Vancouver City Stopovers

Après-Ski in Vancouver

Dining in Vancouver

A large cosmopolitan ocean-front city, Vancouver offers a plethora of cuisine with gastronomic influences from Europe and the wider Pacific Rim area. Expect pretty much everything from funky food-trucks serving unique street food options to craft breweries to Michelin starred fine dining. Whether it’s a casual laid-back experience or something a little more lavish, here’s a few suggestions to get you started:

ARC Restaurant

ARC is the Fairmont Waterfront’s signature restaurant on lobby level. With floor to ceiling windows offering a stunning harbour view, this is a great setting to soak up the unique vibes of downtown Vancouver. The menu has a Pacific Northwest focus using locally sourced ingredients – some of which come from the hotel’s very own rooftop herb garden and beehives. Local craft beers, outstanding BC wine selections and expertly crafted Fairmont cocktails all enhance the experience at the ARC.

Botanist

Located within the Fairmont Pacific Rim,and highlighting regionally inspired produce from the Pacific Northwest, this is one for that special occasion. Farm-to-fork is popular here and The Botanist uses sustainably sourced seafood and organic ingredients from local suppliers. Bright and earthy flavours have been carefully crafted to produce an exclusive wine menu fuelled by culinary passion.

Mott 32

The iconic Paradox Hotel Vancouver houses one of the world’s top Chinese restaurants – Mott 32. The name Mott 32 comes from 32 Mott Street in New York – location of the very first Chinese convenience store in 1891. The store served as the epicentre of what is now a vibrant Chinatown. Time-honoured recipes combine modernity with a respect for tradition, making interesting and unique dishes for guests to enjoy.

Hydra Estiatorio Mediterreanean

The Hydra offers exceptional upmarket Greek dining in downtown Vancouver with seafood options inspired by the Aegean islands. Chef-driven traditional dishes grilled with perfect execution – this is a dining experience without parallel. Visit the raw bar to pick your own choice of fish – imported daily from Greece, New Zealand and Hawaii, plus locally sourced salmon, oysters and shrimp from British Columbia.

Notch8 Restaurant & Bar

Luxurious and contemporary in design, The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver’s restaurant offers fine regional fare, prized classics and hand-crafted cocktails. Notch8 was named after a train’s top speed and pays homage to The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver’s legacy as a luxury hotel beside the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Cactus Club Cafe

There are two Cactus Club venues to choose from depending on your mood - one in Bentall 5 in the heart of downtown, and the other down on the harbour front. There's a lovely sports bar feel to these restaurants, with a great choice of classic Canadian bar food, huge range of beers and cocktails backed up by exemplary service. Good tunes too.

Vancouver offers some of the greatest fine dining experiences. Take a look at some of our favourites:

One Star Michelin

St. Lawrence

Experience sensational French-Canadian cooking with delicate sauces and hints of sweet flavours. Awarded One Star by Michelin in 2022, the restaurant has received other recognitions and continue to impress with contemporary cocktails and showstopping favourites.

Kissa Tanto

This jazz inspired 1960’s Tokyo themed restaurant is a contemporary delight, where creative combinations of Japanese and Italian cuisine are used to create magnificent culinary masterpieces. The cultural blend makes eating here a very unique experience which can be seen in dishes such as the tajarin - hand-cut pasta with miso-cured egg yolk and Tiramisu turned Eastern with a plum wine-soaked tofu filling.

Published On Main

Pickled or preserved, chef Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson and his team use only the most seasonal of ingredients from local surroundings. Delivering modern twists on traditional favourites, the menu intrigues and uses only the best ingredients for each season. Some things may be new to you, others familiar, each dish is varied and will satisfy any curious palate.

Bib gourmand 

Fable Kitchen

Contemporary, lively and snug, Fable Kitchen is a popular farm-to-table café with vibrant red brick walls and an open kitchen. Serving up a bit of flare and most importantly delicious new dishes, the restaurant uses fresh ingredients which are locally sourced to truly celebrate the best of British Columbia. 

Phnom Penh

Situated in the heart of Chinatown, this family-owned restaurant has been running since 1985 impressing the crowds with a mixture of Vietnamese and Cambodian cuisine. We would recommend booking a table in advance, queues appear almost as soon as the doors open!

Vij’s

From 1994 to present day, Vij’s has maintained its status as a local Indian fine dining staple. Vikram Vij, owner and chef can be seen floating around the restaurant, checking in on guests and making sure everything is to their liking. Dishes served by Vij and his team are the perfect combination between innovative and new and honouring established heritage and culture.

Activities in Vancouver

Vancouver is a true sightseeing treasure trove, with world-class destinations everywhere you turn, to amaze, educate, and variously delight visitors to this unique and cosmopolitan city.

Stanley Park

Residents and visitors alike flock to the wonderful Stanley Park, but with over 1,000 acres to explore, there is room to spare for everyone. Miles of trails wind through woods of majestic cedars, hemlock and fir, acres of open space encourage impromptu soccer games, or just lazing around. With a children’s’ zoo, the Vancouver Aquarium, a seawall path to hike, bike, or rollerblade, totem poles to visit, as well as a kids’ water park, playgrounds, and a large outdoor swimming pool, there are ample opportunities to do some serious calorie-burning. If you don’t feel the need to break a sweat, watch for bald eagles, beach comb, or sit back and watch the cruise ships as they head out to sea.

Robson Street

The perfect people-watching destination, Robson Street is also world-renowned for its great shopping, and its eclectic mix of restaurants and bars. Keep your eyes peeled for a bit of celebrity spotting, and there’s always the chance you’ll have your own fifteen minutes of fame if you stumble across one of the film sets that seem to pop up on an almost daily basis throughout the city.

Granville Island

The whole family will love a trip to Granville Island! It is possible to drive, walk, or cycle onto the island, but it’s far more fun to hop on one of the bathtub-sized ferries that chug back and forth throughout the day. The bustling market is packed with fresh produce, bread and seafood, plus freshly cooked meals to buy for lunch or dinner. There’s also a wide range of unique and intimate boutiques selling an enormous variety of specialized items, space to run, play, or picnic, a children’s water park, live entertainers, and much, much more!

Vancouver Lookout

Standing at a height of 130 metres (430 feet), the Vancouver Lookout is situated in the Downtown Harbour Centre and provides the perfect venue to take in some great views of this photogenic city. Don’t forget to bring your camera!

Grouse Mountain

Just a quarter of an hour from the city centre, Grouse Mountain is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. Those feeling particularly fit can hike the ‘Grouse Grind”, a strenuous 2.9 km/1.8 mile trail straight up the mountain. The Skyride boasts unbeatable views of the mountain, plus there are grizzly bears to observe at the Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, shops, eateries, and opportunities to ride a zipline or paraglide. Alternatively, you could just settle down with a drink beside the welcoming stone fireplace.

Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

A tranquil garden in the depths of the city, these were the first authentic classical Chinese gardens to be built outside China. Walk the neat pathways, marvel at the pristine gardens with their manicured flora and foliage, and admire the rock, architectural, horticultural and water features, which are all designed to be in perfect balance and harmony with one another. Above all, relax and enjoy these supremely calming and peaceful gardens.

Vancouver Art Gallery

When you arrive at the Vancouver Art Gallery, your first stop should be the Satellite Visitor Centre on the southwest side of the gallery, to pick up a floor plan along with some insider knowledge on the best way to explore the galleries. The Vancouver Art Gallery houses an impressive collection of national and international artwork and it’s well worth whiling away a few enjoyable hours taking in what it has to offer, including a collection of work by the well known local artist, Emily Carr.

Capilano Suspension Bridge

Traverse this gently swaying suspension bridge-which spans 137 metres (450 feet) across a canyon and the Capilano River, 70 metres (230 feet) below. Once your feet are on solid ground on the other side, there is a lush, forested wonderland to explore by means of a series of elevated suspension bridges in the Treetops Adventure.

Floatplane Flightseeing

Enjoy a birds eye view of Vancouver's sights by taking to the skies in a floatplane. Vancouver is home to the world's largest floatplane network and there's more to it than just the thrill of take off and landing from the water...why not book Harbour Air's scenic Fly 'n Dine floatplane tour, soar over Coal Harbour to peaceful Horseshoe Bay and enjoy an intimate waterfront dinner. Then hop in a limo back to the city in style. 

Sea To Sky Highway

Driving north from Vancouver, towards Whistler, takes you on the oftentimes winding, and always dramatic, Highway 99. From your car’s vantage point, you will catch sight of mile after mile of sparking bays, dramatic rocky crags, and old-growth rain forest. Even better, there are numerous places when you can pull over and explore on foot, waterfalls, swimming holes and hiking trails, or visit the West Coast Railway Heritage Park and the BC Museum of Mining.

Neighbourhoods

Vancouver harbours a wealth of quirky and eclectic neighbourhoods that will delight the visitor. Walk the cobblestone lanes of the historic Gastown, enjoy dim sum in Chinatown, and browse the proliferation of art galleries in South Granville. These and many other hidden delights await the visitor to Vancouver’s neighbourhoods.