A running list of everything I love in Vancouver, BC (in other words, a city guide)
Similar to my guide to Mexico City. My credentials are living in Vancouver for two years during the pandemic (at first reluctantly, then finding it difficult to leave), having met some friendly “locals”, and doing a fair amount of research, trial, and error on my own.
Back in 2020 when I found myself looking at the foreseeable future in Vancouver, I felt so stuck. It was so slow, quiet, and overall boring compared to New York in every way - pace of life, people’s ambitions, access to culture and the arts. As I was moving back to New York in 2022, I realized slow and quiet didn’t have to be negative attributes. Unaware at the time, I needed a change of scenery to learn the values of slowing down and embracing nature and the seasons. People I met weren’t operating on high-functioning anxiety and survival mode, nor did they desire to be so, which made so much sense once my metropolitan-conditioned immigrant brain accepted that perspective. It’s a privilege to be able to hit the slopes or take your stand-up paddleboard to a lake after work, and the food is fucking good. There are downsides to every city, sure, but I look back to my two years in Vancouver fondly.
Some main areas to keep in mind during your visit are Downtown Vancouver, Gastown, Main Street, Commercial Drive, and Richmond.
Cafes
Maybe this won’t surprise you, but there are tons and tons of breweries and coffee roasters in metro Vancouver. The first coffee shop I visited (that’s not Starbucks) was Coffee Roastery Modus which had great pour-over, coldbrew, and simple eats. Aperture Coffee has, in my opinion, the best Americano for a non-Korean-owned coffee shop, and there are various locations. You will be able to choose from multiple flavor profiles of intense cold brew at Prototype Coffee (in reusable glasses!)
On Main Street, Foglifters Coffee Roasters and Liberty Bakery + Cafe are cozy. I kept going back to Nemesis Coffee GNW simply because the interior is so mesmerizing and those pour-overs are delicious!
For a shorter itinerary, head to Gastown for a caffeinated day. Start with a hearty full-bodied cappuccino and breakfast sandwich on ciabatta bread at Di Beppe Caffe. For lunch, stop at Nelson the Seagull for the best peach and ricotta sourdough toast (seriously their sourdough is SO GOOD).
Sunflowers and Americano from Aperture
Vancouver Gastown Steam Clock
Food Courts
Why waste time and money eating one singular cuisine when you could choose your own adventure in a food court! In Richmond, check out Aberdeen Mall and Admiralty Center. If you end up making it out to Burnaby, definitely stop by Crystal Mall. Be sure to stop at the ATM for cash!
Restaurants
After two years here, I’m convinced that Japanese and Vietnamese cuisines on the West Coast are superior to those on the East. Some of the best sushi I have ever had in my entire life* can be found here in Vancouver. Raisu, Suika, and October Garden have some particularly impressive spreads. I would recommend the lunch special at Miku for a luxurious lunch downtown. If you’re looking for less emphasis on views and more of an interactive dining experience, try Sushi Abroad and wait for a miniature bullet train to bring you your order. Stop at Takenaka for incredible sushi take-out (to Woodland Park down the block?) For izakaya, check out Raijo Japanese Public House or Kingyo.
Moving on to Vietnamese food! Prior to living in Vancouver, I had never experienced elevated Vietnamese cuisine like what you can find at Anh & Chi. The street food platter is a must-try, as well as the lemongrass IPA they have in partnership with a local brewery. The restaurant is first-come-first-serve, but you can donate a few CAD to one of the supported charities if you really cannot stand waiting for a table. For casual bowls of soupy noodles bigger than my face, I like Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen and Mui Ngo Gai. One of life’s top 50 joys is downing a bowl of pho after long travels or endless winter days.
The diversity in Vancouver's food scene should not be underestimated. Song by Kin Kao is my favorite sit-down Thai spot. I still think about the Italian tasting menu at AnnaLena from time to time.
Before I lived here, like really lived here, I didn’t know what Pacific Northwest Cuisine entailed. If you don’t know what it is either, Published on Main and Botanist will show you far better than I can explain here. The bar team at Botanist consistently wins awards and international competitions. I don’t normally fawn over chefs and bartenders a la The Menu (2022), but Jeff Savage is a visionary.
Vij’s (Indian) and Phnom Pehn (Cambodian) also need to be mentioned out of respect. The latter has no reservation system and cash-only so be sure to go early! Although I don’t often gravitate towards American comfort food, Homer St. Bar and Cafe has been consistently delicious and satisfying (with a really great bloody Caesar). Banter Room in Yaletown is another go-to for elevated bar food!
*Disclaimer: I have not been to Japan yet but I can feel the trip in my bones.
Desserts
Not to be dramatic, but I need a second or third stomach in Vancouver. Truly, there’s too much good food but few opportunities to walk between stops. Metro Vancouver is huge, and it’s just too much of a driving city. But alas, we will not be skipping dessert. In downtown Chinatown, Kissa Tanto has hands-down the best tiramisu in Vancouver (their secret is substituting the dairy creme with a soy creme that is so light without much impact to the flavor). Deck out on mango, coconut, ube, durian, plus other Southeast Asian sweets at Tina’s Desserts on Kingsway. First Dessert has a special place in my heart because ginger milk, azuki red bean, and sago heal my soul. Rain or Shine and Earnest Ice Cream are great options too!
Wine Bars
British Columbia is one of the main wine regions in Canada; Okanagan Valley is often considered the Napa Valley up north. With that said, there’s been a lot of movement towards natural wine in the past few years. The Juice Bar is a bottle shop in Gastown that opens a casual al-fresco seating area for wine by the glass. They have limited hours to make sure you double check that before planning!
Bar Gobo and Elephant are two options for enjoying small plates and flowing glasses of natural wine.
Breweries
If you ever see that white East Van neon sign in the shape of a cross, congratulations, you have made it to the microbrewery mecca of Vancouver. To this day, I have not been to another brewery like Superflux Beer Company. They somehow made beer tasting rooms…chic? East Van Brewing Company and Strangefellows are other classics nearby, but you can easily plan your own brewery crawl by zooming in and out of Google Maps in that area.
By Olympic Village, check out 33 Acres Brewery Company, and 33 Experiments next door (maybe before Thai food at Song by Kin Kao?)
Just in case you ever make it out to Port Moody, where my family lives, there’s a microbrewery strip in front of Rocky Point Park that’s so fun and dog-friendly. We’re partial to Yellowdog, obviously.
Bars
I won’t go into details about clubbing in Vancouver - it’s a whole thing. Anyway, I’m not qualified to speak on it since I lived here during the height of the pandemic. Instead, I offer a few bars that I enjoyed.
Bartholomew the bar takes little inspiration from Bartholomew the Saint, but the dark, industrial chic bar is ideal to start or end the evening. Boxcar disguises itself as a dive bar in the front but the backyard will surprise you with the space, fairylights, and picnic tables perfect for groups. On the weekends, they also have DJs and food trucks.
Key Party and The Narrow are two fun speakeasies under the hospitality company. My boyfriend K has a habit of making friends with bartenders when he’s in a new city, so we ended up going to both a lot. I’ve heard some chatter about Bagheera, a new Indian fusion speakeasy (one of the founding partners is Indian, so it’s not as problematic as the other speakeasy under the same group in Chinatown).
Caffe La Tana is not a bar, but they do have a range of martinis and spritzes.
greenery covering The Narrow
Shopping/Thrifting
Mintage Mall is everywhere and a neutral starting point for your thriting experience in Vancouver. Burcu’s Angels is the spot if you’re looking to spend a little money for an iconic piece and a fascinating conversation with the owner, Burcu. She sourced most of the items herself with the help of a small team.
If you visit at the end of August, you might be able to hit the annual Aritzia Warehouse sale and get items for cheap.
Happy visiting/eating/drinking/hiking Vancouver! :) List updated: June 2023
