Downtown Archives

Our hood guides provide local perspective and insight into Vancouver's many neighbourhoods with insider details on what to eat, drink, see and do. Explore all Vancouver neighbourhoods.

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TBT / Downtown

Five Years Ago This Week, When Ramen Gojira First Debuted Its Huge Noodle Bowls

They invited me down to participate in the staff tasting on the day before launch. I was so excited that I skipped breakfast.

You Should Know

Vancouver’s Cruel and Ridiculous Lack of Public Toilets: A History

Despite its world class pretensions, this city has always made it hard for its citizens to find relief on the go.

Seen In Vancouver / Downtown

La Taqueria’s ‘El Camión’ Food Truck Back Up and Running Seven Days a Week

The truck is now setting up shop outside of the Georgia Hotel on weekdays and roving Vancouver's streets on weekends.

From The Collection / Downtown

FROM THE COLLECTION // The Personal Photo Emily Carr Sent to Her Closest Friends

VAG Chief Librarian Jane Devine Mejia shares an image that sheds intimate light on a Vancouver icon, who celebrates her 150th birthday this year...

Restaurant Graveyard / Downtown

After a Six-Year Run, This Impressive Hotel Restaurant Was Replaced by Something Even Better…

Oru Cuisine was the fine dining establishment that operated where Botanist currently excels in the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel.

Reader Poll / Downtown

Was ‘Cold Tea’ Appropriately Punished for Hosting a 100-Person New Year’s Eve Party?

In this poll we ask our readers to chime in on the $2,300 fine levied against the new Granville Strip restaurant.

Heads Up / Downtown

The Five Best Films We Watched at the 2020 Vancouver International Film Festival

From strange premises to comedic thrillers, here are five films to seek out while hiding at home this winter...

View From Your Window / Downtown

The View From Your Window #242

We love posting photos like this that reveal the views through the windows of our readers. We hope you'll consider sharing yours!

TBT / Downtown

Five Years Ago This Week, This Vancouver Salad Company Was Just Getting Started

Field & Social has since grown to three locations (with a fourth on the way), but the Fall of 2015 is when the ball started rolling...

How To Cook Vancouver / Downtown

We Tried to Recreate Chambar’s Famous Short Rib Fricassee at Home

With an assist from the Vancouver Eats cookbook, Maciel does her best to reproduce one of Vancouver's greatest dishes...

Comfort Food / Downtown

COMFORT FOOD GUIDE // Perfectly Pinched and Fried Pork Gyozas (With Cold Beer)

It's a tricky thing to muster the willpower to walk past Pender St.'s Gyoza Bar without slipping in and crushing several of these...

View From Your Window / Downtown

The View From Your Window #240

We love posting photos like this that reveal the views through the windows of our readers. We hope you'll consider sharing yours!

Read This

Vancouver’s Best Bookstores, Mapped

18 Places

A bookworm's guide to all the wonderful spots that fill our Fall libraries with fiction, non and everything in between.

Scout List

Scout List Vol. 571

8 Places

An agenda of the things we are doing, wishing we could do, or are conspiring to do from Oct. 15 to Oct. 28, 2020.

Heads Up / Downtown

‘From Farms to Forks’ Returns for 11th Year as Action-Packed Food Series

Traditionally a one-evening grazing event, this year's festivities is now a full-on food series spread out over several weeks.

Comfort Food / Downtown

COMFORT FOOD GUIDE // A Dozen Freshly Shucked Beauties at Fanny Bay Oyster Bar

"Everything was different now. Everything." was how Anthony Bourdain described the wake of his first slurp as a child, and I get it.

Restaurant Graveyard / Downtown

The Vancouver Restaurant That Promised a ‘New Service Idea’ and Was Open All Night

Located at 608 West Pender Street, the mysterious Central Cafe was a fixture of downtown dining for decades.

Lexicon / Downtown

The Dictionary Entry for the Most Replayed Scene of Vancouver's 2011 Stanley Cup Riot

"The only thing that made me laugh in the immediate wake of the Canucks riot was the Flashbang Nutshot."

6 Places
Heads Up / Downtown

Eight Films to Watch at Home and On the Big Screen During the Vancouver International Film Fest

Thalia goes through the many films screening at VIFF this year and taps eight for her Must Watch list...

TBT / Downtown

Five Years Ago Today, This Short-Lived Wine Bar Was Getting Ready for Opening Day

This #TBT is a reminder that it would be great if we could support the little guys if/when we can. The chain restaurants will be fine. 

Comfort Food / Downtown

COMFORT FOOD GUIDE // The Onion Ring-Topped Bacon Cheeseburger at Hawksworth

Beyond the taste of the delicious thing, the appeal is sustained by an appreciation of consistently perfect presentation.

Heads Up / Downtown

‘The Truffle Hunters’ Film Set to Draw Food Lovers to Exclusive Screenings

Tickets to watch this gem on the big screen aren't quite as hard to come by as the fancy Italian truffles at its centre, but they are still limited to only 50 seats per venue per screening.

TBT / Downtown

Six Years Ago Today, Inside the Delicious Night Before Gyoza Bar’s Opening

There's typically only ever one day like this in the lifespan of a restaurant. I was glad to catch this one and even sneak a few bites...

Restaurant Graveyard / Downtown

They Don’t Make Art-Deco Lunch Counters in Vancouver Like They Used To…

Located between the Commodore and the Orpheum, the 1930s/40s Hollywood Cafe offered 30 cent lunches and an on-site palmist.

Vancouverites / Downtown

Talking Staff Meals, Good Books and Perfect Days Off With Chef Bobby Milheron

The executive chef of Yaletown's Homer Street Cafe & Bar answers several questions about his work and life.

Comfort Food / Downtown

COMFORT FOOD GUIDE // Cafe Medina’s Pillowy Liège-Style Waffles (With Caramel)

Pro tip: sitting at the bar alone is how to best avoid Cafe Medina's famous queue...plus you don't have to share.

You Need To Try This / Downtown

Want to Eat Exceedingly Well on Your Next Camping Trip? You Need to Try This…

I took some of Chambar new 'Into the Wild' line of prepared foods camping up the Nahatlatch River this past weekend...

Restaurant Graveyard / Downtown

Five Years Ago Today, This Recently Shuttered Restaurant Got Off to an Excellent Start

Royal Dinette, launched in the Financial District in the summer of 2015, was the first local restaurant to fall during the pandemic.