Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
salivating over your options. That's before we even get to the Chinese food: Vancouver
has Canada's largest Chinatown plus dozens of options around the city for fans of
everything from dim sum to chicken feet. Come hungry: you won't be disappointed.
Seafood
One reason Vancouver has great sushi and Chinese dining is the larder of top-table sea-
food available right off the boat. Given the length of British Columbia (BC) coastline,
it's no surprise most restaurants (whether Asian, Mexican, West Coast or French) find
plenty of menu space for local goodies such as salmon, halibut, spot prawns and freshly
shucked oysters. If you're a seafood fan, you'll be in your element; even fish and chips
is typically excellent. Start your aquatic odyssey at Granville Island, where the Public
Market has seafood vendors and Fisherman's Wharf is just along the seawall.
Farm to Table
After decades of favoring imported ingredients over local, Vancouver now fully em-
braces regional food and farm producers. Restaurants can't wait to tell you about the
Fraser Valley duck and foraged morels they've just discovered. Seasonal is key, and
you'll see lots of local specials on menus; ask your server for insights. Adding to the
feast, some restaurants showcase local cheese producers, and most have also taken their
BC love affair to the drinks list: Okanagan wines have been a staple here for years but
BC craft beer is the latest darling of thirsty Vancouver locavores.
International Dining
You'd be forgiven for thinking Vancouver's ethnic cuisine scene begins and ends with
Asia, but locals know it's just the beginning. A city built on immigration, Vancouver's
menu is a UN of dining options, from excellent French, Spanish and Italian eateries to
highly popular Mexican joints. Follow the locals: they'll often lead you to unassuming
family-run restaurants. Vancouver's dining is generally reasonably priced, so this is a
great city to try something new.
Street-Food Extravaganza
A late starter to the North American street-food movement in 2011, Vancouver argu-
ably now has the tastiest scene in Canada. The downtown core has the highest concen-
tration of trucks. You'll find everything from Korean sliders and salmon tacos, to Thai
green curry and barbecued brisket sandwiches. A visit that doesn't include at least one
street-food meal isn't really a visit at all. If you're here in summer, consider the China-
