Where to eat in Vancouver right now, according to local food writer Hanna McLean.
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It’s a new season, and there’s a crop of exciting and noteworthy dining destinations on my radar. As we are all limited when it comes to time and money, I thought an updated roundup of fresh restaurants worth visiting in Vancouver would be beneficial.
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From a charming, 36-seat Portuguese tasca to a buzzy, chargrilled Peruvian chicken concept, and an elevated Vancouver staple stepping into its new era, here’s where to eat and drink this fall in Vancouver, depending on what you’re in the mood for and in no particular order.
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Bookmark this for your next reservation (or delivery craving).
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West Coast Table
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For gourmands: Maria Celeste
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Brothers Justin and Cristian Isidro’s new Fraser Street restaurant might be a deeply personal ode to their own heritage, but the restaurant instantly felt like home to me. Named for their mãe (Portuguese for mother), the duo designed Maria Celeste to make every visitor feel like family. I was thrilled to indulge in an exclusively Portuguese wine list while devouring modern takes on classics like pica-pau, or tartare “woodpecker bites,” made with carrara wagyu rump and pluma de porco obérico with fresh clams during my visit.
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Justin, the former longtime director of operations at Kissa Tanto, Meo and Bao Bei, also took home the Michelin Guide Vancouver’s first service award in 2022. Cristian, a chef with Michelin-calibre training and experience in kitchens from Vancouver to London to Porto, teamed up with Studio Roslyn to design the cosy, 1,300-square-foot room and bring the concept to life. If you’re going to head to one new spot in the city this season, make it Maria Celeste and enjoy the Portuguese tasca vibes.
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Where: 4181 Fraser St., Vancouver
When: Tuesday to Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m.
Order this: Pluma de porco ibérico ($64).
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For something brand new: Cloudstreet
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It doesn’t get much newer than Cloudstreet Restaurant, which just launched inside the Hyatt Regency in downtown Vancouver. Taking over the space of its predecessor, Mosaic Grille & Bar, which operated in the hotel for more than 20 years, Cloudstreet promises patrons a menu of Pacific Northwest cuisine, incorporating the best bounty B.C. has to offer, in a redesigned interior complete with floor-to-ceiling windows.
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Chef de cuisine Craig Sung — who formerly helmed the kitchen at now-closed West End gem, Forage — heads-up the food program at Cloudstreet. Guests can expect an array of dishes like seafood chowder, tuna niçoise salad and a Cloudstreet signature burger. If you need a new, central place to head for a morning meeting or a business lunch, this downtown addition looks like it fits the bill.
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Where: 655 Burrard St., Vancouver (inside the Hyatt Regency Vancouver)
When: Breakfast 6:30 to 11 a.m.; lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner 5 to 9:30 p.m.
Order this: West coast crab and prawn toast ($26).
