With our primary office situated in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia, and most of our staff true locals, we decided it was time to compile a list of our favourite eats and drinks for you to check out while exploring our hometown. We hope this list gets you excited to explore this incredible city of ours, and you find something unexpectedly delicious!

Rise and brunch

After a much needed sleep in and a beautiful lazy morning, all of a sudden you’re starving and it’s almost noon… the perfect combination for a brunch! My personal favourite local brunch spot is at Aphrodite’s Café. I usually order their Special Bacon Benny along with their Bailey’s Latte Bowl to hit the sweet spot. They have an incredible pie shop opposite their café, so you can pick up the perfect dessert pie for later! If you’re after a view and something quite special, then Lift Bar & Grill in Coal Harbour can’t be beat with their selection of eggs benedicts and other brunch delights.

It would also be remiss of me to not mention my favourite café, Aperture Coffee Bar (Main & King Edward location). They serve the best espresso I’ve had in Vancouver, serve great pastries and their shop is filled with retro motorcycles and motorcycle décor.

Anita deJong, our Groups and Events Manager, is on the money with her two brunch recommendations, Yolks and Jam Café! These are two of the busiest and best brunch spots anywhere in Vancouver. Neither take reservations so it’s likely you’ll be in line for a little bit, so hopefully you’ve got a friend to keep you company. From Yolks we recommend the Croque Madame, or for something without the meat, their Grilled Asparagus & Double Cream Brie Benny will hit the spot. Jam Café does the best Fried Chicken Benny we’ve ever had, and their Banana Walnut Pancakes will blow you away.

Are you after something a little lighter? Miles Walker, our Business Development Manager, says that the homemade bagels from Siegel’s Bagels is the first stop you should take. The Rosemary Rock Salt Bagel will keep you coming back for more every time, and their Montreal Smoked Meat Bagel is a sure thing for lunch.

Top lunch spots in Vancouver

Here at Worldgo Travel, we are extremely passionate fans of the Canucks, and we’re also suckers for a great burger. Inside one of the most Canucks friendly bars, The American, is located DownLow Burgers which ticks all of our boxes. The Not in Kansas Burger is always a winner, and if you’ve got a large appetite then definitely get it with a side of onion rings.

Wanting to try something really unique to Vancouver? Japadog fuses the North American staple of hot dogs and fries with Japanese cuisine. The Japanese owners moved to Canada in 2005 and promptly opened their first location. They have since built it into a thriving business, attracting people from all of the world to their store and food trucks. A trip to Vancouver would be incomplete without a stop here.

One of my favourite things to do on a nice day is to get my takeout from Thai Basil Restaurant in Kitsilano and then walk across to the beach for dinner with a view that money just can’t buy. Taking your shoes off and wiggling your toes in the sand whilst eating some of the best Thai food in Vancouver just can’t be beat. If you find that sand is coarse, rough, irritating and it gets everywhere (which rules out dinner on the beach!), then a great alternative is to head to a patio with water views. Take the adorable False Creek Aquabus ferry from downtown over to Mahony & Sons at Stamps Landing for one of the best Vancouver patios. They offer excellent pub food, a great drinks menu and some good Irish craic.

Best dinner locations in Vancouver

With so many incredible restaurants in Vancouver from all corners of the world, this was one of the hardest lists to narrow down. After much heated debate between all of us of about which spots to include, these are our top locations for dinner. My favourite place in Vancouver, Little Bird Dim Sum & Craft Beer, opened up less than a year ago and has everything you need to know in the name. They have just over 20 small plates on the menu and 10 local BC craft beers to accompany them. Every single dish is quite simply, perfect. What’s best is that everything on their menu is under $10. Another restaurant that I can’t stay away from is the Dinesty Dumpling House for their Shanghai Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao). Get there early (5pm or just after) and put your name on the list. Just trust me on this one, everything on their menu is phenomenal. They have a few locations, so it’s convenient no matter where you are.

Ask For Luigi is without a doubt the best Italian food I’ve had in my life, outside of Italy. I have nothing more to say, except “buon appetito”!

Eric Sakawsky, our Co-Founder, has recently got us hooked on Mangia e Cucina, an amazing Italian restaurant inside a quaint heritage house in Mount Pleasant. Their authentic and mouthwatering Sicilian food will see you returning time and time again. Another staff and client favourite, Hy’s Steakhouse, is the place to go for a special occasion (though it will hurt the wallet a little). Their New York Strip is heavenly, and get the Maple Pecan Carrots on the side to really treat yourself.

It wouldn’t be a Vancouver food list without sushi. Mark Salmon, one of our Corporate Travel Managers, recommends the non-pretentious and highly underrated Toshi at Main & 16th. There’s always a wait but just sign your name on the wait sheet located inside the door and head over to El Camino’s for a Mezcal based cocktail while you wait. On the topic of seafood, Mark also recommends a visit to Rodney’s Oyster House for hands down the best oysters in Vancouver. Their Slap Jack Chowder will have you cleaning the bowl.

The best bars & breweries in Vancouver

This list would be incomplete without our favourite East Vancouver breweries. East Vancouver has been nicknamed  ‘Yeast Van’ by locals as it contains some of the best breweries in BC (and perhaps even in Canada). Parallel 49 Brewing Company, Container Brewing Ltd, Andina Brewing Company, Callister Brewing Co and Strange Fellows Brewing have all made our list for the top Vancouver breweries. Another location we love is 33 Acres Brewing Company (located in Mount Pleasant) due to their ever-changing list of great beers and their incredible brunch menu.

If you’re after a down-to-earth sports bar with a large drinks menu that’s constantly changing, then Bells & Whistles might be the spot for you. With large screens to watch the game on, and a large selection of great beers to choose from, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better location that this. They also have a couple of arcade games to enjoy. Their Crispy Chicken Sandwich with a side of Garlic Fries can’t be beat, but everything on their menu will leave you satisfied and eager to return.

For something different, the Keefer Bar has just opened their Keefer Yard where you can play mini golf and cornhole while having some of the city’s best cocktails. Make sure you have a reservation as they’re booking up fast. I was here just this week and had a blast. You can order Juke Fried Chicken and Hey, Dumplings right to your table. We ordered from both restaurants (for our group of four) and everything we ate was amazing! Pourhouse has quickly risen to be one of our most loved bars with unique cocktails and mouthwatering meals. Also, you have got to try their award-winning burger, a 40 day dry-aged chuck steak with aged cheddar and pork belly!

Ben Livingston, one of our Senior Corporate Travel Managers, says a visit to Craft Beer Market shouldn’t be missed. It will allow you to discover your new favourite BC beer as they have over 100 beers on tap to choose from! Some of our other favourite Vancouver bars for something a bit more intimate include The Narrow and Alibi Room.

Satisfy that middle of the night craving

We have something for everyone with these two late night eats. Lucy’s Eastside Diner is open 24/7 and is an authentic North American diner with all of the burger, fries and shake classics, and an amazing retro interior. If you’re looking for vegetarian or vegan options, then The Naam is also open 24/7 and is the stop for you. They are Vancouver’s oldest vegetarian and vegan restaurant, and we’re always craving their burritos and smoothies.

We’re excited for you to get out and try our beloved list of the best Vancouver eateries and breweries. Hopefully you’ll find lots of new favourites and experience some wonderful surprises. Happy eating!

If you’re looking for some suggestions on things to do in Vancouver, make sure to read my earlier article here.

 

Reach out to a Worldgo Specialist at 1-888-236-1566 or by email at [email protected]

Note: We are not being sponsored for any of these mentions. This article has only been written with incredible love for these delicious Vancouver joints.

 

Written By: Holly Atkins
September 8th, 2020

Holly Atkins has been working in tourism for many years as a travel manager, tour guide and on the front desk in a couple of hotels. An Australian Canadian citizen that now permanently resides in beautiful Vancouver, BC, Holly can’t think of a better place to call home with the vast mountains and her oceanfront dwelling. Touring on motorcycles for the past 14 years has allowed her to see places that few discover, and get off the beaten path to experience all that the open roads have to offer. Visiting a vast amount of the Oceania region, trekking around Europe, discovering BC and most recently travelling to Jordan and Egypt, she’s always looking forward to the next adventure!