When in Vancouver, eat as the locals do by dining on salmon, bannock, and other west coast dishes. Pacific Northwest cuisine is a bit elusive as there are few classic dishes (as French cuisine has, for example) or specific cooking techniques (like in Japanese sushi kitchens).
Instead, Pacific Northwest restaurants tend to focus on the quality, local ingredients that are prepared simply and with an emphasis on freshness.
1. Raincity Grill
© Chloë Ernst
Neighborhood: West End
Address: 1193 Denman St.
Phone: 604-685-7337
Price-range: Moderate to expensive
Hours: Open daily for lunch and dinner; Sat-Sun for weekend brunch
2. The Kaboom Box
The small red wagon smokes wild salmon on-site, fries up oysters for Po'boy sandwiches, and serves house-made salads. It's just one of Vancouver's many food trucks and an inexpensive way to sample Pacific Northwest cuisine.Neighborhood: Downtown
Location: Parked on Granville Street at Robson
Price-range: Inexpensive
Hours: Mon-Fri for lunch
3. Fresh Local Wild
A second food truck with a similar local philosophy, Fresh Local Wild focuses on BC ingredients like chanterelle mushrooms, halibut, and spot prawns. There's also has a tiny sit-down patio.Neighborhood: Downtown
Location: Parked on W. Hastings Street near Burrard
Price-range: Inexpensive
Hours: Mon-Fri for lunch
4. West
This South Granville restaurant has polished service, an upscale atmosphere, and a fantastic bar menu. Pacific Northwest ingredients feature in dishes like the salmon tataki with sake, or the Dungeness crab salad with garden herbs.Neighborhood: South Granville
Address: 2881 Granville St.
Phone: 604-738-8938
Price-range: Expensive
Hours: Open daily for lunch and dinner, and Sunday for brunch
5. Salmon House on the Hill
Stunning views of Stanley Park and west coast dishes (such as wild salmon grilled over alder wood) are the primary temptations at this local-favorite restaurant.Neighborhood: West Vancouver
Address: 2229 Folkestone Way
Phone: 604-926-3212
Price-range: Expensive
Hours: Open daily for dinner, and Sat-Sun for brunch
6. Salmon n' Bannock
It's rare to find a place specializing in aboriginal cuisine, and this restaurant serves everything from simple bannock breads to cedar jelly and bison carpaccio. Organic meats, game, and Pacific seafood feature in most dishes on the First Nations menu.Neighborhood: Fairview
Address: 1128 W. Broadway
Phone: 604-568-8971
Price-range: Moderate
Hours: Mon-Fri for lunch, and Mon-Sat for dinner
7. Edible Canada
© Chloë Ernst
Neighborhood: Granville Island
Address: 1596 Johnston St.
Phone: 604-682-6681
Price-range: Moderate to expensive
Hours: Open Mon-Fri for lunch, daily for dinner, and Sat-Sun for brunch
