More than ever before, Kitsilano (north of Broadway, east of MacDonald) has a crazy amount to offer in the dinner department. We seldom hit just one of its restaurants when exploring the neighbourhood, preferring instead to make a crawl of it. So that’s how we’ll approach it here, choose your own adventure style…
We’ll start on the main drag: West 4th Avenue. This is where you’ll find the delicious likes of Danbo, which serves up steaming bowls of Fukuoka-style tonkatsu ramen in a small, busy room that turns over quickly. Up a block is Tractor, a bright quick-service eatery that focuses on healthy fare (we love their curried cauliflower with their pea/potato salad).
Across the street is a triple threat of awesomeness that starts with the best Thai restaurant in Canada, Maenam, continues right next door with chef Trevor Bird’s consistently excellent Fable (love that smoked duck breast), and concludes with Mission Kits, an inventive but undersung locavore eatery that tables four course tasting menus for just $49 per person.
Keep heading west and you’ll hit Au Comptoir and Bishop’s; the former a superb Parisian cafe and the latter…well…the fine dining icon and exceedingly well-run locavore institution that helped Vancouver to find itself gastronomically on a path led to a greater appreciation of local and sustainable ingredients.
From here we hang a right down Yew Street towards the beach, slurping up fresh bivalves and chowing down on buttermilk fried chicken at Chewie’s Oyster Bar; munching tacos and sipping well made cocktails at Lucky Taco; gliding through seven courses of delicious fascination at French/Japanese/BC-themed Mak N Ming (a steal at $78); and loading up on pizza and pastas at the always reliable and lively Nook.
Before committing to the beach, however, walk some gluttony off down West 1st and check out Cacao, home to chef Jefferson Alvarez’ slick takes on Progressive Latin cuisine (includes a great patio, upstairs and down) and chef Mike Robbins’ award-winning, critically-acclaimed AnnaLena (mmm, boar belly with mustard spaetzle).
And since Kitsilano wouldn’t be the same without long-running casual legends like Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe (1988) and vegetarian haunt The Naam (1968), they’re along for the ride too.
If we missed your favourite dinner spot in Kits, let us know via @scoutmagazine.
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MacDonald is not the western boundary of Kitsilano….it’s Alma.
According to some but not to others. I was born in Kits and could go either way. For the purposes of this poll I decided on east of Mac because we also have a West Side neighbourhood section that we’ll be updating in due course, and it includes Point Grey, Broadway, UBC, et cetera. Thanks for your comment.
Every time I visit VanCity a visit or two to Au Comptoir is a must !! Great and attentive staff and amazing food and presentation.
Not sure how you could leave off La Quercia! It’s my favourite in Kits for sure. Possibly Vancouver.
Sue. The poll is east of MacDonald, so that doesn’t include La Quercia (one of our favourite restaurants on the planet).
Mak n Ming should’ve rated higher on the list. Its pure food art! Fable imho is overrated.