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New Town Bakery & Restaurant
Arguably the area's best Chinese bakery, this old-school diner specializes in steam buns, Chinese pastries and dim sum, served from giant steamers on the counter. The warm, moist barbecue pork buns are the bakery's signature snack and they make an ideal takeout - there's not much of an ambience here, so there's no real reason to stick around. The buns also come in several vegetarian varieties.
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Noodle Box
Hailing from across the water in Victoria, Noodle Box' plans for world domination have taken hold in Vancouver, where its winning combination of freshly prepared, good-value Asian nosh has roused wealthy Kits locals from their high-end dining ways. The company's kitsch-tastic take-out noodle boxes helped spread the word, but diners keep coming back for Malaysian lamb curry, Thai chow mein and the ever-popular spicy Cambodian jungle curry.
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Nu
Nestled under the north side of Granville Bridge, this swish eatery has the appearance of a decadent 1970s hotel bar. The menu is far from old-fashioned, though, combining a host of exciting French-influenced tasting plates: highlights include tempura-battered olives and duck confit with liquefied foie gras. Don't forget to try a few cocktails, preferably on the lovely, wraparound sunset-facing deck.
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Nuba
While the furniture looks like it came from a 1970's IKEA fire sale, the food at this funky Lebanese café, which attracts passing artists and bohemian hipsters in equal measure, more than makes up for it. If you're not sure what to go for, have the great-value falafel plate, heaped with hummus, tabbouleh, salad, pita and brown rice. It'll make you realize what wholesome, made-from-scratch food is supposed to taste like.
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Nyala
While the slow-cooked goat stew and mafe - a spicy Creole-style chicken dish with tomato, ochre and hot chili - are menu mainstays at this 20-year-old city favorite, the recently added vegetarian buffet is making waves among veggies and carnivores alike. Save time to check out the colorful African décor and the traditional clay pots made by the owner.
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Observatory
Perched atop Grouse Mountain, the fine dining Observatory serves up dishes of seared scallops and roasted beef tenderloin with some of the best views in BC - right down over the crenulated waterfront of Stanley Park and the shiny towers of Vancouver. The views are almost as good and the atmosphere is more laid-back at the adjacent Altitudes Bistro, which offers pub-style food in a casual ski lodge setting.
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Ouisi Bistro
The city's best New Orleans-style Creole and Cajun dine-out joint, this atmospheric eatery offers lip-smacking adventurous dishes such as habanero coconut chicken, marinated alligator and vegetarian étouffée. A large selection of single malts and bourbons complements the southern fare and there's regular live jazz to keep things smokin'. Drop by for weekend brunch and partake of a spicy fusion spin on traditional breakfast dishes.
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Paul's Place Omelettery
You'll be jostling for space with strollers and chatty moms at this unassuming breakfast joint near the south side of Granville Bridge, but it's worth it. The menu is short and sweet, but it's grounded on 12 signature omelets, including a chock-a-block vegetarian option that will make carnivores eye you jealously. A great place to warm yourself up on a rainy Vancouver morning, there's also a lunch menu of hearty sandwiches.
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Pear Tree
The surprisingly chic contemporary interior here complements a menu of modernized, continental-influenced West Coast classics. Vancouverites are often shocked to find such a place in the 'burbs, but they quickly tell their friends about the amazing lobster cappuccinos and salmon with star anise butter sauce. Make sure you leave a trail of breadcrumbs from your downtown hotel or you might be stuck amid the strip malls forever.
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Phnom Penh
Arrive early or late because the lines can be long at this locals' favorite eatery. Eschewing the Chinese approach of the area's other restaurants, the dishes here are split between Cambodian and Vietnamese soul food classics, such as spicy garlic crab, and prawn and sprout filled pancakes. Don't leave without sampling a steamed rice cake, stuffed with pork, shrimp, coconut and scallions, and washed down with an ice-cold bottle of Tsingtao.
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Planet Veg
The Indian owners of this small friendly vegetarian café bake their samosas and fill them with ingredients such as spinach and tofu. Their roti rules - try the Katmandu roll, filled with cabbage and mixed veggies and lined with fried noodles and jalapeno cilantro chutney. The hot pots with rice and the tasty veggie burgers, flavored with yam and apple chutney, are good value. All can be packed up and taken to nearby Vanier Park for a picnic.
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Prospect Point Café
The highlight of this family restaurant-style eatery perched on a promontory in the center of the park is its sterling views over the forest canopy and the Lions Gate Bridge - snag a patio seat to take full advantage of the vistas. Catering to the tour bus groups that roll in here relentlessly throughout the summer, its menu covers the usual suspects from fish-and-chips to chicken linguine. A good fuel-up spot if you're walking around the park.
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Raincity Grill
Venerable but never blasé, this smashing English Bay restaurant was sourcing and serving unique BC ingredients long before the fashion for Fanny Bay oysters took hold. A great showcase for fine West Coast cuisine, the weekend brunch here is a local legend and the three-course tasting menu is an absolute bargain. If you're on the move, drop by the take-out window and pick up a gourmet sandwich for your jaunt around nearby Stanley Park.
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Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co
If you've ever wondered what expensive but decadently gourmet pizza would taste like, here's your chance to find out. This family-friendly eatery serves pies created with mostly organic ingredients and absolutely no additives, GMOs or trans-fatty acids. They still taste good, though. Varieties such as 'rosemary chicken' and the salmon-and-lobster 'Meet the Ocean' prove popular, and there are pastas and salads available.
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Rodney's Oyster House
A decidedly laid-back seafood joint for true bivalve fans, you'll find upwards of a dozen fresh oyster varieties being shucked before your eyes here. All are best washed down with a simple but effective cold beer accompaniment and a noisy chat with your neighbors about the much posher places you could be eating at just along the street. On chilly days, the hearty chowders or steamed mussels are like manna from heaven.
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Salade De Fruits Café Bistro
The simple well-prepared ethos that prevails here is deceptive: it looks like anyone could chef up that steamy pan of mussels with fries and mayo. Don't be fooled. It takes years of artful practice in French peasant cooking methods to make things look this easy. A real taste of the old country - the staff here chatter away in French to keep things authentic - this is an oasis of fine cooking at a bargain price. Cash only.
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Salmon House On The Hill
With Vancouver at your feet, it's tough to beat this place when it comes to views. But it's not just about good looks here; this landmark West Van eatery has been chefing up some of the Lower Mainland's best fish dishes for years. While the salmon is always worthwhile, there's also an ever-changing array of seasonal BC seafood treats - ask for recommendations before you order.
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Salt Tasting Room
Located along a darkened nook off Carrall St, this wine bar and charcuterie is a protein-lover's delight with a deceptively simple approach. Pull up a bar stool at one of the two communal tables and choose from the ever-changing blackboard of cured meats and local cheeses, and the great wine list. The Tasting Plate is recommended. Restoring the social aspect to dining, the room is usually noisy with chat by the end of the night.
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Samba Brazilian Steakhouse
In a city with plenty of boring steak joints, this unusual subterranean gem is recommended. Despite the uninspiring family restaurant interior and large but oft-ignored salad bar, diners come here to gorge on meat, including beef, lamb and ostrich - all served in a kitschy manner from swords wielded by wandering waiters. It's all-you-can-eat and there's a regular side dish of smiling Brazilian dancers on most evenings.
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Sanafir
A beacon among Granville St's grubby sex shops, this loungey, Bedouin-themed eatery is dripping with North African style. But it's not all about looks. The menu's small plates are designed for sharing and range from wine-braised short ribs to Indian-spiced scallops. It's packed on weekend evenings, so you might have to sample a few cocktails at the bar as you await your table.
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Sandbar
West Coast seafood heads the menu at this high-ceilinged restaurant-with-a-view under the iron arches of Granville Bridge. The fresh oysters rock and they're best sampled on the fireplace-warmed rooftop deck. The wine list is also something to write home about - there are 1800 bottles nestled in the cellar - but the urban professionals crowding the bar on weekends seem more interested in cocktail quaffing. Reservations recommended.
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Seasons In The Park
After a trawl around the gardens of the Bloedel Floral Conservatory , head to this old-school fine dining joint, making sure your hilltop view overlooks the signature Vancouver vista of glass towers with mountain backdrop. Lucky diners with reservations (to get past the busloads of tourists) can feast on zesty Pacific Northwest cuisine, such as lemon herb-crusted lamb or wild mushroom ravioli. Save room for the delicious sunburned lemon pie.
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Sequoia Grill
Formerly the old Teahouse, the cheery-chic Sequoia combines a bright-painted, artsy interior with a small menu of seasonal classics, often including favorites such as Cornish hen, pan-seared venison and maple-marinated wild BC salmon. Not quite as fashionable as other high-end city restaurants, it nevertheless delivers well-executed contemporary fine dining - and beats the competition with its killer terrace views of English Bay.
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Six Acres
This buzzy brick-lined nook next to the 'Gassy Jack' statue is an ideal spot for hanging out with a friend or two over a plate of excellent grub. The problem is choosing what to have, since the menu includes fusion platters of maple-smoked salmon, baba ghanoush and piquant international cheeses. The Berlin - farmer's sausage, havarti, smoked gouda and piping hot bread - is recommended, washed down with a lip-smacking local beer.
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Social At Le Magasin
The downstairs oyster bar will entice you through the door but the upstairs dining room with its ornate tin ceiling is worth the climb. Recommended for brunch - try the duck confit eggs Benny - it's also a comfortable dinner spot, with West Coast specials including a mouthwatering lamb shank. If you're on the run, the on-site deli serves bulging gourmet sandwiches and heaping bowls of pulled pork chili.
