Vancouver Food Guide

After adventuring in Vancouver for 7 days, and eating out about 5 times a day, I think it’s time for me to share my experience with all of you! Since YVR is well-known to be a foodie city, I’ve put together a short food guide of my personal favourites in the city.

Japanese food:

“I’m on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it.”

When it comes to eating in Vancouver, it’s a sin to not devour in on the seafood. You can expect fresh and lower costing seafood because of how close this city is to the ocean. From sea to table — the fish is caught not too long before it reaches your plate. If you’ve seen my Instagram stories, I’ve been practically eating an ocean here.

Sushi by Yuji: this little spot in Vancouver is a local favourite that’s known for their sashimi, nigiri, and traditional Japanese gunkan sushi. Not only is their food amazing, but it’s also very affordable. I’d recommend calling in for a reservation as there were no walk-in spots available the first time I tried to eat here. For starters, I’d recommend their fresh sashimi, shiro rolls — which are now my favorite sushi rolls ever, chopped scalloped rolls, negitoro gunkan, and iruka with quail egg.

Miku: overlooking Vancouver’s gorgeous waterfront and offering gourmet Aburi cuisine, Miku is my top choice for oshizushi. Priced at $18 for 6 pieces, the quality and flavours you get are reflected in the price. My personal favorite was the ebi oshi sushi with pressed prawns, lime zest, and ume sauce. I’d also recommend making a reservation a couple days beforehand since they do get very busy.

Suika Japanese Restaurant: if you’re in Vancouver and find yourself missing Edmonton’s Dorinku, I’d definitely check out Suika. I was told the chef of Dorinku was actually originally from Suika. Reasonably priced and just as tasty. Besides the affordable sashimi, I’d also recommend the tuna tataki, sashimi salad (dressing on the side), and fries.

Honorable mentions: salmon oshizushi at Green Leaf Sushi and Yui Japanese Bistro – similar quality to Miku but at a lower price point.

Best Korean – Sura Korean Cuisine: my friend and I ordered the lunch set ($20/person) so we could try multiple menu items. These set lunches are only available until 3 PM everyday, require a minimum of 2 people, and modifications/customizations are not allowed. That being said, some items were better than others but overall, it was delicious and very filling.

Best Ramen – The Ramen Butcher’s Black Garlic Ramen: rich full broth, hand-made noodles, and perfectly tender pork chashu.

Best Quick Bite – Au Petit Café Viet Subs: this was my last stop before heading back to Edmonton. All of the ingredients are made in-house and the Vietnamese baguettes are purchased from a local supplier. Honestly, I don’t have the words to describe how good the banh mi is. Let’s just say, it’s 100% better than the ones we have in YEG. Although they have other dishes, I’d recommend just sticking to the banh mi.

Desserts:

Umaluma: you already know this one if you follow me on Instagram. I went here 3 times during the 7 days I was in Vancouver because it was just that good. Don’t let the dairy free fool you – it has the exact, if not better, texture than your regular gelato. It isn’t too sweet either!

Uno: this gelateria is owned by Maestro James Coleridge, the former owner of the famous Bella Gelateria and the winner of 13 international and national gelato awards. It’s so great to see him up and running again 🙂 congrats on the new gelateria!

Best Late Night – Fritz European Fry House: looking for a late night place that isn’t Chruch’s Chicken or McDonald’s? Grab some poutine at Fritz European Fry House! They’re opened until 2:30 AM from Tuesday to Thursday, and 4:00 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. Closed on Monday. Not only is it insanely delicious, they also load it all the way up for you. The owner can also judge your recommended poutine size by just looking at you too (lol!)