Places In Vancouver
You Need To Eat At

By Matt Coolen

Let's get to the good stuff. Here's a run down of some of the best places to eat, and at the same time, be seen in the city and when you should go.

Before Noon:

Sunday morning, 11am head pounding, stinking like stale cologne, starving. Brush your teeth, wash your face, throw on something somewhat presentable and hit Glowbal for brunch and mimosas, its a no brainer, its like clockwork.

Lunch Break:

Any day of the week at lunch you need to check out Vij's Rangoli for world famous indian food at awesome prices. Get there early or late though because it fills up quick at peak times.

People in Shanghai will beat you down in the street over which restaurant has the best steam buns, since we aren't in Shanghai I don't mind telling you its Shanghai Wonderful in Richmond, about 20 minutes outside of downtown. I guarantee if you hit this hole in the wall for lunch you want to punch me for it.

If its saturday afternoon and you have some time to kill, or you have no life but like good food, make your way across the bridge into North Vancouver and hit the Kingston Cafe on Lonsdale and third and get some real Jamaican jerk goat.

It's Quittin Time!

After work, meeting your girl, whatever, you don't need an excuse, just call Italian Kitchen and make that reso. Part of the Glowbal family, Owen Louis runs the place with a level of service unseen since old Vegas. I bet if you go twice he'll remember you from the first time, I also bet if you have the spaghetti and kobe meatballs the first time, you'd go a second time and serve yourself if you had to.

If you were at the office late, need some good food, want to watch the game and have a beer, but can't even fathom walking into some pub with peanut shells stomped into the carpeted floor, then you need... I don't mean should, I mean NEED to hit the Bentall Cactus Club. The nicest and biggest of the chain, the duck club is the best sandwich I've ever eaten and the girls that serve you are the hottest in the city....I probably should have started with that and saved myself this whole paragraph.

Don't ask questions, call Gotham Steakhouse make a reservation for tonight. Two things they know at Gotham; steak and wine. So order a bloody porterhouse and a bottle of red (I let you choose the kind, we don't want to make all your decisions for you) and thank me after.

The Weekend Ladies and Gents:

To celebrate friday being done, don't strip down to your underwear and dance in front of the mirror to Bon Jovi like you did last week, head to Yew in The Four Seasons instead. The atmosphere and food are both great to start off any weekend. Its not on the menu but order a Mint Julip, they make the best I've had in the city. To start have the Raw Platter, just make sure you show up wearing more than your tightie whities.

After you've cleaned up, got dressed, are wearing you collar the correct way and smell nice again, head to Sanafir on Granville Street. Just a few doors south of The Cellar at the corner of Nelson, its can be tricky to find unless you know what you are looking for, so look for the big windows, if you hit a sex costume shop you went one door too far. Sanafir is one of the most beautiful spaces in the city and it is the perfect friday night, their menu is divided by a specific food so if you order beef you will get 3 small portions of beef prepared in different ways. An excellent way to showcase their menu and for you to try a different variety. At around 10pm Sanafir fills up with beautiful people starting off their night with great cocktails, and celebrities who know their way around the city.

Not really in the mood to mingle, but want to have a couple drinks with your girl before you hit the strip, the you need to visit Bacchus Piano Lounge inside The Wedgewood Hotel. Hands down my favorite lounge in the city. Sit back in a deep mahogany setting, listen to some Sinatra on the pinao, and sip some Mcallan. I'll let you pick the year.

Saturday night check out Voya inside The Loden Hotel, they have great shared dishes, but if you're not in the mood for sharing I suggest the duck. The room is sleek and sexy, the food is delicious, the service is great, you gotta admit, its tough to get all three in one of the hottest spots in the city. After dinner order a sugar shack for the gents and something pink for the ladies...the drink is called something pink genius, don't actually ask for a random pink drink.

Going Home Alone?

When all is said and done, when the last club is finished, the last shot has been poured, the last attempt of bringing home a random girl from The Roxy has failed, head across the street to Fallafel Town, and order a chicken schwarma plate. Don't order this though if you have a girlfriend at home unless you are sure she really loves you, otherwise the next morning when your room stinks like vodka and schwarma, you'll not only be hungover, but probably single.

Places To Stay Away From:

Never under any circumstances, I mean any circumstances eat at Milestones in Yaletown. I would rather eat a meal at a strip club at 11am, hungover then sit down in this place. I've given this place chances and they just can never get it even close to right. Wrong food, cold food, extremely long waits, bad service. One time I actually had a waitress give me my appie and never take my meal order, and I mean never, after about 30 minutes of waiting for her to come back I noticed her sitting at the bar texting her friends, probably about how much of a joke her place of employment is. The worst part was no one ever served us after that, when I told the manager working they gave me the bill for my appie and said sorry - eff you Milestones in Yaletown. I should note that the Robson Street location is great for brunch.

Ohhh Tojo's I can't say anything too bad about Tojo's, a lot of people love it, maybe its because its so over hyped that I was expecting something amazing. Meh. Actually less than meh. the food was just bad, the restaurant itself looks dated. Save your money and get better sushi at almost any corner in the city.