First published June 18, 2015
Updated August 8, 2015

In Vancouver for a few days? Here are the top 10 food places you should add to your itinerary, based on how many of our interviewed chefs recommended them. The list is subject to change based on responses from new interviews. Sound off in the comments section below with your favorites!

1. Thomas Haas Chocolates & Patisserie

Café/chocolate & pastry shop
2539 West Broadway Avenue (Kitsilano)
998 Harbourside Drive, Unit 128, North Vancouver, B.C.
Both locations open 8 am-5:30 pm Tuesday-Saturday
Closed Sunday-Monday
$$

Dishes you shouldn’t miss:
Orange blossom brioche, crispy hazelnut praline cake, and Guinness and malt chocolate (Recommended by Thomas Haas, chef/owner)
Double-baked almond croissant (Alex Chen)
Almond mascarpone cake (Meeru Dhalwala)

2. Café Medina

Mediterranean
780 Richards Street (Downtown)
Breakfast and lunch: 8 am-3 pm Monday-Friday, 9 am-3 pm Saturday-Sunday
$$

Recommended by Chefs Clement Chan, Thomas Haas, Steve Kuan, David Robertson, Vikram Vij and Taryn Wa

Dishes you shouldn’t miss:
Harissa pain plat (Recommended by Jonathan Chovancek, Executive Chef of Café Medina)
Fricassée (Clement Chan and David Robertson)
Paella (Steve Kuan)
Tagine (Vikram Vij)
Les boulettes (Taryn Wa)

3. Boulevard Kitchen + Oyster Bar

Seafood
Sutton Place Hotel, 845 Burrard Street (Downtown)
Breakfast: 6:30 am-11 am daily
Lunch: 11 am-4 pm daily
Dinner: 5pm-11 pm daily
Brunch: 11 am-3 pm Saturday-Sunday
$$$

Recommended by Chefs Angus An, Clement Chan, Jonathan Chovancek, Thomas Haas, Steve Kuan and Taryn Wa

Dishes you shouldn’t miss:
Bouillabaisse (Recommended by Alex Chen, Executive Chef of Boulevard)
Oysters, crispy chicken wings (Jonathan Chovancek)

4. Maenam

Thai
1938 West 4th Avenue (Kitsilano)
Lunch: noon-2 pm Tuesday-Saturday
Dinner: 5 pm-10 pm Monday-Thursday, 5pm-11 pm Friday-Saturday
Closed Sunday
$$

Recommended by Chefs Alex Chen, Jonathan Chovancek, Thomas Haas, Pino Posteraro, Nico Schuermans and Taryn Wa

Dishes you shouldn’t miss:
Clam matsutake soup with holy basil (Recommended by Angus An, chef/owner of Maenam)

5. Hawksworth Restaurant

Canadian
Rosewood Hotel Georgia, 801 West Georgia Street (Downtown)
Breakfast: 6:30 am-10:30 am Monday-Friday, 7 am-10:30 am Saturday-Sunday
Lunch: 11:30 am-2:30 pm Monday-Friday
Dinner: 5 pm-late daily
Brunch: 10:30 am-2 pm Saturday-Sunday
$$$$

Recommended by Chefs Clement Chan, Thomas Haas, Steve Kuan, Pino Posteraro and Vikram Vij

Dishes you shouldn’t miss:
Breakfast croissants, pastries, and danish (Recommended by Pino Posteraro)
Hawksworth beef burger (Vikram Vij)

6. Chambar

Belgian
568 Beatty Street (Downtown)
Breakfast: 8 am-11:30 am Monday-Friday
Lunch: 11:30 am-3 pm Monday-Friday
Dinner: 5 pm-late daily
Brunch: 8 am-3 pm Saturday-Sunday
$$$

Recommended by Chefs Clement Chan, Thomas Haas, Tannis Ling and David Robertson

Dishes you shouldn’t miss:
Tajine d’aziz l’agneau (Recommended by Chambar chef/co-owner Nico Schuermans, Thomas Haas and David Robertson)
Congolaise moules frites (Clement Chan and Tannis Ling)
Le steak du jours (Tannis Ling)

7. Kingyo

Japanese izakaya
871 Denman Street (West End)
Lunch: 11:30 am-2:45 pm Sunday-Thursday, 11:30 am-3 pm Friday-Saturday
Dinner: 5:30 pm-11:30 pm Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 pm-1 am Friday-Saturday
$$

Recommended by Chefs Clement Chan, Steve Kuan, Tannis Ling and Taryn Wa

Dishes you shouldn’t miss:
Porkloin cutlet/tonkatsu (Clement Chan)
Assorted deluxe bento box (Lunch only; recommended by Steve Kuan and Taryn Wa)
Tantan noodle (Tannis Ling)

8. Cioppino’s

Italian/Mediterranean
1133 Hamilton Street (Yaletown)
Dinner: 5:30 pm-10:30 pm Monday-Saturday
Closed Sunday
$$$$

Recommended by Chefs Angus An, Thomas Haas, David Robertson and Hidekazu Tojo

Dishes you shouldn’t miss:
Spaghetti vongole (Recommended by Angus An)
Veal cheek pappardelle with porcini mushrooms (Thomas Haas)

9. L’Abattoir

French
217 Carrall Street (Gastown)
Dinner: 5:30 pm-10 pm Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 pm-10:30 pm Friday-Saturday
Brunch: 10 am-2 pm Saturday-Sunday
$$$

Recommended by Chefs Angus An, Clement Chan, Meeru Dhalwala, Steve Kuan, David Robertson and Nico Schuermans

10. HK B.B.Q. Master

Chinese
4651 No. 3 Road, Suite 145, Richmond, B.C.
Lunch and dinner: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday-Tuesday
Closed Wednesday
$

Recommended by Chefs Angus An, Clement Chan, Alex Chen and Steve Kuan

Dishes you shouldn’t miss:
Crispy roast pork (Recommended by Clement Chan and Steve Kuan)
BBQ pork, duck, soy chicken, char siu (Alex Chen)

Banner image: Pistachio sour cherry tart from Thomas Haas Chocolates & Patisserie

Vancouver’s Top 10