So you thought how much seafood I could eat in 48 hours was good? Wait until you see how much meat I can eat in 3… uhh that sounded a lot better in my head. Okay, stop it. Anyway it was the 1st Annual Festival of Meat – Brewery & The Beast in Vancouver, BC and it was freaking fantastic!
Downtown Vancouver
Hungry to help the Downtown Eastside? Sometimes the heart of a restaurant goes beyond its food. Ambiance? Good. Service? Attentive. Value? Affordable. Food? Great. Now where is the line about corporate social responsibility? The restaurant world used to be about bringing good food to the table, but tables are turning and social change is important.
I am constantly asked “What’s the best restaurant in Vancouver?”, “What’s the best thing you’ve ever eaten?” and to be honest, I don’t know. How could I? I haven’t tried everything in the world yet. Also, taste is not only highly subjective, but purely personal.
There are many excellent restaurants that go unnoticed or fly under the radar. Here are a few of my favourite mom-and-pop restaurants that have been around for years. They are rarely talked about and rely on word of mouth, but are key contributors to Vancouver’s diverse food scene.
It’s protein heavy or “meat-centric” and prides itself on sustainable and local whole-animal cookery. I definitely appreciate it for pushing boundaries in Vancouver’s culinary scene and they do it right by promoting sustainable meats and seafood. It has a casual and cool vibe that matches the food.
It only opened in 2011, but it has quickly risen to the top as “Vancouver’s Best Restaurant”. The pressure to be #1. It’s tough enough to get that spot and even harder to stay there. Everyone wants to be #1, so whoever gets it gets all the glory, but also all the scrutiny.
It says it write on the menu and I wouldn’t ignore it: “Not from Naples”. The Neapolitan pizza scene in Vancouver has exploded over the last couple years, and even though The Parlour’s main feature is pizza, they do not specialize in Neapolitan pizza. This is West Coast style pizza. Come for the fun atmosphere and affordability.
