Moon Vancouver

by Carolyn B. Heller

  VIETNAMESE

  Mr. Red Café $

  This family-run eatery in Kitsilano, decked out with bamboo paneling and a tropical feel, specializes in dishes from Hanoi and northern Vietnam. Recommended choices include the turmeric fish with dill, mango salad with shrimp, and pho ga (chicken noodle soup). To drink, try a traditional sweet Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. The restaurant’s original location is a smaller storefront on the East Side.

  MAP 5: 2680 W. Broadway, 604/559-6878; 11am-9pm daily

  FRENCH

  Au Comptoir $$$

  With its copper bar and copper-rimmed tables, the setting at classic French bistro Au Comptoir declares “Paris.” From croissants and omelets in the morning to croque-monsieur and house-smoked salmon at midday, continuing with steak frites, bacon-wrapped rabbit with chanterelles, or duck breast paired with an endive tarte tatin in the evenings, the menu would be right at home in La Belle France, too. On a warm day, the windows open to the outdoors, as they might in a traditional Parisian café, to take in the surrounding Kitsilano streetscape.

  MAP 5: 2278 W. 4th Ave., 604/569-2278, www.aucomptoir.ca; 8am-10pm Mon. and Wed.-Sat., 8am-9:30pm Sun.

  BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH

  Café Zen $

  Popular with local families, old-favorite Café Zen fuels you up with breakfast classics, like plate-size pancakes or more than a dozen varieties of eggs Benedict, from spinach and mushroom to shrimp and avocado, before you flop down in the sand at nearby Kits Beach. Behind the sunny yellow facade, the hardworking staff keeps your coffee hot, and the long menu also features omelets, crepes, waffles, burgers, and a few sandwiches.

  MAP 5: 1631 Yew St., 604/731-4018, www.cafezenonyew.com; 7am-2:30pm Mon.-Thurs., 7am-4pm Fri.-Sun.

  BAKERIES AND CAFÉS

  S Chocolate Arts $

  If you like your chocolate rich, dark, and homemade, add Chocolate Arts, near Granville Island, to your itinerary. Along one wall, and in the glass display cases, are handcrafted chocolates in a variety of flavors, where you can assemble a box of bonbons. The chocolate medallions with First Nations motifs make a unique gift.

  The other side of the shop is a café, with bright white tables and red chairs. There, try a shot of drinking chocolate, which is very rich and similar to espresso. For a treat, come for Haute Chocolat, a version of afternoon tea, with cocoa, house-made chocolates, petit fours, and other chocolaty pastries.

  MAP 5: 1620 W. 3rd Ave., 604/739-0475, www.chocolatearts.com, 10am-6pm Mon.-Sat.

  Beaucoup Bakery & Café $

  With classic French pastries like croissants or buttery kouign-amann, and other baked treats like the kid-pleasing peanut butter sandwich cookies, petite Beaucoup Bakery & Café makes a sweet stop for Kitsilano or South Granville shoppers. It’s a short walk from Granville Island, too.

  MAP 5: 2150 Fir St., 604/732-4222, www.beaucoupbakery.com; 7am-5pm Tues.-Fri., 8am-5pm Sat.-Sun.

  DESSERT

  Rain or Shine Ice Cream $

  With a fitting name for a sweet shop in a city with changeable weather, Rain or Shine Ice Cream produces ice cream made primarily from locally sourced ingredients, free of chemical additives. Certain flavors, including chocolate, salted caramel, and “cracked mint” (peppermint chocolate chip), are the “keepers,” which appear on their regular menu, and you’ll also find seasonal varieties like buttered sweet corn and black pepper ice cream or peach bellini sorbet. In addition to this location, with just a couple of tables, they have a second outlet in Cambie Village that keeps the same hours.

  MAP 5: 1926 W. 4th Ave., 604/428-7246, http://rainorshineicecream.com; noon-10pm daily

  FARMERS MARKETS

  Kitsilano Farmers Market $

  Operating on Sunday from spring through fall, the Kitsilano Farmers Market sets up behind the Kitsilano Community Centre with more than 50 vendors selling fresh produce, baked goods, and other local treats. The highlights are freshly made crepes from Creperie La Boheme, croissants from Batard Boulangerie, and locally produced ginger beer from Dickie’s Ginger.

  MAP 5: Kitsilano Community Centre, 2690 Larch St., 604/879-3276, www.eatlocal.org; 10am-2pm Sun. early May-late Oct.

  COFFEE AND TEA

  Culprit Coffee $

  Take a break from shopping along West 4th Avenue with a cup of coffee and gluten-free baked goods from Culprit Coffee, a cozy neighborhood café. Look for its bright yellow facade and its sunny sidewalk tables.

  MAP 5: 2028 Vine St., 604/730-0133, www.culpritcoffee.com; 7:30am-6pm Mon.-Fri., 8:30am-6pm Sat.-Sun.

  O5 Tea Bar $

  When you step into this serene Asian-style tea salon, you leave the bustle of West 4th Avenue far behind and enter the space of the tea masters. O5 Tea Bar specializes in rare, single origin teas from around the world, the majority of which they purchase directly from the growers. Take a seat at the long bar, made of reclaimed Douglas fir, and linger over a cup of tea, or do a traditional tea tasting. They also have house-brewed kombucha on tap, which you can sip in the shop or take to go.

  MAP 5: 2208 W. 4th Ave., 604/558-0500, http://o5tea.com; 10am-10pm daily

  UBC and Point Grey Map 5

  MODERN CANADIAN

  Sage Bistro $$

  One of the more upscale dining options on the UBC Campus, overlooking the gardens with views of the North Shore mountains beyond, Sage Bistro serves weekday lunches in the Leon and Thea Koerner University Centre, a short walk from the Museum of Anthropology. The menu draws on local ingredients whenever possible, in dishes like kale salad with radishes, feta, and sunflower seeds, grilled king oyster mushrooms with warm farro salad, broccolini, and rainbow carrots, or pan-seared halibut paired with warm potato salad. Don’t worry, though; while the bistro is popular with university faculty, you won’t be graded on whether you finish your meal.

  MAP 5: 6331 Crescent Rd., UBC, 604/822-0968, http://sage.ubc.ca; 11:30am-2pm Mon.-Fri.

  PUB FARE

  The Galley Patio and Grill $$

  Overlooking the sea from the second floor of the Jericho Sailing Centre at Jericho Beach, The Galley Patio and Grill cooks up simple, beach-friendly bites, including burgers, grilled salmon, and sweet potato fries, served on a deck with killer ocean views. Local beer is on tap. If you can’t find a seat, take your food outside and picnic. Tip for morning beachcombers: The Galley also serves breakfast.

  MAP 5: 1300 Discovery St., 604/222-1331, www.thegalley.ca; 10am-10pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-10pm Sat.-Sun. June-Sept., hours vary Oct.-May

  BAKERIES AND CAFÉS

  Mix the Bakery $

  On your way to or from UBC, stop at Mix the Bakery, a homey Point Grey neighborhood café, for coffee, baked goods, or sandwiches. For breakfast, there’s always a selection of muffins, scones, and toast with homemade jam. Among the sandwich choices, look for the Granny Gobbler (smoked turkey, cheddar cheese, spinach, and apple) or a vegetarian option, with grilled zucchini, pan-fried onions, roasted tomatoes, and swiss cheese. Staff set up enticing displays of fruit tarts, cakes, and other pastries along the counter that will perk up your afternoon.

  MAP 5: 4430 W. 10th Ave., 604/221-4145, www.mixthebakery.com; 7am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 8am-4pm Sun.

  Cambie Corridor Map 6

  MODERN CANADIAN

  S West $$$

  A wall of wine sets the sumptuous scene at South Granville’s West, where the gracious service and just-inventive-enough cuisine make any meal feel like an occasion. Wild salmon with a morel mushroom crumble, a pork duo of braised cheek and crispy belly, or smoked duck with kale and roasted corn are just some of the locally sourced plates you might encounter. Sweets are special, too, with choices like a raspberry tart with sorrel ice cream or a chocolate tasting plate.

  MAP 6: 2881 Granville St., 604/738-8938, www.westrestaurant.com; 11:30am-2:30pm and 5:30pm-10:30pm Mon.-Thurs., 11:30am-2:30pm and 5:30pm-11pm Fri., 10:30am-2:30pm and 5:30pm-11pm Sat., 10:30am-2:30pm and 5:30pm-10:30pm Sun.

  Burdock & Co $$

  Chef-owner Andrea Carlson runs this relaxed n
eighborhood bistro, delivering a creative, hyper-local menu to customers seated at Burdock & Co’s rustic wooden tables. Dishes like heirloom tomato and melon salad, sea bream crudo with purslane and garlic-shio puree, or salt cod fritters with pickled sea asparagus change with the harvest; the house-made kimchi and the crispy fried chicken with buttermilk mashed potatoes are well-loved staples. The short but distinctive wine list includes bottles from B.C., Oregon, France, Italy, and even Lebanon. Weekend brunch, which might bring mushrooms on toast, tomato baked eggs with feta, and more of that fried chicken, will put you in the mood for some Main Street shopping.

  UKRAINIAN CHURCH SUPPERS

  Looking to kick off the weekend with something different? On the first Friday of every month since 1995, the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral (154 E. 10th Ave., 604/876-4747, http://uocvancouver.com; 5pm-8pm first Fri. of the month) has been hosting a moderately priced family-style supper that’s open to all, in the church hall just off Main Street. Dinners feature stick-to-your-ribs classics like pierogi, cabbage rolls, koubassa (sausage), and borscht (beet vegetable soup) that church volunteers prepare. The ambience is a cross between a traditional church supper and a hipster hangout, with apron-clad ladies serving from the buffet line, and everyone from kids to seniors sharing the communal tables.

  MAP 6: 2702 Main St., 604/879-0077, www.burdockandco.com; 5pm-10pm Mon.-Fri., 10:30am-2pm and 5pm-10pm Sat.-Sun.

  Farmer’s Apprentice $$$

  Imaginative multicourse tasting menus inspired by local products bring adventurous diners to Farmer’s Apprentice, a petite South Granville dining room. Lingcod with epazote and radishes? Dry-aged duck with emmer and sea buckthorn? You won’t find these creations on any other tables around town. The same team runs the more casual wine and tapas bar, Grapes and Soda (1541 W. 6th Ave., 604/336-2456, www.grapesandsoda.ca) next door.

  MAP 6: 1535 W. 6th Ave., 604/620-2070, www.farmersapprentice.ca; 5:30pm-10pm Mon.-Fri., 11am-2pm and 5:30pm-10pm Sat.-Sun.

  FIRST NATIONS

  Salmon n’ Bannock $$

  If you’re keen to explore First Nations cuisine, visit Salmon n’ Bannock. This modern aboriginal bistro uses traditional ingredients in its elk burgers, game sausages, and bison tenderloin—and yes, there’s plenty of salmon and bannock, a native bread, on the menu, too. Wines come from Nk’Mip Cellars, Canada’s first aboriginal-owned winery, based in B.C.’s Okanagan region. Desserts include bannock bread pudding and homemade fruit pies.

  MAP 6: 1128 W. Broadway, 604/568-8971, www.salmonandbannock.net; 11:30am-3pm and 5pm-9pm Mon.-Thurs., 11:30am-3pm and 5pm-10pm Fri., 5pm-10pm Sat.

  CHINESE

  Dynasty Seafood $$

  Dynasty Seafood serves some of Vancouver’s best dim sum, a sophisticated mix of traditional and creative dumplings, buns, and other small bites. Highlights include lemony baked barbecue pork buns, steamed black truffle dumplings, and sweet sago pudding, a tapioca dessert. The busy second-floor dining room, with views of the downtown skyline and North Shore mountains, is a short walk west of the Broadway/City Hall Canada Line station. Reservations are recommended for dim sum, especially on Saturday and Sunday.

  MAP 6: 777 W. Broadway, 604/876-8388, www.dynasty-restaurant.ca; 10am-3pm and 5pm-10:30pm daily

  Shao Lin Noodle House $

  Watch the noodle makers stretch, pull, and toss their lumps of dough at the Shao Lin Noodle House, a casual eatery near the Broadway/City Hall Canada Line station that specializes in dishes from northern China. Order a bowl of the handmade noodles, of course, choosing from different shapes and adding your choice of meat or vegetable toppings, but don’t neglect the steamed or pan-fried dumplings or the side dishes, like diced cucumbers in sesame sauce or the spicy fried green beans.

  MAP 6: 656 W. Broadway, 604/873-1618, www.shalinnoodlehouse.com; 11am-9:30pm Sun.-Thurs., 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat.

  JAPANESE

  Tojo’s $$$

  Long considered Vancouver’s top Japanese dining room, Tojo’s, which takes its name from chef-owner Hidekazu Tojo, is known for the high quality of its sushi and sashimi. Chef Tojo first arrived in Vancouver in the early 1970s, when North Americans were not very familiar with Japanese food. Tojo reportedly created a roll made from cooked crabmeat and fresh avocado—widely known today as the California roll. For a special evening, sit at the sushi bar and order omakase (chef’s choice, $80-150 pp), a parade of traditional and creative dishes. Sip rice wines and order small plates at The Sake Bar, adjacent to the main restaurant, when you don’t want a full meal.

  MAP 6: 1133 W. Broadway, 604/872-8050, www.tojos.com; 5pm-late Mon.-Sat.

  INDIAN

  Vij’s $$

  Celebrated for its innovative riffs on Indian cuisine, Vij’s, which became equally famous for its no-reservations waiting lines, relocated in 2015 to a larger space, six blocks from the Broadway/City Hall Canada Line station. The no-bookings policy, and the modern Indian fare, from chickpeas in black cardamom curry to grilled venison atop tamarind-date puree to the signature lamb “Popsicles,” remain largely unchanged; a cocktail or a cup of chai makes the wait go more smoothly. In summer, you can dig into basmati rice bowls or snacks like papri (spiced potatoes and sprouted lentils served with chutneys and wheat crisps) up on the rooftop patio.

  MAP 6: 3106 Cambie St., 604/736-6664, www.vijsrestaurant.ca; 5:30pm-10:30pm daily

  Rangoli $

  Under the same ownership as Vij’s, the more casual Rangoli serves interesting Indian dishes in a South Granville café. Many of the choices are vegetarian, like the kale, jackfruit, cauliflower, and potato curry or the chickpeas in fenugreek curry with grilled eggplant, while meat lovers might opt for the spicy pulled pork with sautéed greens or the beef short ribs with pickled vegetables. To drink, try a salty or sweet lassi (yogurt drink), which is also available in a dairy-free coconut-mango version.

  MAP 6: 1480 W. 11th Ave., 604/736-5711, www.vijsrangoli.ca; 11am-2:30pm and 5pm-11pm Mon., 11am-2:30pm and 5pm-midnight Tues.-Fri., 11am-midnight Sat.-Sun.

  LATIN AMERICAN

  Chicha $$

  This lively storefront just west of Main Street takes you to Peru by way of the Pacific Northwest, incorporating local ingredients into classic Peruvian dishes. Start your sipping with a traditional pisco sour or with the restaurant’s nonalcoholic namesake, chicha morada, a sweet beverage made from purple corn. Among the sharing-style plates, order one of the ceviches, or opt for a ceviche trio to sample several varieties. Other good choices include the addictive palitas de yuca (cassava root fries); empanadas filled with butternut squash, corn, kale, and cheese; and any of the causas, whipped potatoes topped with seafood or vegetables. For a sweet finish, try the picarones, sweet potato and pumpkin doughnuts.

  colorful Peruvian fare at Chicha

  MAP 6: 136 E. Broadway, 604/620-3963, www.chicharestaurant.com; 5pm-11pm Mon.-Thurs., 11:30am-2:30pm and 5pm-midnight Fri., 10:30am-2:30pm and 5pm-midnight Sat., 10:30am-2:30pm and 5pm-11pm Sun.

  VEGETARIAN

  S The Acorn $$

  At Vancouver’s most innovative vegetarian restaurant, plant-based food shakes off its crunchy-granola reputation with ambitious plates that would enhance any upscale table: kale salad with tempeh and smoked paprika croutons, beer-battered halloumi cheese with zucchini-potato pancakes, or orecchiette with fresh peas and almonds. The dining space isn’t much larger than the restaurant’s namesake, and they don’t take reservations, so you might chill at the bar with a Cock-A-Tail (coconut-infused rum, amaro, lime, and apricot riesling syrup) or a local craft beer.

  MAP 6: 3995 Main St., 604/566-9001, www.theacornrestaurant.ca; 5:30pm-10pm Mon.-Thurs., 5:30pm-11pm Fri., 10am-2:30pm and 5:30pm-11pm Sat., 10am-2:30pm and 5:30pm-10pm Sun.

  BAKERIES AND CAFÉS

  Liberty Bakery $

  The homey Liberty Bakery draws its inspiration from Scandinavia, from the white wood walls to the baked goods, like cardamom-scented cinnamon rolls or pulla, a Finnish sweet bread, which you can pair with your morning coffee. At
lunchtime, choose from open-faced sandwiches, classic grilled cheese, black bean soup, or several salads. This Main Street café is popular with neighborhood families who often pop in for an after-school or weekend treat.

  MAP 6: 3699 Main St., 604/709-9999, www.liberty-bakery.com; 8am-6pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-6pm Sat.-Sun.

  COFFEE AND TEA

  49th Parallel Coffee Roasters $

  This airy coffeehouse is perpetually packed with friends catching up over an espresso or freelancers tapping away at their laptops. The shop’s popularity is partly because they make Lucky’s Donuts fresh throughout the day, in flavors like classic old-fashioned, salted caramel, and white chocolate-matcha. The team at Vancouver-based 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters is serious about their coffee, too, sourcing beans from small producers and brewing top-notch cups. In addition to this Main Street location, they have a branch in Kitsilano.

  MAP 6: 2902 Main St., 604/420-4900, http://49thcoffee.com; 7am-10pm Mon.-Sat., 7:30am-10pm Sun.

  Gene Coffee Bar $

  Notable for its unusual triangular-shaped space as much as for its brews, Gene Coffee Bar is a narrow wedge of a café with two walls of windows where Main Street and Kingsway intersect. Park at one of the long communal tables and soak up the neighborhood scene while you sip your drip coffee, latte, or macchiato.