23 Things to Eat and Drink in Vancouver in 2023

Never get stuck in that “what do you want to eat” rut again. This is your ultimate bucket list for eating and drinking in 2023, whether you’re on the hunt for cheap eats, pantry staples or that perfect cocktail.

23 Things to Eat and Drink in Vancouver in 2023

1. Phnom Penh’s Butter Beef

Vancouverites accept some tough truths: it rains constantly, the real estate market sucks and if you want a table at Chinatown’s Phnom Penh you’d better be prepared to stand in said rain (sometimes for over an hour). Is the daringly rare, flavour-packed butter beef (marinated thit bo, $22.95) worth it? Absolutely. phnompenhrestaurant.ca

2. Como Taperia’s Fried Eggplant, Spiced Honey and Rosemary

Como Taperia pulls off an impressive balancing act with each platter of fried eggplant ($14) they serve up: coated in a batter that hits the crispy-fluffy sweet spot and drizzled with spiced honey and rosemary, it’s a magical dish that manages to tick all of the salty-spicy-sweet-creamy-crunchy boxes in each forkful. Another round, por favor. comotaperia.com

3. Fat Mao’s Khao Soi Chicken Curry

Fat Mao’s khao soi chicken curry ($22) is the chilly day respite we return to again and again. The best khao soi you’ll find outside of Chiang Mai, this soup rocks a full leg of chicken braised in a creamy northern-style curry surrounded by flat egg noodles and topped with pickled mustard greens, crispy noodles and all the aromatics you could dream of. fatmaonoodles.com

4. Kin Kao Song’s Pomelo Salad

Salads don’t have a reputation for being exciting, but Kin Kao Song’s pomelo salad ($22) defies every soggy stereotype—it’s sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and has a crazy punch of umami. Hot tip: wrap up the juicy citrus in the accompanying betel leaves for the tastiest bite. songyvr.com

5. Kula Kitchen’s Pili Pili Sauce

How can something be vegan and keto, nut- and gluten-free, and still add an insanely delicious, totally complex spice to almost any dish? It’s a mystery to us, but not to the folks at Kula Kitchen: their Pili Pili sauce ($10.99) is a triple threat. kulafoods.ca

6. Rico ‘N Lalo’s Watermelon Paletas

For those dreary winter rainstorms that make warm beach days feel like they happened in another lifetime, these frozen, low-sugar watermelon paletas
from Rico ’n Lalo ($7.49 for a pack of 4) offer a time machine back to that summer sunshine. riconlalo.com

7. Vij’s Portobello Mushroom and Red Bell Pepper Curry on Paneer

In some ways, Vij’s is like the rest of Vancouver—it has changed over the last couple of decades. But the move from South Granville to Cambie didn’t displace the aroma, the atmosphere, the female-led kitchen or the long lines that have become part of the deal at the first Vancouver eatery truly worth travelling for. We long ago fell for the portobello mushroom and red bell pepper curry on paneer ($28) and its delicious simplicity—and while the scene around Vij’s has shifted since the restaurant opened in ’94, taste that curry and be convinced that, for some things in this city, time stands still. vijs.ca

8. The Patty Shop’s Jamaican Patties

Jamaican patties (from $2.89) from the Patty Shop are easy enough to take on-the-go, but good luck making it more than a few steps out of the shop without devouring that spice-packed flaky goodness. 4019 Macdonald St.

9. The European Deli’s Hummus

A stroll through the narrow confines of the European Deli on Davie is the ultimate treasure hunt—you’ll want to load up on Persian rosewater, German Dominosteine cookies and Polish pickles—but the deli counter itself is the true gold. The daily-made hummus is eat-it-by-the-spoonful incredible, rich with olive oil and just the right balance of salt and tahini. facebook.com/vaneurodeli

10. New Town Bakery’s Steamed Pork Buns

Sitting firmly in the centre of a Venn diagram comparing delicious and affordable is New Town Bakery’s steamed pork bun ($3.75). Whoever said you can’t make friends in this city never tried passing out these delightfully sweet, savoury, pillowy bundles. newtownbakery.ca

11. Antojos y Sabores’s Jalapeño and cheese tamales

These handmade jalapeño and cheese tamales ($5.99) from Antojos y Sabores are traditionally served during the holidays in Mexico, but we love the punchy spice, photo-worthy cheese pull and tender masa all year ’round. antojosysabores.com

12. Livia’s Challah

Only available on Fridays, Livia’s glistening challah ($10) is the bouncy bread of our dreams: similar in texture to brioche (and just as delicious for making French toast!) this braided loaf is soft, semi-sweet and I-accidentally­ate-the-whole-loaf-able. liviasweets.shop

13. Autostrada’s Amalfi Limone G&T

Happy hour at Autostrada channels an Italian summer, and their Amalfi Limone G&T ($14) ramps that feeling up a notch. Extra lemony thanks to Malfy con Limone gin (made with Amalfi lemons, natch), it’s the perfect pairing to any of the daily cicchetti—though we think the cozy polenta con gamberi offers a warm and wintery counterpoint. autostradahospitality.ca

14. Mumgry’s Pistachio Chocolate Almond Butter

If Nutella and artisanal nut butter had a baby, this would be it. Mumgry’s luxe, locally made pistachio chocolate almond butter ($20) is rich in roasted flavour, brilliantly creamy and just dessert-y enough that a spoonful after dinner makes total sense. mumgry.com

15. Dinesty Dumpling House’s Xiao Long Bao

Nothing beats lifting off the top of a bamboo steamer full of fresh xiao long bao ($9.80) at Dinesty Dumpling House and using a chopstick to let the hot soup flow out—but if you’d rather DIY, they’re also available frozen. dinesty.ca

16. Beaucoup Bakery’s Gluten-Free PB Squared cookie

The dynamic duo of Betty and Jacky Hung from Beaucoup Bakery have translated their mastery of buttery French pastries to the vegan and GF world. Their plant-based, gluten-free PB Squared cookie ($4.95)—with its perfect bright note of a raspberry current jam centre—is the best damn peanut butter sandwich cookie in town. beaucoupbakery.com

17. Remi Patisserie’s Passion Mango Cake

This refined take on mango cake is a delightfully airy treat thanks to passionfruit whipped panna cotta—that, paired with a super-soft sponge, makes Remi Patisserie’s passion mango cake (from $50) the perfect refreshing (and cover-worthy) dessert. remipatisserie.com

18. Their There’s Mochi Doughnut

We’re blessed to live in a city that doesn’t want for gourmet sweets, but Their There may just take the (torus-shaped) cake. Come for the excellent breakfast sandwich but stay for the textural experience that is the daily mochi doughnut ($4.50): crispy on the outside, crazy-chewy on the inside thanks to hyper-glutinous rice flour. theirthere.ca

19. Caffè La Tana’s Whipped Ricotta Crostino

Vanmag’s Best Italian Restaurant 2022 is known for its impeccable pasta, but at happy hour we come to Caffè la Tana for the dreamy whipped ricotta crostino ($16)—a two-biter of ultra-crispy house focaccia drenched in truffle honey and topped with a mountain of luscious ricotta and shaved black truffle. caffelatana.ca

20. Collective Goods’s Homemade Eggnogg

You haven’t nogged ’til you’ve nogged like this. Dairyland has nothing on Collective Goods’ homemade eggnog ($22). Made from co-owner Andrew Jameson’s top-secret family recipe, CG’s take on the creamy ’tis-the-season bev has a distinctive (and welcome) tang to it that elegantly balances out the sweet notes. Pair with rum for a perfect “tastes like Christmas” moment. collectivegoods.ca

21. Holy Duck’s Chili Oil

It took three generations to get Holy Duck chili oil ($18) just right—adorable birdy branding and all—and the ultra-versatile blend of local chili peppers and rendered duck fat only proves that good things take time. holyduckchili.shop

22. Superflux’s Colour and Shape IPA

One of the great pleasures of Superflux’s East Van brewery is the variety of rotating taps and collaborations from some of the city’s most inventive minds. One of the other pleasures of visiting Superflux is that the mainstays—the beers that are always, always there—are the absolute top in this city in terms of quality. That’s especially true of the beer Superflux built its name on: the Colour and Shape IPA. Even IPA haters will like its tropical and citrus notes. Be careful—it might even turn you into an insufferable beer snob. superfluxbeer.com

23. Zabu’s Hot Original spicy Korean Fried Chicken

We were explicitly told by fans of Zabu not to tell the world about their genre-defining Hot Original spicy Korean fried chicken wings ($14.85 for six pieces). “Don’t gentrify the chicken,” they begged. “You’re going to make it busy and expensive!” So: fine. We won’t reveal that the sticky sauce is stings-so-good and delicately sweet, or that the skin is next-level crispy thanks to a triple-fried cooking method—but the distinctive crunch ringing out over Robson Street might bring the people running anyways. zabuchicken.com