Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
for dates up to three months in advance. The reservation fee is $6 per night to a maximum
of $18 and is in addition to applicable camping fees.
Vancouver is a shining jewel in Canada's culinary crown. With over 4,000 restaurants,
cafés, and coffeehouses, and as home to almost 100 cultures, this ethnic crossroads is a
gourmet feast.
Local specialties include West Coast or “fusion” cuisine, combining fresh Canadian
produce with Asian flavors and ingredients, usually in a healthy, low-fat way. In recent
years, especially since the publication of
The 100-Mile Diet
by Vancouver residents Alisa
Smith and J.B. MacKinnon, the emphasis has shifted to using produce caught, raised, or
grown within close proximity to the city, which includes the lush expanse of the Fraser
Valley and the bounty-filled ocean waters to the west.
Howeverandwhereverit'sprepared,seafoodwillalwaysdominatelocalmenus.Pacif-
ic salmon, halibut, snapper, shrimp, oysters, clams, crab, and squid are all harvested loc-
ally,whilemussels,lobster,tigerprawns,andAtlanticsalmonareimportedfromCanada's
Atlantic provincesorfromfartherafield. Restaurants throughoutthecityspecialize insea-
food; for the freshest, straight from the trawlers, along with a lively atmosphere, head to
Steveston on the city's southern outskirts. Granville Island and Chinatown are also good
bets to find fresh seafood.
Like other major cities of the world, Vancouver's central business district, south from
CanadaPlacebetweenBurrardandSeymourStreets,ispackedwithfoodcourtsandcoffee
barsthatbustlewithworkersthroughtheweekdayworkhours.Therestaurantsceneinthis
part of the city is surprisingly stable, with several restaurants that consistently rate among
the best in the city.
Generally,hotelshaveareputationforordinaryandoverpricedrestaurants—inexisten-
ceonlyfortheconvenienceofguests—butthecentralbusinessdistrictofVancouveristhe
exception to that rule. Since the first Canadian Pacific Railway passengers arrived at the
end of the line to be spoiled by European chefs at the Hotel Vancouver, locals and visitors
alike have headed to the city's best hotels to enjoy fine dining in all its glory.
