I’ve been methodically compiling a list of the best hidden gem restaurants in Vancouver BC for years. It’s been easy because I visit this magical city at least once a year on my way to Whistler for my annual ski trip. But recently I’ve been making the ~2.5 hours drive from Seattle multiple times a year just to eat.
Having recently been recognized as a Michelin guide destination, Vancouver is truly a foodie paradise. Whether you’re looking for upscale fine dining, cheap eats, or mom-and-pop shops, Vancouver is what you make of it.
Since I’m partial to seeking out the true hidden gems that maybe don’t get as much press as they deserve, I’ve come up with a list of my favorite eats in the city that fly more under the radar. Get ready to eat your face off at Vancouver’s best restaurants!
Hidden Gem Restaurants in Vancouver BC
Save this to Pinterest for later, as I’ll add more under-the-radar restaurants in Vancouver as I discover them!
Caffé La Tana
website | Grandview-Woodland (get directions) | cuisine: Italian | price: $$
Caffé La Tana was designed after an old-world Italian alimentari, the kind of place where you stop by for an espresso in the morning and a glass of wine and pasta at night.
It’s been voted one of Vancouver Magazine’s Best Italian Restaurants for their scratch-made pastas and seasonally rotating dishes, yet I never hear anyone talk about this spot. Besides food, their wine list is enthralling, with vermouth flights, grappa, and Italian-only wines from lesser-known regions. For example, they sometimes pour Sicilian Pietradolce, a favorite winery of mine that isn’t too common in North America.
The cafe is tiny, so reservations are recommended even on a weekday. I like going during aperitivo hour to graze on small bites and pasta, though dinner is when you can select from their full pasta selection.
Of all the dishes I’ve tried, the spicy vodka sauce is my favorite. But the whipped ricotta crostini with shaved truffle is divine, as is the nettle arancini with garlic aioli. The sausage-wrapped olives are also pleasantly surprising because they’re like a mini Scotch eggs with the olive as the “yolk”.
If you can’t snag a reservation here, try popping over next door to their sister restaurant, Pepino’s. It’s equally as lovely, just with more American-Italian classics like spaghetti and meatballs, eggplant parmesan, and pizza.
Pro tip: If you taste a wine you like, Caffé La Tana sells it by the bottle for 50% off!
Aleph Eatery
website | Grandview-Woodland (get directions) | cuisine: Middle Eastern vegan | price: $$
It’s not every day a vegan restaurant makes it to the top of my list, but after visiting Aleph, I knew they were a true Vancouver hidden gem restaurant worthy of competing with the best vegan restaurants in Seattle.
Not only is the dining room adorable, with eclectic Middle Eastern artwork and tons of greenery, but the menu is interesting. For example, my go-to is the Silk Road hummus, which comes with date syrup, labneh, and chimichurri. It’s some of the creamiest, most well-balanced hummus I’ve ever had. But what makes it mind blowing is the labneh.
It’s made with coconut milk, which threw me off at first because you don’t often have coconut in Middle Eastern food. But then I realized I actually prefer it because I always find labneh too sour, whereas this is refreshing and complements the tangy chimichurri.
The falafel benny is another standout if you go for brunch. The dense balls come out perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of crispiness and no oily residue. Wash it down with some of their Arabic coffee, which has a subtle cardamom flavor that really brightens up the toasty drink.
Maenam
website | Kitsilano (get directions) | cuisine: Thai | price: $$$
Vancouver has had an ever-growing Asian population since the mid-1800s when Chinese immigrants migrated to build the Transcontinental Highway. With them, they brought their cuisine, which has since helped make Vancouver a must-visit destination for authentic Asian cuisine. Maenam is one of my longtime favorites.
Their dishes are elevated and centered around ingredients sourced from local purveyors. It’s no wonder they’ve been voted one of Canada’s Best 100 Restaurants and were even listed in Michelin’s inaugural Vancouver Guide! Yet given there are so many awesome places to eat in Vancouver, Maenam still tends to fly more under the radar so I still consider them one of the best hidden gem restaurants in Vancouver.
As for what to order, the khao nam tod or “crispy rice salad” is a must, along with their steamed local mussels and three-flavor lingcod stir fry. Don’t sleep on their creative cocktail menu or their locally-sourced sake.
If you can’t agree on what to order, or you want to try new things, partake in their seasonal chef tasting menu. It comes with several snacks and relish plus one soup, salad, curry, stir fry, and dessert to share. It’s served family style for ~$88 pp, and if you’re hungry enough, do yourself a favor and tack on an order of pad Thai!
Richmond Public Market
website | Richmond (get directions) | cuisine: Asian | price: $
The Richmond Public Market is about a 30-minute drive south of Vancouver proper, but it’s worth the drive if you want to experience a multitude of different Asian cuisines under the same roof. Plus, everyone knows that the best Asian food in Vancouver, particularly Chinese and Taiwanese, is really in Richmond. And since it’s a food court, there are a bunch of the best hidden gem restaurants in Vancouver BC under one roof.
Don’t miss Hei Hei Rice Rolls for their soft, ultra-chewy rice noodles that come with your choice of protein. I suggest getting the pork and dousing it in the chili sauce so it soaks into the crevices of the noodles.
Next, pop over next door for Korean fried chicken for juicy, flavorful poultry with savory cheese topping. If you’re into bubble tea, Peanut’s Bubble Tea is one of the few boba spots I’ll frequent. Don’t miss tasty wheel cakes for $1 each. If you can stomach more dessert, don’t miss the bubble waffles on the first floor at Eggette House.
The only spots I’ve yet to visit are Xi’an Cuisine and Chef Liu Kitchen, which is unfortunate because they’re two of the most acclaimed spots in the market. It’s because they have unreliable hours, but if they’re open, definitely pay them a visit on my behalf.
Pro tip: There’s a free garage parking, but make sure to stop at an ATM on your way in because most of the vendors are cash only.
Continental Seafood
website | Richmond (get directions) | cuisine: dim sum | price: $$
You’ll have your choice of over a dozen dim sum spots across Vancouver, but I implore you to make Continental Seafood in Richmond one of your stops. It was recommended to me by an Instagram follower and it remains one of my favorite dim sum spots that’s vastly underrated compared to some of the more popular ones.
Similar to the C-ID dim sum restaurants in Seattle, Continental has a spacious dining room. However, unlike Seattle spots, they still have trolley carts. The last time I went, we got a bit wild and ordered way too many dumplings. I just can’t get enough of their shumai, shrimp chive, and panfried shrimp dumplings!
I also like the rice rolls with beef, which are surprisingly refreshing thanks to the delicate addition of celery. The fried squid is also addictive and has the perfect balance of spicy flavor.
When you go, plan on parking along the neighborhood streets as most of the shopping center parking spots are only for 15-30 minutes. Once you’re done with your meal, remember to pay at the front desk and prepare to be charged ~$1.50 per takeout container.
Sashimiya
website | Downtown (get directions) | cuisine: sushi | price: $$
Sashimiya is one of the most under-the-radar restaurants in Vancouver. That’s partly because it’s not really a restaurant per se. Rather, it’s a low-key Japanese grocery store situated on the outskirts of downtown. When you step inside you might think the only items are your everyday pantry staples, but they also serve some of the freshest, most affordable sushi in the city.
You can grab it from the cold case pre-packaged or ask them to make it fresh at the counter. I’ve had both and can attest that even the pre-packaged sushi is surprisingly fresh, and the fish to rice ratio makes you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth. I like getting the sashimi so you can taste the quality of the fish.
Grapes & Soda
website | South Granville (get directions) | cuisine: farm to table | price: $$
Who would think one of the best hidden restaurants in Vancouver BC is actually a wine bar? Not me, but I learned the truth after grabbing drinks and bites at Grapes & Soda.
This spot is the sister bar to Farmer’s Apprentice restaurant next door. It only has 25 seats, but they’re doling out some seriously creative cocktails and lesser-known wine from their teeny tiny space. The food menu changes regularly, but last time we went they were serving a delicious smoked tuna ceviche with coconut cream. It went beautifully with the well-balanced Ambrosia cocktail that I still can’t stop thinking about!
Cartems Donuts
website | Mt. Pleasant (get directions) | cuisine: doughnuts | price: $
A fellow blogger recommended I check out the doughnuts at Cartems, and I nearly skipped it on my last visit since I’m such a diehard fan of the popular Lee’s Donuts. Still, I figured what’s the harm and decided to give them a try. Now I can’t decide which I like more!
Cartems makes scratch-made doughnuts fresh daily, and you’re encouraged to call and pre-order your favorite flavors to ensure they don’t run out. They make a variety of “everyday” flavors, like Early Gray, vanilla, chocolate glaze, and smoked maple walnut. My favorite is the citrus glaze which features a zesty grapefruit glaze atop a four-citrus glazed yeast donut.
In addition to their regular flavors, they also like to experiment with funky flavors like rosé wine, white chocolate berry, and honey parmesan. Most of the everyday flavors also come in gluten-free and vegan options, so no one has to miss out on all the fun.
Vij’s
website | Mt. Pleasant (get directions) | cuisine: Indian | price: $$$
Vij’s is one of my go-to stops every time I’m in Vancouver. It’s an OG spot run by the once-popular celebrity chef Vikram Vij, but since newer restaurants started opening up it’s become one of the off-the-beaten-path places to eat in Vancouver.
If you’re at all familiar with Indian food, some of the names of the items on the menu won’t surprise you. The surprise comes when your food arrives. Each item is beautifully presented, and you can taste the freshness of the spices in every dish. I find Vij’s to be a more authentic representation of the cuisine I ate while in India, so it’s a must try if you haven’t traveled there before!
I usually get an order of handmade samosas and lamb popsicles, which come with wine-marinated lamb, spinach potatoes, and fenugreek cream curry. Whatever you order, get plenty of naan so you can soak up every ounce of curry.
The Mackenzie Room
website | Railtown (get directions) | cuisine: farm to table | price: $$$
The Mackenzie Room is one of the best hidden gem restaurants in Vancouver BC. It reminds me of Off Alley in Seattle, with a seasonally-changing menu written on a chalk board and an obsession with nose-to-tail and seed-to-fork cooking. The interior is even similar to Off Alley, with restored character and a ton of rustic farmhouse decor.
The restaurant recommends ordering their set menu, which is 5 courses for 1-2 people or the whole menu for 4. However, you can swap things out and choose to build an a la carte menu if you’d prefer.
We mostly did their 5-course menu with one swap out and one addition. The dish we swapped was the Chicken of the Sea with sea urchin and squid ink bread. However, the server said this is their signature dish that tastes more like chicken liver mousse. Unfortunately I don’t like uni or liver, so we passed. But I may have missed out!
I’ll never know, but what I can say is that we enjoyed every single dish. This is so rare, but we couldn’t stop gushing over each course as they arrived. From the excellent steak tartare to the rabbit wrapped in mortadella, The Mackenzie Room continually blows me away.
Pro tip: The neighborhood is a bit rough due to the unhoused population crisis, so I don’t recommend walking. However, you’ll be fine if you need to walk a few blocks!
Yasma
website | Coal Harbor (get directions) | cuisine: Lebanese & Syrian | price: $$
Yasma is located right along the water near Stanley Park. It’s a bit swankier of a spot than I was expecting, and I probably would’ve walked right on by had a follower not highly recommended it to me, but I’m so glad I stopped.
Their shish tawouk yogurt-marinated chicken skewers are savory yet tangy, with a subtle char and perfectly juicy meat. The fatteh hummus comes with chickpeas, tahini, yogurt, and ghee alongside crispy pita and is another must-order. And make sure to get extra of the beet mutabbal!
The Acorn Restaurant
website | Riley Park (get directions) | cuisine: vegetarian farm to table | price: $$$
The Acorn Restaurant is the sister to the late Arbor Restaurant, which has unfortunately closed despite winning multiple accolades for their fine dining approach to vegetarian cooking. We went to The Acorn on a whim while shopping in the neighborhood after seeing a sign for their chef’s tasting brunch. It turned out to be a killer deal considering you get an amuse bouche, two appetizers, two entrees, and a dessert served family style for ~$45 pp. They also offer a dinner tasting menu for $79 pp with an optional wine pairing.
You can expect an obsessive attention to detail and mission to run a zero-waste kitchen. For example, they let us swap out a set menu dish so we could get their food scraps cavatelli pasta instead. It was so simple, yet flawlessly executed so as the taste like summer.
We also had an amazing oyster mushroom amuse bouche made to look like oysters with shells handmade by the owner. The other standout dish was a fresh tomato harvest toast with some of the freshest tomatoes I’ve ever tasted. All in all, they definitely know how to cook vegetables here!
More places to eat in Vancouver
There are so many hidden gem restaurants in Vancouver BC to try. For more ideas, check out my Google Map with my full list of what to eat, see, and do in Van City.
Other adventures near Vancouver
After you get your fill of the best hidden gem restaurants in Vancouver BC, check out my other guides to exploring the area!
