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Restaurant Day in Downtown Vancouver1 |
Balmy temperatures, stunning
ocean views and famed tourist attractions
such as Stanley
Park and the Pacific
National Exhibition are not the only reasons to visit Vancouver.
The sparkling metropolis is also a deserving and exciting culinary destination
with new and innovative restaurants
opening all the time, and a wealth of well-established favourites that continue
to get the locals excited.
One is unlikely to make
a bad dining decision in downtown Vancouver. With literally hundreds of quality
restaurants on the Vancouver scene, chances are the hungry will stumble into
something that more than satisfies, both gastronomically and financially. Downtown
Vancouver serves up a full range of establishments, from fast
food joints to fine dining palaces, cutting-edge cafes
to traditional pubs,
and a vibrant offering of cultural cuisine from around the world.
ETIQUETTE
Much like the rest of Canada
and the USA, it is customary
to tip around 15% of the bill for a meal in Vancouver. However, high gastronomical
satisfaction will often see customers happily bestowing a little more on their
servers, especially since the meals themselves often come at a pleasantly low
cost. Food and alcoholic beverages are divided on the bill due to the difference
in Provincial Sales Tax. Alcohol is taxed at a higher rate and is not served
to anyone under 19 years of age. All Vancouver indoor public venues are 100%
smoke free, including cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars, nightclubs and lounges.
DOWNTOWN CORE
The downtown core pulses
with energy. It is the culturally diverse, bright and bustling yet laid-back
Entertainment District of Vancouver. A vast assortment of restaurants are concentrated
on, but in no way limited to, Granville
Street and immediately parallel streets. Cafes,
fast
food outlets, restaurants
serving cuisine from far-off lands, nightclubs
and specialty eateries cater to all tastes and are often open late in support
of the energetic nightlife.
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The
Templeton 2 |
The Caprice
Nightclub has become a mainstay on the downtown clubbing scene. Transformed
from an old Granville Street movie theatre, this club offers a spacious main
level dance floor and a large but cosy lounge upstairs on the mezzanine floor
that serves a sophisticated international dinner menu. Further down Granville
Street, Crush
Champagne Lounge is another popular party venue showcasing Vancouver's
hottest DJs and offering the most impressive champagne selection in the downtown
core.
If the focus of the night
is filling one's belly rather than sweating it out on the dance floor, there
are options a-plenty. The Kingston
Taphouse & Grille is located on Richards Street, a couple of streets
east of Granville. This popular pub serves internationally-inspired dishes and
a solid drinks menu in a warm, contemporary interior, or on the rooftop deck
or Oasis Garden Patio.
Back on Granville Street,
The
Templeton is a must if in search of filling, flavourful meals. Step
back into the 1950s and try their hearty diner
fare with a healthy organic twist. The bargain prices, full, flavourful plates
and huge cups of coffee make The Templeton an attractive and relaxing place
to grab breakfast,
lunch or dinner.
ROBSON STREET
Crossing the aforementioned
streets in a northwest/southeast direction runs Robson
Street. Three blocks along Robson, between Burrard and Jervis Streets,
downtown's commercial heart beats passionately. People who truly love to shop
swarm to the Robson Street area for cutting-edge fashion
stores, international brands, gift
stores
and so much more. A lot of tourists hit Robson Street, straight from their hotel
lobbies, and a lot of tourism amenities here cater to them.
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| Robson
Street: A Sushi Fan's Delight3 |
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This buzzing commercial
hive is also home to many of Vancouver's preferred fine dining restaurants.
Cloud
Nine Revolving Restaurant is particularly popular with tourists and
those splurging for a special occasion. Located on the 42nd floor of the Empire
Landmark Hotel (one of Vancouver's tallest hotels), heavenly regional
dishes are savoured alongside the incredible 360 degree views of the mountains,
ocean and city below. A couple of blocks down the street, CinCin's
Mediterranean-inspired,
contemporary cuisine and warm, heritage elegance make it another of Vancouver's
most celebrated restaurants, and meals are priced accordingly.
For cheaper food that is
still fit for a king, try the Thai
House. Its adventurous, exotic cuisine is served in four Vancouver locations,
including Robson Street. Sushi
fans will also be delighted with this area. Popular and common in the city,
Japanese
fare generally comes cheap and flourishes on Robson Street. A local
favourite is Tsunami
Sushi, complete with a floating sushi bar.
THE WEST END
The west side of the downtown
spread is officially bound by Denman Street and Stanley
Park to the north, Georgia Street to the east (including Robson Street),
Burrard Street to the south, and English
Bay to the west. This highly residential neighbourhood is both lively
and calming with zesty main thoroughfares and quiet, leafy streets near the
sparkling bay.
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Looking
Toward the West End from English Bay4 |
Aside from Robson Street,
most notable dining in the West
End is closer to the waterfront on Davie Street and near Stanley Park
along Denman Street. Dining experiences span the world in the West End. From
Hungarian
to Indian
restaurants, international flavours abound here. For the less adventurous there
are many casual dependables, such
as Denny's
and Milestones.
An acclaimed restaurant
on Denman Street is the appropriately named Raincity
Grill. Its award-winning regional
cuisine is fairly priced and is prepared from fresh, local, organic ingredients.
Another establishment offering taste perfection is Bin
941 Tapas Parlour on Davie Street. In true Tapas
style the plates here are small, encouraging customers to sample the many flavours.
Bin 941's impeccably presented gourmet dishes are wide-ranging and to die for.
This incites a long line-up but is well worth the wait.
GASTOWN
Located on the east side
of downtown, Gastown
is named after its founder, “Gassy Jack” Deighton, a gold prospector,
riverboat captain and saloon keeper who stepped ashore in 1867. Since then Gastown
has had some trying times but has managed to cling to its historic charm and
the quirkiness of its talkative “father”. Now a bustling and prosperous
district, one will discover galleries,
museums,
commemorative monuments,
heritage architecture, trendy fashion boutiques, shops
selling all manner of souvenirs and trinkets, and a very diverse restaurant
scene while strolling down its cobbled streets.
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A Cobblestoned
Street Corner, Gastown5
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Relaxed shoppers enjoy the
many cafes
and delis during the day while creatures of the night flock to Gastown's bars,
pubs
and nightclubs
for its effervescent atmosphere after dark.
A must for lunch or dinner
is Gastown's revered Water
Street Cafe. An upscale, yet casual ambiance is created by large windows
overlooking the cobbled streets, a warm, cosy interior and a creatively sumptuous
menu of Pacific
Northwest and Italian
cuisine. Another Gastown culinary icon is the Steamworks
Brewing Company. Named after the steam line that runs through the establishment,
Steamworks brews its beers on-site and offers a menu as diverse as its drinks
list. The Salt
Tasting Room on Blood Alley supports the Gastown penchant toward good
conversation as a wine and cheese affair. Visitors to this funky tasting room
have fun putting together a Tasting Plate from the wide selection of ever-changing
cheeses, meats and condiments, paired with the perfect wine.
CHINATOWN
Immediately south of Gastown,
Chinatown's
exotic atmosphere, cultural attractions, delicious smells and lively vendors
attract thousands of tourists and residents alike. As the second biggest Chinatown
in North America, visitors arriving through its grand entrance, the ornate Millennium
Gate, have the opportunity to visit the famous Dr.
Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden and the Chinese
Cultural Centre. Visitors in August also have the chance to experience
the exciting Chinatown
Festival, and those in town during February can enjoy the extravagant
Chinese
New Year Parade. Vancouver's Chinatown is charmingly cluttered with
markets, restaurants, Chinese bakeries and various shops selling everything
from traditional Chinese medicines to housewares and crafts.
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A
Chinese Lantern in Chinatown6 |
Keefer and Pender Streets
come alive during summer nights with buzzing street markets. East of Main Street,
between Gore and Hastings Streets, the Fresh
Market is always brimming with fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, Chinese
herbs and various culinary fascinations.
Many of the more traditional
Chinese
restaurants, including lots of small Dim Sum eateries, and other exotic
offerings from around the world are located along Pender, Keefer and Main Streets.
Floata
Seafood Restaurant on Keefer Street is the biggest Chinese restaurant
in Canada. Its authentic dishes, including Dim Sum, varied dinner entrees, Peking
Duck and banquet offerings, make it one of Chinatown's big attractions. On Pender
Street West, Wild
Rice offers a fun, trendy atmosphere and exciting, contemporary Chinese
cuisine in the traditional sharing style. Visitors will be impressed with the
tea list too.
Even getting to Chinatown
is a cultural delight along the Silk
Road pedestrian route from the Central
Library right to the Millennium Gate. The walk between Gastown and Chinatown
however, is not advised after dark.
YALETOWN
Located southwest of Chinatown,
on the West
End's eastern border, Yaletown
is where the affluent like to play. This trendy, urban waterfront district has
done a full turn-around since the 1980s, when it was nothing more than a run-down
warehouse district. Now the fashion elite shop Yaletown's many high-end boutiques
nestled among glassy high-rise office and apartment buildings and beautifully
restored heritage architecture.
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| The
Bright Night Lights of Yaletown7 |
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Yaletown is also home to
a fine collection of upscale cafes
and restaurants,
including many waterfront dining and drinking establishments popular with the
suave late night crowd. Perched on the north bank of False Creek, Edgewater
Casino is a full entertainment experience with over 2,787 sq. m (30,000
sq. ft) of gaming, live music and comedy, and contemporary dining in the Splash
Bistro.
Capone's
Restaurant & Live Jazz Club also offers a great night of entertainment
and good food. Located in the heart of Yaletown on Hamilton Street, Capone's
dishes up live local jazz and blues seven nights a week along with a mouth-watering
menu of traditional Mediterranean
cuisine. Half a block up the street, in a charming heritage warehouse conversion,
Blue
Water Cafe & Raw Bar serves the freshest legendary West Coast seafood,
including masterful sushi and sashimi creations from the Raw Bar.
GRANVILLE ISLAND
This little island on the
south shore is not on the main downtown peninsula, but is directly accessed
from the downtown core via the Granville
Street Bridge, and is one of Vancouver's biggest attractions. In addition
to the Granville Street Bridge, Granville
Island is also easily accessed by the Aquabus
and False
Creek Ferries from the downtown peninsula.
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The
Gateway to Granville Island8 |
Few places located under
a large highway are so attractive, but the radiant sparkle of Granville Island's
colourful streets proclaims it a major destination. Granville Island is one
of North America's most successful urban redevelopment projects. The 1970s saw
the beginning of its transformation from a derelict industrial park to a buzzing,
artsy district, with charming little remnants of its gritty, industrial past
proudly shining through. Granville Island is now home to many of Vancouver's
creative souls. Galleries,
working studios and theatres
all offer a buffet of fascinating sights.
Dining options here range
from market-side tables and laid-back cafes to sophisticated waterfront restaurants
complete with outdoor patios. One such waterfront venue is the Sandbar
Seafood Restaurant. Offering harbour views from every seat, this architecturally
artistic restaurant is one of Vancouver's busiest seafood
eateries. Bridges
Seafood Restaurant is another extremely popular waterfront dining option.
With one of Vancouver's largest outdoor open seating decks, Bridges positively
overflows with tourists and locals alike during the summer months.
Located next to Bridges
Seafood Restaurant is the heart of Granville Island's culinary experience, the
Public
Market. Stall upon stall offers limitless shopping with an unbelievable
selection of specialty foods, just-caught seafood, local garden produce, fresh
baking and more. It is a true treat for all senses.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- German Rodriguez Pazo;
A Restaurant Day in Downtown Vancouver; Vancouver, BC, Canada
- German Rodriguez Pazo;
The Templeton; Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Robson Street: A Sushi
Fan's Delight; Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Looking Toward the
West End from English Bay; Vancouver, BC, Canada
- German Rodriguez Pazo;
A Cobblestoned Street Corner, Gastown; Vancouver,
BC, Canada
- A Chinese Lantern
in Chinatown; Vancouver, BC, Canada
- The Bright Night Lights
of Yaletown; Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Dana Kwak; The Gateway
to Granville Island; Vancouver, BC, Canada
