13 of the best restaurants in Vancouver

Sarah Merle

Sarah is one of the creative minds behind the Le Petit Chef blog. With her authentic and approachable style, she enjoys sharing all kinds of experience-based activities.

Vancouver – a city where the sea, mountains, and culinary diversity meet. Freshly caught fish, sushi creations, fusion cuisine, or traditional Canadian cuisine – one thing is certain: enjoyment is written in capital letters in Vancouver!

This blog is meant to accompany you on the journey through Vancouver to experience and enjoy the best and coolest restaurants. Be inspired from the first to the last bite!

Tip #1: Blue Water Cafe

Restaurants in Downtown Vancouver have even more highlights to taste: The Blue Water Cafe will satisfy your craving for seafood and give you the best the sea has to offer. You will find the best fish dishes and sushi on the menu, as well as alternatives with and without meat.

You can be sure to notice dishes with rather unknown fish species. While they are considered rather uninteresting by the majority of restaurants, Blue Water Cafe proves the opposite and creates dishes that you have never seen anywhere else.

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Tip #2: Osteria Savio Volpe

If you’ve just googled “best restaurants Vancouver”, you’ve probably come across Osteria Savio Volpe. As the name suggests, you can look forward to the best, and at the same time simple Italian food at this place.

Those who want to, order the right wine pairing with the meal. The pasta is homemade every day and ingredients such as meat, fish, or poultry are cooked in the wood fired oven to give them that smoky touch!

Inside, the walls are decorated with wood, which gives the entire dining room its special charm.

Tip #3: Neverland Tea Salon

Anyone who thinks that a tea house is boring and only serves tea is mistaken – and the Neverland Tea Salon proves it. Here, an atmosphere like on a film set is created, because the two owners, who are also friends, have experience in film and theatre. This way, they create a lively place straight out of the movie “Alice in Wonderland.”

With lots of colour, creativity, and various elaborately blended tea varieties, a magical place comes to life. In addition, it offers a varied menu that constantly raises the bar. Offers such as the weekend brunch or themed days called “High Tea” open up new taste experiences, making it a must-try restaurant in Vancouver!

Tip #4: Salmon n‘ Bannock

With the motto “Feed your spirit”, Salmon n‘ Bannock is definitely one of the coolest and best restaurants in Vancouver. It was founded to bring back and showcase Indigenous flavours. Thus, it is Vancouver’s only restaurant with native cuisine – a place where culture and cuisine are truly connected!

Only local and traditional ingredients are used, the same ones the ancestors relied on. Our tip: Try a fish dish, because the goal of the place is to convey a mental and culinary journey by canoe through the waters of Vancouver.

Tip #5: Top of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant

Anyone asking themselves, “Where should I definitely eat in Vancouver?” – we have the perfect answer. The concept of Top of Vancouver is unmistakable: 167 meters above Vancouver, with a view of the coastal mountains, the sea, and the city, along with excellent food, soft jazz music, and attentive staff, this visit becomes an unforgettable experience.

They themselves call it a “revolving restaurant” because, while observing the city, something is always changing – yet one thing remains the same: the outstanding cuisine. With devoted creations of international cuisine, the gourmet heart is enchanted.

For the early birds among us, there is also the possibility to enjoy the view with a brunch on the rooftop terrace – whereas for the night owls, the Happy Hour with delicious cocktails is a perfect choice.

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Tip #6: Frankie’s Jazz Club

Tip #7: BOTANIST

Are you looking for an elegant but modern restaurant in Vancouver? Then the Botanist should be on your agenda. This Vancouver restaurant is also recommended by the Michelin Guide.

Let your gaze wander from an elegant, unagitated interior to soothing greenery both inside and out to your culinary highlight on the plate. The menu features dishes from the Pacific Northwest coast.

If you like, you can enjoy a delicious drink with a tempting aroma. If you already have plans for the evening, you can also make a reservation for brunch or lunch.

Tip #8: Pizzeria Ludica

Eating pizza: Associations like “meeting friends, good conversations, lots of laughter, fun” should come to mind – right? Pizzeria Ludica takes this seriously and turns an ordinary pizzeria into a place to linger, play, and laugh.

Fresh pizza from the stone oven and an offer of many board and card games make this a fun restaurant in Vancouver. The concept is also well thought out: The games are color-coded to distinguish between quick games, party games, and difficulty level – so there is definitely something for every age group!

We wish you lots of fun!

Tip #9: Black and Blue Steakhouse

Tasting and seeing are combined in the Black and Blue Steakhouse! The best restaurant to get a glimpse into a meat cooling room, lined with Himalayan salt! Cuts of meat are sold that are so rare that special dedication is required in their preparation.

With its weekday offers, the restaurant also attracts new guests: lunch menu, theme days, or the Sunday prime rib! With its luxurious and elegant furnishings, the steakhouse still creates a cozy atmosphere.

Tip #10: Ovaltine Cafe

Have you ever eaten typical diner dishes in a retro restaurant? If not, then the Ovaltine Cafe should be a must try for you. Since 1942, they have paid attention to friendly prices for the locals and to a classic interior style in order to transport oneself back in time.

With an all-day breakfast menu, sandwiches, or burgers, they were named one of the 50 best cafes in the world. Although the focus here is actually on newer restaurants, the cafe manages to bring a piece of unadulterated Vancouver into the Top 50.

Also, noteworthy is the large selection of wines and the fact that you can ask the restaurant’s sommelier for advice on the right wine. They actively encourage you to try a wide selection of dishes in family style with your family or group of friends.

Tip #11: Five Sails

Five Sails is a fine dining restaurant in Vancouver that not only has a lot to offer for the taste buds but also for the eyes, as it is located on the city’s coastline.

Floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of Stanley Park, Coal Harbour, Vancouver’s North Shore, the Lion’s Gate Bridge, and the ski slopes while you dine.

This top Vancouver restaurant is open for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, with a choice of à la carte or a tasting menu. The cuisine is focused on modern fine dining with European influences.

Tip #12: Kissa Tanto

Are you looking for a restaurant where you can forget time and place and instead embark on a journey? Kissa Tanto combines New York and Japanese style through an interior inspired by a 1960s jazz club. The mysterious ambience is supported by high ceilings and shiny tiles.

With a view into the kitchen, it becomes clear that tastes are connected here: with Japanese techniques they conjure up various dessert variations, and with Italian finesse they create classics. It is a place that is ideal for special occasions and offers stories, warmth, and a heartfelt smile.

Tip #13: Caffé La Tana

A menu full of small plates and pasta to share, as well as an all-Italian wine list of much-loved and lesser-known varieties, can be found at Caffé La Tana’s. The small collection of cocktails, grappa and amari is perfect to start, finish and make the most of the evening.

We recommend giving Caffé La Tana’s whipped ricotta crostino or vodka pasta a try as well!

Our selection of restaurants is based, among other things, on the editorial team’s individual preferences and on reviews on the internet. Please contact the respective provider directly for information on reservations and prices. The pictures come from the restaurants listed. All Information is provided without guarantee!