33 Best Restaurants in Vancouver, British Columbia

Neighborhood residents queue before opening to secure one of the 30 seats in this cozy Italian bistro serving up house-made pasta and Prosecco on tap. Antipasti like burrata, fried cauliflower and—of course—meatballs, are served family style, so bring some friends for the best experience. It can take up to two hours to get a table, so plan to head elsewhere for drinks; the friendly staff (none of whom are named "Luigi") will text when your name hits the top of the wait list, or come for lunch if time is of the essence. Regardless of the hour, don't miss the house-bottled Spritz.

Watch floatplanes take off and land at this buzzy pub on the Fraser River, near YVR's south terminal. A shuttle service runs from the main terminal.

This is fusion sushi, so purists be warned. The restaurant introduced Vancouver to flame-seared aburi and also pressed oshi sushi to Canada. And its imaginative combinations since then have certainly made their mark. Try the Aburi prime platter of nine rice bites topped with everything from pressed prawn with a lime zest to jalapeño-spiced salmon to Japanese Wagyu. Or go for Raisu: a bamboo box containing 12 multicolored rice squares. Only 10 boxes are made each night, so get there early to snag one. The place can get noisy, but its location next to Canada Place gives unrivalled views of cruise ships coming and going.

A former gentlemen's club that has evolved into an upscale, tapas-style bistro, this restaurant turns shared dining (think generous small plates) into a deliciously classy experience. Roasted cauliflower, orange-braised fennel, and buttermilk fried chicken with spiced maple syrup come alongside oven-fired pizzas with toppings such as zucchini, mint lemon, and cashew béchamel. Save room for a dessert finale, especially if it's espresso cake. Large, full-plate options are available. But why choose one dish when multiple flavors await? Besides, this is David Hawksworth's second restaurant, and that endorsement alone puts it in the winner's circle.

You can make a meal of meze—appetizers like falafel, tabbouleh, or crispy cauliflower served with tahini—at this subterranean Lebanese restaurant. If you're looking for something heartier, the kitchen serves roast chicken, lamb kibbeh, and other meat dishes, but much of the menu is vegetarian-friendly. You'll also find Nuba locations in Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, and Yaletown.

With a seafood restaurant, a sushi bar, and live music nightly in the wine bar, this venue under the Granville Bridge has something for everyone. For dramatic views over False Creek, reserve a table on the rooftop patio, which is open year-round. Make sure to try their to-die-for crab cake!

Long lauded as Vancouver's most innovative Indian restaurant, this dining destination, run by genial proprietor Vikram Vij and his ex-wife Meeru Dhalwala, uses local ingredients to create exciting takes on South Asian cuisine. Dishes such as lamb "popsicles" in a creamy curry or British Columbia rainbow trout in coconut masala served with a wheat berry pilaf are far from traditional—but are beautifully executed. Vikram frequently circulates through the room, which is decorated with nods to India's diverse cultures, greeting guests and suggesting dishes or cocktail pairings. Expect to sip chai or an aperitif in the lounge while waiting for a table if you walk in, or make a reservation—they're now accepted. In the summer, head to the rooftop patio for pre-dinner snacks and a collection of inventive tropical cocktails.

This is one of the most authentic restaurants in town when it comes to Syrian Lebanese flavors. And its waterfront location doesn't hurt either, although in winter, you may want to wear a sweater if seated next to the window. Enjoy stuffed grape leaves, smoked eggplant with pomegranate molasses, and a signature hummus. Shish tawouk (yogurt-marinated chicken) is a winner, as is the mashawi, a mixed grill of eight kebabs (C$110) geared for sharing. Burgers (lamb, of course) get the nod, too. The small bar is elegant and the cocktails imaginative. It's one of the few place to enjoy imported arak. The wine list is decent, too.

Tucked away inside the Vancouver Art Gallery, the 1931 Gallery Bistro and rooftop (weather-dependent) terrace are quiet retreats from the Downtown bustle. Food is very west coast modern-fusion as in Szechuan prawns with papaya slaw, coconut and carrot soup, and flavorful flatbreads. The poke bowls are excellent as is the selection of eggs Benedict. 

Start with an eclectic Chinatown storefront, stir in funky Asian-flavored cocktails, then add a creative take on traditional Chinese dishes, and the result is this hip and happening hangout. Load up your table with nibbles like Chinese pickles and steamed prawn, scallop, and chive dumplings, or tapas-size dishes like shao bing (sesame flatbread with cumin-scented lamb, pickled red onion, cilantro, and chilis), mantou (steamed buns stuffed with pork belly and preserved turnip), or steelhead trout with kabocha cumin gnocchi, rapini, and shiso butter clam sauce. To drink, perhaps a Mr. Miao (bourbon, Martini Bianco, beet juice, rosemary, and lemon) or a Plum Flower Paw (rum, sherry, plum juice, peppercorn, bitters, and dark lager). Old Chinatown may have been tasty, but it never cooked up anything this fun.

Located on the pier next to Fisherman's Wharf in Steveston Village, this popular eatery's "canoe-sized" fresh local seafood platters, featuring snow crab legs, smoked salmon, and Salt Spring Island mussels, are designed for sharing. In summer, grab a seat on the deck overlooking the busy boardwalk, and watch the marina and river traffic sail by.

Located adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and within a few minutes walk of the city's Rogers Arena and BC Place, what better place for a pre-theater/pre-event meal? Choices are wide and varied, from social hour morsels (crispy cauliflower and parmesan garlic chips) to soups, salads, burgers, Asian-inspired bowls, pasta, and a decent kids' menu. Save room for house-made desserts. Bonus: there's underground parking.

This small, family run restaurant cooks up traditional Italian fare as in calamari (served with truffle garlic mayo), scallop carpaccio, slow-braised lamb shank, and of course, pasta. House-made gnocchi and spinach ravioli are specialities. There's live music Friday and Saturday evenings (for a cover charge of C$2.50). 

For Mediterranean-inspired breakfast and lunch fare, from skillets piled high with eggs, roasted potatoes, and caramelized onions to paella, try this casually chic (and always busy) Downtown café just off Robson Street. Don't leave without sampling their specialty: Belgian waffles, with toppings like dark chocolate or salted caramel. The address is misleading; the building's configuration means the entrance is actually half a block north.

Relax, you're in Spain—or at least you'll feel like it when you enter this narrow West End nook, a traditional Spanish tapas bar that serves classic (and not so classic) small bites and daily variations of paella. Order a sherry or a glass of Spanish bubbly, then graze on anchovies on toast, crispy squid with mint yogurt and jam, or fried zucchini flowers stuffed with potato and salt cod. As in the best Iberian tapas joints, you can come in for a nibble or three, or keep ordering more dishes as you linger into the evening, often accompanied by flamenco guitar.

Chicken is the specialty at this classy bistro where the juicy rotisserie-roasted birds are served with potato salad, coleslaw, and biscuits. Other creative comfort foods include Arctic char with an annatto seed crust and lamb shank with cauliflower ragu. And save room for dessert—they always have something worth ordering. The space is interesting, too. Half the restaurant is in a restored historic structure (with details like mosaic tiles and a tin ceiling), while the other side of the dining room is set in a new condo building.

A standout amid the crowded dining scene on Denman Street, Khaghan's varied menu has piled assorted Middle Eastern flavors into traditional fare: a multitude of kebabs, a tasty ghormeh sahzi beef stew loaded with greens and fresh herbs, a lamb shank with dill rice, and a pomegranate walnut stew for vegetarians. Locals keep this place cooking, so reservations are essential.

A summer visit to Vancouver isn't complete without an afternoon enjoying cocktails on this rooftop patio overlooking sand court volleyball matches at Kits Beach. At other times of the year, the views of the vivid sunsets and dramatic winter storms are exceptional through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the restaurant.

There's a distinctly European vibe to Maxine's. In part, because of the central display of wines and spirits around which you can sip and savor. And in part, because of the menu that goes from croissants and cafe au lait in the morning, to a slow-cooked pork collar or risotto for dinner. And the brunches in between are legendary. Then there are the floor-to-ceiling glass walls that seem to bring the outside in, making the outside patio very much part of the eatery.

About a 10-minute walk from Main Street and Broadway, this bright, high-ceilinged take on a classic osteria fills up with neighborhood families and fashionable young people dining on house-made pasta, inventive vegetable dishes, and rich meats cooked over a wood-fired grill. The menu changes daily to showcase what's in season but always includes staples, like roasted chicken and steaks, along with more inventive items—think meatballs with pine nuts, a veal chop with polenta, or corn and wild chanterelles risotto. Reservations are recommended, but the seating at the central antipasto bar, right in the middle of the action, is strictly for walk-ins.

This lively Shipyards District eatery juts like a pier into Burrard Inlet, offering 180-degree water, city skyline, and Stanley Park views from tables both inside and out. The covered, heated patio is open year-round, so alfresco dining is pretty much always an option. The vibe here is casual, with TV screens and upbeat music. While the menu favors local seafood, with shucked oysters, sockeye salmon, and a chowder, burgers, salads, and vegetarian options round out the offerings. Pier 7 is just steps from the SeaBus, so if you're staying Downtown, you can leave the car behind.

This cozy Italian restaurant in the heart of Yaletown is a fan favorite, thanks to the homemade pastas and tapas menu. Try the lobster and crab ravioli, the braised veal shank with saffron risotto, or the four-cheese gnocchi. They have plenty of Italian wines and classic cocktails on the menu, too. There are two other locations in Gastown and the West End as well. The West End location also serves brunch.

This faux fishing shack in Yaletown has one of the city's widest selections of oysters (up to 18 varieties), from locally harvested bivalves to selections from Ireland, New Zealand, and beyond—they're all laid out on ice behind the bar. Or try the clams, mussels, and other mollusks from the steamer kettles. If you're fishing for an afternoon snack, come in between 3 and 6 pm when a light menu of raw oysters, steamed clams, garlic prawns, and a few additional seafood nibbles are served. There's a second location in Gastown.

Conveniently located at the entrance to Bridgeport Station on the Canada Line, this upscale Chinese restaurant serves first-rate Hong Kong-style seafood, often plucked live from the tanks and cooked to the specifications of its well-heeled clientele. Ask for whatever fish is freshest, and try the distinctive pork with chayote squash. This is also a popular spot for lunchtime dim sum, both traditional and more contemporary. Although you won't be out of place in jeans, you could dress up a bit, particularly in the evening. Reservations are recommended.

A brigade of chefs is at work in the open kitchen of this popular restaurant that specializes in Shanghai-style fare, which is richer and slightly sweeter than more delicate Cantonese dishes. They're prepping the handmade dumplings, including the soup-filled xiao long bao and the panfried pork buns that are among the specialties here. Hand-pulled noodles, saucy braised eggplant, and fresh stir-fried greens are other good options. Book in advance or prepare to wait.