Black & White Grocery and the much-loved Seb’s Cafe.
The new restaurant is being designed by Vancouver firm Ste. Marie, with branding by Glasfurd & Walker and construction by Harmony Pacific.
The opening will add another notable restaurant to a stretch of East Broadway that continues to grow as a food and drink destination, while giving Vancouver diners a new place to gather around whole fish, charcoal and seafood inspired by Spain’s northern coast.
¿CóMO? Ultramar Details
- Address: 592 East Broadway, Vancouver
- Opening: Winter 2026
- Instagram: @comoultramar
- Website: comoultramar.com
