When most people think of spring break, they imagine Miami or Cancun, with lots of sun, beaches, and parties. Instead, my friends and I chose cold, cloudy Vancouver for a four-day excursion and had the absolute best time. With a jam-packed itinerary full of sights, such as the Granville Public Market, Stanley Park, and Gastown, we still made it a priority to find the best food the City had to offer. Here are a couple memorable locations that we hit up for brunch, lunch, dinner, and late-night snack trips.
Fritz European Fry House
First up on the to-try list was Canada’s most well-known dish: poutine. With a hearty combination of fresh fries, savory gravy, and squeaky cheese curds topped with a customized selection of protein and sauces, we were off to a great start. I added grilled chicken, blue cheese sauce, and garlic sauce to my poutine for a mouthwatering bite. Be warned, though: while the portion might look too small, I promise it isn’t! This dish is very heavy and savory, so you might feel a little sick if you eat too much too fast. 7/10
Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House
Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House has been around since 1985 and is known for its fresh seafood and classy interior. This restaurant is on the pricier side—dishes range from 25-40 dollars—but the quality is present. I ate a Lobster Eggs Benedict with two perfectly poached runny eggs while live piano music played in the background. My friends also tried the fresh oysters and Lobster & Shrimp Rolls from the brunch menu, and these dishes were just as delicious. 8/10
Fat Mao Noodles
This Chinatown restaurant was my favorite of the trip. I got Khao Soi Chicken Curry Noodles, a spicy, creamy coconut-based Thai curry soup crowned with a braised chicken leg that fell off the bone. The Braised Duck Noodles and Spicy Beef Boat Noodles were also hits. Each noodle soup has the option to choose your type of noodles, and there are also many small plates to choose from. Even though the portion sizes were relatively big, not a single noodle was left by the end of the meal. 10/10
Breka Bakery & Café
Of all the places we went to, Breka was the one we returned to almost every day. Open 24/7, this bakery and cafe hosts so many options that the short line to the cashier is never enough time to decide what to get. The seven locations spread throughout Vancouver made it easy to grab a snack wherever we were, no matter the time. The wide selection of high-quality cakes, muffins, cream puffs, sandwiches, savory pockets, and various drinks made this local cafe perfect for snacking any time of the day. 11/10
Earls Kitchen + Bar
This was our last dinner in Vancouver, so we wanted to try out a nicer place where the entire group could sit down and every diet could be accounted for. Earls was the perfect choice, with a menu offering vegetarian and vegan options along with various seafood and meat dishes. A notable food item was the seafood platter with oysters, a prawn cocktail, ahi tuna poke, crispy prawns, and lobster. I got the Kale + Mushroom Pizza with caramelized onion and white cheddar, which was soft, cheesy, flavorful, and large enough to last two meals for 15 dollars (yay for Happy Hour pricing). 9/10
Honorable mentions include Hello Nori hand rolls, Cafe Medina brunch, and Tim Hortons Timbits. This trip wasn’t meant to be a foodie adventure, but it definitely turned out that way. The prime location of Downtown Vancouver made it easy to walk to most of these places, and the readily-available option to split the check by order made it easy to pay. A memorable and delicious adventure with friends. ∞/10 would recommend