Fusion restaurants in Vancouver
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A
Bin 941
A hopping little spot that's packed almost every night, cave-like Bin 941 kicked off Vancouver's current small-plates fever. Not resting on its laurels, it's still arguably the best spot in town for late-night nibbles and a few glasses of wine with friends – which will quickly include the people squeezed next to you at the adjoining small table. Tuck into treats like sustainable tuna tartar and beef tenderloin, but don't miss the excellent crab cakes.
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Abigail's Party
A romantic little tapas and wine haunt that creates its own atmosphere depending on the crowd filling its handful of small, candlelit tables. The idea here is to sit back, order some tapas plates and explore the wine list at your leisure. The barbecue beef brisket and Moroccan chicken dishes are great if you're particularly hungry, but the lamb sausage corn dogs and duck confit sliders are ideal for sharing: although since you'll find three of each on the plates, a fight over the final one is highly likely. Make up with a bottle from the blackboard of ever-changing wine specials and an Abigail's Mohito or three.
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Boneta
Typifying Gastown's extensive transformation, this old bank building – one of the oldest in the city – now houses a bold-but-casual eatery where the chef's ever-fertile imagination is sparked by regional seasonal ingredients. Expect taste-tripping riffs like smoked bison carpaccio with sherry vinaigrette or grilled rack of lamb with curried cauliflower. There's a small but excellent wine selection but start with a cocktail or two: the bar is far from being an afterthought here and the mixologists are expert.
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Burgoo Bistro
With the feel of a cozy, rustic cabin – complete with a large stone fireplace – Burgoo's menu of comfort foods with a twist aims to warm up those long North Van winter nights: the Guinness-infused Irish stew, spicy apricot lamb tagine or smile-triggering butter chicken with brown basmati rice would thaw a glacier from 50 paces. There's also a wide array of house-made soups and heaping salads. If all you fancy is a few beers, dip into the dark and hoppy Burgoo Brew or the rich and blackcurranty Middle Mountain Black Mead. There's also live jazz on Sunday nights to keep your toes tapping.
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E
Timbre
A couple of blocks north of the SkyTrain station, this buzzy, wood-lined neighborhood resto-bar is a popular weekend brunch spot, when the hungover locals drop by to address their night-before excesses. The highlight of the main menu, though, is the Gut Strut Jambalaya, heaped with scallops, prawns and smoked chicken. The beer list might appeal if you're heading the hair-of-the-dog route – the bottled BC treats often include Phoenix Gold Lager and Phillips Blue Buck Ale – while Wednesday night is reserved for good-value beer and burger specials (usually around the $12 to $14 mark).
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Regional Tasting Lounge
An intimate, mood-lit dining room with an innovative menu approach: every three months it adds a new regional focus, which brings taste-bud-hugging treats from different parts of the world. Foodie focuses have included Italy, Spain, Greece and New Orleans, but there's always a selection of Pacific Northwest classics if you want to taste-trip BC, too. Small plates are popular here, so consider ordering to share. There's a three-course $29 tasting menu available daily plus a full bar: the cocktails here, including the lovely pistachio sour, are recommended.
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G
Bin 942
This tiny but exceedingly cozy lounge is a convivial late-night hangout if you fancy a few dishes of food and a bottle or two of wine with chatty friends. Among the best ‘tapatizers’ are sashimi-style ahi tuna and portobello mushroom cutlets, which pair perfectly with a select array of good beers – the Russell Brewing Cream Ale is best – and a compact but well-chosen wine list of Australian, Californian, European and BC tipples. Expect to stay for a few hours if you’re in the mood for a relaxing wind-down.
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Glowbal Grill Steak & Satay
Casting a wide net that catches the power-lunch, after-work and late-night fashionista crowds, this hip but unpretentious joint has a comfortable, lounge-like feel. Its menu of classy dishes fuses West Coast ingredients with Asian and Mediterranean flourishes – the prawn linguine is ace and the finger-licking array of satay sticks is a recommended starter. Check the glass-walled meat cellar on the counter and choose your desired steak cut, and make sure you head to the back-room Afterglow bar for a nightcap.
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Wild Rice
East meets west here in a loungey, minimalist reinvention of the traditional Chinese restaurant. Fusing classic dishes with unexpected culinary influences from around the world – think tuna tataki (lightly seared tuna) lettuce wraps or wild boar with jasmine rice and plantain chips – this is a popular late-night hangout on weekends. Once you’re done stuffing your face, you can work your way through the comprehensive martini list as you slide gracefully off your chair.
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Judas Goat
This smashing 28-seat, mosaic-and-marble nook became a local foodie favorite soon after its 2010 opening. Named after the goats used to lead sheep off slaughterhouse trucks, it's nailed the art of small, simply-prepared but invitingly gourmet tapas treats like beef brisket meatballs, lamb cheek wrapped in Savoy cabbage and scallop tartare with pork rinds. Like its Salt Tasting Room brother next door, you'll also find a good (although much shorter) wine and Spanish sherry drinks list. Arrive off-peak to avoid line-ups: there's a 90-minute time limit for diners.
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K
Ouisi Bistro
Vancouver's most authentic Creole and Cajun menu in a casual, bar-style setting, Ouisi (as in 'Louisiana') chefs up adventurous dishes like habanero coconut chicken, cornmeal-crusted trout and vegetarian étouffée for those who like a taste-tripping dinner – also consider one of the New Orleanian sandwiches for a hearty lunch. The large menu of accompanying malts and bourbons plus regular live jazz spices things up, while weekend brunch offers hot fusion riffs on trad breakfast dishes.
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Metro
This chic West Coast eatery – think stone-slab walls and polished wood floors – near the Touristinfo Centre offers a galloping romp through contemporary Canadian fusion cuisine. Its unusual pay-by-the-ounce approach to meat and fish can be pricey if you want to sample a few different flavors. If you’re put off by the giant 50-item selection, head to the swanky oyster bar and shuck your way through a few, complemented by a fruity bottle of BC wine.
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