11 June 2026
Share
Vancouver is welcoming soccer fans from around the globe, as one of the 16 World Cup host cities in 2026. Between mid-June and mid-July, seven games are scheduled at BC Place Stadium overlooking False Creek, and fan zones have been set up citywide, centered around the official Fan Festival at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) fairgrounds on the city’s east side. Even the spherical geodesic dome that houses Vancouver’s science museum has been transformed into an enormous soccer ball.
Whether you have tickets to the matches or simply want to enjoy the festive soccer celebrations, there’s plenty of good eating just a short walk from the stadium. Read on for our winning recommendations.
Fanny Bay Oyster Bar
If you think that seafood and soccer go together like oysters and champagne, head for Fanny Bay Oyster Bar, a lively sea-to-table spot where much of the fish fare comes from the company’s own shellfish farms or from local certified fisheries. They serve a wide variety of fresh oysters and get inventive with dishes like crispy sablefish collars, sea urchin sashimi and snapper ceviche. And if you don’t have World Cup tickets, don’t worry: the oyster bar is hosting watch parties for all seven games that will be played down the street at BC Place.
Homer St. Café
Whether your team wins or loses, cheer for the updated comfort food at Homer St. Café. Known for its signature rotisserie chicken, this contemporary neighborhood bistro a few blocks from BC Place also serves hearty meal-sized salads, pastas and prime rib. Reserve a spot for brunch if you’re going to an early match or raise a glass to your favorite players during happy hour on the streetside patio.
Moltaqa
Don’t rush into this Yaletown dining room just before kick-off. At Moltaqa, it’s worth taking a time-out to savor the traditional Moroccan cuisine. Share starters like pickled aubergines stuffed with walnuts or a roasted carrot and lemon salad, then dig into lamb shank tagine, spicy harissa-marinated wild salmon kebabs, or the chicken pastilla, a flaky, slightly sweet phyllo pastry filled with chicken and almonds. Vegetarians have options here, too, from meat-free pastilla to eggplant tagine to seven-vegetable couscous. During the World Cup period, the restaurant will be streaming all Canada, Morocco, Egypt and Qatar matches, as well as all World Cup games played at BC Place. They’re also extending their hours on match days from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., starting early with Moroccan coffee and brunch dishes like beghrir, crèpe-like semolina pancakes served with argan honey butter. Look for specials highlighting local ingredients, too, including BC spot prawn pil pil tagine with chermoula tomato sauce.
Café Medina
Café Medina serves some of the best morning meals in the city and is the place to go when you’re hungry for breakfast or brunch before a big game. The substantial egg-topped paella, tagine or cassoulet take inspiration from the Mediterranean, but you’ll want to save room for a liège-style waffle (or three) with toppings like dark chocolate, salted caramel or mixed berry compote. To avoid the sometimes-lengthy waits for a table, book a reservation online; the restaurant donates the $10 per person reservation fee to local charities.
L’Abattoir
Celebrating a victory? L’Abattoir in Gastown (about 1 km from BC Place) excels at creative toast-worthy cocktails, like the avocado gimlet, blending olive oil-washed, rosemary-infused gin with apple liqueur, avocado and lime. In this heritage brick building on the site of Vancouver’s first jail, the modern French-accented fare earns acclaim, too, whether you go a la carte with plates like duck leg confit (from birds raised in the nearby Fraser Valley), wild BC halibut paired with fresh asparagus or steak Diane, or choose the lavish chef’s tasting menu. The sticky toffee pudding scores as the sweet finale.
PiDGiN
Cultures meet in the kitchen at PiDGiN. Blending Pacific Northwest ingredients with Asian style and French technique, this Gastown restaurant crafts plates to share, from smaller offerings like tamarind-glazed eggplant skewers or empanadas filled with Thai cod curry, to their always-on-the-menu Korean rice cakes with gochujang bolognese or newer inventions like the foie gras rice bowl with unagi glaze. Can’t decide? Opt for the multicourse tasting menu, which is available in a vegetarian version, too.
Phnom Penh
To take a break from the football frenzy, head for nearby Chinatown (about 1 km from BC Place) and this long-standing local favorite for Cambodian and Vietnamese fare. At family-owned Phnom Penh, you can sate your soccer-sparked hunger with crispy chicken wings, rare “Butter Beef” topped with homemade garlic chips or Cambodian-style noodle soup — just a few of the numerous offerings on its extensive menu. Order a rich Vietnamese coffee to stay awake for the next game or refresh with a salted plum soda or lime iced tea.
Bar Gobo
Although Bar Gobo calls itself “The Hi-Fi Wine Bar At The End Of The World,” you don’t have to go to the ends of the earth, or even far from the stadium, for a glass of wine, innovative eats and all vinyl all the time. This storefront bordering Chinatown sources its wine from British Columbia and much farther afield; you might find an Alsatian riesling, a Slovakian cabernet sauvignon or a rosé from Lebanon’s Bekka Valley. But it’s the food that elevates Bar Gobo to the champions’ podium. Snack on a ramen egg with yuzu curry mayo or Filipino-inspired butsi (rice cakes) stuffed with chicken liver mousse. Or go for the win with sablefish in adobo sauce, paired with gigantic beans.
Bao Bei
Another popular Chinatown destination, Bao Bei excels at contemporary riffs on Chinese cuisine, and during the World Cup weeks, the restaurant is extending its hours for post-game dining, staying open till 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Graze from handmade prawn, scallop and chive dumplings to mantou, or fluffy steamed buns, filled with wagyu short ribs, then dig into a platter of “kick ass” fried rice. Hosting the whole team? Book ahead for the “family table,” a customized set menu for parties of six to 10.
Hero image: BC Place on the Water. © planetjohnson/Adobe Stock
Article created by the MICHELIN Guide in collaboration with Destination Vancouver
