Vancouver Good

Here is my belated guide to help everyone visiting beautiful Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics.

I’m keeping everything to one post so it’s easy to reference and print off. I’m only covering Vancouver, not Whistler (although my friends swear that Rimrock Cafe is one of the best fine dining experiences ever. And of course there’s that Hell’s Kitchen winner at Araxi.)

I’ve listed some picks close to the big Olympic venues, so you know what’s in the vicinity. My picks are for good food, but also cheaper places and convenient places if you’re in a hurry.

BY VENUE:

BC Place & Canada Hockey Place (AKA GM Place)
These 2 venues are right next to each other. Here are 5 great places nearby (between a 5-10 min. walk)

1. Breakast/Lunch/Coffee/Sweets: Cafe Medina, 556 Beatty Street (near Dunsmuir), 604-879-3114.
One of Vancouver’s best breakfasts and famous for their Belgian waffles – refined, but casual. Expect line-ups. Medina just opened a take-out window also.

2. Dinner: Chambar Belgian Restaurant, 562 Beatty Street (near Dunsmuir), 604-879-7118
Great French/Belgian/Morroccan style food in a modern setting. Same owners as Cafe Medina.

3. Lunch/Dinner/Drinks: The Kingston Pub, 755 Richards St (b/w Robson & Georgia), 604-681-7011
You’re not going to get anything special here,  but the drinks are cold, there’s lots of seats, and food is good

4. Fast Food/Lunch/Dinner: Japa Dog, 530 Robson St (near Richards)
Anyone know if they’re open? I’m pretty sure their target was to be open for the Olympics. Vancouver’s only famous street food turned store front – Japanese style hot dogs! Sounds strange, but they’re pretty tasty. Expect lines. If Japa dog isn’t open, any of the falafel places in the vicinity are okay.

5. Wild Rice, 117 W. Pender (at Abbott), 604.642.2882, open for lunch & dinner during Olympics, OR Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, 163 Keefer Street, 604-688-0876, open for dinner
Both these restaurants provide a modern take on Chinese cuisine. Wild Rice has been leading this charge for years, but Bao Bei recently opened to much fanfare. I’ll vouch for Wild Rice. The food and service is always good, although sometimes they have some strange menu items (the mussel potstickers I had there years ago were interesting in a bad way). I usually don’t recommend places I haven’t been do, but enough people I trust vouch for Bao Bei that I’ll recommend it here.

Also – I suppose I should tell you that there is a Costco right by Canada Hockey Place. So, if you want to eat nearby for cheap cheap cheap, it’s there. 605 Expo Boulevard,604-622–5050

Richmond Olympic Oval

While the Oval building is rather cool, there’s nothing around it. However, you’ll probably need to hit Aberdeen Centre Station or Lansdowne Station to get to the Oval, so let’s talk restaurant in these vicinities.

1. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner/Sweets. The Aberdeen Centre food court, 4151 Hazelbridge Way, top floor
Aberdeen Centre is an Asian style mall – futuristic looking on the outside with lots of interesting stores inside, including the famous $2 store Daiso. But the food court here is way better than a food court in another mall. Different kinds of Chinese cuisines, Japanese, Thai. All well-priced and good portions. My Dad and I come here to eat for fun sometimes. There’s also a great frozen yogurt stand (Qoola), decadent Japanese Beard Papas Cream Puffs, and a French crepe stand just opened. And don’t miss the cheesy but fun musical fountain show, which happens on the hour.

2. Dim Sum/Dinner: Gingeri Chinese Cuisine, inside Lansdowne Mall, 5300 No. 3 Road
This Chinese restaurant serves good quality dim sum and a great dinner. It’s also English-speaking friendly. Dim Sum is usually packed, but good.

3. Earl’s Restaurant, inside Lansdowne Mall, 5300 No. 3 Road
One of our standby chain restaurants. You’ll get good food, lots of seats, and fast service.

4. Hon’s, 4600 No. 3 Road or No. 9 Restaurant in Lansdowne Mall, 5300 No. 3 Road
Hon’s is a bit further out, but it’s the best cheap Chinese food out there. No. 9 to me is a Chinese-style greasy spoon. They have a huge menu of Chinese and Chinese/Canadian food.

5. Langley Farm Market, inside Lansdowne Mall, 5300 No. 3 Road
This is a fruit & vegetable market, but sometimes, I just want some healthy fruit to eat! It’s in the entrance near No. 9 restaurant and Bestbuy, off of No. 3 Road.

Pacific Coliseum

Breakfast/lunch/snacks/coffee: Laughing Bean Coffee Company, 2695 Hastings Street East (at Slocan, 2 blocks from the venue), (604) 251-5282
- Wayne from the Laughing Bean contacted me after I posted this guide to tell me about this lovely cafe. I dropped by today and it’s a great place to grab a quick bite and coffee, including sweet cinnamon buns, crossaints, and fresh soup & sandwiches. You’ll find this neighbourhood cafe by looking for the funny mannequins decked out in figure skating apparel in front of the shop. Wayne says they also have staff that  speak French, Dutch, Spanish, German.

Also, on the Hastings bus line there is:

Lunch/Dinner: Au Petit Chavignol and Les Amis du Fromage, 843 East Hastings Street (b/w Hawks and Campbell), (604) 255-4218
- Au Petit Chavignol is a great wine & cheese bar, but also have a selection of hot soups, sandwiches, and really tasty fries. Les Amis du Fromage is their cheese shop, where you can grab some food on the go.

Vancouver Olympic Centre

This centre is a 1Km walk from the station at Cambie & King Edward Ave. There’s not much on the walk to the centre, but if you walk North, in the opposite direction you’ll find:

1. Lunch/Dinner: Stella’s Tapas Bar, 3305 Cambie Street (near 17th ave), 604-874-6900
- Belgian style pub/restaurant with a great list of beers and good snacks menu

2. Lunch/Dinner: Pied-à-Terre, 3369 Cambie Street (near 18th ave), 604-873-3131
- Small restaurant with excellent French fare at good prices

3.  Flying Wedge Pizza, 3499 Cambie Street  (near 19th ave), 604-874-8284
- This is a local pizza chain specializing in gourmet pizza and lots of different flavour combinations. It’s not my favourite, but I’m in the minority as most people I know love this place. Buy by the pie or slice, it’s great if you’re in a hurry.

Additional Resources

Vancouver Slop Olympic Guide

The Zagat Vancouver guide is free during the Olympics

If you’re looking for restaurants specific to a neighbourhood, scan my tags – I label all my restaurants by neighbourhood. Or leave a comment and I’ll answer you there.