224 Best Restaurants in British Columbia, Canada

Here you'll find house-made pasta, antipasto, and out-of-the-ordinary wood-fired pizzas with out-of-the-ordinary toppings such as burrata with prosciutto apple. Reservations aren't available. Instead you'll be asked to write your name in chalk on a blackboard. But the food is worth the wait. There are lots of gluten-free options, a good selection of craft beers, and a reasonable wine list. You'll also find Nook in Olympic Village, Kitsilano, and at North Vancouver's Shipyards.

You can make a meal of meze—appetizers like falafel, tabbouleh, or crispy cauliflower served with tahini—at this subterranean Lebanese restaurant. If you're looking for something heartier, the kitchen serves roast chicken, lamb kibbeh, and other meat dishes, but much of the menu is vegetarian-friendly. You'll also find Nuba locations in Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, and Yaletown.

This floating fish-and-chips stand, the original location of the popular local eatery, draws crowds all summer long.

This small restaurant in the woods has garnered all sorts of accolades since it first opened in 2014. Here chef Jesse McCleery, who spent a winter in the kitchen at Noma in Copenhagen, focuses on locally sourced food and unusual ingredients presented in the most imaginative ways. This takes farm- and ocean-to-table to a whole new level. The nightly format is now a seven-course prix-fixe tasting menu (advise staff of any allergies at time of booking) and reservations can book up months in advance. Enjoy the sunset through the trees from the deck of the rustic house—if it gets chilly, use one of the cozy blankets to wrap up. In the backyard, chef Melanie Witt has set up the low key Charmer Pizza which is open Thursday to Sunday evenings.

This laid-back coffee shop is a Vernon gem. They feature a different pastry every day of the week, from eclairs (Tuesday), cakes (Wednesday), and doughnuts (Friday). Arrive early, these delicious masterpieces sell out quick (especially on Donut Friday).

If you like your fish both yummy and ecologically friendly, look no further than this former shipping container on the pier at the foot of Broughton Street. From the soil-topped roof and biodegradable packaging to the sustainably harvested local seafood, this waterfront takeout shop minimizes its ecological footprint. The chef offers a choice of local wild salmon, tuna, and oysters from the barbecue. Portuguese buns are baked daily for the seafood sandwiches, fish tacos come in grilled tortilla cones, and even plain old fish-and-chips are taken up a notch with a choice of wild salmon, halibut, or cod in tempura batter with hand-cut fries. And don't knock the "frikle" (battered pickle) 'til you've tried it. Be prepared for long lineups on sunny days and for variable closures during wet and cooler months.

With a seafood restaurant, a sushi bar, and live music nightly in the wine bar, this venue under the Granville Bridge has something for everyone. For dramatic views over False Creek, reserve a table on the rooftop patio, which is open year-round. Make sure to try their to-die-for crab cake!

An institution in downtown Tofino (it's been operating since 1949), the Schooner's main-floor dining room is comfortable and casually upscale. The seafood dishes change frequently, but ask for the signature halibut filet stuffed with Brie, crab, and shrimp in an apple-peppercorn brandy sauce—it's been their signature dish for more than 35 years. The steaming bowl of island clams, mussels, salmon, halibut, and red snapper is another winner. The Schooner also dishes up weekend brunch and hearty lunchtime sandwiches, burgers, and pastas. An oyster bar and summer patio are pluses. From October to May, the whole operation moves upstairs to a more intimate room with exceptional views of Meares Island.

A perennial favorite with locals for special occasions, this restaurant boasts spectacular views overlooking the city and mountains from its perch at the highest point in Queen Elizabeth Park. Service is excellent in the white-tablecloth dining room, and the menu showcases regional West Coast cuisine. Weekend brunch and Sunday night Prime Rib dinner are popular. Valet parking is available for lunch and dinner. Once in the park, follow the signs to the top of the hill to the restaurant.

Start with a picture-perfect backdrop overlooking the vineyards, add a contemporary market-driven menu, top it off with expert service, and the result is one of the Okanagan's finest dining experiences. With its high-beamed ceilings and wood floors, the interior is rustic, but the best seats are on the terrace looking out across the fields. The menu changes every year but you might find dishes like seared tuna with beets or duck breast with parsnip and sweet potato. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily from May through mid-October, but keeps more limited hours off-season.

Hidekazu Tojo is a sushi-making legend in Vancouver, with thousands of special preparations stored in his creative mind. The first to introduce omakase (chef's choice) to Vancouver, he is also the creator of the "Inside out" Tojo Roll, now universally known as the "California Roll." In this bright, modern, high-ceilinged space, complete with a separate sake lounge, the prime perch is at the sushi bar, a ringside seat for watching the creation of edible art. The best way to experience Tojo's creativity is to order omakase. The chef will keep offering you wildly adventurous fare, both raw and cooked, until you're full. Budget a minimum of C$80 per person (before drinks) for five courses. Tabs topping C$120 per person for six courses or more are routine. Cocktail hour runs from 4 to 6 Monday to Saturday.

With an eclectic assortment of knickknacks, most with a "pig" theme, this cute, bright bistro grabs your attention as soon as you walk through the door. Fiercely local, the wine/beer menu is totally B.C.-centric and dishes use fresh, local ingredients with menu selections ranging from burgers or crispy duck confit to ethnic fusion dishes like Korean galbi ribs. There are several tasty vegetarian dishes available, as well as lunch kits for hikers. Seating is first-come-first-serve, and note that people will drive from as far away as Calgary just to eat here, so there can be lineups during the busy dinner hours.

Long lauded as Vancouver's most innovative Indian restaurant, this dining destination, run by genial proprietor Vikram Vij and his ex-wife Meeru Dhalwala, uses local ingredients to create exciting takes on South Asian cuisine. Dishes such as lamb "popsicles" in a creamy curry or British Columbia rainbow trout in coconut masala served with a wheat berry pilaf are far from traditional—but are beautifully executed. Vikram frequently circulates through the room, which is decorated with nods to India's diverse cultures, greeting guests and suggesting dishes or cocktail pairings. Expect to sip chai or an aperitif in the lounge while waiting for a table if you walk in, or make a reservation—they're now accepted. In the summer, head to the rooftop patio for pre-dinner snacks and a collection of inventive tropical cocktails.

This is one of the most authentic restaurants in town when it comes to Syrian Lebanese flavors. And its waterfront location doesn't hurt either, although in winter, you may want to wear a sweater if seated next to the window. Enjoy stuffed grape leaves, smoked eggplant with pomegranate molasses, and a signature hummus. Shish tawouk (yogurt-marinated chicken) is a winner, as is the mashawi, a mixed grill of eight kebabs (C$110) geared for sharing. Burgers (lamb, of course) get the nod, too. The small bar is elegant and the cocktails imaginative. It's one of the few place to enjoy imported arak. The wine list is decent, too.

Part of the swanky Watermark Beach Resort, this restaurant sits on the water and has terrific views. Guests from other resorts head here for a night out, grazing on appetizers like tuna tostadas and cheese and charcuterie antipasto. More substantial dishes, such as lobster ravioli, are offered for dinner. Many of the featured wines are limited editions from local wineries, so if you didn't taste them during your afternoon touring, you may find them here.

Tucked away inside the Vancouver Art Gallery, the 1931 Gallery Bistro and rooftop (weather-dependent) terrace are quiet retreats from the Downtown bustle. Food is very west coast modern-fusion as in Szechuan prawns with papaya slaw, coconut and carrot soup, and flavorful flatbreads. The poke bowls are excellent as is the selection of eggs Benedict. 

Stop for an espresso on the airy enclosed patio at the West 4th location of this local coffee roaster, where delicious doughnuts are made on-site. 

Vancouver's first upscale vegetarian dining room, this barely bigger-than-an-acorn restaurant serves imaginative plant-based fare that does its vegetables proud. With a hyper-seasonal menu, dishes rotate weekly following shipments from local organic farms. Many menu items are vegan or gluten-free. If you have to wait for a table, pass the time with one of their signature cocktails.

Well-chosen antiques and original artwork create a vibrantly chic atmosphere for what has always been one of Whistler's top fine-dining restaurants. Local farmers grow produce exclusively for Araxi's chef, who also makes good use of regional cheeses, game, and fish. The food is fresh and innovative, best described as Pacific Northwest cuisine. Seafood is a specialty, so while you can certainly order a superbly prepared beef tenderloin, it's dishes like alder-smoked Arctic char or handmade pasta with wild prawns, scallops, and mussels that steal the show. The two-tier seafood tower is a must-try for seafoodies who love to graze and share. Wine aficionados take note: the wine list is 43 pages long. A heated patio is open in summer, and the lounge is a popular afternoon and après-ski spot, especially for its oyster bar.

Locally sourced, west coast cuisine is paired with wines from neighboring vineyards at this lovely ocean-view restaurant in the Brentwood Bay Resort. Start with beet and asparagus salad, then opt for halibut with a touch of ginger or one of the beef, lamb, poultry, and vegetarian dishes. The resort's well-known sushi bar is a destination unto itself offering Dynamite Rolls (tempura prawn based) and a Westcoast Roll (tuna and salmon with avocado) among others. Liquid desserts, as in a Mocha Expresso Martini, are hot favorites among traditional choices of pies, mousses, and sorbets. A big fireplace, two-story-high windows, and a wonderful array of Canadian art warm the interior; outside, a heated patio takes in views of Saanich Inlet. A more casual marina-view pub offers burgers, pizzas, and craft beers at lunch and dinner.

Fresh local ingredients and made-from-scratch fare keep regulars and visitors well fed at this family-run spot on Ganges' waterfront boardwalk. Here chef Shawn Walton takes it up a notch with, for example, duck confit with pear-and-Gorgonzola ravioli, or beef tenderloin with port demi-glace. The art-filled interior is welcoming, and on warm evenings the marina-view patio is positively romantic.

Start with an eclectic Chinatown storefront, stir in funky Asian-flavored cocktails, then add a creative take on traditional Chinese dishes, and the result is this hip and happening hangout. Load up your table with nibbles like Chinese pickles and steamed prawn, scallop, and chive dumplings, or tapas-size dishes like shao bing (sesame flatbread with cumin-scented lamb, pickled red onion, cilantro, and chilis), mantou (steamed buns stuffed with pork belly and preserved turnip), or steelhead trout with kabocha cumin gnocchi, rapini, and shiso butter clam sauce. To drink, perhaps a Mr. Miao (bourbon, Martini Bianco, beet juice, rosemary, and lemon) or a Plum Flower Paw (rum, sherry, plum juice, peppercorn, bitters, and dark lager). Old Chinatown may have been tasty, but it never cooked up anything this fun.

Funky Barb's, a tin-roofed takeout shack, floats on the quay at Fisherman's Wharf, west of the Inner Harbour off St. Lawrence Street. Halibut, salmon, oysters, mussels, crab, burgers, and chowder are all prepared fresh. The picnic tables on the wharf provide a front-row view of the brightly colored houseboats moored here, or you can carry your food to the grassy park nearby. Ferries sail to Fisherman's Wharf from the Inner Harbour, or you can work up an appetite with a leisurely stroll along the waterfront. 

Whether inside the terraced dining room or on the heated beachside patio, almost every table at this 1912 seaside house has views over Burrard Inlet and Stanley Park. The Pacific Northwest menu focuses on unpretentious seafood dishes, such as sea bass or roasted salmon, along with steak, burger, and pasta choices. Lunch is a particularly good option here, followed by a stroll along the pier or the seaside walkway.