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Restaurants We have selected 25 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments. Restaurant charges are subject to GST (7%) and liquor tax (10%), which are usually added to the bill at the end. Restaurant bills do not usually include a service charge, so a tip is expected. The very minimum would be 10%, with 15-20% given for good to exceptional service. The prices quoted below are for a three-course meal and for a bottle of house wine or equivalent; they do not include taxes or tip. Gastronomic C Restaurant This contemporary seafood restaurant serves inspirational cuisine in three dramatically designed spaces – a double-storey glass-fronted main dining room, an intimate mezzanine above for private dining and an outdoor patio with fantastic views over False Creek. The menu is extensive and luxurious, including caviar, a raw bar with oysters and some Asian-inspired salads, a taster box for C$35, as well as normal starters and mains, such as scallops wrapped in octopus and bacon. The wine list is also extensive and highly regarded, with many wines available by the glass. 2-1600 Howe Street Tel: (604) 681 1164. Fax: (604) 605 8263. E-mail: info@crestaurant.com Website: www.crestaurant.com Price: C$80. Wine: C$35. Diva At The Met This is a sophisticated restaurant, based in the Metropolitan Hotel, with an airy, spacious interior and a relaxed and refined atmosphere. Under the direction of Vancouver-born Executive Chef Chris Mills, Diva specialises in Pacific Northwest cuisine prepared with the finest local ingredients. Popular main courses include cinnamon smoked breast of duck, tarragon-crusted halibut and British Columbia striped prawns, or grilled wild sockeye salmon. Diva boasts the most extensive cheese selection of any Vancouver restaurant and one of the world’s leading pastry chefs, Thomas Haas, whose upside-down chocolate soufflé with milk chocolate glaze and pistachio ice cream is out of this world. The wine list also comprises some of British Columbia’s best offerings. The Metropolitan Hotel, 645 Howe Street Tel: (604) 602 7788. Fax: (604) 643 7267. E-mail: reservations@divamet.com Website: www.metropolitan.com Price: C$57. Wine: C$30. Lumière Restaurant This elegant restaurant is located 20 minutes from the airport and ten minutes from Downtown in Kitsilano. With attentive service, Lumière offers modern French cuisine with Asian influences, alongside classics like foie gras and caviar. The Tasting Bar is New York chic and offers selections of small menu items for C$25-C$40. The seafood one is especially not to be missed. Popular mains include roasted wild black bass in a casserole, with black trumpet and yellow foot mushrooms, or black truffles and seared Alaska scallops with leek and mascarpone ravioli. The restaurant is closed on Monday. 2551 West Broadway, Kitsilano Tel: (604) 739 8185. Fax: (604) 739 8139. E-mail: lumiere@relaischateaux.com Website: www.lumiere.ca Price: C$90-110. Wine: C$47. Piccolo Mondo Ristorante This little-known Italian restaurant is dedicated to the serving of fine and authentic foods. Its elegant setting, with white tablecloths and stunning flower arrangements, is warm and pleasant. The menu, although small, highlights the intense flavours of Northern Italy. Only the best and finest ingredients are used in the preparation of the dishes, such as spaghettini with smoked black Alaska cod in a mustard vinaigrette or seared beef tenderloin with walnut pesto. 850 Thurlow Street Tel: (604) 688 1633. Fax: (604) 682 4875. Website: www.piccolomondoristorante.com Price: C$50. Wine: C$25. Tojo’s Restaurant Tojo-san is known as the man who invented the BC Roll (barbecued salmon skin and cucumber) and inside-out crab and avocado (often called the Californian Roll), two dishes that are now as vital to the area’s sushi kitchens as wasabe. The cuisine is rooted in classical Japanese cooking with a heavy emphasis on innovation, organic ingredients and local Pacific Northwest specialities. Vegetarian sushi and cooked food are also available as are teriyaki, tempura, sashimi, sushi and various rolls. Omakase (the chef’s arrangement) is the best way to enjoy Tojo’s. – at a price of C$50, C$75 or C$100 (or more), Tojo-san will create a very special entire meal based on your preferences, his inspiration and market-fresh ingredients. The window views are of the North Shore Mountains framing the Downtown area – but for those preferring chat to vistas, the sushi chefs will provide cheerful banter and private tatami rooms are available. 202-777 West Broadway Tel: (604) 872 8050. Fax: (604) 872 8060. E-mail: info@tojos.com Website: www.tojos.com Price: C$40. Wine: C$24. Business Aqua Riva This spacious restaurant, dominated by bold murals and a curved bar, has a window-wrapped vibrant setting, with mountain and harbour views. Just a five- to ten-minute walk from the major Downtown hotels, Aqua Riva is a highly regarded rotisserie and grill kitchen. Specialities include wood-roasted halibut, spit-roasted leg of lamb and fresh salmon from the grill. High-profile political figures often choose to dine here. 200 Granville Street Tel: (604) 683 5599. Fax: (604) 683 7551. E-mail: dinner@aquariva.com Website: www.aquariva.com Price: C$45. Wine: C$27. Bacchus Restaurant Located in the city’s Wedgewood Hotel, this award-winning restaurant aims to offer a ‘truly Epicurian experience’ complemented by live entertainment in the elegant piano lounge. The restaurant is also known for its exceptional weekend brunches and traditional afternoon tea, also served at the weekend. Famous people who have put in an appearance include Al Pacino, Hilary Swank and Robin Williams. The cuisine is French and fairly meat-based, with dishes such as coq au vin or grilled fillet of aged Angus beef with pomme galette and truffle jus. Wedgewood Hotel, 845 Hornby Street Tel: (604) 608 5319. Fax: (604) 608 5348. E-mail: info@wedgewoodhotel.com Website: www.wedgewoodhotel.com Price: C$60. Wine: C$32.50. Caffe de Medici The atmosphere is business-like by day and romantic by night in this elegant Italian restaurant, with beautiful tapestries and oil paintings, an Italian-style moulded ceilings, chandeliers, a tiled floor and a marbled bar. Caffe de Medici has won many awards for quality service and an outstanding wine list. Staff provide a personalised service by always being on hand and happily making recommendations. The food is colourful and rich and the menu covers antipasto, salads, soups, pasta and main courses, such as rack of lamb with a fresh herb crust and celeriac. The desserts, such as tiramisu or chocolate torte, are exquisite. 109-1025 Robson Street (Robson Galleria) Tel: (604) 669 9322. Fax: (604) 669 3771. E-mail: yourhost@caffedemedici.com Website: www.caffedemedici.com Price: C$60. Wine: C$25. Chartwell Based in the Four Seasons Hotel, this first-class restaurant has been designed to resemble Sir Winston Churchill’s summer home, Chartwell, with oak panelling, scenic murals and warming fireplaces. The menu varies quarterly but the wines and the ‘seasonal producer’ dinners (when local farmers showcase their fresh produce) are considered to be some of the best in the city. Sample dishes include roasted lamb loin with sautéed vegetables, Nova Scotia lobster in a cassoulet, and Arctic char with celery-root tortelloni and garlic spinach. Four Seasons Hotel, 791 West Georgia Street Tel: (604) 844 6715 or 689 9333. Fax: (604) 689 3466. E-mail: vcr.guest@fourseasons.com Website: www.fourseasons.com/vancouver Price: C$80. Wine: C$26. Hermitage Restaurant Hervé Martin, chef and owner of this restaurant, serves up some traditional French meals that include duck confit, steak tartare and pheasant. Patrons can dine outside on a private patio or enjoy the cosiness inside. Among the fine linen-clad tables, surrounded by antiques, guests can select from a wine list consisting of over 350 wines. Robson Galleria, 115-1025 Robson Street Tel: (604) 689 3237. Fax: (604) 689 3274. E-mail: info@thehermitagevancouver.com Website: www.thehermitagevancouver.com Price: C$50. Wine: C$26. Morton’s of Chicago: The Steakhouse Its menu is famed for its signature USDA prime, aged beef, as well as its fresh seafood and fish, including the fresh whole-baked Maine lobster that is flown in on a daily basis. Hand-picked vegetables, elegant desserts and crisp salads are also offered. Rich mahogany red panelling, artwork and pristine white tablecloths, together with fine wines and food displays, set the tone. Morton’s caters for special occasions and business meetings at no extra charge. 750 West Cordova Street Tel: (604) 915 5105. Fax: (604) 915 5131. E-mail: gm.mvc@mortons.com Website: www.mortons.com Price: C$70. Wine: C$36. Trendy The Cannery Seafood Restaurant Established in 1971, this award-winning restaurant on the docks of Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet east of Downtown is proud of its highly acclaimed seafood and extensive selection of wines. Magnificent views of the mountains and harbour have made this one of the city’s institutions. The eclectic decor resembles a rustic fish cannery and it has been mainly constructed from aged or antique materials and seagoing memorabilia – even the bar began life as a Steveston fishing shack. Yet it is still very elegant, with fine linen, china, silver and crystal. Although predominately fish dishes, such as seared Albacore tuna or seared Pacific salmon, there are meaty dishes, such as aged beef tenderloin, as well as a purely vegetarian choice. Free parking is available and reservations are recommended. There is no lunch served at the weekend. 2205 Commissioner Street Tel: (604) 254 9606. Fax: (604) 254 1820. E-mail: info@canneryseafood.com Website: www.canneryseafood.com Price: C$50. Wine: C$31. Cin Cin Ristorante & Bar This Italian restaurant has long been the recipient of many awards. Cin Cin is elegant dining but the original murals give it a warm, slightly rustic, feel. The seasonal menu comprises classic Italian dishes with strong French and Mediterranean influences, focused around the wood-fired oven and grill. Dishes can be as extravagant as the ‘AAA’ beef tenderloin, with simmered young carrots, tomato confit, potato gratin and a port and wine sauce, for C$36.50, however, Cin Cin also does pizzas from C$15.50. Reservations are advisable and no lunch is served at the weekend. 1154 Robson Street Tel: (604) 688 7338. Fax: (604) 688 7339. E-mail: cincin@direct.ca Website: www.cincin.net Price: C$45. Wine: C$24. Heron's Restaurant An oasis of calm and tranquillity, this stylish restaurant offers a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere with tremendous views of the North Shore Mountains and Vancouver Harbour. Chef Daryle Ryo Nagata prepares regional cuisine with the freshest, finest products available and also utilises the hotel’s 2100-square-foot herb garden. Two signature dishes are the cedar plank wild sockeye salmon with stuffed Dungeness crab, roesti potatoes and asparagus spears, or the baby spinach salad with warm maple-candied bacon, mushrooms and aged balsamic in an Asaigo Tuille. Famous diners have included Bryan Adams and Erin Brockovich. The Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, 900 Canada Place Way Tel: (604) 691 1818. Fax: (604) 691 1999. E-mail: thewaterfronthotel@fairmont.com Website: www.fairmont.com Price: C$45. Wine: C$31. O’Doul’s Restaurant & Bar Local jazz is the flavour of the night, when this restaurant and bar features some of Vancouver’s finest performers every evening. Service is gracious and the decor dramatic with sculptures and the presence of a 21m (68ft) bar. The menu is dominated by Pacific North West cuisine: pan-fried Fanny Bay oysters and halibut fillet with Mediterranean beurre noisette are just some possibilities. Also famed are O’Doul’s sizzling prime cuts of tenderloin, rib-eye and New York steaks. The Listel Vancouver Hotel, 1300 Robson Street (at Jervis) Tel: (604) 661 1400. Fax: (604) 684 7092. Website: www.odoulsrestaurant.com Price: C$40. Wine: C$28. Raincity Grill Situated in Vancouver’s West End, this urban bistro overlooks the beach, the park and English Bay. Its upscale modern decor gives it a casual atmosphere and welcoming attitude. The menu focuses on game, poultry, seafood and organic vegetables from British Columbia, Alberta, Washington State and Oregon. The Pacific Northwest cuisine includes a sprinkling of Oriental-style dishes, such as their phenomenal crispy Dungeness crab cake. Reservations are recommended. 1193 Denman Street Tel: (604) 685 7337. Fax: (604) 685 7362. E-mail: info@raincitygrill.com Website: www.raincitygrill.com Price: C$50. Wine: C$32. Budget Old Spaghetti Factory Established in Vancouver in 1970, this highly popular restaurant in Gastown is decorated in the style of a living museum – with historic artefacts adorning the walls. Cheerful and friendly staff serve up a great selection of fantastic pasta dishes – all accompanied by a salad or soup, sourdough bread, garlic butter, roasted coffee or hot tea and spumoni ice cream (chocolate, vanilla and pistachio flavour) at no extra charge. Dishes like New York steak or breast of chicken make for alternative choices. 53 Water Street, Gastown Tel: (604) 684 1288. Fax: (604) 684 8035. E-mail: admin@oldspaghettifactory.ca Website: www.oldspaghettifactory.ca Price: C$27. Wine: C$16.95. Pink Pearl Restaurant A Cantonese restaurant, near Chinatown, Pink Pearl features tanks of fresh fish, which inevitably end up forming a large part of the menu. Service comes complete with a smile and good dim sum is served daily. Other treats include stuffed dumplings, fried white turnip cakes and sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves. This is a good place for a family meal and there is free parking as well. 1132 East Hastings Street Tel: (604) 253 4316. Fax: (604) 253 8525. E-mail: info@pinkpearl.com Website: www.pinkpearl.com Price: C$23. Wine: C$20. Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant Consistently voted the best in the city by food critics at the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, this posh Cantonese restaurant in a modern interior is a well-known place for its daily dim sum. The roast squab is particularly notable. Also on offer is fresh seafood, such as abalones, rock cods, geoducks, lobsters, prawns and giant Alaska king crabs. Diners select a live creature out of the fish tank and then choose the cooking style for their dish. 3888 Main Street, at 23rd Avenue Tel: (604) 872 8822. Fax: (604) 876 1638. Website: www.sunsuiwah.com Price: C$25. Wine: C$22. The Naam Winner of a great many awards, this 24-hour restaurant in Kitsilano specialises in vegetarian fare at very reasonable prices. Seated within the casual wooden interior, diners can choose from a range of foods that include salads, soups, Mexican dishes and vegetarian burgers. There is also a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed. 2724 West Fourth Avenue, Kitsilano Tel: (604) 738 7151. Website: www.thenaam.com Price: C$19. Wine: C$17. Personal Recommendations Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House This San Francisco-styled restaurant has the traditional atmosphere of an American brasserie. Joe Fortes proudly boasts ‘Vancouver’s Best Oyster Bar’ and serves up to 13 fresh choices daily. Its mahogany and brass furnishings give it the comfortable feel of a gentleman’s club. Specialities include locally caught Pacific North West seafood and selected local meats grilled to perfection. An à la carte brunch is offered at weekends and the restaurant’s roof garden dining claims to be the best in the city. 777 Thurlow Street Tel: (604) 669 1940. Fax: (604) 669 4426. E-mail: joefortes@joefortes.ca Website: www.joefortes.ca Price: C$42. Wine: C$30. Le Crocodile A highly professional standard of service and sophisticated European atmosphere make this Alsatian restaurant an ideal location for a special event or celebration in Downtown Vancouver. The Franco-German influence is evident in the meals prepared by chef-owner Michel Jacob. A particular favourite menu meal is the savoury onion tart served with chilled Alsace Edelzwicker in green-stemmed glasses. 909 Burrard Street (entrance on Smithe Street) Tel: (604) 669 4298. Fax: (604) 669 4207. E-mail: lecrocodile@telus.net Website: www.lecrocodilerestaurant.com Price: C$75. Wine: C$35. Provence Marinaside As the name suggests, there is an obvious Provençal influence in the cuisine here and the ‘Marinaside’ is reflected in the floor to ceiling windows looking across False Creek and the emphasis on seafood in the menu. The casually elegant dining space is well suited to the young professionals of the nearby Yaletown district, who have already made it popular since its early 2002 opening. Antipasti, including a spicy merguez sausage with fennel in tomato sauce, provide a prelude for the excellent bouillabaisse with gruyère or seafood linguine topped with clams, mussels, grilled fish and prawns. For those who like to share, the rack of lamb or seafood platter are both worth lingering over. 1177 Marinaside Crescent Tel: (604) 681 4144. Fax: (604) 692 0720. E-mail: info@provencevancouver.com Website: www.provencevancouver.com Price: C$35. Wine: C$28. The Fish House Restaurant in Stanley Park Consistently praised, this wood-panelled restaurant is surrounded by lush gardens and forests (visible through the picture windows and from the patio seating) and very much lives up to its reputation as a ‘tranquil oasis in the city’. The chef, Karen Barnaby, has published a series of cookbooks and the menu changes three times a year. One perennial dish of note is the ahi tuna steak diane with classic green peppercorn sauce. Desserts, such as chocolate lava cake, add to the sense of sheer indulgence. Famous diners have included Sharon Stone and Robert De Niro. 8901 Stanley Park Drive Tel: (604) 681 7275. Fax: (604) 681 3137. E-mail: info@fishhousestanleypark.com Website: www.fishhousestanleypark.com Price: C$45. Wine: C$34. The Teahouse Restauratn in Stanley Park Located in Stanley Park, this quaint historical restaurant comprises of a series of light and airy dining rooms. No dress code applies for casual dining and the service is both professional and warm. The emphasis is on fresh, West Coast cuisine and lunch, brunch, afternoon dinner and high tea are all served. Popular dishes include the lobster ravioli tossed in cream and the Torta Milano – Belgian chocolate truffle torte with almond mascarpone mousse. Famous diners have included Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, Rod Stewart and Jean Claude Van Damme. 7501 Stanley Park Drive Tel: (604) 669 3281. Fax: (604) 687 5662. E-mail: info@sequoiarestaurants.com Website: www.vancouverdine.com Price: C$40. Wine: C$22. |
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