After all, who doesn’t love a good ‘you-gotta-eat-here’ recommendation?
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Vancouver is home to many amazing restaurants.
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Whether you’re new to the city, a longtime local, or are just in town for a few days, taking some time to explore and enjoy the city’s gastronomic bounty is highly recommended.
Here are 18 favourite restaurants of local authors, actors, Hollywood North insiders and others.
Bar Haifa (Click here to read our review)
Recommended by: Samer Salem (actor)
“I’ve been back in Vancouver for two years now, after having left for six years. It’s been great to see how much the restaurant scene in Vancouver has grown. There’s a ton of spots I’ve yet to try. My next stop: Gary’s,” Salem says.
Botanist (Click here to read our review)
Recommended by: Benjamin Hollingsworth (actor)
“The main difference in Vancouver’s restaurant scene versus other cities like LA and New York is there isn’t a stuffy atmosphere or exclusive vibe. It’s not filled with celebrities and food critics, but real people there for real food,” Hollingsworth says.
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Caffé La Tana (Click here to read our review)
Recommended by: Robyn Harding (author)
“I love Caffé La Tana on Commercial Drive. This is my go-to spot for a catch-up lunch or an intimate dinner. The charming space is small and bustling, but the service is always seamless. The menu changes regularly, offering delicious salads and perfect pastas. For heartier appetites, you can order off the Pepino’s Spaghetti House menu which is right next door. La Tana also has a shop that sells Italian olive oils, vinegars, and coffee,” Harding says.
DL Chicken (Click here to read our review)
Recommended by: Arkie Kandola (actor)
“Vancouver has authentic, first-generation immigrants that bring all of their homeland’s flavours, colours and aromas with them,” Kandola says.
Eat Bar & Patio Haraheri
Recommended by: Camille Sullivan (actor)
I am a sucker for a good happy hour and Eat Bar & Patio Haraheri has one of the best in town. This Japanese Izakaya restaurant is incredible any time, with delicious food and a huge heated patio on the third floor at 888 Nelson. But oh my god, the happy hour!” Sullivan says.
HK BBQ Master
4651 No. 3 Rd., Richmond
Recommended by: Harrison Xu (actor/director/producer)
“Vancouver has some of the most diverse culinary offerings in the world. I love just rolling into a restaurant that looks busy without reading the reviews, and I’m bound to find something delicious,” Xu says.
Indian Fusion Restaurant
Recommended by: Colin James (musician)
“To me Indian food has the most unique and distinct flavour of all, and they do it super well. The Chana Masala and their Palak Paneer are fantastic,” James says.
Jambo Grill
Recommended by: Charlie Demers (author/comedian)
“Our family has four pillars of Vancouver restaurant-ing: for dine-in, our two favourites are Jambo Grill at Kingsway & Joyce, and Casereccio Foods at Broadway & Vine. The latter is for too-fresh-to-believe pasta, cooked to absolute perfection, and the former is for the sensational Indo-Ugandan delicacies,” Demers says.
Kamei Royale
Recommended by: David Winning (director)
“I love the Vancouver restaurant scene. And it’s the best place for amazing fresh sushi, obviously,” Winning says.
The Mackenzie Room (Click here to read our review)
Recommended by: Cobie Smulders (actor)
Maenam
Recommended by: Ken Lum (artist/author/professor)
“I was (recently) in Vancouver for a week (Lum lives in Philadelphia where he teaches at the University of Pennsylvania). It was my first visit of more than two nights in almost a decade. I’m biased toward one particular restaurant because I was co-founder and co-owner of Maenam in Kits. I sold my shares in late 2019. I dined there with my former business partner and chef, Angus An. The meal was terrific,” Lum says.
MILA (Click here to read our review)
Recommended by: Agam Darshi (actor/director/writer)
“(Vancouver’s restaurant scene) is great. And a heaven for vegans and vegetarian. So many great options and fresh, farm-to- options,” Darshi says.
The Naam
Recommended by: Jessi Cruikshank (Comedian/podcast host)
“I love The Naam in Kitsilano because I grew up in the neighbourhood, I became a vegetarian at 8 years old (my parents thought it was a phase) and The Naam was one of the few vegetarian restaurants in the city. I am still a vegetarian (not a phase) and I LOVE that The Naam is still there, many decades later, serving delicious, creative, natural vegetarian and vegan dishes. It’s a comforting taste of the Vancouver I know and love,” Cruikshank says.
Nicli Pizzeria
Recommended by: Michelle Morgan (actor)
Phnom Penh Restaurant
Recommended by: Ivan Leung (actor/director/producer)
“Vancouver’s food is in a totally different level. Honestly I’d move to Vancouver just for the food, it’s outstanding,” Leung says.
Sula Indian Restaurant (Click here to read our review)
Recommended by: David Fine (filmmaker)
“The room is so tropical and not like any typical Indian restaurant. They do great cocktails and really interesting “street food” appetizers. If I was going to design an Indian restaurant, it would look like Sula, but the food is also really good,” Fine says.
Tavola Restaurant (Click here to read our review)
Recommended by: Bill Richardson (author/former CBC Radio host)
“It’s a great neighbourhood amenity. I don’t even know how many years I’ve been going there but in all that time I can truly say I’ve never had a bad meal, or anything even approaching bad. Very consistent. I like that,” Richardson says.
Veerji Fish ‘n’ Grill
Recommended by: Supinder Wraich (actor)
“Because I’m living in White Rock and we shoot in Langley, I love all the choices I have for incredible Punjabi food!,” Wraich says.