Vancouver restaurants for outstanding international cuisine

With so many Vancouver restaurants serving truly delicious food from all around the world, the city offers foodies the chance to take a global culinary journey without setting foot on a plane. Here, we look at prime spots to tuck into the best of Asia, Europe and North America, no packing required. This taste adventure is now boarding. [Image courtesy of Vij's]

Vancouver restaurants for outstanding international cuisine
Christina Newberry By

Lin Chinese Cuisine and Tea House

1
1537 Broadway W, Vancouver, BC V6J 1W6

With its tangerine paint and bright lighting, this unassuming restaurant may not look fancy – but it’s been winning awards since it opened in 2007. The xiao long bao (juicy dumplings) and the preserved vegetable and pork noodle soup have both been singled out for individual honours, but it’s hard to go wrong when ordering from the extensive menu of Northern Chinese cuisine.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Tojo's Restaurant

2
1133 Broadway W, Vancouver, BC V6H 1G1

Helmed by celebrity chef Hidekazu Tojo, this perennial favourite has racked up awards from Vancouver to Tokyo and is a member of the B.C. Restaurant Hall of Fame. In-the-know diners skip the menu and sit at the bar for an intimate omakase tasting menu experience, during which Chef Tojo crafts a personal five- or six-course meal.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Vij's

3
3106 Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC V5Z 2W2

Recently relocated to a new building on Cambie Street, the flagship restaurant of Vikram Vij’s culinary empire has won several awards for the best Indian food in Vancouver. The menu delivers contemporary Indian done in a unique style, blending flavours from across the subcontinent and giving them a modern twist. Vij’s does not take reservations, but the long waits for a table don’t discourage diners – there have nightly queues for more than 20 years. The juicy wine-marinated lamb popsicles in a creamy curry sauce are a must-try.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Bodega on Main

4
1014 Main St, Vancouver, BC V6A 2W1

This new venture from the Rivas family picks up where La Bodega left off when the beloved Spanish tapas spot closed in 2014. La Bodega’s legacy lives on in some of the artwork and the familiar handmade stools at the bar, but this bright and modern room gives Bodega on Main its own personality. For a visual showstopper, order the paella negra with squid ink rice.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Ask For Luigi

5
305 Alexander St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1C4

Prosecco on tap? Yes, please. This Italian eatery has been wining over critics’ hearts and palates since it opened on a cozy Railtown corner back in 2013. The food menu features fresh, house-made pasta, antipasti and dessert, with plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options. Thirsty? The drinks menu highlights the Italian tradition of the aperitivo and the post-meal grappa, plus a tightly edited wine list and house red and white on tap.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Chambar Restaurant

6
568 Beatty St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2L3

How can one resist a restaurant where a fig-infused martini is served with a generous side of blue cheese? This take on the classic cocktail shows a keen dedication to the rich intensity of Belgian cuisine on a menu that also includes barbecued frog legs and ostrich carpaccio. Of course, there’s also plenty of Belgian beer available and the moules frites are legendary.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Bauhaus Restaurant

7
1 Cordova St W, Vancouver, BC V6B 1C8

With an open-concept kitchen helmed by Michelin-starred chef Stefan Hartmann, Bauhaus offers four-, five- or six-course chef’s tasting menus of modern German food. The à la carte menu adds German classics like schnitzel, pea soup and the sinfully delicious cheese spatzle served in a fine-dining atmosphere that’s the antithesis of a rowdy beer hall.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Mexicano Taco Ltd

8
2450 Yukon St, Vancouver, BC V5Y 0A4

Forget the crunchy Americanized ground-beef tacos on offer at fast-food joints. These are authentic street-style Mexican tacos based on traditional recipes, with fillings like braised beef tongue, chicken with mole sauce, and roasted poblano peppers with creamed corn. At four tacos for $10.50 (meat) or $8.50 (veggie), the flavour-to-dollar ratio is hard to beat.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Timber

9
1300 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6E 1C5

While a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, a culinary journey around the world ends with the cuisine of the True North strong and free. So what exactly is Canadian food? Think bison burgers, Tourtiere and maple-baked beans, with a drink list that includes a whopping five different variations on the classic Caesar, that most Canadian of cocktails. Welcome home.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:
More from Christina Newberry Christina Newberry
Christina Newberry writes travel and lifestyle stories for local, national and regional publications, and edits everything from conference proceedings to motorcycle magazines. When she's not travelling, Christina can be found puttering in her community garden plot or playing tourist at home by exploring the sights, sounds and tastes of Vancouver’s unique neighbourhoods.
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