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.