From hidden speakeasies to sun-drenched terraces, these local culinary destinations deliver a world of flavour and atmosphere without the airport lines.
From hidden speakeasies to sun-drenched terraces, these local culinary destinations deliver a world of flavour and atmosphere without the airport lines.
One of my favourite things about travelling is discovering restaurants that instantly make you feel like you’ve arrived somewhere special. Luckily, Vancouver is full of places that offer that same feeling.
From hidden Shanghai-style cocktail bars and Moroccan dining rooms to Tuscan-inspired terraces and Tokyo mid-century cafés, these are the restaurants and bars that make me feel like I’ve left town without ever packing a suitcase.
Tuscany via Robson Street
CinCin Ristorante + Bar
1154 Robson St.
Climbing the winding staircase up to CinCin feels like leaving Vancouver behind. One minute you’re on busy Robson Street, the next you’re beside a roaring wood-fired grill deciding whether to order another Negroni.
The heated terrace remains one of the city’s great hidden escapes, and when you add handmade pasta and a great bottle of Brunello, your evening suddenly feels a lot more like Tuscany than downtown Vancouver.
A Marrakesh detour
Moltaqa Moroccan Restaurant
1002 Mainland St.
Step inside Moltaqa and the outside world disappears. The room glows with lantern light, warm spices fill the air and colourful tile work covers nearly every surface. If someone told me I was dining inside a hidden riad tucked away in Marrakesh, I’d believe them.
This isn’t a place for a rushed meal before a concert or game. Order a slow-simmered tagine, settle in and stay for the tableside mint tea ritual.
Madrid, one small plate at a time
¿CóMO? Taperia
201 E 7th Ave.
If you’ve spent time in Spain, you know dinner is as much about conversation as food, and that’s exactly why Como works. The room hums with energy, sherry flows freely, and as plates arrive you somehow stay far longer than you’d planned.
Grab a spot at the bar, order a few tapas, and let the evening unfold naturally. Look out for their annual summer Paella Patio Series.
A lazy afternoon in Paris
Au Comptoir
2278 W 4th Ave.
When you’re in Paris, there’s an art to doing absolutely nothing and Au Comptoir captures that spirit beautifully. Between the zinc bar, vintage mirrors and classic French fare, it’s the kind of place where a quick brunch or lunch has a habit of turning into a leisurely afternoon.
Modern India on Main Street
Lila Restaurant
5085 Main St.
Traditional cuisines are never static and seeing how they evolve in new hands and new places is endlessly fascinating. Lila is a perfect example of that evolution.
The contemporary dining room and hidden garden patio create a welcome escape from Main Street, while the kitchen celebrates regional Indian flavours through a modern lens. The spice-forward cocktails alone are worth the visit.
Tokyo after dark
Kissa Tanto
263 E Pender St.
Kissa Tanto has always felt like a beautifully styled movie set to me. Hidden upstairs in Chinatown, the restaurant channels the spirit of Tokyo’s mid-century jazz cafés through velvet banquettes, dim lighting, vintage music and one of the most distinctive dining rooms in the city.
The Italian-Japanese menu somehow feels completely natural here, creating a restaurant that’s both transportive and uniquely Vancouver.
Hong Kong glamour
Mott 32 Vancouver
1161 W Georgia St.
Sometimes travel isn’t about simplicity; sometimes it’s about glamour.
Venturing into Mott 32 feels like stepping into one of Hong Kong’s glamorous private dining clubs, where dramatic design, soaring ceilings, intricate lighting and polished service create the kind of experience that feels special before the first cocktail even arrives.
This is the kind of restaurant that makes even a random Tuesday feel like an occasion. If it’s your first visit, the applewood-roasted Peking duck is practically a rite of passage.
Shanghai after midnight
Laowai
167 E Pender St.
Every great city has a hidden bar that locals only tell you about after your second drink, and Laowai is Vancouver’s version. Tucked behind a Chinatown dumpling shop, the entrance feels like a secret handshake.
Inside, inventive cocktails and moody lighting create an atmosphere that’s theatrical without being gimmicky, while the use of traditional Asian ingredients gives the menu a strong sense of place. Taking visitors here still feels like showing off.
Lima on the waterfront
Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio
1600 Howe St. #2
Overlooking False Creek, Ancora’s kitchen specializes in Nikkei cuisine, which masterfully blends Japanese and Peruvian influences in a way that feels perfectly suited to the West Coast. On a sunny evening, a plate of ceviche and a Pisco Sour can make the seawall feel surprisingly far from home, especially when you’re sitting on the patio watching boats drift by.
A mid-century tropical escape
The Shameful Tiki Room
4362 Main St.
Every great vacation deserves a memorable ending, and The Shameful Tiki Room is gloriously committed to the fantasy. The second you walk inside, modern Vancouver disappears.
Bamboo walls, carved tiki figures, tropical drinks and enough thunder and lightning to rival a tropical storm create an escape that feels worlds away from the city outside.
A fixture in Vancouver’s food and hospitality scene for decades, Cassandra Anderton tells the stories of the chefs, producers, and places that define our city. She is the publisher and editor of Good Life Vancouver and a member of the B.C. chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier and Chefs’ Table Society. Whether she’s exploring B.C. ‘s wine regions or scouting the best new table in town, Cassandra’s work is a love letter to the “good life” in the 604 and beyond.