Visiting Vancouver
My husband and I will be in Vancouver early August staying downtown without a car and are looking for dining suggestions (if need be we'll use taxis but we'd prefer walking/public transportation). I'm primarily vegetarian (will eat sustainable fish/seafood and am don't ask/don't tell about all ingredients), while he eats anything. We like ethnic foods and are fine with a hole in the wall if they have the best food. I'd especially appreciate recommendations for good bakery/bread/ breakfast places, and authentic Indian, Chinese and other Asian cuisines. Also, I'd like to treat my husband to a special night out on his birthday (the quality of the food is more important than the ambiance).
Thanks for any suggestions.
By SDLaura
on Jul 23, 2011 06:11 PM
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You MUST MUST MUST go to Nuba on W Hastings & Cambie (in the basement). Share Le Feast and I promise you won't be disappointed. It gets busy so call ahead ;) La Brasserie on Davie (@ Thurlow) is also a must-dine.
Either place would satisfy both veg and carnivorous appetites and would be suitable for celebrating his birthday. Enjoy your holiday :)
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Nuba Cafe
322 Hastings St W, Vancouver, BC V6B1K6, CA
La Brasserie
1091 Davie St, Vancouver, BC V6E1M5, CA
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Check out Hons Wun Tun House on Robson (better than anything I had recently in china and without the snake, turtle and bullfog). A celebration place for us is Provence Marinaside or Jor Fortes Chophouse (although service has fallen over the past few years at Joe's). Sunday Buffet's at The Hotel Vancouver and Pan Pacific are decent but do not include alcohol. If you can get to Granville Island try Bridges (expensive even for a burger but you can't beat the view and location). Top dining can be found at Rain City grill on Denman near English bay - can be hot in the restaurant when it is sunny. Milestones on English bay is great for a burger or other casual fare. The Boathouse - avoid - my experience has been lackluster service. Great all you can eat Japanese food at Tanpopo on Denman - great patio overlooking Denman.
Lots of street food around. Download the Eat Street app for descriptions.
Enjoy!
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Vancouver does not do vegetarian well, unfortunately, but a number of the higher-end restaurants can do a decent job going off-menu. Hawksworth is the new hot spot for fine dining in Vancouver. (I have not yet been). Kits Daily Kitchen is a good, chef and market -driven alternative.
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As a vegetarian living in Vancouver for nearly 7 years I can assure you Vancouver does veg incredibly well. Every restraurant in this city has an on-menu option (with the odd exception like a BBQ house) and there are plenty of places that cater to almost all veg!
Enjoy your stay in our gorgeous city :)
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handb, I was surprised to see you recommend La Brasserie. What do you get there that is veg friendly? I'm not being stroppy, I'd really like to know, as I wanted to take a vegetarian friend there and didn't because of the lack of options on their menu. TIA.
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They change their veg specialty pretty regulaly with the menu. Haven't been super recently but they often have a rocket and chevre salad or a beet salad that rotates as a starter and the feature has been thongs like a wild mushroom ragout, or a gruyere veg pot pie in the winter. Always a veg brunch option or two as well. There is always something, and it's always delicious :)
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Do you have any specific recommendations h&b? Of the vege friendly places that I like, most (if not all) of them are ethnic (Saravanaa Bhavan, Vij/Rangoli, Nuba...etc.) There are a number that seem to make the usual list (Foundation, Naam, Bandidas, etc included) that I don't particularly care for since I am not a fan of that typical beans&tofu vege option. A number of the mid-priced restaurants will prepare a vege friendly meal - usually a carb - pasta or a risotto. It gets tiresome for my vege friends and my budding vege daughter who are looking for something better, have some creativity - or at the very least - have a bit of variety.
That said, my claim that Vancouver doesn't do vege well pertains to all-vegetarian restaurants. And considering the quality of the ingredients and the general perception that we live in a "healthy" city I think we "deserve" better that what we have.
Alexandra Gill opines here http://bit.ly/o9l0m0 and mentions a couple of options.
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I think, compared to most Canadian (and international) cities we're definitely on the higher end of having numerous veg only places. That being said I'll rarely (if ever) visit an all veg place. My husband is a carnivore and because he rarely cooks meat in our home going out for dinner must satisfy us both.
My statement that Vancouver does vegetarians well refers to the fact nearly everywhere in this city has more than one veg offering. This is especially apparent when you go to the US and EVERY dish on their menu contains meat, and when you ask for it without they look at you like you're from another planet (and proceed to ask if you're sick and passing out all the time... It's happened more than once).
The people and the local fare in the city are more open and accommodating here than anywhere else I have visited. And it's for this reason I feel Vancouver does veg incredibly well.
Granted most of the ALL veg hot spots in the city are ethnic, but that's fine by me. Places like Nuba (my favorite) are wonderful because though they might be ethnic, they have meat available and are total crowd pleasers.
I don't know how we "deserve" better when we're already the most veg friendly city in Canada. I'm just happy with the choices around me :)
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Nuba Cafe
322 Hastings St W, Vancouver, BC V6B1K6, CA
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Commune, at Seymour and Nelson, is a casual cafe with good coffee and reasonable veg-friendly selections along with the carnivore-pleasers.
+1 on both Nuba and La Brasserie.
In what neighbourhood downtown are you staying?
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The Nuba Cafe
1206 Seymour St, Vancouver, BC V6B3N9, CA
La Brasserie
1091 Davie St, Vancouver, BC V6E1M5, CA
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Thanks for the suggestions. I have been to Vancouver before and never had a problem getting fish/ veg friendly food. However this will be my first non work trip to the area. Will let you know the highs and lows in a bit.
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This place is close to everywhere downtown/is a classic HITW and has some decent vegetarian variations on Thai.
Looks like the website is down.
http://dinehere.ca/vancouver/thai-basil
Literally steps away around the corner is fine little family run Mexican place that always has vegetarian options.
http://www.callirestaurant.com/
And at risk off repeating myself this is my fave and the Banitzas are usually vegetarian.
http://www.acaciafillobar.com/
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I love the pad kee mao and pad grapow at Thai Basil. Didn't notice they had a ton of veg options but then again I'm not usually looking for that -- good to know. For the OP: this is a tiny restaurant that does mostly takeout, with only three small tables inside and a couple of two tops outside.
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