[trip style = foodie + staycation]
I recently wrote an article for the Expedia Viewfinder about the cafes and restaurants I repeatedly visit when I'm not on the road, noting: "When I'm not afar, Vancouver is my nearest and dearest; in other words it’s my hometown, and my chow-town where fresh is always in season. ...Here, the noshing norm is as high as the peaks towering over the city. Don't take it from me, when renowned chef Jean Georges Vongerichten visited, he said it best, “Everyone is a foodie here. I love it."
A decade ago, Vancity's dining scene only went after one differentiator: fresh. Fast forward to 2013 and we've realized we can offer a lot more than fresh-to-fork---evidenced by the weekly new restaurant openings I can barely keep straight.
I've included my repeat visit list below and paraphrased the copy for brevity {read the whole article here}. There are SO many more foodspots I could write about, so feel free to comment with your faves.
To Start Medina Cafe, "a Vancouver breakfast institution sprouting a queue of eager eaters every morning. I think it has something to do with the chic and compact waffles..." {instagram photo}
Nelson the Seagull "this minimalist bread and coffee cafe focuses on homemade everything, down to the in-season jams" {instagram photo}
Honorable mention: Le Marché St George + Cafe Bica
To Stop Meat & Bread "another line-up worthy feast sporting a simple lunch menu stacked in hearty staples like overnight-roasted porchetta and the best grilled cheese you’ve ever tasted (trust me!)..." {instagram photo}
Beaucoup Bakery "I love it as much as the Eiffel Tower is tall! The peanut butter sandwich cookie is my personal favorite, as well as the subject of much foodie blog love." {instagram photo}
Granville Island "one of the city’s top tourist stops, it’s a trap worth wandering way into. Locals do it every day for the just-brewed beer, just-caught fish, just-husked corn, just-made cheese, and so on. My parents started me young at Granville Island; I would munch on Lee’s Donuts, they would sip cappuccinos" {instagram photo}
Honorable mention: Bella Gelateria {owner James Coleridge won best gelato in Florence, Italy}
To Finish Farina "pocket-sized pizzeria---there's only 19 seats---in an up-and-coming part of town where the thin-crust, melt-in-your-mouth pizzas are the talk of the town" {instagram photo}
Burdock & Co "it’s not full of gastro-frou-frou, dishes are rich in taste and color" {instagram photo}
Toshi Sushi "sushi bars are more plentiful than Starbucks in Vancouver, thus, suggesting just one is near impossible. If I must, Toshi is one of the best, balancing fresh and inventive plates" {instagram photo}
Honorable Mention: La Mezcaleria + YEW restaurant {instagram photo}
[photos by @tripstyler]