Dining Out in Vancouver: A guide to the great culinary offerings!

Thanks to an abundant supply of fresh seafood, along with local farms and a globally-influenced cuisine, Vancouver has become a city with a plethora of great restaurants.  It is a city where you can eat incredibly well whether it be a fine dining experience or a quick bowl of Ramen.  So whilst you are staying in Vancouver be sure to enjoy a BC wine and a locally inspired meal or two.

Here is our guide of some of the best restaurants to try whilst staying in Vancouver:

Le Crocodile is one of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants.  This fine dining French restaurant blends traditional French cooking with innovative Westcoast style. With impeccable service this is the place to go if you want to impress!

Hawksworth (Pictured Right) is reputed to be not only the best restaurant in town – but also in the country!  Since opening Hawksworth has received an unparalleled set of awards.  Certainly expensive, but delivers an excellent fine dining and all round exceptional experience.

Blue Water Cafe is consistently awarded best seafood restaurant in Vancouver.  Blue Water Cafe has a Japanese-style Raw Bar and delivers an ‘East meets West’ style of seafood with excellent service.

Lupo (Pictured Left) is a contemporary Italian dining in a relaxed atmosphere serving fresh reinventions of Italian classics.  Everything is created in-house with the finest ingredients and with a modern twist.

Lift – With an incredible setting right on the water’s edge this restaurant has one of the best views in town.  Perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner, you might even spot an otter or sea-lion!  With great ambience throughout there is also open–air deck on the second floor which is as romantic as it gets.

Phnom Penh (Chinatown, 244 East Georgia Street, Vancouver) is a seriously popular Chinatown haunt serving up well priced authentic Vietnamese & Cambodian dishes.  Go early or for a late dinner to avoid the queues.  Regulars rave about the chicken wings, frog’s legs, butter beef and dry noodles.

Tojo’s  – With fresh, local and seasonal dishes inspired by Japan but rooted in the Pacific Northwest, this Japanese restaurant is an incredible culinary experience.  You can also sit at the ‘Omakase Bar’ where the chef, using the seasonal catch of the day, will cook for you according to your preferences and his creativity.

Maenam – Winner of 2016’s Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, this Thai restaurant in Kitsilano pushes the bar on Asian cooking with excellent service whilst still being accessible and comfortable.  Using locally sourced and seasonal ingredients, Thai classics are served with innovative twists.

The Flying Pig (Pictured Left) – despite its name, this is not a restaurant dedicated to pork!  With 3 venues now across the city, in Gastown, Yaletown and Olympic Village this good value restaurant describes itself as a ‘nouveau Canadian Bistro’ serving up simple classics.

Top of Vancouver – Fine dining in a revolving restaurant at 553 ft gives you the best views of the city, mountains and ocean.  Luckily only one revolution is completed every hour so you won’t feel like you are on a fairground ride! At the top of the Harbour Centre Tower in Downtown Vancouver, this is a great way to see the city and its’ surrounding for lunch or dinner (or brunch on Sundays).

When you come to planning your trip to Vancouver, take a look at our most popular Canada Multi Centre Holidays. It’s full of great ideas of how to incorporate a visit to Vancouver in to your Canadian adventure.