Dine Out Vancouver is back! Did you know I’ve been doing Dine Out Vancouver since, like, forever? My first year was when Rob Feenie still had his restaurants and I was there for DOVF.
Running from January 18 to February 3, the prix fixe portion of this year’s program has changed to 4 price points – $15, $25, $35 and $45. There are also more lunch and brunch options, usually at a cheaper price than dinner. This would give an opportunity to try the pricier restaurants with less.
The menus are now live and reservations are open. Actually, Aeroplan members already had access since Monday, so I had the opportunity to go through all the menus. Here are some suggestions, based on past experience (Dine Out or not) as well as menu attractiveness (e.g. value for the money, choice of ingredients, creativity in the menu, enough options for two people, etc.). Now keep in mind I curated the list based on my preference (as you know, I’m a meat lover), my way of thinking, so it may not all suit your taste. But hopefully this gives you a place to start.
I’ve included links to the menu to make it easier for you.
$15 Suggestions
- Brewhall
- Chutney Villa (Last year was $20 so I’m guessing portion size would be smaller this year, or it’s super deal for $5 less!)
- Popina
$25 Suggestions
- Afghan Horsemen
- The Bayside Lounge
- Deepwater Micro Eatery
- Gyoza Bar
- Juke Fried Chicken (Weekend brunch is only $20)
- Kaya Malay
- Kitanoya Guu Garden
- MARKET by Jean-Georges (for lunch – dinner would cost $45)
- Mill Town Bar & Grill
- Mulligans at Burnaby Mountain Golf Course
- The New Oxford
- Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. – Kitsilano and Main Street
- Trattoria Italian Kitchen – Kits
$35 Suggestions
- Bistro Verde
- Bufala (lunch only)
- Cardero’s
- Catch 122
- Centro Ristorante
- Chewies Steam & Oyster Bar – Coal Harbour (frog legs!)
- Chicha Restaurant
- Cuchillo
- C Prime Italian Steak & Wine
- Dockside Restaurant
- Edible Canada at the Market
- Fanny Bay Oyster Bar
- Fishworks
- JamJar – South Granville
- Kitchen by Yugo
- Maenam (for lunch – same menu as dinner but $10 cheaper)
- Minami (lunch only)
- Romer’s – Kitsilano, Port Moody, River District
- The Sandbar Seafood Restaurant
- The Shoestring Cafe
- Sopra Sotto Pizzeria
- West ($10 cheaper for lunch than dinner)
$45 Suggestions
- AnnaLena
- Brix & Mortar
- Burnaby Riverway Clubhouse
- Chambar
- Chop Steakhouse & Bar
- Coast Restaurant
- Coquille
- Don Francesco (to check out the new space)
- Flying Pig – Olympic Village
- Forage
- H2 Rotisserie & Bar
- The Holy Crab
- L’Abattoir
- Notch 8
- The Observatory on Grouse Mountain
- Provence Marinaside
- Torafuku
- The Vancouver Fish Company
- Verre
- Wildebeest
After going through the menus, honestly many of them are not very inspiring.
And having done this for so many years, you start to notice patterns too. I remember Bistro 101 used to be $18, then $20, and now, $45! With the extra $5, some menus are still quite similar to last year’s. I’m glad I was able to pick out a few that I wouldn’t mind trying myself. Hopefully you find the recommendations helpful.
Keep checking back as I go on my DOVF journey this year and report back on my experience.
Of course don’t forget that there are other DOVF events, including the Street Food City, the Ocean Wise Pop-Up, Vancouver World Chef Exchange (there are a number of them), Vancouver Coffee Tour, and the Pig Roast at Mamie Taylor’s.
What do you think? Are you going to any dinners? Hope you’ll have a great time enjoying the Dine Out Vancouver 2019 festivities!
VanFoodies.com 