The 38 Best Restaurants in Vancouver

Ringed by soaring mountains, with gleaming glass skyscrapers reflected in the still waters that surround its downtown core, Vancouver is easy to love, says local food writer Nikki Bayley. Over 40 percent of Vancouver’s residents were born outside of Canada, and the city is home to robust Chinese, Indian, and Filipino communities, to name a few. The thriving urban hub of British Columbia is “a proudly immigrant city,” Bayley says. “The combination of chefs from around the world bringing their own culinary traditions to the exceptional produce from the Lower Mainland and superb seafood from the cold clean waters around Vancouver Island has created a delicious and new style of West Coast cuisine.”

The city’s most beloved and vital dining experiences reflect this blend. From traditional soup dumplings to top-notch (and affordable) sushi, Vancouver is spoiled for choice when it comes to Asian dining. Locavore dining is the city’s signature. “Casual and super-healthy with an eye to sustainability, the city ticks in time with the sharply defined seasons, and everything from spot prawns to ramps are duly feted,” says Bayley. “Add in mushrooming brewery and distillery scenes and an intoxicating variety of wine varietals from the nearby Okanagan and you’ll see why Vancouver’s reputation as one of the world’s best places to eat and drink is more than deserved.”

Want just the newcomers? Head on over to our Vancouver heatmap. But for the utterly quintessential, listed in geographic order, read on.

February 2018 Update

As always, some places must leave the list to make room for others. Here are a few of the highlights:

• Delicious times are always ahead at Annalena, Bauhaus, and Salvio Volpe, but it’s time to say goodbye to make room for the fresh blood of St Lawrence, Mak ‘n’ Ming, and Tempranillo.
• We’re stepping away from the brunch queues at the ever-excellent Café Medina to join the throngs across town at the Red Wagon, and switching up ramen allegiance from the velvety broth at the Ramen Man to the hand-made noodle heaven of Marutama.
• Cocktail nerds should continue to make a beeline for Prohibition, but we’re tipping the hat to Uva this time.
• Madcap dessert and chocolate makers Beta 5 already have a place on every serious chocolate-lover’s list, so make way for unsung downtown patisserie, Thierry.
• Say farewell to fried chicken superheroes Zabu and hola to the late-night taco and margarita mayhem of Gringo.

Price key:

$ = Less than 20 Canadian dollars (less than $15 USD)

$$ = 20 to 49 Canadian dollars ($15 to $40 USD)

$$$ = 50 to 100 Canadian dollars ($40 to $75 USD)

$$$$ = More than 100 Canadian dollars (more than $75 USD)

Take a trip to an excellent Parisian bistro, by way of the city’s beachside Kitsilano neighborhood, where up-and-comer chef Dan McGee and team are whipping up French standards with BC’s finest produce. Everything from the Monin syrups to the stunning custom-made bar come from France — even the serving staff are mostly French, although with the happy addition of Canadian manners. Open for buttery croissants in the morning to gooey croque-monsieur at lunch and juicy entrecôte-friteswith a mouthwatering crisp char at dinner, anytime is a good time for Au Comptoir. [$$]

After making a name for themselves at Pidgin with their innovative blend of Asian flavors and French technique, chefs Makoto Ono and Amanda Cheng set up Mak N Ming in a tiny space in the beachfront Kitsilano neighborhood. It’s tasting-menu only here, either the full six course or a three-course “demi.” Service is always on point, and you’ll find plenty of lesser-known wines to pair with the creative Japanese fusion. The menu changes frequently, so don’t go falling in love with those Dungeness crab noodles. [$$$-$$$$]

One of the city’s most exceptional (and hardest working) chefs, Angus An has three other spots dotted across the city, including the noodle bliss of Fat Mao and Freebird Chicken Shack which excels in Asian-style rotisserie. But if you only have time for one, go to Maenam to experience An’s deft flavor-balancing act of sweet, aromatic, citrus, heat, and spice, which creates plate-lickingly great Thai dishes with a BC-twist. With terrific value, attentive service, and a killer cocktail and wine list, the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner — and is even good for take away to nearby Kitsilano beach. [$$]

There’s little point in naming must-have dishes at chef David Gunawan’s cozy room on W. 6th as the menu changes daily according to what his suppliers bring. Serving set omnivore and herbivore menus, even in the heart of winter his dishes glow brightly with a sense of the seasons. Vegetables are elevated to the star turn here; pickled and fermented or roasted and smoked, with rare breed meats such as Tamworth pork used sparingly but to elegant effect. Dive into the natural wine pairings and ask if they have the amazing velvety unfiltered Little Farm Cabernet Franc. [$$$]

Perfect for a quick lunch after checking out Stanley Park and English Bay, arrive early to bag one of the Deluxe Bento Boxes (only 10 made each day) to eat your way through the menu’s high points. At nighttime, enjoy the exuberant atmosphere and over-order from the far-too-tempting daily changing fresh menu. Seafood favorites such as tuna tataki shine alongside sizzling stone-grilled beef tongue and crisp chicken karaage served up with three kinds of salt. [$$]

Take a 20-minute trip on the Skytrain from downtown to the neighboring city of Richmond, which Eater’s roving critic, Bill Addison, calls “one of the cultural marvels of North America,” for some of the finest Asian food in the world. At this award-winning favorite, the dim sum is hand-made by chef-owner May Chau, who focuses on Hong Kong classics: steamed pork and crab dumplings, pan-fried pork buns, and deep fried wontons — all must-orders. [$-$$]

Sure the aisles are packed with wide-eyed Instagrammers at this popular tourist destination, but there are some jewels to be found here to assemble a superb picnic for watching the boats and paddle boarders on False Creek. Take your pick from delights such as pickled headcheese, succulent mortadella, and punchy salami at the Oyama Sausage Co, then head to Terra Bread to pick up some superb focaccia or baguettes before stocking up on local Salt Spring Island cheeses at Benton Brothers and fresh doughnuts at Lee’s. [$]

After a brisk walk, run, cycle, or paddle around the seawall, make for this modern gem nearby on Robson Street for a comprehensive rundown of some of the city’s tastiest Taiwanese cooking. The xiao long bao, soup dumplings which you can watch being made if you’re waiting for a table, have clean bright flavors, and the whole menu is easily accessible to those who may be unfamiliar with this style of cuisine. [$]

Think the Seinfeld Soup Nazi was harsh? Then you haven’t met chef Maumi Ozaki, who presides over this cult omakase spot in the West End — woe betide you if you break his rules. No children allowed, no alcohol for sale, bookings are only permitted by phone, and you must spend at least $20 per person and never take photos of him at work — or of anyone else’s food. Just 30 diners a night spread across three 90-minute seatings get to taste the exceptional seafood that Ozaki brings in five times a week from Japan. Make sure you’re one of them. [$$-$$$]

Don’t worry: The queues for this West End ramen favorite move fast, and it’s always absolutely worth the wait — especially if you’re a noodle fan. Each day this small ramen shop makes 500 4.4-ounce balls of noodles (you can watch the machine from the dining area) which rest for 24 hours before being cooked and slurped up. Hailing from Japan, Marutama favors a silky rich chicken broth over the heavier pork-based tonkotsu. Prepare to be enchanted — and don’t miss out on the egg. It’s consistently the best in the city. [$]

If you’ve never tried Peruvian-Japanese food, then here’s your chance in one of the city’s most picture-perfect locations on the seawall overlooking False Creek. The early bird prix-fixe menu offers excellent value and a chance to sample some of the restaurant’s high points, but the real star is the Ancora Glacier: a funky take on a seafood tower. You’ll swoon over the creamy whipped cold causa topped with juicy Dungeness crab and spicy Salt Spring Island mussel escabeche. [$$$]

If you’re looking for the ideal eco-friendly locavore Vancouver dining experience, you just found it. Few walk the sustainable walk like chef Chris Whittaker and his team, who conjure up locally farmed, seasonal, and foraged menus to pair with all-BC wine, beer, and cocktails served up with sincere hospitality. The energy-efficient gizmos and zero landfill waste records are impressive, but so too is the Turtle Valley Bison bone-in sirloin and the delicate annual treat of Whittaker’s nettle farro grain risotto. There’s also a killer weekend brunch. [$$]

In the summer, there are few places lovelier than CinCin’s tucked-away patio above busy Robson street, but year-round this is simply some of the most elegant and restrained Italian cooking you’ll find in the city. Silky pastas gently kissed with uncomplicated sauces and butter, sustainable and organic meats and fish cooked on a dazzling wood-fired Grillworks Infierno, and seasonal light bright salads — essentially harmony and happiness on a plate, with one of the city’s best wine lists. One warning, try not to fill up on the exceptional bread basket, tempting though it may be. [$$$]

Vancouver is blessed with some exceptional Chinese restaurants and Kirin offers a unique perspective by showcasing the very best local ingredients through a Northern Chinese lens — meaning with big, bold flavors. There’s a daily fresh menu (each of Kirin’s four locations does something different) and they also serve dim sum from 11 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Don’t miss the spring rolls, which are light, small, and delicate with fillings that change seasonally, and check out the often unusual dumpling combos. [$$]

Old-school white linens, fresh, local and sustainable Ocean Wise ingredients, and top-notch friendly service go hand in hand with outstanding value at Joe’s. An unpretentious choice for lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch, guests here can dive into fresh-shucked B.C. oysters, piled-high bowls of fresh fried crisp calamari, and buttery miso-marinated sablefish. Dining on a budget? The daily blue plate lunch special clocks in at $10, and there are great dinner deals too. Join the locals for afternoon and evening happy hour oysters and sliders on the suntrap rooftop patio. [$$]

There are hotel restaurants and there are restaurants in hotels and Boulevard is definitely the latter. Pedigreed chef Alex Chen and team’s inventive take on west coast seafood brings diners into some excitingly experimental territory but never strays far from harmony and balance. It’s a bright, beautiful room to enjoy crowd-pleasing seafood towers or steak-frites, while the service, cocktails, and wine list are all on point. All that plus there’s a great daily happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with cocktails on tap, oysters, and an insanely good wagyu beef Korean galbi dog. [$$$]

Open till midnight seven nights a week, Thierry makes for the perfect late-night cake-fueled adventure. Delicate, buttery lemon tarts; decadent rum-soaked savarins; crumbly sea salt-butter cookies; and lavishly decorated cakes both big and small are on offer, along with a tempting array of seasonal treats (just wait for Okanagan peach season!) and handmade ganache-filled chocolates. [$]

Dynasty boasts twinkling chandeliers, views over the city from its first-floor perch on West Broadway, and, thanks to chef Sam Leung, some of the city’s best modern Chinese food. Open daily from 10 a.m. for dim sum, its standouts are the buttery barbecue pork cha siu bao with baked lemon, and the silky, wafer-thin dumplings stuffed with fresh shrimp, scallops, and black truffles. Dinner features a “24-hours notice” menu, with Cantonese delights such as mushroom-braised duck. Service skews more efficient than hospitable, but the food easily makes up for it. [$$-$$$$]

Raw from the sushi bar or cooked from the open kitchen, seafood is the star at this Yaletown institution. Widely acknowledged as one of Canada’s leaders on responsible seafood, chef Frank Pabst and team push the culinary envelope a little each February with their Unsung Heroes festival, which celebrates lesser-loved species, encouraging diners to broaden their palates and try more sustainable seafood such as poached periwinkles and red sea urchin trifle. Year-round, the service is superb, the wine list dizzyingly wonderful, and the BC seafood towers a splurge meal you’ll adore. [$$$-$$$$]

After an elevated career in high-end restaurants, such as London’s Galvin La Chapelle and Vancouver’s all-vegetarian Parker, chef Felix Zhou has abandoned fine dining for comfort food. His Financial District lunch counter (which is also open for early dinner) has been crazy busy since opening in 2016. It’s no wonder: Zhou’s deceptively simple menu of casual Asian eats offers something for both vegetarians and meat eaters. You’ll find silky bao stuffed with slow-roasted pork belly or shiitake mushrooms, piled-high rice bowls topped with fried eggplant or sticky-sweet duck, and five-spice wings or cauliflower. [$]

In the heart of the city’s entertainment district, Uva sports a variety of hats: In the morning, it does sterling service as a European-style cafe with excellent espresso, before morphing into a lunchtime hang with great, Italian-inspired small plates. In the afternoon, Uva becomes a happy hour scene with elevated cocktail nibbles before finally taking up duty as one of Vancouver’s favourite late-night cocktail bars. Order a wine flight and drink your way around the world, or dig into the award-winning creations of bar manager Sabrine Dhaliwal, who deftly walks the line between lower-alcohol drinks and bold and boozy ones. [$$]

Even Vancouverites — who truly wear yoga pants everywhere — dress up when they dine at chef David Hawksworth’s excellent restaurant. Everything from the Damien Hirst art on the wall of its outstanding cocktail bar to the gleaming oversized crystal chandelier in the main dining room sets your expectations high for what’s to come. Fortunately, those expectations are effortlessly met with this pitch-perfect exploration of west coast cuisine threaded through with Asian flavors and modern techniques. Unmissable. [$$$$]

It’s been a while since Vancouver had such a pretty place to see and be seen, and since opening in April 2017, Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim has been consistently busy. The Champagne lounge bubbles over with excellent options, and the wine list features a raft of exclusive terroir-driven picks from BC and beyond. Definitely stop for cocktails at the Lab — where drinks come with theatrical drifts of dry ice and other high-concept presentations — before diving into the wildly photogenic food of chef Hector Laguna (formerly of Hawksworth), airy dishes with whisper-light but flavor-dense foams, made with locally sourced delights. [$$$-$$$$]

Chef Vikram Vij is a huge star in Canada, with a stint as an investor on the reality show for aspiring entrepreneurs Dragon’s Den, and a national range of pre-packaged gourmet frozen curries to his name. Everyone from ex-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to Harrison Ford has waited for a table while enjoying free snacks, thanks to Vij’s no reservations policy. Join the queues and feast on ambrosial curries paired with BC wines and funky cocktails. This is fine dining Indian-style, with local ingredients and painstakingly hand-ground spices. Don’t miss the lamb popsicles. [$$$]

The food stacks up to the dazzling view at this popular Japanese restaurant overlooking Coal Harbour and the North Shore Mountains, which specializes in Aburi-style flame-seared sushi. Splurge at dinner for the beautifully presented kaiseki tasting selection, or at lunch get an Aburi sampler. All the fish is sustainable and Miku has one of the best sake lists in the city; try a flight of three paired to match your food. Don’t miss the green tea opera cake for dessert. [$-$$$]

The staff at Nemesis seem genuinely pleased to serve, and the food here goes beyond the usual coffee-shop bakes (although the chocolate cashew and smoked salt cookie is the bomb) to offer a full lunch menu of fresh salads, sandwiches, and crispy duck-three-ways waffles. As for the brew? The baristas are skilled and eager to help you pick the right espresso or pour over from small-batch roasters like Toronto’s Pilot and Seattle’s Slate.[$]

After a stint at the Savoy in London, cooking for Mick Jagger, Prince, and a host of other glitzy celebs, Belgian chef Nico Schuermans has created the archetypal Vancouver casual fine dining restaurant. It offers an elegant room, faultless service, and a no-nonsense menu of French/Belgian-influenced classics made with Pacific Northwest ingredients, which you’d be more than welcome to enjoy coming straight from yoga class still in your Lululemons. [$-$$$]

Wildebeest is a very Vancouver-ish kind of restaurant, focusing on nose-to-tail cooking using organic-raised animals, sustainable seafood, and seasonal — and often custom-grown or foraged — vegetables. The cocktail menu is terrific and includes drinks designed to be paired with food, the wine list thoughtful, and the cooking table-bangingly wonderful. Save yourself from the impossible tyranny of choice and go omakase and have them decide for you. But insist on the smoked olives, fried chicken, and yeah, do a sherry luge post-bone marrow too. [$$-$$$]

Gringo’s back-alley, late-night vibe may seem unpromising, but it’s a home away from home for the restaurant industry in Gastown and drinkers wishing to tap into the restorative power of tacos after a long, late night. Tron-inspired unicorns and cats with laser eyes comprise the decor, and the menu is equally irrepressibly silly, from the “Chippy Dippy” section to the White Girl Wasted cocktails. Booze comes brown-bagged, with the tequila labeled “crap” or “OK,” and cocktails come garnished with a gummy worm. But the food — including aromatic, slow-cooked, meat-stuffed tacos and particularly excellent brisket — goes way beyond sloppy late-night fare and is seriously great. [$]

In the heart of Gastown, there are so many reasons why L’Abattoir needs to be part of your dining plans: it’s open for dinner and weekend brunch, with one of the city’s most innovative cocktail menus and an excellent happy hour. Make a reservation to enjoy impeccable French technique combined with superb west coast produce in a beautiful room. The sweetbreads are fantastic, and scallops roasted with brown butter a delicate delight. [$$$]

Two words: pork spread. Well, to be more accurate, one word: sobrassada, a soft, spreadable chorizo that team Tempranillo makes in house. It’s reason enough to stop by this Spanish-inspired spot in the heart of Gastown. However, you’ll also find shareable raciones — slightly bigger than tapas — of local treats, such as marinated white anchovies, buttery beef tenderloin carpaccio, olive oil-poached and brined tuna belly, plus a selection of tinned Spanish conservas like squid and razor clams. The drinks are on point too, with great sherry options, authentic vermouth, and Basque ciders. [$$]

Drawing inspiration from the bounty of Pacific Northwest and seamlessly blending that with French techniques and Asian influences, Pidgin’s cuisine unerringly reflects the blurring of the line between East and West in Vancouver. Although perfect for bar snacks — the gochujang chicken wings are the best in the city — and genuinely thrilling for the creative cocktails with ingredients such as toasted rice rum and gunpowder tea gomme, Pidgin’s prix fixe is an exceptional value with eight mini courses of pure inventive delight for $55 per person. Whisky and sake fans will love the selection, and the wine list offers global gems too. [$-$$$]

Seasonal produce shines brightly in this softly-lit vegetarian restaurant that strums along happily to hipster beats in the heart of the city’s funky Main Street neighborhood. The menu switches up frequently (save for the show-stopping halloumi in a whisper-thin beer batter with minty smashed peas) and the vegan techniques employed are faultless — who knew that aquafaba (chickpea water) and coconut cream could make everything taste so delicious? The wine list has plenty of lesser-known biodynamic varieties to try and, impressively, the non-alcoholic drinks are given as much consideration as the excellent cocktails. [$$]

Andrea Carlson’s resume reads like a rundown of every restaurant that helped shape Vancouver’s fresh, local, and sustainable style: C, Raincity Grill, Sooke Harbour House, Bishop’s — she’s worked at them all. You’ll find a shining example of British Columbia-based casual fine dining in Burdock & Co’s locavore menu, which pairs perfectly with the tight, natural-leaning wine list. Seasonal favorites come and go, but the ever-present buttermilk fried chicken always is a must-order. The family-style shared menu offers up the best deal and a true seasonal taste of British Columbia. [$$$]

Chambar alumna Tannis Ling combined forces with chef Joël Watanabe, who brings his Corsican-Japanese heritage to this popular Chinatown restaurant. It may look like a hipster take on a Chinese brasserie, but the sound of woks crashing in the kitchen speaks to its traditional techniques. Sharing plates are pleasingly well-sized and the cocktails thoughtfully crafted, and — because it’s Vancouver — all meat is local and ethically raised, hormone and chemical-free. Don’t miss local legend Helen’s delicate hand-made potstickers and dumplings — she makes hundreds of perfect dumplings each day — and the appropriately named Kick Ass House-Fried Rice. [$$$]

The critics’ rave of 2016, this pitch-perfect pairing of Japanese and Italian cuisine comes together in a funky second-story space in Chinatown, a few steps away from its sister crowd-pleaser, Bao Bei. Although the menu is small, the urge to eat it all is huge: the exquisite pasta made in-house; the show-stopping wow of the whole fish served fins and all, puffed hot and crisp from the fryer; the fusion of flavors such as kombu dashi and pecorino dancing seamlessly together in a simple but oh-so-complex salad. Reservations are essential. [$$$]

Since opening in summer 2017 under the experienced hand of Montreal’s Toqué alum chef J.C. Poirier, St Lawrence has been one of the city’s toughest reservations to score. Step behind the velvet curtain of this small dining room in Japantown and you leave Vancouver and its passion for clean, fresh, lean cuisine behind and dive into a delicious butter-hosed world where old-school French technique meets Québecois cuisine. The music, wine list, and staff are all French, and the short menu groans with decadent treats like the flaky Paris-Brest stuffed with duck liver and foie gras mousse and the tourtière venison pie, with its golden pastry and rich, meaty filling that comes adorned with a mini Habs hockey flag. Over-order and hang the consequences. Oh, and save room for the salted caramel rice pudding. [$$$-$$$$]

Over-imbibed? Behold the cure: the legendary all-day breakfast menu at Red Wagon Cafe, where the plates are piled high and the service is friendly. There may be queues, but lines move fast (put down your name at the door when you arrive). Maximum happiness is an order of Baileys-spiked coffee, a spicy gin-dosed Caesar, and then the cavalcade of calories that comes with the Supertrucker breakfast: eggs, fluffy pancakes, juicy pulled pork, a fat side of crisp pork belly, and, of course, Jack Daniel’s-infused maple syrup. [$]