Vancouver, British Columbia — Food and Dining
Restaurants in Vancouver, British Columbia
Restaurants
Expensive
Chambar
Chef Nico Schuermans serves up Belgian- and North African-influenced cuisine in a smart, yet relaxed setting with outstanding service. Schuermans creates exquisite dishes using local produce; the moules frites in particular are a must-eat. The bar is all part of the Chambar experience, with an enormous selection of handpicked Belgian beers and imaginative handcrafted cocktails. Expect things to turn a little crazy in here on hockey nights.
562 Beatty Street
Tel: (604) 879 7119.
Website: www.chambar.com
Fuel
Located in trendy Kitsilano, Fuel has been the recipient of numerous awards, notably Vancouver Magazine's 2009 ‘Chef of the Year' prize for Robert Belcham. The kitchen serves up regional produce such as slow cooked Fraser Valley lamb, Queen Charlotte Islands' halibut or seasonal fruit whipped into a delicious concoction for dessert. The setting is laid back with an exposed kitchen so guests can watch the chefs at work.
1944 Fourth Avenue West
Tel: (604) 288 7905.
Website: www.fuelrestaurant.ca
West
Rated by locals as one of the city's best restaurants, it's no surprise that Vancouver Magazine awarded West its ‘Restaurant of the Year' title four years in a row (2005-8). Situated in the stylish South Granville neighborhood, West delivers carefully thought-out and regionally focused food, with an impressive collection of wine to boot. The décor is sleek and contemporary, with soft leather chairs and a massive swirling sculpture suspended from the ceiling.
2881 Granville Street
Tel: (604) 738 8938.
Website: www.westrestaurant.com
Moderate
Bin 941
Although it is labelled a tapas parlour, many of the dishes from Gord Martin's open kitchen are the full meal deal and you may not always want to share - the filo-wrapped beef Wellington comes as a small work of art, and there are many equally good examples of a cuisine that has far more of a West Coast flavor than Spanish. The décor is full of eclectic touches, enlivening the small space.
941 Davie Street
Tel: (604) 683 1246.
Website: www.bin941.com
Elixir
A classy French bistro in Yaletown's über-hip Opus Hotel, Elixir offers a choice of three dining rooms depending on your mood. Traditional French staples are the order of the day, such as duck confit, coq au vin and salade Niçoise. Elixir also whips up a mean breakfast should you need to snap out of a hangover: its pancakes with vanilla bean syrup and blueberry compote work a treat.
Opus Hotel, 350 Davie Street
Tel: (604) 642 0557.
Website: www.elixirvancouver.ca
Salt Tasting Room
The dining experience at the Salt Tasting Room is simple, as is the interior, with its exposed brick walls, long communal tables and giant blackboard showing the day's menu. Diners choose from a regularly changing selection of 10 meats, 10 cheeses and 10 condiments supplied by local and international producers. The wine list is refreshed weekly, with a fine offering of wine, port, sherry and beer.
45 Blood Alley, Gastown
Tel: (604) 633 1912.
Website: www.salttastingroom.com
Vij's
Regarded by many as the best Asian restaurant in Vancouver, Vij's is not the place to go for a standard curry but rather to enjoy experimental Indian dishes using top local produce and home-made yogurt, cheese and ghee. The no-reservation policy means there may be a wait, but chai and snacks are served in the lounge to whet the appetite.
1480 West 11th Avenue
Tel: (604) 736 6664.
Website: www.vijs.ca
Cheap
Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company
This restaurant specializes in creating tasty flatbread pizzas made from 100% organic ingredients and baked in a clay wood-fired oven. There's a vast range of toppings such as free-range rosemary lemon chicken, Capriny goat's cheese, mango pieces or home-made pesto. This is a good option for families, with a kids' play area.
1876 West First Avenue, Kitsilano
Tel: (604) 730 0321.
Website: www.rockymountainflatbread.ca
Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant
Having received many awards and accolades over the years, this modern and posh Cantonese restaurant is a well-known place for its daily dim sum. The roast squab is particularly notable. Also on offer is fresh seafood, such as abalones, rock cods, geoducks, lobsters, prawns and giant Alaska king crabs. Diners select a live creature out of the fish tank and then choose the cooking style for their dish.
3888 Main Street (at 23rd Avenue)
Tel: (604) 872 8822.
Website: www.sunsuiwah.com
The Naam
Winner of a great many awards, this 24-hour restaurant in Kitsilano specializes in vegetarian fare at very reasonable prices. Seated within the casual wooden interior, diners 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.
2724 West Fourth Avenue, Kitsilano
Tel: (604) 738 7151.
Website: www.thenaam.com
Nightlife
Vancouver offers nightlife to suit all tastes, including nightclubs, pubs, lounges and karaoke bars. Popular areas for going out include Gastown, Yaletown and around Granville Street, which has become increasingly popular of late. The largest cluster of Vancouver's gay establishments can be found in the Davie Village, on Davie Street west of Granville Street.
Entertainment listings can be found in the free weekly alternative paper, The Georgia Straight (www.straight.com), as well as in the Thursday edition of the Vancouver Sun (www.vancouversun.com). Information on the city's gay and lesbian scene is available in the free weekly Xtra West (www.xtra.ca).
Bars
Brickhouse
Brickhouse in Chinatown is a popular writers' hang-out.
730 Main Street
Tel: (604) 689 8645.
Ginger Sixty Two
Granville Street and its surrounds has steadily become more of a night-time destination in Vancouver: try Ginger Sixty Two, a sexy, hip lounge at number 1219, with a chic 1960s décor, great cocktails and tasty Pacific-Asian-fused dishes. Thursday is a special ladies night with erotic films screened on the ceilings.
1219 Granville Street
Tel: (604) 688 5494.
Website: www.ginger62.com
Yaletown Brewing Company
The lively Yaletown Brewing Company is Vancouver's original and best brewpub, complete with TVs, pool tables and a fireplace.
1111 Mainland Street
Tel: (604) 681 2739.
Website: www.markjamesgroup.com
Clubs
Celebrities Nightclub
For gay visitors, Celebrities Nightclub is a favorite with Vancouver's gay population, with good DJs.
1022 Davie Street
Tel: (604) 681 6180.
Website: www.celebritiesnightclub.com
Shine
For nights of house, hip-hop and the like, one of the hottest spots in Vancouver is Shine.
364 Water Street, Gastown
Tel: (604) 408 4321.
Website: www.shinenightclub.com
The Roxy
Granville Street is home to The Roxy, which draws weekend clubbers for chart dance hits.
932 Granville Street
Tel: (604) 331 7999.
Website: www.roxyvan.com
Live Music
Commodore Ballroom
The renovated Commodore Ballroom, a classic Vancouver venue complete with bouncy dance floor, is a great place to catch established acts and well-known artists, who also play at the Queen Elizabeth, 649 Cambie Street, and Orpheum, 601 Smithe Street, theaters (www.vancouver.ca/theaters).
868 Granville Street
Tel: (604) 739 4550.
Website: www.livenation.com
The Biltmore Cabaret
The Biltmore brings a New Orleans/gothic bordello/1940s Shanghai show lounge together in a modern fusion of Cabaret. With an eclectic range of live acts performing every night of the week (from hip hop to instrumental indie rock) and special 'Kitty Nights' on Sundays (a burlesque show hosted by the 'Purrfessor', who is as charming as he is hilarious), it's no wonder The Biltmore is becoming so popular.
2755 Prince Edward
Tel: (604) 676 0541.
Website: www.biltmorecabaret.com
The Cellar
The top spot for jazz in the city is The Cellar. Check out the Vancouver Jazz Society (www.vancouverjazz.com) for information on the local jazz scene.
3611 West Broadway
Tel: (604) 738 1959.
Website: www.cellarjazz.com
