Food · Vancouver · Canada
What to eat in Vancouver
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Vancouver, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Sushi and the BC roll, Wild Pacific salmon and Spot prawns. Graze on smoked salmon, fresh bread, chowder and fruit from the market stalls, then eat outside on the docks watching the mini-ferries. Menu prices exclude 5% GST (plus 10% PST on alcohol), and a tip of 15–20% goes on top.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Sushi and the BC roll
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 3
- Tipping
- Tip 15–20% in restaurants and bars and about 10–15% for taxis; card machines will prompt…
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dish
1.Sushi and the BC roll
Vancouver has a deep Japanese food culture and sushi restaurants at every price. The BC roll, filled with barbecued salmon skin, is credited to local chef Hidekazu Tojo, who also claims the inside-out California roll.
Where: Sushi bars throughout downtown, Kitsilano and Richmond, from takeaway counters to omakase restaurants.
Dish
2.Wild Pacific salmon
Sockeye, coho and spring (chinook) salmon are central to BC cooking and to the region's First Nations, served grilled, cedar-planked, smoked or as sweet candied salmon strips.
Where: Seafood restaurants and the Granville Island Public Market, which sells smoked and candied salmon for travel.
Dish
3.Spot prawns
Sweet local prawns caught in a short season that usually starts in May, sold live from fishing boats and served simply grilled, in pasta or as sashimi.
Where: Fisherman's Wharf near Granville Island, where boats sell direct during the season, and seafood restaurants citywide.
Street food
4.Japadog
Hot dogs topped with Japanese ingredients such as teriyaki sauce, seaweed, bonito flakes and wasabi mayonnaise, from a cart that started on Burrard Street in 2005 and became a city icon.
Where: Japadog carts and shops downtown, including on Burrard and Robson streets.
Dish
5.Richmond dim sum
Richmond, the suburb next to the airport, has one of North America's densest concentrations of Chinese restaurants, and weekend dim sum there is a local ritual.
Where: Restaurants around No. 3 Road in Richmond, a short Canada Line ride from downtown.
Dish
6.Ramen and izakaya plates
Japanese noodle shops and izakaya bars serving small plates and sake cluster in the West End, where a late bowl of ramen is a popular end to the evening.
Where: Robson and Denman streets in the West End and around downtown.
Dessert · Vegetarian
7.Nanaimo bar
A no-bake layered bar with a chocolate, coconut and crumb base, a custard-flavoured buttercream middle and a chocolate top, named after the city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.
Where: Bakeries and cafés across the city and at Granville Island.
Dish
8.BC oysters
Oysters from British Columbia's coastal farms, often from Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, served raw on the half shell with mignonette.
Where: Oyster bars downtown, in Gastown and in Yaletown, many with discounted late-afternoon happy hours.
Bakery · Vegetarian
9.Bannock
A simple Indigenous flatbread, fried or baked, served with soups and stews or topped as a meal.
Where: Indigenous-owned restaurants such as Salmon n' Bannock on West Broadway.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Craft beer
Vancouver has dozens of craft breweries, many with taprooms in former warehouses, pouring West Coast IPAs, sours and lagers.
Where: Brewery Creek in Mount Pleasant and the cluster of East Vancouver taprooms nicknamed Yeast Van.
Food experiences
Granville Island market lunch
Graze on smoked salmon, fresh bread, chowder and fruit from the market stalls, then eat outside on the docks watching the mini-ferries.
Happy-hour oysters
Many oyster bars and restaurants run late-afternoon happy hours with discounted oysters and drinks, a relaxed way to try several BC varieties.
Richmond dim sum and night market
Take the Canada Line to Richmond for weekend dim sum or, in summer, for the night market's Asian street food.
Dine Out Vancouver
The city-wide restaurant festival, usually in late January and early February, offers set menus at hundreds of restaurants.
Quick bites and street food
- Japadog — Japadog carts and shops downtown, including on Burrard and Robson streets.
- Bannock — Indigenous-owned restaurants such as Salmon n' Bannock on West Broadway.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 3 are usually vegetarian: Nanaimo bar, Bannock and Craft beer. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Menu prices exclude 5% GST (plus 10% PST on alcohol), and a tip of 15–20% goes on top.
- Book popular restaurants ahead at weekends; many Japanese and Korean spots are walk-in only, with queues.
- Look for the Ocean Wise symbol on menus, which marks sustainable seafood choices.
- Weekend brunch is popular; expect queues in Kitsilano and on Main Street.
- The legal drinking age in British Columbia is 19, and ID is checked.
Tipping
Tip 15–20% in restaurants and bars and about 10–15% for taxis; card machines will prompt you. Tipping at counter-service cafés is optional.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The North Shore | North and West Vancouver, across Burrard Inlet |
| The Drive | Commercial Drive |
| Raincouver | Joking nickname for the wet winters |
| Hollywood North | Nickname for the city's film industry |
| Washroom | Toilet / restroom |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Vancouver famous for?
Sushi and the BC roll, Wild Pacific salmon, Spot prawns and Japadog. Vancouver has a deep Japanese food culture and sushi restaurants at every price.
+Is Vancouver good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Nanaimo bar, Bannock and Craft beer.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Vancouver?
Tip 15–20% in restaurants and bars and about 10–15% for taxis; card machines will prompt you. Tipping at counter-service cafés is optional.