Best new Vancouver restaurants to try in 2017

New Year…new food goals! There are tons of buzz-worthy new restaurants, cafés and bars opening their doors in Vancouver each week, and we’re here to give you all the delicious details. From seafood boil suppers to Mexican-Indian fusion to premium tea lounges, read on to learn about the latest spots to eat and drink in 2017. Image courtesy of The Holy Crab. Photo credit: Sharon Ng

The Holy Crab

1
1588 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6G 2G5

Roll up you sleeves, tie on a bib and get crackin’ at Vancouver’s newest seafood spot. Louisiana-style seafood boils are on deck every night at The Holy Crab, so get ready for paper tablecloths, claw-cracking utensils and spicy Cajun flavours. The Southern menu features fresh shellfish of all sorts (Dungeness crab, snow crab legs, lobster, shrimp, crawfish, clams, mussels and more) as well as snacks like deep friend calamari and lobster rolls. With no plates, no cutlery and plenty of messy sauces, this might not be an ideal first-date spot – but the experience is authentic, messy and oh-so delicious.

Railtown Catering and Cafe

2
968 Howe St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1N9

Railtown Café recently expanded its popular fast- casual café concept across town with a second location at Howe and Nelson. Offering made-to-order gourmet sandwiches, signature salads, and a tempting array of pastries (scratch-made doughnuts anyone?), this new downtown outpost will have you “forgetting” your lunch daily. The house-made Kale Salad is a customer favourite and is both virtuous and delicious – the colourful medley includes quinoa, shaved apple and fennel, spiced yams, beets, broccolini, feta and crispy squash chips dressed in apple cider vinaigrette. If a mid-week indulgence is in order, treat yourself to a heavenly peanut crunch bar for dessert.

Crab Park Chowdery

3
221 Abbott St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2K7

Homemade and hearty soups from this new chowder joint in Gastown just might be the perfect cure for a chilly Vancouver day. Opened in January 2017, Crab Park Chowdery serves comforting bowls of creamy broth – think classic New England clam chowder, smoky tomato soup, vegan chilli, and fully loaded baked potato soup with bacon bits, green onion and chopped tomato – and daily specials such as French onion or broccoli cheese. Soups are served in small or large mugs, or in a rustic cheese-lined bread bowl from Swiss Bakery. Say it with us: CHOWDA.

Masaladobo

4
433 Granville St, Vancouver, BC V6C 1T1

Three words folks: margaritas on tap. Drinking your favourite tequila-based cocktail poured from a tap might be novelty enough, but this Granville Street cantina has a lot more to offer. Namely, an original fusion menu that blends Indian and Mexican flavours. The signature tacones (hand-rolled tacos made with roti bread) resemble your favourite south-of-the-border snack but are stuffed with unexpected ingredients: think tikka roasted chicken, ginger duck kebab, and wild salmon pekora. Rice bowls, soups, salads and sharing plates round out the menu. Visit during Cantina Hour (Monday to Fridays from 3:00 to close) for drink deals and cheap eats.

On a cold, snowy Edmonton night, nothing says lovin’ like a cup of hot chocolate. It’s no surprise this drink was originally dubbed the “elixir of the gods.” Regardless of the variety you select, or whether you opt for the simplest hot chocolate on the menu, all I can say is ... don’t forget the marshmallows.
You don’t have to travel to Paris to have a true fine-dining experience; you can enjoy an upscale dinner, complete with a five-course meal and fine wine, right here at home. Victoria is a fine-dining destination with an excellent reputation – where talented chefs enjoy crafting delicious gourmet dishes from fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Paired with a nice cup of coffee or topped with a scoop of ice cream, pie is unbeatable comfort food. And yet it faces stiff competition from cupcakes as the city’s dessert of choice. Well, pie is fighting back with old fashioned deliciousness as well as new and tantalizing flavours.
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