Lunch Spots in Vancouver
Vancouver, a bustling west coast seaport in British Columbia, is not only known for its picturesque landscapes but also for its vibrant food scene. The city offers a diverse range of lunch spots that cater to every palate and preference. From waterfront restaurants serving the freshest seafood to cozy cafes offering a variety of international cuisines, Vancouver's lunch scene is as diverse as its population. Whether you're a local looking to explore new eateries or a tourist wanting to taste the city's culinary delights, this article will guide you through some of the best lunch spots in Vancouver. So, get ready to embark on a gastronomic journey through this Canadian city.
Water st. café
4.2
(1551)
Light-filled mainstay for people-watching dishing up Pacific NW cuisine with Italian influences.
Reviews:
I haven’t been here for a few years. Last time it was 2019 and I remember it was a lovely place for happy hour. Today, I had brunch with my friend here. We got a table by the window facing the steam clock. It would be perfect for tourists but we were not. There was not enough room for me to sit across my friend at a small table for two. I guess that might be why they put my seat at the side instead. It was quite difficult for us to refill our own sparkling water, with one plate of starter and two plates of brunch and coffee on the table. We both ordered from the brunch menu. I ordered Black Stone Benny, which was a typical Benny with bacon and a small amount of salad. My friend had a salmon Benny. While the salads should be served cold, everything else was cold as well. The toast, the eggs, my bacon, my friend’s salmon. The sauce was not even lukewarm. Each Benny costs about $22. Not too expensive but not cheap either. I would reasonably expect the food at least to be served hot. Fortunately, our starter tasted good, or I would be even more disappointed. I arrived late so when I was asked if I wanted a drink, I didn’t have a chance to look at the drink menu. I asked if they had a matcha latte, I felt the server was making fun of me. It was not once, nor twice, but every other time the server came by again, they commented how matcha latte not being tasty, being difficult to make, and I should go get it somewhere else. They also tapped my shoulder when making the last comment. It was not me insisting on having one or asking for it again, so it was kind of strange for me.
Joey Lam
I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt thanks for the incredible experience my boyfriend and I had at Water St. Café. It was his birthday, and your team went above and beyond to make it truly special. Your impeccable organization and the timely delivery of the birthday cake were much appreciated. The highlight was when you arranged for a live singer upstairs to serenade us with 'Happy Birthday.' It was a magical moment. Afterward, you prepared a table for us downstairs with a breathtaking view of the gas steam clock. We were the last ones to leave, and despite closing time approaching, your staff continued to be exceptionally warm and accommodating. Thank you for your outstanding hospitality and for making our night truly special.
mina mirforoughi
this was the first stop I chose for my friend's stagette and everything was absolutely wonderful. the staff were so friendly, food was delicious, and the space itself was beautiful. thank you for making us feel so welcome! intrigued by the upcoming Boat to Table menu, hopefully I'll make it to the mainland again soon.
Artemis Wainwright
All the dishes they served were top notch and their excellent customer service from Roberto made our experience outstanding! We had West Coast Crab Cakes, Mushroom Gnocchi, Spaghetti Alle Vongole, Steak and so on. The West Coast Crab Cakes were so crispy outside and fresh inside. Especially, the texture and flavour of the Real crab were perfect! The clams were super fresh and I loved the natural sweetness in there. Last but not least, The steak was also super juicy and the house-made sauce was a perfect match with it. I loved the little dessert cakes as well! Hit the spot! Highly recommend :)
Megan SB
Unforgettable experience if you are on the patio with a view of the historic steam clock. Incredible wine list with plenty of local selections, delicious appetizers, and abundant variety of main course options. The service was phenomenal, our server was adorable, sharing stories of the neighborhood and the deep meaning of her rad tattoos. Another server bumped her on accident and didn't apologize, but she just smiled and said, just wait until this bump gets bigger, he'll have to wait for me to move. Absolutely adorable. Our new favorite restaurant in Vancouver!
Steve Wiideman
300 Water St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1B6, Canada
The templeton
4.5
(2399)
Jukebox-lined eatery with free-run eggs & breakfast faves, plus organic burgers & classic shakes.
Reviews:
Charming retro restaurant. Be prepared to wait on a weekend morning! Price per portion is acceptable. Food is tasty. Lots of options. Mobility device and strollers will have difficulties navigating here as its very narrow. Seating is limited. Best to call ahead for seats or if you have any mobility issues. If you are in the area I would recommend this restaurant.
Samantha N.
Went here on a Sunday evening and had a pretty chill nice experience! My waitress, Tessa was very friendly and responsive and gave a great recommendation of the chicken caesar salad. Now, I LOVE a ceasar salad and this one was quite delicious. I like the diner aesthetic and the music was also quite fun. She even made me an unsweetened ice tea! Would recommend.
Kate Sotelo
Normally a line up especially if you’re trying to go on a weekend. Cool retro diner atmosphere. Great milk shake and good vegetarian options as well for breakfast. Service was pretty fast. Been coming here for years and hrs pretty consistent brunch.
gyee001
Came here craving some pancakes. Very interesting and history place - dating back to early 1900. Retro diner style - fun place to hang out and grab breakfast with friends. The pancakes were good. I liked the sourdough toast. Other things were ok, but overall a good experience.
Sean Leung
Small diner on Granville. It was like an old diner with jukeboxes on each table but they were not working. Just for show. The eggs Bennies were delicious, poached perfectly. I was full from the first one. I wish I had room for the milkshake. Coffee was drip coffee but good. The door was propped open so we were exposed to the street. That was not great. Took off stars for that.
Pam Sevilla-Anderson
1087 Granville St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1L4, Canada
Cafe medina
4.5
(4323)
Snug spot for coffee, & an eclectic daytime menu including waffles with unique toppings.
Reviews:
Cafe Medina! This place is so impressive! We love here. We waited the table for 35-40mins, but worth it! Also, I think they control the customer flow very well, even though they are busy, but the speed of serving food is acceptable to me. I didn’t neglect the food quality just because they were busy. Highly recommend the waffle with White chocolate sauce!
Shiya Zhu
I was interested to see and eat at the Michelin guide, Cafe Medina. I came here around 8:45am. The table seats were already full. So I was solo and of course I was seated in the bar counter area. I could see the Michelin guide sign in front of me. The clerk was very busy moving around. You can see how popular this place is. I had a warm latte with lavender added. Next I chose two famous Liege style waffles topped with milk chocolate lavender and mixed berries compote. I guess I expected too much. The clerk was busy and didn't give much service. The expected waffles were not very warm and small size. The topping sauce was smooth and flavorful. I look forward to the next time and want to visit again.
Nami N
FINALLY, got a chance to try this place after making reservations ($10/person booking where it gets donated). It's nice to just walk in and not have to wait. After taking a first bite of the waffle, I know what all the fuss is about and why it's always so busy! The food was all very delicious, our server was patient and very attentive and food was so pretty and delicious. The ambience is cute, cozy and airy and I will 100% come back again!
604 Eats
We decided to visit this restaurant on a whim, without a reservation. Despite not having booked in advance, the friendly front desk staff still managed to accommodate us. The service was incredibly welcoming, and the meal was perfectly crafted with layers of flavor. A truly enjoyable experience!!
Hsiung Céline
My first time to this great breakfast location. We ate on the patio and enjoyed the view of the revolving restaurant. The coffee and waffles didn't disappoint. I had fun with 3 different toppings and then had a side of bacon. Very yummy! My partner had the cassoulet. He loved the eggs, sausage and foccacia.
Tara Elizabeth
780 Richards St, Vancouver, BC V6B 3A4, Canada
Honey salt
3.8
(1074)
Creative, farm-to-table Canadian food & drinks for breakfast, lunch & dinner in a chic, airy space.
Reviews:
I recently had an incredible dining experience at this restaurant! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted warmly, and the ambiance was fantastic. The food and drinks were delightful, but what truly stood out was the exceptional service provided by our waiter, Nathaniel. He was incredibly kind and helpful, ensuring that every aspect of our evening was perfect. To top it off, he even arranged a special dessert for the person we were celebrating. I highly recommend this restaurant, as it exceeded all expectations. A solid 10 out of 10!
Isabel Dlta
This place is conveniently located in the JW Parq Marriott. It has a nice ambiance with a spacious dining room. The food is quite delicious. Breakfast has excellent portions and a fairly reasonable price. Honey Salt partners with a local company to provide tasty juices. The Turmeric is particularly delicious. Dinner fare is good, the salmon I had was cooked perfectly, and though you will leave here filled, the portions felt a little small for the menu price. You're definitely paying for quality over quantity. The music during dinner was live, and a little loud for us, but if you enjoy live music, you'll definitely enjoy a dinner here!
Lucinda Gonzales
I was very excited to visit this place because how cute it looks, but I was very disappointed with their food. I ordered their tuna poke bowl, but it was extremely tiny and it was more of a salad. What's worse is that it was listed under "Large Plate" section... It was definitely not large at all. I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but it was so little rice! If they are offering it as a bowl, they should put a lot more rice. The taste was ok too. Nothing special at all.
Likes Eating
We went to this restaurant for brunch and really enjoyed it. Food was great. I had the chicken and waffles and they were excellent. Service was great, friendly, funny and very helpful. The ambiance is nice and bright with a lot of natural light. Overall I would go back there for lunch.
Andrea Spallanzani
Very friendly service by "Ken" (Sean) We love the atmosphere. Nice food menu. Beer selection is very limited. There are so many local breweries here which have great beers, not being represented here :( They only have Guinness from.teh can :( No other stouts or porters :( The white and red house wine had been very good. We had the 2 course special. Very delicious shrimp & scallop past and also carbonara pasta with nice garlic cheese bread. Also good beet and cesaer salad, but a little small...
PJLife
39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 5E7, Canada
Joe fortes seafood & chop house
4.5
(6612)
Vibrant, booth-lined dining room for seafood & steak, with a popular oyster bar & rooftop patio.
Reviews:
Unbelievable food (every single dish we had was fantastic), amazing service, very cool atmosphere. The staff is amazing and welcoming. We had a great time with our servers Melissa and Heidi! They brought the 10/10 experience to 100/10. Would highly recommend. Also, it's best to make a reservation. ❤️😁
Kristina Pavlovich
Went here for both happy hour and dinner. Was a great treat for us since we actually plan on coming here. Booking reservations was easy but we did wish we could have sat up in the roof top patio (if you do happy hour you could not book up there). We pretty much order everything on the happy hour menu to start us off and then proceed to order our dinner after. The food was great everything is fresh and tasted good. We had their raw oyster and cold seafood platter, with some other sides such as their beef ribs and calamari. We follow that up with some steaks and fish. Over all great place for drinks and dinner.
Geeky Kush
The service was exceptional as we enjoyed the patio at sunset. The sun was directly in our eyes, but the attentive waiter brought an extra umbrella to shield us from the glare. Our party of six ordered appetizers, steaks, and drinks, and everything was excellent. This restaurant stands out as the first place that prepared my steak exactly as I wanted it – medium rare, cooked to perfection. One of my friends ordered theirs rare and it ended up slightly overcooked, but they still found it enjoyable and were satisfied with their meal.
Daniel Li
We started with a selection of raw oysters, which were all very fresh and had a wide range of flavors from the East and West Coasts. The West Coast platter was a bit of a disappointment, however. The seafood was not as fresh as I expected, especially the lobster and crab, which were both lacking in sweetness. The bone-in ribeye steak was cooked perfectly to medium rare and was very flavorful. The pistachio ice cream for dessert was icy, but it had a rich, nutty taste. The service was excellent, our server was friendly and attentive without being intrusive. Overall, we had a very good dining experience, but I would have liked the seafood to be fresher.
Yaku Niku
I was told by my informant that this is John Cena's favourite restaurant in Vancouver, however...I CAN'T SEE HIM. 🖐👋✋ If you want the best fresh oysters in town, this is the establishment for you. Just make sure you go during happy hour so you can save 💸 as it can be pretty pricey. My friend and I ate here during happy hour and ordered mostly happy hour items. My friend did however order a steak which he thought was ok, but quite expensive. I really enjoyed the fresh oysters and I think I'll be coming here just for the oysters, the other items in the happy hour menu were pretty good as well but value could be a bit better. Service here is amazing. Our server was great, I forgot her name but she was friendly and provided good service. Overall, I would recommend this place to oyster lovers especially during happy hour. 🦪🍻
Kevin (KC)
777 Thurlow St, Vancouver, BC V6E 3V5, Canada
Botanist
4.6
(1376)
Airy, high-end restaurant in the Fairmont Hotel offering modern Canadian cuisine, wine & cocktails.
Reviews:
Service here was super welcoming. Shocking for such a high end area. Especially for how they treat people of color. Impressive. Food was really good, overall the menu has things other restaurants do but everything is served and made meticulously, you can tell there’s a lot of effort put into everything. Servers are friendly and flexible. Good experience and the atmosphere is welcoming too!
erdnakilam
Can’t say enough good things about our time at Botanist! We came for our wedding anniversary and had a beautiful card and champagne waiting for us at the table. The hostesses were very courteous and our server, Chris, was amazing. He thoroughly explained different menu options to make sure the experience was catered to our tastes and checked on us often from the appetizers through the main course to dessert. The atmosphere was wonderful. We sat in the semi-outdoor seating area near the bar with beautiful foliage and piano playing in the background. One thing to note: be wary of the bread—delicious and so tempting to keep eating it but save your appetite for the main course and you won’t be sorry. Tagliatelle, poached halibut, and king salmon were perfect along with the raspberry pavlova. Also enjoyed our drinks: “What the Flower” and “Needed Escape”. Would definitely recommend!
Chris Sartain
This is a pretty nice restaurant that is enjoyable. Location and decor is great, food is prepared with quality ingredients and presented very well. Portions are a little small for the price so you end up ordering more of a variety of appetizers which has its own benefits. The Hamburger is the main dish we tried and while a good burger (BTW it’s served medium well so it’s very pink inside) it was over powered by the strong and sharp cheese flavours. I would consider asking them for some kind of modifications to make it a little more impressive in some way. The chairs have some weird construction with the metal braces that hold the legs together that protrude and could damage leggings and general is a annoying Overall enjoyable, fancy and very pleasant.
Tim
We had an amazing time at the restaurant. We enjoyed the chef's tasting menu, one of our guests had some dietary requirements and the kitchen expertly pivoted and created a tantalizing spread of food. The efficiency and care of service was very apparent our service was above average and our server went to great lengths to go above and beyond to ensure every guest was satisfied with the tasting menu and their experience with the restaurant. It truly is a magical experience dining somewhere where you are taking such great care of and the use of unique and beautiful ingredients are so present.
Conor S
Out of all the amazing restaurants in Vancouver, my wife and I decided to celebrate our anniversary here and it turned out to be a very wise choice! Kudos to the mastermind, Sarkis, who orchestrated a table miracle on our special night, spreading the word to the entire staff as our fantastic night capped off with two glasses of complimentary champagne to toast with right away before getting to the menu. My wife's favourite was the butter poached lobster! The plating was beautifully presented and the sauce was tastefully done, not overpowering the natural sweetness of the fresh lobster! My favourite was the oven roasted cauliflower. The cauliflower is like a white canvas that provides the texture and everything else on the plate just meshed so well and tasted so heavenly together. This is a definitely a MUST TRY! Ambiance was delightful, complemented by the remarkable skills of a pianist who effortlessly transitioned from contemporary jazz to Spirited Away soundtracks! Adding to the experience, our waiter was also super friendly and made sure we had everything that we needed. All and all it was a great night and we would definitely go back to celebrate another important day!"
Denny Chou
1038 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC V6C 0B9, Canada
Fable kitchen
4.5
(1164)
Bistro for inventive farm-to-table brunch & dinner in a lively space with an open kitchen.
Reviews:
Wonderful farm to table resto. Apparently has been pinged by the Michelin guide. The sable fish was melt in your mouth soft. Loved the seared pork belly over gnocchi. Would gladly take visitors here, great place.
Chris Charles
I always pass by this restaurant. Finally a friend asked to have brunch here today, so here I am. My friend reserved a table online which was very convenient and I always like to reserve tables online without waiting in a super long line up for an hour or so. The server provided great service. The ambience was great for family or friends gathering. The venue has a decent size. It is considered comfortable that there is a reasonable distance between tables and customers, so we could chat without hearing what others were talking next to us. Their menu had different options for customers to choose from. We ordered a few dishes. I felt each dish was presented well. But the flavour was okay. It was just a normal dish of western breakfast to me. I wouldn’t say I would wow for it. The location is right on a busy street that customers can come here to eat and walk around the neighbourhood after the meal. It’s hard to find parking though. It’s better for ones who take public transit or who live in the neighbourhood.
Kit Yee Yu
It’s hard to get a table for a brunch, but it’s totally worth to hassle. They have an amazing service and really cute atmosphere. We had their daily special Bennie’s with roasted bell pepper sauce and it was really good. My recommendation try their roasty with sour cream - it’s so good
Nick Bilozerov
This was our second casual dining experience here. First time we enjoyed burgers for lunch and this time eggs benedict for brunch. Expertly poached eggs topped with olive oil hollandaise sauce. Healthy ingredients, sensible portions. Friendly knowledgeable service, reasonable prices. Clean and calm atmosphere.
35RedBackpack
Unexpected experience from Michelin restaurant. There was no wow factor on food. We got some felafel for the order of chickpea fritters and Brussel sprouts was mushy and not even crispy. I appreciated our server's informative service, but I felt a bit uncomfortable with the proximity when they were speaking to us. It would be great if they could maintain a more comfortable distance in the future.
Elham Shahbandy
1944 W 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6J 1M5, Canada