With more and more restaurants slowly opening and the need to reboot the hospitality industry abundantly clear, Dine Out Vancouver (Vancouver’s favourite reason to eat out) is stepping in this late summer, to start the rallying cry.
Between August 21 to September 21, 2020, it is #DineOutsideVancouver. And with special menu pricing at $15, $25, $35, and $45, participating restaurants are also offering fixed picnic sets, for those who still prefer to take out and post up at a park. So in order to help you weed through all 162 restaurant choices, here are my top 8 menu picks by price point. The restaurants I, myself am interested in visiting and look forward to taking advantage of their special set menu pricing. And for a bonus, I also present you an awesome Picnic2Go basket that you can enjoy outside in a garden or on the beach.
$15 Menu Options
The Roost
1037 Denman Vancouver, BC
604.722.9331 or the-roost.ca
The Roost serves up Southern-style fried chicken, only using antibiotic and hormone-free chicken from farms around the Fraser Valley. And what better way to check out a newer restaurant than with a $15 lunch menu, presented like a sampler pack. You get your choice of appetizer between a Mac and cheese bomb, a peaches and cream corn fritter; or a side like a slaw, fries, or onion rings. For entree, it is either one piece of their regular or spicy chicken, or a chicken tender.
The Pawn Shop
1117 Granville Street Vancouver, BC
604.687.7474 or thepawnshopyvr.com
Granville strip’s taco and tequila hot spot is serving up of 3 of their East L.A. inspired tacos, alongside chips and salsa and churros for $15. Choose between braised pork tacos, slow-cooked beef taco, tacos with pulled chicken or slow-cooked pork shoulder; or maybe the crispy cod taco or taco with tempura fried chicken, They also have vegetarian and vegan options like raised mushrooms in spice, roasted sweet potato, cauliflower, and an intriguing sounding crispy fried avocado taco. It is just a shame that you can’s pick 3 different tacos for your 3 tacos.
$25 menu options
Afghan Horseman
202-1833 Anderson St. Vancouver, BC
604.873.5923 or afghanhorsemen.com
If you have never tried Afghan food before, now is your chance. Canada’s first Afghan restaurant, serving the Lower Mainland for over 40 years, has a 3 course, $25 Dine Out menu. A great price to try something new on. Start with either a lentil dip, potato flatbread, or leek flatbread. Then move to chicken kebabs, lamb shoulder, or lamb korma for entrees. And then finish sweet with baklawa, a sweet-filled pastry served with vanilla ice cream.
Brunch
1147 Granville St. Vancouver, BC
604.423.9132 or www.brunchvancouver.com
With a name like Brunch, you know what to expect from this Mexican/Latin American restaurant, on Granville street. During Dine Out Vancouver get a tasty start to your day for $25. Your meal begins with an apple and goat cheese romaine salad. Then you can choose between corn tortilla stuffed with cheese or shredded chicken, or fried tortilla chips topped with salsa and your choice of chicken or fried eggs, For a more classic brunch entree that is also meat-free, opt for the brunch Benedict with an open-faced croissant topped with avocado, tomato, eggs, and hollandaise sauce. It also comes with roasted potato or another side salad. And for the less common brunch dessert: make your choice between rice pudding or a caramel custard flan.
$35 menu options
Frankie’s Italian Kitchen & Bar
765 Beatty Street, Vancouver, BC
604.688.6368 or frankiesitaliankitchen.ca
Bringing Southern Italian cuisine to Vancouver, Frankie’s offers up traditional recipes and modern takes on familiar favourites. And during this year’s Dine Out Festival, $35 at dinner gets you a 3 course meal with your choice of appetizers, entrees, and dessert. Start with either arancini (their Sicilian breaded risotto balls), housemade meatballs, or the classic Caesar salad. And for an entree, take on either pasta in the form of an Italian sausage rigatoni, the ever popular risotto fungi, or a veal parmesan. Then wrap up your meal with the traditional tiramisu or maybe a gluten-free, rich-full chocolate torte.
Jules Bistro
216 Abbott Street Vancouver, BC
604.669.0033 or julesbistro.ca
Gastown’s longstanding, authentic French Bistro offers delicious French cuisine and a secluded patio for those who seek out its respite. And during Dine Out Vancouver, $35 at dinner gets you a choice between a warming French onion soup or their traditional salad, to start. For entree, choose between either beef bourguignon with buttered fingerling potatoes, or a seared steelhead with pickled shimeji. Then close out your meal out with either a chocolate tart with a salted caramel sauce and berries, or the classic vanilla creme brûlée. And on top of all that, you also get a complimentary raspberry fizz beverage to sip alongside it all.
$45 menu option
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
845 Burrard St Vancouver, BC
604.642.2900 or boulevardvancouver.ca
One of the city’s most impressive seafood restaurants gives you a taste of the good life, through their $45 dinner menu. Award-winning with an elevated dining room and service to match, this is the restaurant to go to when you want to impress. Choose between a chilled cucumber soup or roasted cauliflower appetizer to start. Then move into something more substantial, like poached wild salmon or grilled hanger steak for mains. For the vegetarians, they have lime and pepper-crusted squash alongside crispy squash blossoms. For dessert end on either a chocolate crisp with chocolate mousse or strawberry cheesecake.
Chambar
568 Beatty St Vancouver, BC
604.879.7119 or chambar.com
The city’s only Belgian themed fine-dining restaurant, with North African influence, has a stellar $45 dinner menu. The menu offers the diner more than 3 options to choose from for appetizers and entrees. Appetizer choices include wagyu beef, a spiced foie gras terrine, and veal-stuffed calamari. Entree choices include 3 of their popular mussels with fries varieties, a braised lamb shank with honey and figs, an 8oz char-grilled free-range flank steak with sauce and sides, or a vegetarian risotto featuring miso and parsnip. And dessert is just as unique with the likes of a chocolate and cherry marmalade option, served with a toasted season ice cream; or a grilled peach with fresh caramel and cream.
Picnic2Go Basket
Beetbox
Beetbox is a 100% Plant-Based Restaurant, serving up delicious vegan-conscious comfort food in Vancouver’s West End neighborhood, only a few blocks away from the beautiful English Bay.
Priced at $51, this 100% Plant-Based picnic basket in a bag for two is the perfect meal to Dine in the park or at the beach with. This Picnic in a bag consists of two main course options of Plant-Based Burger with Cheeze or the Famous Chick-Un Sandwich, any 2 side dishes of your choice (excluding Chili Cheeze Fries), plus any mix of 2 Biota Kombucha, Bridge PrimeTime, or Lone Tree Cider All packaged in a custom made organic Beetbox Tote Bag.
