-
$$$$ | Kitsilano |
Before "local" and "seasonal" were all the rage, this highly regarded restaurant was serving West Coast cuisine with an emphasis on organic regional produce. Menu highlights include starters like tuna tartare with pickled garlic scapes and arugula seed pods, while Haida Gwaii halibut with broccoli puree, roasted cauliflower, and crispy potato, and heritage pork with clams are among the tasty main dishes. All are expertly presented and impeccably served with suggestions from Bishop's extensive local wine list. The split-level room displays elaborate flower arrangements and selections from owner John Bishop's art collection.
2183 W. 4th Ave., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6K 1N7, Canada
Known For
- Impeccable service
- Extensive local wine list
- West Coast cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Credit cards accepted
-
$$$$ | |
Looking for a great steak? This two-level steak house has its own meat locker for dry aging, and the house specialty is certified Kobe ribeye and striploin. Several dishes include showy, table-side service. Vegetarians and pescatarians will also find plenty of options. If you can, head to the rooftop patio, a garden-inspired space filled with pergolas adorned with lights and flowers for a very romantic, happening space. Happy hour runs every day, all afternoon, so it's the perfect place to stop into after a shopping spree along Alberni and Robson Streets.
1032 Alberni St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 1A3, Canada
Known For
- Great steaks
- Attentive service
- Happening vibe
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekends
-
$$$$ | |
In this hip, brick-walled eatery, classic Belgian dishes are reinvented with flavors from North Africa and beyond. The moules (mussels) are justifiably popular, either steamed in white wine or sauced with exotic smoked chilis, cilantro, and coconut cream. Those seeking a more adventurous option might select the barbecued frog legs, curried mushrooms, or ostrich carpaccio. Unusual, perhaps, but definitely delicious. Meanwhile, a smartly dressed crowd hangs out at the bar sipping imported beer or delicious cocktails like the Blue Fig (gin infused with oven-roasted figs and served with a side of blue cheese). An easy walk to theaters and sports arenas, it's a good spot for a pre-event bite.
568 Beatty St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B2L3, Canada
Known For
- Moules frites
- Belgian beer
- Specialty meats
-
$$$$ | |
Book ahead to nab one of the 30 or so seats in this cozy bistro, voted one of Canada's 100 Best restaurants, where Chef Alden Ong and his team in the open kitchen craft wildly creative vegetable-forward menus. Here, fresh local ingredients, organic produce, and ethically sourced meats play a starring role. There is a set menu served family style for the table (C$80) and Happy Hour on Friday and Saturday. For cocktails and a lighter meal, head next door to the sister wine bar, Grapes and Soda. Reservations are essential.
1535 W. 6th Ave., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6J 1R1, Canada
Known For
- Family style dining
- Seasonal ingredients
- Great vegetarian dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun and Mon., Reservations essential
-
$$$$ | |
Owner Umberto Menghi is one of Vancouver's most favored and venerable restauranteurs, and his upscale, charming, fine-dining venue is usually the choice to celebrate anything special. High ceilings with wooden beams, ochre walls, and an inside garden courtyard offer plenty of private corners. Tuscan flavors abound whether in pasta or dishes like oven-roasted sablefish with horseradish crust, or slow oven-braised veal osso buco with saffron risotto. Reservations are a must. If you like what you find, Umberto runs a hotel and cooking school in the heart of rural Tuscany.
1328 Hornby St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6Z 2L8, Canada
Known For
- Upscale Italian fare
- Romantic
- Gets booked up fast
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Recommended
-
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
-
$$$$ | |
With sleek white tables and sparkling chandeliers, Chef David Hawksworth's modish restaurant welcomes locals toasting new clients or celebrating a romantic anniversary. The food (and the crowd) is suave and swanky, too. You might start with hamachi tartare dressed with chili lime vinaigrette, or a simpler heirloom tomato salad with burrata and preserved cherries. Although the menu changes frequently, mains might include wild salmon with lobster agnolotti, or duck breast with turnip and loganberry jus. Everything is superbly presented, including, for dessert, the delicious mushroom ice-cream. Don't knock it until you've tried it.
801 W. Georgia St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 1P7, Canada
Known For
- Upscale dining
- Seasonal menus
- Flavor combinations and presentation
-
$$$$ | |
Chefs prepare classic Alsatian-inspired food—including the signature onion tart—at this long-established Downtown restaurant that sets the standard for French cuisine in Vancouver. Despite the white-tablecloth sophistication, the breezy curtains, golden yellow walls, and burgundy banquettes keep things cozy. Favorite dishes include a signature foie gras tasting followed by classics such as lobster with beurre blanc, veal medallions with morel sauce, and grilled Dover sole. Service is attentive and professional.
100–909 Burrard St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6Z 2N2, Canada
Known For
- Lobster with beurre blanc
- Veal medallions
- Excellent service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Sat.
-
$$$$ | |
Chef Angus An's modern Thai menu brings this Asian cuisine to a new level. Although some of his dishes may sound familiar—think green papaya salad, pad Thai, and curries—they're amped up with local ingredients, fresh herbs, and vibrant seasonings. Look for delicious innovations like Thai "cupcakes" with grilled scallops or the three-flavor lingcod that balances sweet, salty, and sour flavors. The bar sends out equally exotic cocktails. The sleek dining room is stylish enough that you could dress up a bit, but you wouldn't be out of place in jeans.
1938 W. 4th Ave., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6J 1M5, Canada
Known For
- Modern Thai food
- Sleek dining room
- Exotic cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun. and Mon.
-
$$$$ | |
In a city filled with hundreds of sushi spots, it can be hard to pick one to try. Look no further than Minami—the Japanese restaurant's space and menu is just as stylish as the neighborhood it's in. This upscale eatery specializes in Aburi ("flame-seared") sushi, and all their fish is sustainably caught. Try the Oshi Sampler. It comes with two pieces each of their salmon, prawn, and saba Aburi sushi, as well as the Aburi lobster with green onion and yuzu ginger salsa.
1118 Mainland St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 2T9, Canada
Known For
- Flame-seared sushi
- Top-notch service
- Extensive sake menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
-
$$$$ | |
A perennial favorite with locals for special occasions, this restaurant boasts spectacular views overlooking the city and mountains from its perch at the highest point in Queen Elizabeth Park. Service is excellent in the white-tablecloth dining room, and the menu showcases regional West Coast cuisine. Weekend brunch and Sunday night Prime Rib dinner are popular. Valet parking is available for lunch and dinner. Once in the park, follow the signs to the top of the hill to the restaurant.
West 33rd Ave. at Cambie, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Y 2M4, Canada
Known For
- Panoramic views
- Special occasions
- Fine dining
-
-
$$$$ | |
Hidekazu Tojo is a sushi-making legend in Vancouver, with thousands of special preparations stored in his creative mind. The first to introduce omakase (chef's choice) to Vancouver, he is also the creator of the "Inside out" Tojo Roll, now universally known as the "California Roll." In this bright, modern, high-ceilinged space, complete with a separate sake lounge, the prime perch is at the sushi bar, a ringside seat for watching the creation of edible art. The best way to experience Tojo's creativity is to order omakase. The chef will keep offering you wildly adventurous fare, both raw and cooked, until you're full. Budget a minimum of C$80 per person (before drinks) for five courses. Tabs topping C$120 per person for six courses or more are routine. Cocktail hour runs from 4 to 6 Monday to Saturday.
1133 W. Broadway, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6H 1G1, Canada
Known For
- Omakase
- Top-notch sushi
- Sake lounge
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch, Reservations essential
-
$$$$ | |
Whether inside the terraced dining room or on the heated beachside patio, almost every table at this 1912 seaside house has views over Burrard Inlet and Stanley Park. The Pacific Northwest menu focuses on unpretentious seafood dishes, such as sea bass or roasted salmon, along with steak, burger, and pasta choices. Lunch is a particularly good option here, followed by a stroll along the pier or the seaside walkway.
150 25th St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V7V 4H8, Canada
Known For
- Pacific Northwest menu
- Seasonal fish dishes
- Exceptional views
-
$$$$ | |
Executive Chef Frank Pabst focuses his menu on both popular and lesser-known local seafood at his fashionable fish restaurant. You can dine in the warmly lit interior or outside on the former loading dock that's now a terrace. You might start with scallops with a parmesan crust; Dungeness crab salad with shrimp, mango, and pumpkin seed; or a seafood tower (ideal for sharing). Main dishes are seafood-centric, too—perhaps sablefish with a miso sake glaze, or Arctic char with braised leeks and fennel. Ask the staff to recommend wine pairings from the BC-focused list. The sushi chef turns out both classic and new creations. They're pricey but among the city's best.
1095 Hamilton St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 5T4, Canada
Known For
- Seafood-centric menu
- Top-notch sushi
- Great local wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
-
$$$$ | |
Settle into a deep cream-toned banquette or nab a sidewalk table for a seafood-centric meal at this stylish spot in the Sutton Place Hotel. Start with fresh local oysters or indulge in Canadian caviar from the nearby Sunshine Coast. Mains swim through the sea, too—perhaps lobster and local rock fish bouillabaisse; linguine with clams and tiger prawns; or roasted sablefish—but heartier appetites can dig into a steak or a heritage pork shoulder. Sharing dishes are also imaginative and include (market-price) caviar and seafood towers. For a special treat, reserve ahead to have select items cooked tableside. The wine list is strong on British Columbia labels.
845 Burrard St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6Z 2K6, Canada
Known For
- Strong BC wine list
- Local seafood
- Award-winning chefs
-
$$$$ | |
Chef Andrea Carlson previously manned the stoves at locavore destinations Bishop's and Raincity Grill, and she's kept her focus on seasonal local ingredients at her own Michelin-starred storefront bistro. Though she changes the menu regularly, about half of her inventive sharing plates are vegetarian, like the squash cannelloni with chanterelle mushroom cream or the grain "risotto" with potato, miso, and quinoa. Set menu starts at C$89 per guest.
2702 Main St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V5T 3E8, Canada
Known For
- Locavore menu
- Vegetarian options
- Cozy space
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.–Wed.
-
-
$$$$ | |
The space is fun and funky—a mix of early-1900s architectural details, modern furnishings, and oversize pop art—and the seasonally changing menu of updated Italian fare is creative and delicious. The lengthy wine list emphasizes Italian labels, but British Columbia is well represented. To start, consider the grilled octopus, or, for more adventurous tastes, the roasted bone marrow. For a meat/fish course, how about seabass with a chickpea saffron stew and pistachios? For a light bite, join the local crowd at Uva Wine Bar inside the same hotel, which stays open till the wee hours.
900 Seymour St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 3L9, Canada
Known For
- Seasonal Italian dishes
- Quality wine list
- Funky decor
-
$$$$ | |
Gold walls, terra-cotta tiles, and a crowd-pleasing modern Italian menu make this Tuscan-inspired restaurant appropriate for a business meal, a romantic tête-à-tête, or a relaxing dinner after a long day. The heated terrace, shielded with greenery, feels a long way from busy Robson Street below. Inside there's a lively scene around the hand-carved marble bar where ingredients for martinis are French-pressed to order. The food, from the open kitchen and the wood-fire grill, changes seasonally, but might include roast halibut paired with fava beans and grilled zucchini, rack of lamb with roast tomatoes and heirloom beans, and ricotta and Parmesan ravioli with spring pea tips and artichoke mustard. Pastas are all made in-house and are a must-order item, either as a taster or full meal.
1154 Robson St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 1B2, Canada
Known For
- Wood-fired grill
- Lively marble bar
- Seasonal menus
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
-
$$$$ | |
Cioppino, the eponymous seafood stew, is the signature dish at this lofty candlelit room. Chef Pino Posteraro impresses with homemade pastas and Italian-Mediterranean dishes such as Haida Gwaii hailbut with confit garlic and Sicilian capers, and roasted rack of lamb with a candied garlic-lemon reduction. More rustic Italian fare, such as veal osso buco and braised beef short ribs, is also an option. In good weather, you can dine on the street-side patio. Note to oenophiles, the wine list runs more than 60 pages.
1133 Hamilton St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 5P6, Canada
Known For
- Rustic Italian fare
- Street-side patio
- Impressive wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Mon. No lunch Tues., Wed. and Sat.
-
$$$$ | |
This see-and-be-seen at, two-floor seafood palace has a certain "wow factor." There's plenty of bling to be found here, from the shimmering lights to the sparkle-sporting patrons. Options include oysters, sushi, fish-and-chips, seafood towers, and any of the day's fresh catches. (And the kitchen also serves excellent steak.) Whether you're looking to sit at a table on the restaurant's heated and covered sidewalk patio or inside, reservations are recommended.
1054 Alberni St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 1A3, Canada
Known For
- Lively atmosphere
- Fresh seafood
- Excellent steak
-
$$$$ | |
Overlooking False Creek and Yaletown, the Dockside's patio is the big draw, especially for owners of chic yachts moored alongside. Because it faces east, sunsets are behind the building, and cool shadows come early, so grab a table beneath a heater. Floor-to-ceiling windows make the inside feel like the outside with decor that exudes a modern vibe and includes a 50-foot aquarium. House-brewed ales and lagers are served from the adjoining casual brewpub.
1253 Johnston St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6H 3R9, Canada
Known For
- Fabulous views
- Great for weekend brunch
- Daily happy hour also features tasty bites
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
