Anniversaries make for a great excuse to celebrate, and for local restaurateurs it’s a chance to come up with specially crafted fare.

While not a complete list of every eatery in town that’s marking a milestone, here are a few that have one more year in business to be proud of.

Chez Christophe Chocolaterie Patisserie (4717 Hastings Street, Burnaby)  Headed by Switzerland’s Christophe and Jess Bonzon, the Burnaby Heights chocolate and pastry shop turns five this year. To celebrate, Christophe travelled to the Cacao Barry headquarters in Paris earlier this year to create his own custom chocolate bars. “The support we have received in the past five years has been incredible,” he said in a release. “We love this tight-knit community.”

As the only Burnaby chef to travel to France for the chocolate giant’s Or Noir program, Christophe came up with two blends: the bold but fruity 70.4% “Yverdon”, named after his hometown and originating from Santo Domingo and Peru; and the 63.6% “Montreux” (which takes its name from the place where he learned his craft), the dark chocolate having a touch of smokiness and originating from Madagascar, Ecuador and Papuasie.

Chez Christophe launched five other new chocolate bars: 34% Blanc, 35% Blanc Caramel, 42% Pure Lait, 60% Noir Brut, and 70% Noir Intense ($7.95).

“Chocolate will always be my biggest and number one canvas,” said Christophe, who, in 2015, won four out of five categories at the World Chocolate Masters Canadian Final. “When I invent with chocolate, I feel the options are limitless. Anything is possible if you put your heart and soul into it. And, creating my own chocolate is definitely a highlight of my career as a chocolatier.”

Tipper Restaurant & Review Room (2066 Kingsway)  The East Van eatery celebrates a decade of serving honest, organic, locally sourced fare while supporting local artists, whether they’re painters, musicians, or actors. Also known as the Bottle Tipper and headed by Colin Shandler, it also opens its doors to organizations needing space to hold events, support groups, or other gatherings.  

Open daily for breakfast and dinner it is celebrating with its classics, serving everything from Nutella French toast and eggs on salad to wild salmon burgers and grilled-tempeh veggie burgers to nonmedicated sirloin steak and barbecued baby back ribs.

Torafuku (958 Main Street) Chef Clement Chan and the team at Torafuku is celebrating the restaurant’s third birthday this year, and how freaky is this: torafuku translates to lucky tiger in Japanese, and tiger is the Chinese zodiac symbol for the number three. 

In 2012, Chan and Steve Kuan started Le Tigre food truck, which fast became one of the city’s most well-loved. The restaurant gives Chan the chance to play with French and Italian influences while keeping the focus on Pan-Asian food.

To mark the resto’s third year, the team has made some big changes. They include new cocktails by Kuan: Kyoto Moonlight (Hojicha infused Moonlight Shochu, Grand Marnier, orange, lemon, Sencha Syrup); Funky Town Sling (Long Table London Dry Gin, Cointreau, Chinese Bai Jiu, pineapple juice, lime, bitter, hibiscus syrup); and O My Sake (Senkin Junmai Sake, pear juice, lime, Japanese green tea syrup, Smoky pear bitter).

Chan has introduced several new menu items, with larger dishes designed to share. (Only two fan-favourite dishes remain: Everyday I’m Brussels’ and General Tao’s Fried Chicken). Look for Dropping Mad Beets (roasted golden beets, “Mizukan” pickled red beets, maitake and shitake mushrooms, candied walnuts, garlic kale, torched burrata), for instance, and the Donald (grilled five-spice duck breast prepared medium rare, shaved foie gras, compressed cherry, roasted cauliflower and puree, ginger and stinging nettle spätzle).

 Torafuku is also having a Happy Birthday Hour from 5:30 to  7 p.m. from July 24 to 26 with $3 cocktails. Plus, desserts will be $3 all night long those dates.

The Deighton Cup Hastings Racetrack is home to the Deighton Cup, now in its 10th year of Champagne, hats, high fashion, and derby action. At the July 21 event, Hawksworth provides catering for those who opt for it; choose from a three-course VIP lunch or the more casual Festival Pass lunch, which includes selections such as ahi-tuna poke bowl or a Sante Fe chicken salad.

Sen Pad Thai Having turned one earlier this year, Chef Angus An’s Granville Island eatery Sen Pad Thai is moving from Granville Island’s Net Loft to the Public Market. The restaurant will take over the space that is currently occupied by Curry2U.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing Sen Pad Thai grow in its new home,” An said in a statement. “We are excited to join the other food counters in Granville Island’s most recognized landmark.”

Initially, Sen Pad Thai will continue to serve up various versions of pad Thai as well as Asian-inspired snacks and sides, daily curry and desserts; however, new dishes are in the works for the summer.

Juke Fried Chicken (182 Keefer Street)  The eatery celebrates its second anniversary with the launch of a second location at 1074 Davie Street. It will have a southern-inspired menu along with some “surprises” in a fully licensed, counter-service spot that will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week as well as weekend brunch options.

Other establishments that are marking significant anniversaries this year include White Spot (various locations), which turned 90; Burdock and Co. and Railtown Catering (395 Alexander Street), which both turned five; and Fayuca (1009 Hamilton Street) (which turned one).

This year also marks the 30th anniversary of Le Dîner en Blanc in Paris and its 7th edition in Vancouver (August 23).