The Must-Eat Guide to Vancouver
Dine your way through this cornucopia of fresh land-to-sea culinary delights
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With its bounty of the Pacific Ocean to the west, the lush farmland of the Fraser Valley to the east, and its creative and diverse food-minded population, Vancouver has long been a leading culinary destination for visitors looking for a fresh and thoughtful bite to eat. The city’s vibrant and eclectic neighbourhoods are teeming with beguiling restaurants to enjoy a one-of-a-kind meal, often with a beautiful ocean or cityscape view as an added perk.
With the famed MICHELIN Guide arriving in Vancouver this fall, the city’s already booming food scene is bound to get even hotter. From urban-chic restaurants that paint a picture of the city’s deeply multicultural communities to seaside fine dining establishments that take full advantage of British Columbia’s extraordinary seafood, Vancouver has positioned itself as one of North America’s top spots for food lovers.
Explore the map to discover a sampling of the city’s sought-after eateries to satisfy your every craving — and new ones you didn’t even know you had.
Click the 
to discover your next place to eat!
Afghan Horsemen
afghanhorsemen.com
1833 Anderson St. #202
$$
Billing itself as the first Afghan restaurant in Canada, Afghan Horsemen has delighted diners with spectacular Middle Eastern cuisine since 1974. The traditionally decorated room is warm and inviting, setting the stage for expertly prepared Afghan dishes that draw inspiration from the cuisines of Persia, India, Greece and Mongolia. The specialty platters, stacked with hummus and sabzi mast dips, juicy kebabs and lamb chops (or dahl and baked eggplant as a vegetarian option) are perfect for celebratory evenings, though a la carte ordering is also available for a lighter meal.
Kissa Tanto
kissatanto.com
263 E Pender St.
1 MICHELIN Star
$$$
Inspired by the jazz cafes of 1960s Tokyo, Kissa Tanto remains one of Vancouver’s most sought-after restaurants since it won enRoute magazine’s Canada’s Best New Restaurant title in 2016. Owned by the same team behind the popular Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, Kissa Tanto specializes in Japanese-Italian fusion, but its carefully crafted plates of wagyu crudo with nashi pear, dandelion pappardelle with smoked pork, and sablefish with nanban oyster mushrooms defy definition. The room, with its chic retro styling, intimate banquettes and tucked-away Chinatown locale just adds to the magic.
PiDGin
pidginvancouver.com
350 Carrall St.
$$$
This Gastown restaurant beautifully reflects Vancouver’s cultural mosaic with food that meshes European and Asian flavours with modern global technique. The results are both innovative and delicious, and best exemplified via the constantly evolving tasting menu, though the shareable a la carte dishes like the gochujang chicken wings, foie gras rice bowl and juicy steaks seasoned with yuzu kosho never leave you wanting. Dessert, specifically anything featuring the restaurant’s signature yuzu curd, is also a highlight. Pidgin’s cool cocktails and a strong sake list complete the experience, along with the restaurant’s contemporary but functional décor.
Burdock & Co
burdockandco.com
2702 Main St.
1 MICHELIN Star
$$$
The epitome of West Coast farm-to-table eating, Burdock & Co is all about representing the bounty of Vancouver and surrounding areas through the food on every plate. All of the ingredients are sourced from local growers, farmers and foragers and transformed into delicious works of edible art by chef and owner, Andrea Carlson. As Carlson only cooks up what’s local and in season, the restaurant serves an ever-changing, fixed-price tasting menu, featuring house-made breads, fresh-picked veggies and regional seafood.
Provence Marinaside
provencemarinaside.ca
1177 Marinaside Cres.
$$$
The south of France meets the West Coast of British Columbia at this elegant restaurant that offers excellent views of the marinas on False Creek. Chef and owner Jean-Francis Quaglia hails from France and is the child of a chef, a background that is put to good use throughout his seafood-heavy menu. Guests can enjoy French-style brunch, fresh oysters, seafood pasta, wild prawns Provençal plus a number of other delicacies—indoors or out on the airy patio. For some extra verve, the restaurant features a live jazz trio on Wednesday nights.
Jade Dynasty
jadedynasty.ca
137 E Pender St.
$$
One of the best things about Vancouver is the sheer quantity of truly excellent Chinese restaurants, including Chinatown’s Jade Dynasty. The venerable restaurant has been thrilling hungry dim sum customers since 2005, and it underwent a refresh in 2019 to modernize and brighten up the space. While the atmosphere is welcoming and comfortable, the food is the real star here, with a large menu full of classic dim sum favourites like sticky rice wraps, BBQ pork buns, bean curd wraps with enoki mushrooms as well as noodle dishes, soups, congee and other Chinese specialties.
1931 Gallery Bistro
1931gallerybistro.com
750 Hornby St.
$$
Gallery restaurants are often an afterthought, but the bistro at the renowned Vancouver Art Gallery is a destination unto itself. Named after the year that the gallery was founded, 1931’s bright minimalist dining room and spacious patio perfectly reflect the spirit of the exhibits housed inside the historic gallery building. Food-wise, the menu is a representation of the gallery’s artistic mandate with West Coast flair, featuring contemporary lunch and brunch items ranging from smoked salmon Benedicts to a gochujang-topped bison burger, with a satisfying selection of cocktails to help wash it all down.
Savio Volpe
saviovolpe.com
615 Kingsway
$$$
Savio Volpe positions itself as an osteria, celebrating rustic Italian fare crafted with fresh regional ingredients. The modern dining room showcases light but warm tones to encourage gatherings of family, friends and anyone who loves impeccably prepared Italian cuisine. Fresh pastas and meat cooked on a wood-fired grill dominate the menu, with selections like pappardelle topped with milk-braised pork ragù or a formidable Quebec veal chop with pine nut polenta. The best way to experience Savio Volpe is to select the “let us cook for you” option and enjoy a delicious family-style dinner.
Anh and Chi
anhandchi.com
3388 Main St.
$$
A family affair owned and operated by the Nguyen family, Anh and Chi (which translates to elder brother and elder sister) was dreamt up by brother and sister Vincent and Amélie with their mom Ly as executive chef. The restaurant puts a modern spin on traditional Vietnamese cuisine, all served in a cool and eclectic dining room. Comprised of Nguyen family favourites reimagined with fresh Canadian ingredients, the menu features plenty of pho, banh mi and spring rolls as well as specialties like Vietnamese steak and eggs, and prawn and pork-stuffed turmeric crepes.
Torafuku
torafuku.ca
958 Main St.
$$
With people of all Asian backgrounds making up Vancouver’s rich cultural tapestry, it makes sense that Torafuku specializes in Pan-Asian cuisine, with owner/chef Steve Kuan taking cues from many Asian traditions, including those of his native Taiwan. Kuan takes the best of ingredients from the Lower Mainland to create shareable plates that merge Eastern and Western cuisine in a casual but modern space. Expect affordable and flavourful dishes like Japanese milk bread with black cod, chicken fat rice and a AAA Canadian chuck steak served with Vietnamese coleslaw. Don’t forget to pair with an Asian-inspired cocktail.
Salmon n' Bannock
salmonandbannock.net
1128 W Broadway #7
$$
Indigenous communities make up a defining element of Vancouver’s identity, and as the city’s only Indigenous-owned and-operated restaurant, Salmon n' Bannock provides an essential component to the culinary landscape. It’s also delicious with its use of traditional ingredients and authentic flavours, informed by owner Inez Cook’s heritage and culture as a member of the Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola, as well as those of the various local First Nations represented by her staff. You will indeed find signature bannock and salmon here as well as platters of local game meat, slow-roasted bison pot roast and Ojibway wild rice salad.
Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House
joefortes.ca
777 Thurlow St.
$$$
One of the great stalwarts of Vancouver’s hospitality industry, Joe Fortes has been a downtown mainstay for over 35 years. Named after a legendary English Bay lifeguard, it’s a large and bustling restaurant with brass details and a massive horseshoe-shaped oyster bar. The food matches the room with a wide selection of gorgeous seafood including fresh oysters, lobster, scallops and crab. (Land lovers can opt for a perfectly aged steak.) Don’t miss the rooftop garden bar—it’s the best perch in all of Vancouver to bask in the sunshine.
Or choose a restaurant by cuisine:
Asian
3388 Main St.
$$
A family affair owned and operated by the Nguyen family, Anh and Chi (which translates to elder brother and elder sister) was dreamt up by brother and sister Vincent and Amélie with their mom Ly as executive chef. The restaurant puts a modern spin on traditional Vietnamese cuisine, all served in a cool and eclectic dining room. Comprised of Nguyen family favourites reimagined with fresh Canadian ingredients, the menu features plenty of pho, banh mi and spring rolls as well as specialties like Vietnamese steak and eggs, and prawn and pork-stuffed turmeric crepes.
137 E Pender St.
$$
One of the best things about Vancouver is the sheer quantity of truly excellent Chinese restaurants, including Chinatown’s Jade Dynasty. The venerable restaurant has been thrilling hungry dim sum customers since 2005, and it underwent a refresh in 2019 to modernize and brighten up the space. While the atmosphere is welcoming and comfortable, the food is the real star here, with a large menu full of classic dim sum favourites like sticky rice wraps, BBQ pork buns, bean curd wraps with enoki mushrooms as well as noodle dishes, soups, congee and other Chinese specialties.
Asian Fusion
958 Main St.
$$
With people of all Asian backgrounds making up Vancouver’s rich cultural tapestry, it makes sense that Torafuku specializes in Pan-Asian cuisine, with owner/chef Steve Kuan taking cues from many Asian traditions, including those of his native Taiwan. Kuan takes the best of ingredients from the Lower Mainland to create shareable plates that merge Eastern and Western cuisine in a casual but modern space. Expect affordable and flavourful dishes like Japanese milk bread with black cod, chicken fat rice and a AAA Canadian chuck steak served with Vietnamese coleslaw. Don’t forget to pair with an Asian-inspired cocktail.
350 Carrall S
$$$
This Gastown restaurant beautifully reflects Vancouver’s cultural mosaic with food that meshes European and Asian flavours with modern global technique. The results are both innovative and delicious, and best exemplified via the constantly evolving tasting menu, though the shareable a la carte dishes like the gochujang chicken wings, foie gras rice bowl and juicy steaks seasoned with yuzu kosho never leave you wanting. Dessert, specifically anything featuring the restaurant’s signature yuzu curd, is also a highlight. Pidgin’s cool cocktails and a strong sake list complete the experience, along with the restaurant’s contemporary but functional décor.
263 E Pender St.
1 MICHELIN Star
$$$
Inspired by the jazz cafes of 1960s Tokyo, Kissa Tanto remains one of Vancouver’s most sought-after restaurants since it won enRoute magazine’s Canada’s Best New Restaurant title in 2016. Owned by the same team behind the popular Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, Kissa Tanto specializes in Japanese-Italian fusion, but its carefully crafted plates of wagyu crudo with nashi pear, dandelion pappardelle with smoked pork, and sablefish with nanban oyster mushrooms defy definition. The room, with its chic retro styling, intimate banquettes and tucked-away Chinatown locale just adds to the magic.
French
1177 Marinaside Cres.
$$$
The south of France meets the West Coast of British Columbia at this elegant restaurant that offers excellent views of the marinas on False Creek. Chef and owner Jean-Francis Quaglia hails from France and is the child of a chef, a background that is put to good use throughout his seafood-heavy menu. Guests can enjoy French-style brunch, fresh oysters, seafood pasta, wild prawns Provençal plus a number of other delicacies—indoors or out on the airy patio. For some extra verve, the restaurant features a live jazz trio on Wednesday nights.
Indigenous
1128 W Broadway #7
$$
Indigenous communities make up a defining element of Vancouver’s identity, and as the city’s only Indigenous-owned and-operated restaurant, Salmon n’ Bannock provides an essential component to the culinary landscape. It’s also delicious with its use of traditional ingredients and authentic flavours, informed by owner Inez Cook’s heritage and culture as a member of the Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola, as well as those of the various local First Nations represented by her staff. You will indeed find signature bannock and salmon here as well as platters of local game meat, slow-roasted bison pot roast and Ojibway wild rice salad.
Italian
615 Kingsway
$$$
Savio Volpe positions itself as an osteria, celebrating rustic Italian fare crafted with fresh regional ingredients. The modern dining room showcases light but warm tones to encourage gatherings of family, friends and anyone who loves impeccably prepared Italian cuisine. Fresh pastas and meat cooked on a wood-fired grill dominate the menu, with selections like pappardelle topped with milk-braised pork ragù or a formidable Quebec veal chop with pine nut polenta. The best way to experience Savio Volpe is to select the “let us cook for you” option and enjoy a delicious family-style dinner.
Middle Eastern
1833 Anderson St. #202
$$
Billing itself as the first Afghan restaurant in Canada, Afghan Horsemen has delighted diners with spectacular Middle Eastern cuisine since 1974. The traditionally decorated room is warm and inviting, setting the stage for expertly prepared Afghan dishes that draw inspiration from the cuisines of Persia, India, Greece and Mongolia. The specialty platters, stacked with hummus and sabzi mast dips, juicy kebabs and lamb chops (or dahl and baked eggplant as a vegetarian option) are perfect for celebratory evenings, though a la carte ordering is also available for a lighter meal.
West Coast / Contemporary
750 Hornby St.
$$
Gallery restaurants are often an afterthought, but the bistro at the renowned Vancouver Art Gallery is a destination unto itself. Named after the year that the gallery was founded, 1931’s bright minimalist dining room and spacious patio perfectly reflect the spirit of the exhibits housed inside the historic gallery building. Food-wise, the menu is a representation of the gallery’s artistic mandate with West Coast flair, featuring contemporary lunch and brunch items ranging from smoked salmon Benedicts to a gochujang-topped bison burger, with a satisfying selection of cocktails to help wash it all down.
2702 Main St.
1 MICHELIN Star
$$$
The epitome of West Coast farm-to-table eating, Burdock & Co is all about representing the bounty of Vancouver and surrounding areas through the food on every plate. All of the ingredients are sourced from local growers, farmers and foragers and transformed into delicious works of edible art by chef and owner, Andrea Carlson. As Carlson only cooks up what’s local and in season, the restaurant serves an ever-changing, fixed-price tasting menu, featuring house-made breads, fresh-picked veggies and regional seafood.
777 Thurlow St.
$$$
One of the great stalwarts of Vancouver’s hospitality industry, Joe Fortes has been a downtown mainstay for over 35 years. Named after a legendary English Bay lifeguard, it’s a large and bustling restaurant with brass details and a massive horseshoe-shaped oyster bar. The food matches the room with a wide selection of gorgeous seafood including fresh oysters, lobster, scallops and crab. (Land lovers can opt for a perfectly aged steak.) Don’t miss the rooftop garden bar—it’s the best perch in all of Vancouver to bask in the sunshine.
