Vancouver Restaurant Recommendations

[RichardK]

I've also posted this on the Alaska Board, as it may see higher traffic over there.

 

Need your recommendations, please, based upon your first-hand experience with restaurants in Vancouver.

 

We’ll be staying at the Sutton Place Hotel in Vancouver, pre-cruise, for a few days. This will be our first visit to Vancouver. Looking for recommendations you may have as it regards breakfast & especially dinner (we'll catch lunch on the fly as we're exploring the area).

 

Our main criteria would be:

*Nothing overly fancy or gourmet. A good "solid" restaurant with a nice varied menu, and a nice atmosphere.

*And please keep your recommendations within walking distance of the hotel.

 

Thanks.............

[Urban trekker]

RichardK - if you want breakfast there is a Denny's restaurant right across the street from the Sutton.

As for lunch or dinner you are only one block from Robson where there is just about every gourmet eating possibility. There's Joe Fortes for seafood - the Keg for steak and lobster - Red Robin, Earl's or Cactus club for burgers, etc.

Here's a web site that might be of use: http://www.englishbay.com - has lot's of suggestions and user reviews.

 

As it is your first visit to our great city - the downtown core is quite compact - most services are within a mile in any direction and you are staying at the geographical center of the action.

 

There are a number of us cruise critics from Vancouver who would only be too happy to answer your questions. We all share the desire to see that visitors have a memorable experience.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

BTW - what time of the year will you be cruising.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Lollipop's Mom]

The classic BC restaurant is White Spot. Great food and great menu (and not extremely pricey).

Also over in gastown is an Old Spagetti Factory, which is pretty neat. It is italian food and yummy. Not really walking distance for you there though. Probably a $7-$8 cab ride.

[cruiserjanet]

DH and I really enjoyed Cincin on Robson Street. We found it by accident. We had a terrific pizza that was unlike anything we have ever had and dessert. We will definitely go there again in 2010. I know they have a website but I'm not sure what it is so if you go to a search engine and type in Cincin Vancouver you should be able to find it.

[RichardK]

 

BTW - what time of the year will you be cruising.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

Thank you all for the recommendations thus far..........

 

Trip begins in mid-June 2007. Three days pre-cruise at the Sutton Place Hotel, and then the R/T inside passage on the NCL Sun.

[rocyvr]

Check out Stephos 1124 Davie Street for excellent inexpensive Greek food. This place has been around for along time and people still line up to get in to the place. The roast lamb is very good. Nice atmosphere. Enjoy Vancouver!

 

Derek

[elena7seas]

I'd like to put in votes for Cin Cin (creative Italian and wonderful wood-fired oven for pizza, grill and rotisserie--warm and charming atmosphere) and Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House (great variety of seafood, super oyster bar, lively atmosphere).

 

www.cincin.net

 

www.joefortes.ca

 

Both are very close to the Sutton Place hotel.

 

A short cab ride away, in Yaletown, there are lots of great restaurants, including two of my current favourites, Circolo (pronounced "Cheer-co-lo") and Blue Water Cafe.

 

www.umberto.com/circolo.htm

 

www.bluewatercafe.net

 

Another favourite restaurant is also a short cab ride away from the Sutton Place Hotel and was voted Best New Restaurant in 2005. Chambar is a Belgian bistro that does first class "moules frites" (mussels and absolutely the BEST fries) as well as lots of other great dishes.

 

http://www.where.ca/vancouver/guide_listing~listing_id~2285.htm

 

Vancouver downtown is fairly compact, and you can find great restaurants based on almost any ethnic cuisine. If you have any particular ethnic cuisines that you'd like to locate, just ask and I can recommend my favourites. (e.g. Wild Rice for the Kung Pao Chicken).

 

There's LOTS of information on Vancouver restaurants at this website:

 

http://www.foodvancouver.com/restaurants.php?city=17&

 

I hope you have a great time in Vancouver.

[Lollipop's Mom]

You know, a trip to Vancouver is also not complete without a trip to Veras! YUMMY! This is our fave place!

http://www.verasburgershack.com/

[ultimatemaniaccruiser]

The classic BC restaurant is White Spot. Great food and great menu (and not extremely pricey).

Also over in gastown is an Old Spagetti Factory' date=' which is pretty neat. It is italian food and yummy. Not really walking distance for you there though. Probably a $7-$8 cab ride.[/quote']

 

I personally hate White Spot but the spagetti factory is a pretty decent family place.

[Urban trekker]

I personally hate White Spot.

Care to explain why you hate the White Spot?

 

Visitors should see some facts to help them make a decision not a general statement.

 

Dennis

[ultimatemaniaccruiser]

Care to explain why you hate the White Spot?

 

Visitors should see some facts to help them make a decision not a general statement.

 

Dennis

 

The service stinks (unionized wait staff!!!) the food is overpriced and is not very good. Vancouver has so many restaurants that are so much better for less money. True White Spot is guaranteed to be the same no matter what city in BC and in general it's clean and mediocre. That's not something tourists should be sent to!

[Urban trekker]

1. Not all White spots are unionized and so what if they are.

 

2. What does a burger, fries and pop cost at Red Robin, Earl's, Cactus Club, Vera's, Moxies, Hooters etc?

 

I for the most part have enjoyed White Spot food over the years but will agree that each person taste buds and expectations are different so on food quality let's agree to disagree.

 

And no I do not work for the White Spot chain.

 

Dennis

[Michelle!]

Another thing ... there is nothing like a legendary platter! Mmmmm - triple O sauce. I craved that when I was pregnant!:D

 

BTW - CIN CIN is a bit gourmet, but as a previous poster mentioned, there are a number of options near sutton place.

 

Don Francescos is across the street from the Sutton, and it is reasonably price gourmet!

 

Avoid anything that refers to a revolving restaurant. If you must (we have three in Vancouver) go for drinks and dessert, enjoy the view and eat cheap somewhere else!

 

Oh - and if you want something that truly screams Vancouver...stop for a cupcake at 'Cupcakes' on Denman Street - if you like butter cream icing, you will love this little place!;)

[wencel]

Do dim sum lunch at least once, especially if you're not familiar with it. One of the best places in the downtown area is Imperial Seafood at the corner of Burrard and Hastings in the Marine Building. It's just a slight walk from Sutton.

 

Another good lunch place is the various Japanese Ramen places. You'll find them scattered all along Robson St. There's one called Ezoguiko across the street from the downtown library (which is a rather unique architecture). It's actually part of a global chain. There's another Ezoguiko further west on Robson along with several other ramen joints. They all offer giant bowls of hot noodle soup with your choice of meats & veggies - good, cheap and filling.

 

Also, recommend trying a bubble tea - with bubbles! About the only place I can recommend downtown is Bubble World on Robson. It's also just a few doors from Hon's, which is infamous in Vancouver for good cheap Chinese. Some dishes are good/great, others just adequate. But it's an experience and the Robson location also others a very extensive vegetarian menu.

 

If you do feel like a great, pricey meal, try Circolo or Il Giardino (beautiful to sit in the garden for dinner!) or Cioppino.

 

Vancouver offers fantastic Asian cuisine... just don't try looking for a big, bountiful California-type salad or any real Mexican... you'll go hungry :)

 

Vancouver is gorgeous in Summer. You should get good weather by mid-June (with a lil luck). Many restaurants, esp in the downtown area, offer patio seating and there's nothing like having a leisurely meal outside people-watching or enjoying the gorgeous water views.