Vancouver, Foodie Capital of the PNW

Canadian Treasure

Vancouver is the foodie capital of North America, and we’ve got all the secrets

written by Michelle Hopkins

COMPARED TO MOST North American cities, Vancouver is relatively young. What it may lack in age, it certainly doesn’t lack in appeal.

Mother Nature truly blessed this city of nearly 650,000 residents. Named after Captain George Vancouver, who laid claim in 1792, Vancouver has snow-capped mountains, the ocean, rainforests and beautiful foliage. As one of North America’s most cosmopolitan cities, Lotus Land has an overabundance of things to see, do and enjoy.

Vancouver’s historic Granville Island has long been known as a gastronomy destination. This past summer, four of Vancouver’s most celebrated chefs founded Popina Canteen. Housed in brightly colored, repurposed shipping containers, this waterfront, gourmet counter-service eatery features sustainable seafood, salads and more. Besides its bustling food market, Granville Island has also made a name for itself as a hotbed for local artisans, who regularly work in on-island studios.

Stanley Park, Vancouver

Tourism Vancouver/Barbershop Films

The city is well known for its beaches—in fact, there are nine of them, each with a history dating to the 1800s. Jericho Beach was given its moniker in the 1860s after Jeremiah

Rogers, an early settler. Today, its driftwood-strewn sandy beach is a hot spot for sailing, windsurfing, sea kayaking and beach volleyball.

As Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood, Gastown was named for “Gassy” Jack Deighton, an English seaman who opened Gastown’s first saloon. Today, this historic district, with its famous landmark Steam Clock, 100-year-old lampposts and cobblestone streets, has a thriving fashion scene, décor boutiques, one-of-a-kind galleries and some of the best food in Vancouver.

A trip to Vancouver is never complete without a culinary adventure. This city espoused the farm-to-table philosophy with gusto. Arguably the best foodie city in North America, Vancouver’s chefs source seafood off its shores, vegetables from farmers in the Fraser Valley and some of the best fruit and wines from the Okanagan Valley.

After strolling Gastown’s many shops, head to the nautically inspired, chic Coquille Fine Seafood, where you can warm up with a steaming bowl of lobster risotto or fillet of ling cod with basil crust while sipping on a glass of Okanagan Valley merlot.

Stanley Park is a huge public park with a long seawall.

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

Tourism Vancouver/Rishad Daroowala

Juke Fried Chicken, downtown Vancouver

Coola, a grizzly bear at a local sanctuary

Devin Manky

Nestled along Yaletown’s seawall, Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio offers an unexpected ensemble of cuisines, thanks to executive chef Ricardo Valverde. This Peruvian chef uses West Coast ingredients to create a cultural food mosaic from his native land. Enjoy False Creek vistas while noshing on grilled octopus Anticucho and Haida Gwaii halibut.

For a quick bite downtown, Juke Fried Chicken offers Southern-style fare, thick milkshakes and rotisserie chicken that will knock your socks off.

A favorite destination for both residents and tourists is Grouse Mountain. Start your day aboard the Skyride for an eight-minute window into some of Mother Nature’s most majestic views. Once there, there’s a plethora of activities for all ages.

For a high-octane summit rush, check out Mountain Rope Adventures, where brave souls climb, swing and zipline through a series of aerial courses. Then, snap photos of the resident grizzly bears, Grinder and Coola, who live in a 5-acre mountain sanctuary, watch a lumberjack show or hike along the trails.

Another good reason to glide through the air on America’s largest aerial tramway system is dining at The Observatory. After all, how often do you fuel up at 4,100 feet? This eatery offers fresh, sophisticated city-style dining in a place where you least expect it. Choose between a five-course prix fixe tasting menu or a la carte.

Just down the hill from Grouse Mountain, you can discover the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Nestled within the rainforest and suspended high above the Capilano River, it draws more than 1 million visitors from around the world each year. For thrill seekers, its most exciting attraction is the Cliffwalk, in which suspended and cantilevered walkways hug a large granite rock face high above the Capilano River.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA

EAT

Juke Fried Chicken www.jukefriedchicken.com

Ancora Waterfront Dining & Patio www.ancoradining.com

The Observatory www.observatoryrestaurant.ca

Coquille Fine Seafood www.coquillefineseafood.com

Popina Canteen www.popinacanteen.com

STAY

The Westin Bayshore Vancouver www.marriott.com

Fairmont Pacific Rim www.fairmont.com/pacific-rimvancouver

EXChange Hotel Vancouver www.exchangehotelvan.com

PLAY

Ecomarine Paddlesport Centres www.ecomarine.com

Fly Over Canada www.flyovercanada.com

Mountain Rope Adventures www.grousemountain.com/ mountain-ropes-adventure

Granville Island Public Market www.granvilleisland.com/ public-market

Capilano Suspension Bridge www.capbridge.com

Stanley Park www.vancouver.ca/parksrecreation-culture/what-todo.aspx

Vancouver Maritime Museum www.vancouvermaritime museum.com

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2018 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE 107