What to Eat in Vancouver: Sushi Capital, Japadog & Local Classics

Published 2026-07-13 · FanVancouver Travel Desk

Vancouver's food scene punches far above its size: the best sushi outside Japan, five species of wild salmon, a Chinese food scene rated better than Hong Kong's by homesick grandmothers, and a handful of dishes invented right here. This is the eating shortlist.

The things Vancouver invented

• The California Roll — created by chef Hidekazu Tojo in Vancouver in the 1970s. His restaurant Tojo's (1133 W Broadway) is still the city's omakase temple. For the modern signature, try aburi (flame-seared) pressed sushi at Miku by Waterfront Station.
• Japadog — Japanese-topped hot dogs (teriyaki, nori, daikon). Flagship at 530 Robson St plus street carts; ~C$8–10 and worth the line.
• London Fog — earl-grey tea latte, invented in a Vancouver cafe. Order one anywhere; the city's independent coffee scene (Mount Pleasant and Commercial Drive especially) rivals Melbourne's.

Salmon, five ways

• Grab a wild salmon sandwich at Go Fish (1505 W 1st Ave, shack by Fisherman's Wharf), buy candied salmon at Granville Island Market, or cook your own sockeye from Steveston wharf.
• Indigenous cuisine: Salmon n Bannock (1128 W Broadway) — the city's only First Nations restaurant: cedar-plank salmon, bannock bread, game. Book ahead.

Richmond: the Asian food capital of North America

• Take the Canada Line 20 minutes south: hundreds of regional Chinese restaurants, the dumpling trail (official map), and the Richmond Night Market (Apr–Oct, weekends, next to Bridgeport Station) with 100+ street-food stalls.
• In the city proper, Chinatown's classics plus modern spots along Main St and Fraser St cover Vietnamese, Filipino and Korean.

Cheap eats that locals actually eat

Dessert and drinks

• Nanaimo bar — the no-bake chocolate-custard classic from Nanaimo across the water; find it at Granville Island bakeries.
• La Casa Gelato (1033 Venables St) — 238 flavours, a Guinness-record ice-cream circus.
• Craft beer: “Yeast Van” (East Village) and Mount Pleasant pack 20+ breweries into walking distance — Brassneck, 33 Acres, Parallel 49.
• BC wine & ice wine — try Okanagan bottles by the glass anywhere, or bring home ice wine as the classic gift (souvenir guide).

Remember: menu prices exclude 12 % tax, and 15–20 % tip is expected — the full arithmetic is in our essentials guide.

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