Dine Out Vancouver 2026's MICHELIN Guide Restaurants

Gastown

The city's oldest neighborhood, where cobblestone streets meet Victorian architecture, indie boutiques and its iconic steam clock.

L'Abattoir
Cuisine: Contemporary

When a restaurant called L’Abattoir is found next to Blood Alley and Gaoler’s Mews, you do begin to wonder if Sweeney Todd ever visited Gastown. But as soon as you step inside this quasi-industrial setting you'll find yourself instantly relaxing, thanks to the warmth and enthusiasm of the team. Dining happens on the mezzanine level, where the lighting is flattering and the atmosphere fun; if you haven’t booked, then try for a seat at the bar downstairs which affords views of the kitchen.

Inspector notes: “The chefs add a French accent to quality local ingredients; the baked oysters are a firm favorite, and the Fraser Valley duck with golden turnip will satisfy the hungriest of souls. Torn layers of buttery mille-feuille tucked with a salted honey cream with buckwheat and bourbon is a triumph.”

PiDGiN
Cuisine: Contemporary

There are many reasons why Vancouver is considered a culinary destination, and PiDGin certainly has something to do with that. Inside, stirring artwork from local artists, soft industrial lighting and wood banquettes set a city-chic tone.

Inspector notes: “This menu is distinctive. Playful, even irreverent, the kitchen is clearly having fun surprising diners with unusual combinations that not only work, but they wow. Signature dishes, like the Korean rice cakes cooked in an umami-rich gochujang "bolognese" with crunchy, spiced hazelnuts, make a nightly appearance. Other dishes include refreshing tuna tartare with nori puree and salty ikura, accompanied by taro root crisps.”

Stay nearby:

Exchange Hotel Vancouver

Downtown Vancouver’s financial district is no place for funky little boutique hotels — Exchange Hotel Vancouver is pure international urban luxury, set in a skyscraper built atop the 1929 shell of the Vancouver Stock Exchange building. The interiors are contemporary-luxe, with a pronounced Art Deco accent, and they’re glamorous but not excessively racy; the rooms and suites seem equally well suited to a romantic city weekend or a style-conscious work trip.

Kitsilano

A laid-back beach community with a love for outdoor life and delicious restaurants.

Maenam
Cuisine: Thai

This kitchen delivers vibrant, heady cooking with bold flavors and an eye toward authenticity. Traditional dishes are given a local accent with top-tier local ingredients, from in-season produce to pristine fish caught in local waters.

Inspector notes: "Familiar items like hot and sour soup or panang curry achieve breathtaking heights thanks to a masterful use of aromatics and artfully balanced tastes."

Delara
Cuisine: Persian

Complex and elegant, Delara's dishes deliver the essence of fresh, flavorful Persian cooking—tartness from dried limes, yogurt and berries; freshness from herbs; richness from nuts and seeds; and aromas from spices.

Inspector notes: "Served in a deep bowl, hearty aush bobs with barley and legumes. Served with bread, it could be a meal alone, but don't stop there. Beef short rib with tangy gheymeh fills the room with a heady scent."

Fable Kitchen (Bib Gourmand)
Cuisine: Contemporary

This popular farm-to-table cafe has been drawing crowds to Kitsilano for over a decade. The setting is lively and comfortable, with exposed red brick walls, wood furnishings and two varnished wood counters seating a handful of diners facing the open kitchen.

Inspector notes: "During daytime hours, the team turns out hollandaise-slicked eggs Benedict (and variations), Johnny cakes topped with pulled pork and tomato jam and thickly sliced challah French toast plated with caramelized apples and whipped mascarpone."

Wildlight Kitchen + Bar
Cuisine: North American

This light-filled space is enhanced with natural and organic decorative elements, but the relaxed sophistication belies the serious nature of Chef Warren Chow's kitchen, where sourcing is paramount.

Inspector notes: Begin with a stunning charcuterie board that substitutes seafood for the ubiquitous meat to snack on everything from house-made salmon pastrami, marinated Salt Spring Island mussels, and pickled sea asparagus to tataki of smoked albacore tuna and cod rillette topped with cured ikura."

Mount Pleasant

An artistic neighborhood filled with colorful murals, breweries, quirky shops and creativity.

Burdock & Co (One Star)
Cuisine: Contemporary

This Mount Pleasant charmer straddles a corner of Main Street in an area rich with top spots, but Burdock & Co stands out with its rustic appeal and Chef Andrea Carlson's farm-to-table cooking.

Inspector notes: “The concise menu highlights the best of the season. First, grilled sourdough, herb-flavored gougère and nori cornbread with aged sake kasu butter prove that this is not your average bread basket. Then, miniature Hazelmere radishes roasted with house-made shio koji deliver unexpected glee. Morels stuffed with halibut mousse resting beside delicate gnocchi in a green garlic sauce embody the fleeting beauty of spring. Finally, the deconstructed chocolate soufflé with miso caramel and smoked mascarpone is a decadent delight.”

The Acorn
Cuisine: Vegetarian

The kitchen at this enduringly popular vegetarian restaurant has clearly established great links with organic suppliers in BC, hence the name-checks on the menu. These ingredients are put to very good use on an imaginative list of dishes that both intrigues and satisfies. The room has a warm, cozy feel amplified by the service team's charm and enthusiasm.

Inspector notes: “Choices like sunchoke with salal berry and burnt onion, and beer-battered halloumi also demonstrate that the kitchen understands the importance of texture as well as taste. Many dishes are also vegan and gluten-free; to really appreciate the variety, first-timers should place their trust in the tasting menu and enjoy getting to know some unfamiliar ingredients.”

Elem
Cuisine: Contemporary

Drawing inspiration from the four classical elements, this strikingly designed Mount Pleasant haven offers a compellingly unique experience. Chef Vish Mayekar weaves together an eclectic blend of global cuisines—spanning flavors from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and more—into dishes that are both approachable and creative. A sense of warm hospitality pervades the meal, offered either à la carte, or as a surprise tasting menu (“Let us Cook for You”). A thoughtful zero-waste cocktail program creatively upcycles scraps and lends a matching dimension of international flavors.

Inspector notes: “A yellowfin tuna tartare with the bright, tangy flavors of bhel puri shares space alongside spiced lamb skewers accented with a medjool date glaze, as well as potato gnocchi with buttery morels.”

Published on Main (One Star)
Cuisine: Contemporary

Timing is everything, but Chef Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson and his team have a preternatural ability for sensing when produce is at its peak. Whether showcasing it on the plate or pickling and preserving it (those jars even double as decor), they're sourcing and foraging from local farms and forests.

Inspector notes: “The contemporary fare bears the chef's distinct imprimatur. This is food that is at once familiar and surprising. A small dish of asparagus with brown butter crouton and a sauce gribiche is the very essence of spring, while an artful bowl with a pinwheel of side-striped prawns, refreshing apple and cucumber and a cool touch of horseradish delivers a sweet-tart, one-two punch. The roasted halibut's lush and buttery "broth" is unlike anything you anticipated.”

Commercial Drive & East Van

A vibrant, multicultural area also known as "The Drive" with international cuisine and vintage stores.

Bar Gobo
Cuisine: Contemporary

Scrunched into a bare-bones space scarcely more ostentatious than the humble root vegetable whose name it bears, the appeal here is more than skin-deep. At first glance, an air of insouciance seems only fitting for a wine bar with pours exclusively from hip natural producers, but the friendly service will quickly allay any fear of snobbery. The best surprise is the cooking, emerging from a tiny corner kitchenette tucked behind the bar and offering an impressive degree of polish in a slim three-course prix fixe—utilizing local, seasonal ingredients, of course.

Inspector notes: "Whether wild nettle tortelli or roasted halibut with fiddlehead ferns, expect clear, hearty flavors; add-ons like rosemary focaccia with burrata and a lightly smoky apple onion butter are similarly pleasing."

Yaletown

A former warehouse district turned upscale area with waterfront dining, shopping and lively nightlife.

Fanny Bay Oyster Bar
Cuisine: Seafood

Tucked on a quiet street within walking distance from the city's stadiums, this hot spot gets crowded, especially on game days, and for good reason. This menu features some of the best shellfish and seafood-driven entrees around.

Inspector notes: "Whether perched at the bar or settled in at a table, raw bar items should be top of mind. Prefer cooked items? The grilled oysters, served hot and bubbly, shellacked with Creole butter and a fresh herb-flavored gremolata, will float your boat."

Stay nearby:

L'Hermitage Hotel

L’Hermitage is contemporary, clean-lined, coolly stylish, but in a way that’s supremely accessible, always welcoming, never alienating. In principle it’s as aesthetically appealing to the most conservative of business travelers as it is to the visually literate boutique enthusiast.

West End & Coal Harbour

A scenic waterfront with easy access to Stanley Park and one of Vancouver's oldest neighborhoods.

per se Social Corner - Coal Harbour
Cuisine: Italian

Note: the Yaletown location is recognized by The MICHELIN Guide.

It's the sort of place where you might pop in for a tapa or two one night, then return a few nights later to tuck into a heartier pasta. Service is accommodating and friendly, and the menu is loaded with items that will please many diners.

Inspector notes: “Nestle into one of the side booths for an enjoyable meal. Hummus is sized generously and served with warm, freshly made flatbread. Salads, such as the heritage greens with crispy goat cheese and candied walnuts, are lovingly made. Lobster & crab ravioli in a chipotle coconut milk reduction is a top pick, while come dessert, you'll be debating between the tiramisu or pizza di Nutella.”

Downtown

The heart of Vancouver, bustling with business towers, Vancouver Art Gallery and shopping escapes.

Carlino
Cuisine: Italian

It’s only fitting that this verdant sanctuary should be tucked away on a terrace of the Shangri-La Hotel, offering a sense of placid elegance. The cuisine is inspired by Friuli, in Northern Italy (as well as neighboring Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto) and reflects the area’s Slavic and Germanic influences—think braised cabbage agrodolce with pork cutlet Milanese.

Inspector notes: “The menu displays a typically Italian devotion to simplicity, celebrating seasonal produce from local farms. Freshly made pastas are a feature, in particular regional specialties like cjarsons, a half-moon shape that might be filled with creamy beet puree and gilded with poppy seed butter. At dinner, a family-style tasting option (dubbed “fai tu” or “you pick”) puts the kitchen in charge.”

Hawksworth Restaurant
Cuisine: Contemporary

Respected native son Chef David Hawksworth helms this eponymous restaurant nestled inside the posh Rosewood Hotel Georgia. Enter through the lobby or directly from Georgia Street into an elegant bar where guests who look as if they just stepped off a fashion shoot sip well-crafted drinks. In the dining room, a shimmering chandelier and an eye-catching wall of wine set an elegant tone.

Inspector notes: “Simple luxuries never disappoint, as in the caviar and oysters. Then, savor the light and elegant mushroom consommé stocked with meaty matsutake and foie gras. Agnolotti with hazelnut & celery foam is almost too pretty to eat, but then you'd miss the earthy umami of the roasted king oyster mushrooms. Finally, it's difficult to pick just one, so order the macaron sampling.”

Stay nearby:

Rosewood Hotel Georgia (Two Keys)

Since the roaring twenties, the Georgia, with its in-house jazz radio station and innovative design and technology, was indeed a symbol of old Hollywood glamour on Canada’s west coast. The Rosewood chain purchased and renovated the property, reopening the hotel in 2011. The hotel’s original elegance has been particularly well-preserved in the polished dark-wood lobby and in the 1927 Lobby Lounge, the retro-inspired cocktail bar that pays homage to the Georgia’s opening year.

Granville Island & South Granville

A creative and culinary hub off the beaten path.

Gary’s (Bib Gourmand)

It's easy to be won over by this convivial neighborhood spot, which owes its easygoing charms to the combined efforts of partners Bailey Hayward and Mathew Bishop (who oversee the service and the kitchen, respectively).

Inspector notes: “To match the relaxed, friendly vibe, the cuisine is rustic and approachable, offering hearty dishes that draw inspiration from French country cooking, as in asparagus with saffron rouille, or pork collar with parsley sauce—and don't miss out on the fluffy, freshly baked rye rolls, served with green garlic butter. For a final slather of indulgence, do order dessert, like a rum baba soaked with chamomile-scented syrup and capped with a ribbon of decadent pistachio custard and a cloud of chantilly.”

Song (by Kin Kao) (Bib Gourmand)

Cuisine: Thai

You're in for a real treat at Song (by Kin Kao), where diners come for a distinctive take on Thai dishes that aren't replicated anywhere else (well, except at their other outpost). Kin Kao Song's fare is driven by a creative spirit and the region's bounty.

Inspector notes: “The lemongrass wings are a special surprise. These bite-sized beauties are deep fried and tossed in a fragrant lemongrass coating for a flavorful punch that delights. Pad Thai may seem like an obligatory order, but this savory version vies for best in class. Then, northern Thai laab with tender, rich pork is given a lift with tart fish sauce and lime broth along with crisp vegetables. Finally, mango sticky rice has that wonderful sticky-sweet appeal.”

Stay nearby: 

Opus Hotel Vancouver

Opus Hotel Vancouver is quite possibly the best-located hotel in town — its Yaletown neighborhood is full of life, packed with hip restaurants, cafés, galleries, and shops, and has a visual character that’s far more appealing than Vancouver’s central business district. And this character includes the Opus itself, a stylish contemporary structure whose brick-fronted facade lends it an extra measure of inviting warmth, a hint at what’s inside. The freshly renovated interiors don’t disappoint, either — the colors are bold, and the décor navigates a tasteful middle path that’s equal parts elegance and fun. There’s that ineffable sense that there’s no place else to be — and for a hotel like this that’s the whole ball game.

Chinatown

A 140-year-old neighborhood steeped in heritage and hidden gems.

Torafuku
Cuisine: Asian

The main influences on the cooking at Torafuku come from places like Korea, Japan and Taiwan. The open kitchen is the focus of the understated room, which makes use of plenty of concrete for that ersatz-industrial look. Those of a more sociable bent will enjoy the communal table.

Inspector notes: “Lunch is quick and easy and all about rice bowls featuring kakuni-style braised meats, but at dinner the kitchen’s more adventurous side comes out to play. This is when you’ll discover more European elements to the dishes, like tuna tataki with Niçoise salad or Brome Lake duck rillette; and if there’s a dish you simply must order it’s their wonderful Basque cheesecake.”

Stay nearby:

the DOUGLAS, Autograph Collection

Set in an eye-catching modern glass tower, the Douglas is a luxury hotel with boutique-hotel aspirations, its interiors a mélange of classic modernism and quasi-industrial loft aesthetics. It’s blessed with an expansive spa and fitness center, a generous handful of lively restaurants and bars, and access to the rest of Parq Vancouver, which contains several more restaurants and bars as well as a casino.

Hero image: ©Alaina Michelle Photography/Maenam