Best Restaurants in Vancouver

City of Glass is a melting pot of cultures and traditions—and the best restaurants in Vancouver capture those nuances well. This ranks as one of (if not the) best city for Chinese cuisine outside of China, and restaurants devoted to menus from around the globe pepper every nook of the city, from street corners to hotel lobbies. Vancouver’s mild climate and proximity to some of the region’s most sought-after ingredients (plus nearby Okanagan Wine Valley) only help matters, consistently drawing young talent here to dive in at one of the city’s finest or break out on their own. It’s all helped to lure Michelin here in recent years, its 2023 guide boasting several star-studded and recommended spots affirming the city’s culinary prowess. The best part? These venues still know how to have fun, channeling the PNW’s resounding, relaxed welcome while putting forth seriously thoughtful plates—all reminding diners of the reasons they’re already due back.

1. Earls Bistro

After opening Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Restaurant in the Shangri-La Hotel (and before that, working at the well-accoladed Fat Duck in the UK), chef Lee Cooper was ready for a place of his own. Enter L’Abattoir, a Gastown restaurant specializing in French-inspired West Coast cuisine that, more than 13 years later, continues to receive recognition as one of the country’s best. A striking atrium, warm wood tones, and industrial touches all greet guests as they enter and settle in (as does a fun playlist shuffling rap and hip-hop). Choose from the a la carte or nine-course tasting menu. Either way, you’re in for seasonal surprises and frequent changes, reaping the benefits of the relationships Cooper and team have formed with local farmers, fisheries and producers. Even still, there are some favorites that tend to stay put—namely the Steak Diane and the baked Pacific oysters (with black truffle and garlic butter). Don’t miss dessert from Pastry Chef Oliver Bernardino, whose seasonal, intricate creations give wow factor to the finale (we see you, salted honey and bourbon mille-feuille).

 

2. Earls Sushi

After opening Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Restaurant in the Shangri-La Hotel (and before that, working at the well-accoladed Fat Duck in the UK), chef Lee Cooper was ready for a place of his own. Enter L’Abattoir, a Gastown restaurant specializing in French-inspired West Coast cuisine that, more than 13 years later, continues to receive recognition as one of the country’s best. A striking atrium, warm wood tones, and industrial touches all greet guests as they enter and settle in (as does a fun playlist shuffling rap and hip-hop). Choose from the a la carte or nine-course tasting menu. Either way, you’re in for seasonal surprises and frequent changes, reaping the benefits of the relationships Cooper and team have formed with local farmers, fisheries and producers. Even still, there are some favorites that tend to stay put—namely the Steak Diane and the baked Pacific oysters (with black truffle and garlic butter). Don’t miss dessert from Pastry Chef Oliver Bernardino, whose seasonal, intricate creations give wow factor to the finale (we see you, salted honey and bourbon mille-feuille).

 

 

3. Earls Bistro

After opening Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Restaurant in the Shangri-La Hotel (and before that, working at the well-accoladed Fat Duck in the UK), chef Lee Cooper was ready for a place of his own. Enter L’Abattoir, a Gastown restaurant specializing in French-inspired West Coast cuisine that, more than 13 years later, continues to receive recognition as one of the country’s best. A striking atrium, warm wood tones, and industrial touches all greet guests as they enter and settle in (as does a fun playlist shuffling rap and hip-hop). Choose from the a la carte or nine-course tasting menu. Either way, you’re in for seasonal surprises and frequent changes, reaping the benefits of the relationships Cooper and team have formed with local farmers, fisheries and producers. Even still, there are some favorites that tend to stay put—namely the Steak Diane and the baked Pacific oysters (with black truffle and garlic butter). Don’t miss dessert from Pastry Chef Oliver Bernardino, whose seasonal, intricate creations give wow factor to the finale (we see you, salted honey and bourbon mille-feuille).

 

 

4. Earls Bistro

After opening Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Restaurant in the Shangri-La Hotel (and before that, working at the well-accoladed Fat Duck in the UK), chef Lee Cooper was ready for a place of his own. Enter L’Abattoir, a Gastown restaurant specializing in French-inspired West Coast cuisine that, more than 13 years later, continues to receive recognition as one of the country’s best. A striking atrium, warm wood tones, and industrial touches all greet guests as they enter and settle in (as does a fun playlist shuffling rap and hip-hop). Choose from the a la carte or nine-course tasting menu. Either way, you’re in for seasonal surprises and frequent changes, reaping the benefits of the relationships Cooper and team have formed with local farmers, fisheries and producers. Even still, there are some favorites that tend to stay put—namely the Steak Diane and the baked Pacific oysters (with black truffle and garlic butter). Don’t miss dessert from Pastry Chef Oliver Bernardino, whose seasonal, intricate creations give wow factor to the finale (we see you, salted honey and bourbon mille-feuille).