Vancouver Restaurants

From inventive downtown bistros to waterfront seafood palaces, to Asian restaurants that rival those in Asia, Vancouver has a diverse array of gastronomical options. Many cutting-edge establishments are defining and perfecting Modern Canadian fare, which incorporates Pacific Northwest seafood—notably salmon and halibut—and locally grown produce. Small plates are big—many restaurants offer tapas-style portions designed for sharing; order several to make a meal and enjoy a variety of tastes.

With at least a third of the city's population of Asian heritage, it's no surprise that Asian eateries abound in Vancouver. From mom-and-pop noodle shops, curry houses, and corner sushi bars to elegant and upscale dining rooms, cuisine from China, Japan, and India (and to a lesser extent, from Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia) can be found all over town. Look for restaurants emphasizing Chinese regional cuisine, contemporary Indian-influenced fare, and different styles of Japanese cooking, from elaborate multicourse kaiseki dinners with their prescribed sequence of small courses, to light meals at casual izakayas (Japanese tapas bars). Even in restaurants that are not specifically "Asian," you'll find abundant Asian influences—your grilled salmon may be served with gai lan (Chinese broccoli), black rice, or a coconut-milk curry.

British Columbia's wine industry is enjoying great popularity, and many restaurants feature wines from the province's 100-plus wineries. Most B.C. wines come from the Okanagan Valley in the province's interior, but Vancouver Island is another main wine-producing area. Merlot, pinot noir, pinot gris, and chardonnay are among the major varieties; also look for ice wine, a dessert wine made from grapes that are picked while they are frozen on the vines.

If you enjoy strolling to scope out your dining options downtown, try Robson Street for everything from upscale Italian dining rooms to cheap, friendly Asian cafés and noodle shops, or explore Denman and Davie streets for a variety of ethnic eats. In Yaletown, Hamilton and Mainland streets are full of restaurants and upscale bars, many with outdoor terraces. In Kitsilano, West 4th Avenue between Burrard and Balsam streets has plenty of restaurant choices. Broadway, which runs across the city from the East Side toward the University of British Columbia, is also lined with places to eat. The blocks around the Granville Street and Cambie Street intersections are particularly food-friendly, though the ongoing subway construction in the Cambie area (expected to continue through 2009) has made exploring that neighborhood a bit more challenging.

An up-and-coming food district is Main Street, particularly around East Broadway and farther south between King Edward and 33rd avenues. Further on the East Side, Commercial Drive has a plethora of cafés, world-beat eateries, and other casual options.

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