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Welcome to Beautiful British Columbia! For those of you visiting Vancouver for a few days there is lots of variety. There are many ethnic influences in our cuisine and some wonderful restaurants that reflect these influences. This is a "fine food" city and we enjoy eating out immensely. This list is updated frequently.

The Night Life
Vancouver's current restaurant scene is vital and dynamic. Most of the restaurants mentioned are open for lunch as well as dinner. I've also tried to highlight restaurants in neighborhoods where the walking before or after dinner is interesting.

Beach Side Cafe
1362 Marine
West Vancouver
(604) 925-1945
Take the short trip over the Lions Gate bridge to this popular West Vancouver restaurant (don't let the "Cafe" fool you). Ask for a seat on the deck for a spectacular view of the bridge and English Bay that is only rivaled by chef Carol Chow's West Coast cuisine. Enjoy their excellent wine list as well.

Bishops
2183 West 4th Avenue
Vancouver
(604) 738-2025
John Bishop has created an oasis of elegant west coast dining in his tiny restaurant on Vancouver's busy 4th Avenue. To quote an admirer "It is simply the keynote restaurant for those who want impeccability." The menu evolves with the seasons. Each dish is a symphony of the finest quality, fresh ingredients prepared with care and attention to detail. The service is intimate and professional without being stuffy or intrusive.

"C" a contemporary fish restaurant
1 - 1600 Howe Street
(604) 681-1164
This wonderful waterfront space overlooking the False Creek inlet and across from Granville Island has gone through a multitude of reincarnations. The latest has lured Vancouver's brilliant Harry Kambolis of Raincity Grill in a newly renovated and decorated space. "C" has the perfect setting to enjoy Bay of Fundy Monkfish Tournedos or Grilled Nova Scotia Lobster.

Cafe de Paris Bistro Francais
751 Denman Street
Vancouver
(604)687-1418
The Parisian bistro in Vancouver. Their fabulous pommes frites paired with either the New York steak or half chicken with peppercorn sauce is a little bit of heaven. The menu includes such classics as: mussels white wine, kidney and one of the best liver dishes in town. The service is friendly and professional in a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Cin Cin Woodgrill & Rotisserie
1154 Robson
Vancouver
(604) 688-7338
The focal point of this Italian restaurant's open kitchen is its woodburning oven and grill. You can't go wrong with a pizza hot out of the oven. Look around, this seems to be a mecca for the Hollywood stars in town. It has a warm and bustling atmosphere.

Diva at the Met
645 Howe Street
(604) 602-7788
Executive Chef Michael Noble brings his talent to the Metropolitan Hotel and has created a restaurant that is visually refreshing and receiving rave reviews. Excellent service and a great West Coast inspired menu, place this restaurant way above the norm when it comes to hotel dining.

Circolo
1134 Homer Street
(604) 687-1116
The newest restaurant by renowned restauranteur and cookbook author, Umberto Menghi. This high end restaurant features a cosmopolitan selection of fine Italian and French food with a hint of New York as well as an outstanding wine selection. The restaurant ids located in Yaletown, a short cab ride from the major downtown hotels.

Five Sails, Pan Pacific Hotel
300-999 Canada Place
Vancouver
(604) 662-8111
Quiet, very elegant dining with a view of the Harbour and the mountains that is unrivaled. Chef Robert Sulatycky's menu with its Asian influences presented by a professional server is excellent. When you feel like splurging, this is the restaurant.

Ouest
2881 Granville Street
(604) 738-8938
Chef David Hawksworth brings his magical French techniques to this South Granville location.

Il Giardino
1382 Hornby Street
Vancouver
(604)669-2422
Umberto Menghi is a fixture in the Vancouver Restaurant scene, with over 5 restaurants in his stable. This is his ode to Tuscany. The restaurant projects a warm but bold Italian atmosphere. This is the place where the movers and shakers dine on a menu that features game and pasta.

Le Crocodile
100-909 Burrard
Vancouver
(604) 669-4298
Owner Michel Jacob continues to create Vancouver's best Alsatian onion pie as well as many other Alsace inspired dishes in this elegant restaurant. Enjoy the city patio on a warm summer night. Dress up a little and revel in impeccable service and exquisite cuisine.

Lumiere
2551 West Broadway
(604) 739-8185
If you are looking for West Coast cuisine with a superb menu and service to match try Luminere. Chef Rob Feenie and co-owner Ken Wai have received numerous awards including Vancouver's Restaurant of the Year. A spare, modern room sets the stage for delicious combinations of fresh local ingredients.

Quattro on 4th
2611 West 4th Avenue
Vancouver
(604)734-4444
Reservations in advance are a must for this relatively new Italian restaurant. The menu provides an array of imaginative dishes. There are seven different carpaccio dishes and innovative pastas. Antonio Corsi brings 35 years of restaurant experience to the table and has come up with a winner.

Raincity Grill
1193 Denman
Vancouver
(604) 685-7337
With an emphasis on local ingredients and BC wines, this casual restaurant on English Bay is a must, especially in the summer when Denman Street is alive with folks roaming to and from the beach.Walk, don't take a car as parking in hard to come by. Try the grilled Caesar salad. It's a dish indicative of the innovative use and clear understanding of fine quality ingredients.

Sophie's Cosmic Cafe
2095 West Fourth Avenue
(604)732-6810
The first thing you'll notice as you enter this small cafe is something from your past attached to the walls. This is the 50's and 60's basement run amuck. Everything is familiar on the menu -- burgers, pastas without fancy names, a couple of Mexican dishes you grew up with and the best chocolate shake in town. Expect a long wait if you are looking for breakfast as its become an institution for the old fashioned big breakfast.

Star Anise
1485 West 12th Avenue
Vancouver
(604)737-1485
Small but elegant, Star Anise consistently excites its full house with wonderful food. Using fresh, seasonal ingredients in its west coast inspired menu. Probably the best crab cakes in town can be found on the menu and you can't miss with the rack of lamb.

The Cannery Seafood House
2205 Commissioner
Vancouver
(604) 254-9606
This 20 year old institution on the waterfront offers expansive harbour views with some of the best fish and seafood cooking on the coast. Nothing fancy in its nautical atmosphere. A well liked rustic restaurant whose chefs know how to use a mesquite grill. Ask for specific directions as it is out of the way.

Tojo's
202-777 West Broadway
Vancouver
(604) 872-8050
Hidekazu Tojo, owner and master sushi chef, is not only a character but a true master of a very difficult and demanding cuisine. The Japanese cuisine he presents has been considered the best in the Northwest ever since he opened his elegant restaurant a few years ago. Be brave, agree on a price and let Tojo decide on the menu. You will be a very happy and satisfied guest.

Tomato Fresh Food Cafe
3305 Cambie Street
(604) 874-6020
The menu contains lots of favorites -- BLTs, Turkey Sandwiches and Chili are re-invented for the 90's with an emphasis on fresh and healthy ingredients. A busy juice bar contributes to the noise level. Great stick-to-you- ribs desserts, too. There's even a Tomato to Go.

Vij's Restaurant
1480 West 11th Avenue
(604) 736-6664
This small restaurant serves fabulous Bombay cuisine. The owner, Vikram Vij, paid his dues in the best dining rooms of Vancouver and it shows, both in the quality of the food and the friendly but professional service. The curries are fragrant with spices and the basmati rice is cooked to perfection. The menu may be limited but everything on it that we have tried has been remarkable.

Villa del Lupo
869 Hamilton Street
Vancouver
(604)688-7436
A small Victorian house is home to one of Vancouver's most intimate and excellent Italian restaurants. Indicative of the menu are dishes such as: fresh rabbit loin, stuffed with mushrooms, black olives and thyme, lamb osso buco and cannelloni with seafood and shellfish with a hint of dill. Take your appetite with you and enjoy.

Water St. Cafe
300 Water Street
Vancouver
(604) 689-2832
A walk through this historic and a little seedy Gastown neighborhood on a summer's evening has a little magic with the lanterns and cobblestones. Reserve a table on the outside of this favorite downtown bistro. An eclectic menu offers lots of choice at a reasonable price. If you are a fan of crabcakes this would be the place in town to try them. I've never gone wrong with a pasta dish.

Ice Cream, Etc.
Here are my favorite places to get something cool and refreshing in Vancouver. These are also cafes and shops that are worth the trip for other goodies as well.

Mum's Ice Cream
855 Denman Street
(604) 681-1500
This tiny ice cream shop makes over 100 flavors of ice cream, sorbet, gelati and skim milk yogurt on premise and fresh each day. Regulars line up for Mango and Mocha ice creams on a warm Vancouver evening.

Venezia Ice Cream
5752 Victoria Drive
(604) 327-8614
Vancouver has a vibrant Italian community and no where is that more evident than at this manufacturer and retailer of Italy inspired ice creams, gelatis and sherberts. Summer favorites include Lemon sherbert, Mango and Hazelnut ice creams.

Mondo Gelato International
1094 Denman Street
(604) 647-6638
Expect to feel that you are back in Italy. A great selection of classic as well as unusual gelato and granita in a very upscale setting.

Tomato Fresh Food Cafe
3305 Cambie
(604) 874-6020
Old fashioned milk shakes in a fun and funky diner atmosphere. Enjoy such favors as: mocha, espresso, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mint, hazelnut and banana.

Sophies Cosmic Cafe
2095 West Fourth Avenue
(604) 732-6810
You have to see it to believe all the treasures on display. Straightforward food with cool treats on the dinner menu. Enjoy Deluxe Cosmic Sundays in such flavours as fruit & orange liqueur or cream cafe & chocolate with whipped cream. Then dig in to the Cosmic Banana Split with liqueur, an adult take on a childhood favorite.

Cows Vancouver
1301 Robson
(604) 682-2622
If you're into things bovine, this is your ice cream shop. Who can resist: Wowie Cowie which combines Engish toffee, chocolate chips, Heath Bar bits in a vanilla ice cream base? Or try Moo Crunch which is chocolate ice cream with peanut butter and Heath Bar bits. Definitely something to moo about.

Chocolate
Chocolate lovers agree -- Vancouver boasts some of the most innovative and luscious chocolate activity on the west coast. Here is a sampling of my favorites.

Chocolate Arts
2057 West Fourth Avenue
(604) 739-0475
Chef/owner Greg Hook produces works of art that taste wonderful. Greg likes to produce seasonal and specialty flavours. It gives him a chance to keep the creative juices flowing. His pumpkin truffle is a 'must have' every fall. If you are a chocolate lover, don't miss this tiny bit of heaven.

Bonte by R.C. Purdy
Purdy's at 2196 Fourth Avenue
(604) 730-8669
Purdy's Chocolates has been providing Vancouver with great chocolate for the whole family since the start of the 20th century. They have a special luxury line of European style chocolates called Bonte. The shapes are refined and the flavours, such as: Smooth Dark-roasted Hazelnut PurÈe & Dark Chocolate, Espresso Anisette Milk Chocolate and Raspberry Puree & White Chocolate will tempt the most discriminating palate.

House of Brussels Chocolates
115 - 925 West Georgia
(604) 684-5444
This is the place that celebrates the chocolate Hedgehog. A "hedgehog" is a milk or dark chocolate that is molded as a whimsical hedgehog and filled with hazelnut paste. Certainly a little bit of heaven after a hard day.

Le Chocolat Belge Daniel
1105 Granville Street
(604) 688-9624
Daniel Poncelet brought sophisticated Belgian-style chocolates to Vancouver about 15 years ago. His chocolates continue to reflex a refined, European look and taste. Elegant packaging completes the experience.

Over the Moon Chocolate Company
2868 West Broadway
(604) 737-0880
This young company produces great chocolates and a cornucopia of delightful chocolate shapes for each of the holidays and the days in between. I use their milk and dark chocolate buttons for my chocolate chip cookies.

Chinese Restaurants
A trip to Vancouver wouldn't be complete without taking advantage of the wonderful cuisine of our burgeoning Chinese population. These are probably the best restaurants. Expect the decor to be typically low-brow and the tables to be full. Order whatever you usually order or let the waiter lead you to special items.

Kirin Seafood Restaurant
20-555 West 12th Avenue
Vancouver
(604) 879-8038
In a city with the second largest Chinatown on the West Coast, you expect fine Chinese restaurants and Kirin doesn't disappoint. Cantonese cuisine with an emphasis on seafood is presented in beautiful surroundings with elegant service.

Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant
3888 Main Street
(604)872-8822

Grand King Seafood Restaurant
711 W. Broadway
(604)876-7855

Tin Chu Chinese Restaurant
1945 Burrard Street
(604)733-6831

Koon Lock Seafood Restaurant
6270 Fraser Street
(604)327-8731

Imperial Garden Restaurant
987 Granville Street
(604)689-3368

Day Tripping
Granville Island is always a good place to start. The market opens at 9:00 am and that's when the locals do their shopping, as it gets to be a "zoo" starting around noon and parking is a problem. My suggestion is to browse the market with a cappuccino or latte (yes -- Vancouver has become a coffee-obsessed city like Seattle) while buying a picnic lunch. If you are not into fussing, try the great gourmet pizzas-to-go at Pazazz in the Market. Right outside the Market is the False Creek Ferry dock. These little passenger ferries connect the north and south shore of False Creek for $1.50. Take your picnic basket and board a ferry for the 10 - 15 minute trip to Vanier Park/Maritime Museum's dock. You get a beautiful view of the city from the ferry ride and you can picnic while watching the boats parade by or the kite flyers do their thing.
While you are on that side of Vancouver, why not check out the "other" beverage of choice in Vancouver -- tea. Tearoom T at 2460 Heather Street (north of Broadway, between Oak & Cambie) imports, custom-blends, scents, distributes, wholesales and retails over 250 varietals of the finest teas. They count numerous fine dining establishments (Bishops, Star Anise, Chartwell, CinCin, C Restaurant...), cafes (Benny Bagels...) and hotels (Four Seasons Vancouver, Four Seasons Seattle, Chateau Whistler, Waterfront Centre...) as their clients. They hold tea tastings in the evening. Call Lana Sutherland at 874-8320.

Bowen Island is a day trip that gives you a chance to get out on the ocean for a short ferry ride. Take Highway 1 to Horseshoe Bay. Park in one of the public parking lots and then board the ferry for Bowen Island. The ferry trip takes about 20 minutes and leaves about every hour except for a lunch break between the 12:05 pm sailing and the 2:30 pm sailing. If your timing is off and you have a while to wait, Horseshoe Bay is a resort town with restaurants and shops overlooking the harbour and a great First Nations shop called the Spirit Gallery. When you arrive in Snug Cove on Bowen Island you will notice that the "town" is only about 2 blocks long, don't despair, there are a couple of pubs, the most scenic being Doc Morgans on the boardwalk. Order a pint of Bowen Island Ale, some lunch and sit back on the deck and enjoy. If you are into walking, there are trails out of Snug Cove. If you like to hike or have brought your car, check out Artisan Square - a complex of shops and galleries at the top of the hill above town. Artisan Square is also home to La Mangerie where you can enjoy great views as well as homemade soups, breads, sandwiches, pastries and desserts. If you stay the evening, enjoy a candlelit dinner. For more on Bowen Island - check out their Chamber of Commerce website.

Whistler, BC is only a couple of hours away. I usually try to take first time visitors up there as it is a spectacular drive and destination. Leave Vancouver after 9:00 am to miss the rush hour traffic. Capers at 1675 Robson has ample parking and all you need for a brunch: good and healthy bakery items and the obligatory cappucino. Plan two to three hours for the trip to Whistler Village as you will probably stop along the way to gawk at the scenery. Chateau Whistler Hotel is a great place for a nice lunch. In the Village itself there are lots of restaurants to choose from.

When Snow Covers the Mountains
The mountains are covered in snow and for British Columbians that means a trip to Whistler, just two and a half hours from Vancouver. Here is a selection of great dining places in and around Whistler Village. Reservations are a must especially on the busy winter weekends.
La Rua
Chamois Hotel
Whistler
(604) 932-5011
An eclectic menu with Mediterranean ingredients and recipes in a starring role. Owner Mario Enero and Chef Doug Porter will temp you to try other non Mediterranean specialties as well. A warm and elegant end to a day on the slopes.
The Rim Rock Cafe
2101 Whistler Road
Whistler
(604) 932-5565
A Whistler institution with a comfortable western mountain decor. The food is consistently good and comfortable as well. No need to change your sporty attire or attitude.
Il Caminetto di Umberto
4242 Village Stroll
Whistler Village
(604) 932-4442
Umberto Menghi spread his restaurant empire to Whistler a few years ago to the delight of many devoted fans of his Northern Italian cuisine. Il Caminetto is an elegant setting for celebrating and showcasing a menu that has gotten better each year. Dress up and enjoy an evening on the town.
Wildwood at the Chateau Whistler Resort
4599 Chateau Blvd
Whistler
(604) 938-8000
If you're not up on the slopes for lunch, this is probably the most elegant and charming lunch spot in Whistler. The fabulous Chateau Whistler Hotel is the backdrop for great food along with great views up the mountain.

Victoria, BC can be a day trip but a very long one. Try to get the earliest ferry possible as they fill up very fast. Don't even attempt the journey on Friday afternoon or Sunday afternoon as all us locals are on our way out of town as well. In order to travel and leave time to explore Victoria, be ready for an all day adventure. It takes about four hours from the time you leave Vancouver and arrive in Victoria. When I travel on business for just the day, I take the bus. At least then I can work, relax or nap going and coming. I always recommend that the first time visitor to Victoria have tea at the Empress Hotel (604) 389-2727. If for no other reason than telling everyone back home that you did it (they'll all expect you to anyway). No note on a trip to Vancouver Island would be complete without at least mentioning Sooke Harbour House (604) 642-3421. This wonderful inn and restaurant outside of Victoria is a mecca for serious travelers and diners from around the world. If you can handle adding another couple of hours to your trip go for an early dinner (breakfast and lunch are available only for the Inn's guests). They start serving dinner at 5:30. Reservations are a must and should be made well in advance of your trip. The owners, Fredrica and Sinclair Philip, have created a truly unique and beautiful establishment.

Pam Williams is an Internet marketing strategist, entrepreneur and educator specializing in marketing and communications. Her culinary accomplishments include: founder of the specialty chocolatier, au Chocolat; author and publisher of three cookbooks including the Canadian best selling chocolate cookbook, Oh Truffles.

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