HELLO NORI ROBSON

VANCOUVER, BC

Hello Nori Hand Roll (Flagship)

Restaurant

Concrete Cashmere provided full design and construction management services for the original Hello Nori concept restaurant, a 1,500 SF experiential Japanese-inspired hand roll bar located on Robson Street in Vancouver, BC.

This flagship location set the tone for the brand’s minimalist and modern aesthetic, blending natural materials and clean lines to create a welcoming and immersive dining experience.

Hello Nori offers an elevated culinary experience and is the first restaurant in Vancouver to exclusively serve Japanese hand rolls — crispy nori filled with warm rice and the freshest locally sourced, sustainable seafood and produce. Each hand roll is served one at a time and meant to be eaten immediately, allowing diners to savour the crispness of the nori in delicious contrast to the cold, fresh seafood.

The U-shape bar perches 24 seats with full view of the hand roll making action. From the subtle ocean waves of the wood ceiling to the crass (un)finished concrete, our design team stayed true to the Wabi Sabi vision while ensuring compliance with the current public health and safety protocols.

The inspiration for the design of the restaurant was to transcend authenticity by finding beauty in imperfections. Modelled after the Wabi-Sabi way of life, the structure and details “appreciate and accept complexity while at the same time, values simplicity.” The restaurant’s distinguishing features combines a mix of raw materials such as wood, metal, and concrete.

Following the success of the flagship location, Hello Nori has expanded to multiple high-profile destinations, including The Amazing Brentwood, CF Richmond Centre Mall, King West in Toronto, and the newly launched Hello Nori Signature at Park Royal in West Vancouver. Each location continues the brand’s minimalist yet immersive design language, thoughtfully crafted to deliver a cohesive and elevated dining experience.