4 Best Restaurants in Kitsilano, Vancouver

If the weather's fine, head for this seafood stand on the seawall, overlooking the docks beside Granville Island. The menu is short—highlights include fish-and-chips, grilled salmon or tuna sandwiches, and fish tacos—but the quality is first-rate. It's hugely popular, and on sunny summer days the waits can be maddening both to order and to wait on its cooked-to-order delivery. So try to avoid the busiest times: noon to 2 pm and 5 pm to closing (usually around 7). Because there are just a few outdoor tables, be prepared to take your food to go.

Chef Angus An's modern Thai menu brings this Asian cuisine to a new level. Although some of his dishes may sound familiar—think green papaya salad, pad Thai, and curries—they're amped up with local ingredients, fresh herbs, and vibrant seasonings. Look for delicious innovations like Thai "cupcakes" with grilled scallops or the three-flavor lingcod that balances sweet, salty, and sour flavors. The bar sends out equally exotic cocktails. The sleek dining room is stylish enough that you could dress up a bit, but you wouldn't be out of place in jeans.

The name doesn't have to do with fairy tales. It's about the farm-to-table movement, which encapsulates the philosophy of this bustling Kitsilano bistro. The idea is creative comfort food. And while the menu looks straightforward, with dishes like wild British Columbian salmon and smoked duck breast, it's full of surprising twists. The Spaghetti and Meat Ball turns out to be tagliatelle topped with a single oversized duck meatball that spills out the sauce when you cut into it, while zucchini "tagliatelle" contains no pasta at all. The moral? Don't judge this always-entertaining book by its cover (and order dessert when the lemon meringue parfait is available).