“There’s something for everyone” is a cliché. But this roundup of new Vancouver restaurants is begging for it. From upscale picks (peep that lavender truffle duck, #6) to casual favourites (the new DL Chicken at UBC, #5), odds are you’ll find a new spot you love on this list. Or maybe eight.

1. Delara

Now open

This new Kitsilano spot is Chef Bardia Ilbeiggi’s love letter to his Iranian roots. Family-style plates include grilled octopus and tomatoes, mushroom, chickpea and saffron stew and roasted Pacific spring salmon with bulgur and marberries (pictured above). Also, the interior is pretty AF.

2272 W 4th Ave.
delararestaurant.ca

2. Loula’s Taverna

Now open

We’ve already talked about how this new room on Commercial Drive is like if the Avengers opened a Greek restaurant (in other words, they’ve got a kickass team). The hero of the menu is souvla—rotisserie chicken, pork and lamb—and sides include lemon potatoes, broccolini, and oven roasted chickpeas.

1608 Commercial Dr.
loulastaverna.com

3. Laowai

Now open

While almost obnoxiously “secret” (the Instagram handle @whereislaowai, complete with bio “No Reservations, Come and Find Us” gives real ‘pick me’ energy), Laowai promises cool cocktails, dumplings and shared plates that are well worth entering from a false freezer in Blnd Tger Dumplings. You need a password to enter—order the number 7. Seriously.

251 E Georgia St. (Sorry to blow up your spot)
@whereislaowai

4. Baby Dhal Roti Shop

Now open

This “no fusion, no frills, no shortcuts” Caribbean restaurant is all about traditional Trinidadian recipes, and we’re here for it. The menu is built on roti and rice dishes (think curry beef, curry chicken, curry shrimp, curry goat and vegetable) and appies include Aloo pie (seasoned potato in a crispy shell with tamarind and pepper sauce) and Pholourie (fried split pea balls, also served with the aforementioned sauces).

2707 Commercial Dr.
babydhalroti.com

5. Downlow Chicken UBC

Now open (limited hours)

This Downlow is, no contest, the best thing about back to school time—it just opened earlier this week. Expect the same awesome fried chicken and sandos classic to the east side location. Do not expect to look hot while eating them.

6065 University Blvd.
@dlchicken

6. Bruno

Now open

Bruno is the Versante Hotel Group’s first restaurant, located in (you guessed it) Richmond’s Versante Hotel. Suburb-phobes, don’t worry: it’s right on Bridgeport Road—this area is to Richmond as Marpole is to Vancouver. The menu looks, for lack of a better term, hella fancy. Pictured above is truffle lavender duck.

8499 Bridgeport Rd., Richmond
versantehotel.com

7. Collective Goods

Opening soon

We can’t wait for the restaurant part of Collective Goods to open—for now, you can visit their brand new grocer and bottle shop (it opened on September 10) for wine, cocktails, ice cream and baked goods. According to Instagram, they’ve got take-home dinners and meal kits on offer, so you can enjoy a spread at home prior to the resto launch.

3532 Commercial St.
@collectivegoodsyvr

8. Nancy Go Yaya

Opening soon

From proud restaurant parents Bao Bei and Kissa Tanto comes Nancy Go Yaya, a spot for Singaporean eats like the Laksa pictured above. They’ve also posted snapshots of an ube purple yam cake and soft serve ice cream. There’s no opening day yet, but keep your eye on it.

265 E Pender St.
@nancygoyaya