Vancouver’s dining scene is dynamic and eclectic, with a strong focus on west-coast seafood, farm-to-table cuisine and Asian flavours. Eating out is rarely stuffy, and there’s a laid-back and casual feel to even the high-end eateries. The food-truck phenomenon has well and truly hit this city – you can grab everything from pierogies and poutine to Belgian waffles and Japanese hot dogs.
The Vancouver restaurants below have been hand-picked by our guide author and are grouped into three pricing categories:
Expensive (over C$60)
Moderate (C$30 to C$60)
Cheap (Up to C$30)
These are based on the average price of a three-course meal, not including drinks, taxes or tips.
Restaurant charges are subject to the 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST) and an additional liquor tax (10%), which are usually added to the bill at the end. Restaurant bills do not usually include a service charge, so a tip is expected. The standard is 15%, with 20% given for good to exceptional service.
Expensive
Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio
Cuisine: Peruvian/Japanese/west coastOccupying a waterfront spot with a huge outdoor patio by the sea wall, Ancora blends Peruvian and Japanese cooking traditions with west-coast sustainable seafood and produce. Whether you're savouring South American grilled steak, Canadian scallop ceviches or barely cooked steelhead trout, this high-end eatery is a great people-watching spot.
Address: Downtown, 1600 Howe Street, Vancouver, V6Z 2L9Telephone: +1 604 681 1164.
Website: http://www.westrestaurant.com
Bauhaus Restaurant
Cuisine: GermanHoused in the late-19th-century Boulder Hotel building, Bauhaus Restaurant is an upscale eatery headed up by Michelin-starred chef Stefan Hartmann. The menu features classic German dishes with a modern twist, such as Wiener schnitzel, meatballs and cheese spatzle, accompanied by buttermilch margaritas and German draught beer.
Address: Gastown, 1 West Cordova Street, Vancouver, V6B 2J2Telephone: +1 604 974 1147.
Website: http://bauhaus-restaurant.com
Chambar
Cuisine: BelgianChef Nico Schuermans serves up Belgian-influenced cuisine in a smart, yet relaxed setting with outstanding service. Schuermans creates elaborate dishes using local produce; the moules frites in particular are a must-eat. The bar is all part of the Chambar experience, with handpicked Belgian beers, the restaurant's own Chambar ale, and imaginative handcrafted cocktails.
Address: Crosstown, 562 Beatty Street, Vancouver, V6B 2L3Telephone: +1 604 879 7119.
Website: http://www.chambar.com
Moderate
AnnaLena
Cuisine: CanadianLego art and colourful teddy figurines add a quirky touch to this stylish Kitsilano eatery. The food presentation is as fun as the décor, with a menu focusing on local seafood like scallops and mussels plus meaty dishes such as slow-cooked pork jowl with goat-cheese polenta.
Address: Kitsilano, 1809 West 1st Avenue, Vancouver, V6J 5B8Telephone: +1 778 379 4052.
Website: http://www.annalena.ca
Hapa Izakaya
Cuisine: JapaneseIf you're looking for snacking, sharing plates and drinks, Hapa Izakaya's Japanese tapas is a good choice. Regularly changing menus might include arubi saba (marinated mackerel sashimi), gindara (baked sablefish with a sake-miso marinade) and chipotle beef curry, washed down with chilled sake and Hello Kitty cocktails.
Address: Yaletown, 1193 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, V6B 5P6Telephone: +1 604 681 4272.
Website: http://www.hapaizakaya.com
Nightingale
Cuisine: Modern CanadianChef David Hawksworth is already known for his eponymous fine-dining restaurant in the Hotel Georgia. His latest venture is less formal, but the menu is equally thrilling, with creatively cooked veggies, gourmet pizzas and seafood small plates like Pacific rockfish, plus a tempting list of fruity cocktails.
Address: Downtown, 1017 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, V6E 0C4Telephone: +1 604 695 9500.
Website: http://hawknightingale.com
Cheap
Field & Social
Cuisine: SaladsLocal, seasonal produce is the key ingredient to Field & Social's inventive (and filling) salads. Chutney marinated chickpeas spice up the Bombay Bowl, while fried capers add a little fizz to the Farmer's Crop. A popular lunchtime spot with the office crowd, this eatery fills a bright space with shared wooden tables. Weekday lunch only.
Address: Downtown, 415 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver, V6B 1X4Telephone: +1 778 379 6500.
Website: http://www.fieldandsocial.com
Save on Meats
Cuisine: North AmericanYou can't miss the glowing pig on the outside wall of this retro diner. The sign is one of the few survivors of Vancouver's 1970s anti-neon sign laws. Inside, you can choose from a stool at the bar if you're eating alone, or cram into a booth and tuck into corn beef hash, Belgian waffles and eggs benny.
Address: Downtown, 43 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, V6B 1G4Telephone: +1 604 569 3568.
Website: http://www.saveonmeats.ca
The Naam
Cuisine: VegetarianThis 24-hour restaurant has been attracting veggie diners since the 1960s. Seated within the casual wooden interior, guests can choose from a range of foods that include salads, soups, Mexican dishes, stir fries and vegetarian burgers - ideally accompanied by sesame fries with miso gravy. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed.
Address: Kitsilano, 2724 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, V6K 1R1Telephone: +1 604 738 7151.
Website: http://www.thenaam.com
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