We’ve selected a varied mix, included each restaurant’s type of cuisine, a rough “price rating” from 1 (most affordable) to 5 (luxury), and a brief address.
1. Published on Main
Cuisine: Contemporary / Pacific Northwest / Seasonal
Price rating: 5
Address: 3593 Main Street, Vancouver, BC
Tucked into Vancouver’s Main Street neighbourhood, Published on Main is one of the city’s most celebrated fine dining destinations. It holds a Michelin star, and its kitchen is known for an almost alchemical touch with seasonal produce — plating that looks as much like art as sustenance. The menu shifts often to reflect peak ingredients, and tasting menus can journey through the spectrum of local berries, wild mushrooms, heritage meats, and ocean-fresh seafood.
Expect an immersive, high-end meal: precise flavor layering, elegant plating, thoughtful pacing, and service that knows how to anticipate your next move without intruding. It’s one of those spots you book weeks ahead, and you arrive ready to surrender to the chef’s vision.
2. Burdock & Co
Cuisine: Modern Canadian / New Canadian (farm-forward)
Price rating: 4
Address: 2702 Main Street, Vancouver, BC
In the same general corridor of Main Street but with a more relaxed ambience than ultra formal dining, Burdock & Co is a showcase of what makes Vancouver’s farm-to-table movement exciting. Chef Andrea Carlson works with local growers, fishers, and butchers to build a menu that changes frequently.
You’ll find dishes that balance rusticity and refinement — heritage grains, foraged greens, house-cured elements, and locally caught fish. The wine and beverage program skews natural and regional. It’s a place where the warmth is felt in wood-accent interiors and friendly staff, yet the food still surprises and delights.
3. Kissa Tanto
Cuisine: Japanese-Italian fusion / Izakaya + Italian
Price rating: 4
Address: Chinatown, Vancouver, BC
Understated yet unforgettable, Kissa Tanto sits above a Chinatown alley, entering via stairs into a dimly lit room with jazz-club energy. The cuisine fuses Japanese technique (umami, restraint, precision) with Italian sensibility (pasta, olive oil, cured meats). Think bonito dashi-infused risotto or miso-glazed fish with Italian accompaniments.
This hybrid approach has made Kissa Tanto stand out: adventurous without being over-the-top, elegant but not precious. It’s ideal for a special evening when you want something unexpected yet deeply satisfying.
4. Masayoshi
Cuisine: Japanese / Omakase / Sushi
Price rating: 4–5 (leans upscale)
Address: 4376 Fraser Street, Vancouver, BC
For sushi and omakase devotees, Masayoshi is a name that commands attention. It holds a Michelin star, and the intimate setting (often a small counter) means you’re directly face-to-face with the chef as he crafts each piece.
The ritual is slow, deliberate, and reverent. Rice, fish, cut, seasoning — each step is calibrated. There is little else on the menu beyond sushi — the experience is about purity and nuance. This is not a grab-and-go sushi night; it’s a contemplative affair best reserved and anticipated.
5. Okeya Kyujiro
Cuisine: Japanese / Theatre Omakase
Price rating: 5
Address: Yaletown, Vancouver, BC
Okeya Kyujiro leans into theatrical presentation. The experience is more than dinner — it’s a visual and sensory performance. The chefs orchestrate courses with movement, lighting, drama, and ritual, making every plate feel like a scene change.
Food-wise, expect top-tier seafood, seasonal ingredients, imaginative plating, and courses that evolve in temperature, texture, and tension. It’s a splurge, but for that once-in-a-lifetime occasion, Okeya Kyujiro delivers a memory more than a meal.
6. Magari by Oca (formerly Oca Pastificio)
Cuisine: Italian / Handmade Pasta
Price rating: 3
Address: 1260 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC
If you want something more accessible yet still exemplary, Magari is a destination for pasta lovers. The kitchen is singularly focused on fresh, handmade pasta—with careful attention to dough, shape, filling, and sauce. Each dish comes across as honest, humble, and deeply pleasurable.
It’s not fine-dining in the sense of tasting courses stretched over hours, but the quality, care, and authenticity make you feel like every plate is special. The price point is comfortable, making it a great pick for a treat that doesn’t break the bank.
7. Parker Rooftop / Parker
Cuisine: Modern North American / Steak, Seafood, Bar-centric
Price rating: 3–4
Address: Downtown Vancouver (rooftop)
Perched high with views over downtown, Parker Rooftop blends ambiance and elevated comfort food. Its menu spans steak, seafood, pasta, contemporary mains, and shareable starters. The venue leans into its rooftop charm — sunsets, skyline backdrops, a mix of locals and visitors.
You can enjoy a sports bar feel with serious food: quality cuts, creative sides, and cocktails that match the view. It’s more casual than tasting menus, but the vibe gives it a special edge.
8. The Mackenzie Room
Cuisine: Contemporary / Seasonal / “Modern Neighbourhood”
Price rating: 3–4
Address: Vancouver, BC
A bit of a local’s secret, The Mackenzie Room operates like a fine-dining kitchen in a cozy, rustic setting. Its menu shifts regularly, often displayed on a chalkboard, with a philosophy rooted in nose-to-tail, seed-to-fork, and minimal waste.
Dishes might include root vegetables, offcuts, house-made ferments, and seasonal proteins. The service is warm and unpretentious, with a sense that you’re among insiders. For foodies who like surprises and trusting the chef, this is a quietly brilliant spot.
9. Hawksworth Restaurant
Cuisine: Contemporary Canadian / Upscale
Price rating: 5
Address: 801 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC
One of Vancouver’s most established fine dining names, Hawksworth is known for refined modern Canadian cuisine. With sweeping interiors and a view of urban life, the restaurant delivers elegantly plated mains, tasting menus, and robust wine pairings.
Though it’s lofty in ambition, Hawksworth is also known for touches like cocktail-hour specials at the bar (a more accessible entry point to the world-class kitchen) and occasional “B&B” deals (burger + drink). It’s the kind of place where every detail, from bread to butter to dessert, is considered.
10. Miku
Cuisine: Japanese / Sushi / Aburi (flame-seared)
Price rating: 4
Address: Downtown Vancouver, BC
Miku is a stalwart on sushi lists in Vancouver. Famous for its aburi-style (flame-seared) nigiri, creative rolls, and waterfront setting, it blends elegance and accessibility. You’ll find beautifully composed nigiri, sashimi, and small plates that showcase Pacific fish with gentle innovation.
Although not as high-concept as omakase counters, Miku offers consistent excellence and the appeal of sushi by the plate. It’s a reliable pick for those craving Japanese refinement without committing to a full omakase ritual.
Vancouver’s restaurant scene is both mature and experimental. You can dine with Michelin-level precision, or at a neighborhood pasta bar where you feel at home. In the list above I’ve tried to strike a balance—among the loftiest temples of gastronomy and those more casual yet still exceptional places.