Vancouver’s Best New Restaurants

Blessed with a moderate climate which ensures access to fresh, local agricultural products, fish and seafood, it’s no surprise that some of North America’s finest restaurants are in Vancouver. Of the new restaurants that opened in the past year, these are the standouts.

Located in a heritage building in downtown Vancouver’s Coal Harbour, Nightingale is the new sibling to one of Vancouver’s top restaurants, Hawksworth, run by Chef David Hawksworth. The restaurant, designed by Studio Munge, seats 180 diners over two floors and features high ceilings and light birch walls.

The menu emphasises BC’s seasonal produce and is made up of easily shared comfort food and we chose well. Pacific halibut ceviche with avocado and crispy quinoa  was fresh and citrusy. A simple heirloom tomato dish was made more complex by adding roasted eggplant and pistachio salsa verde. Crispy fried chicken with preserved  lemon yogurt worked well as did the red and green chorizo with grilled patron peppers. For dessert we shared a peanut butter and jelly ice cream sandwich which I was slightly concerned might be too sweet and sickly. I couldn’t have been more wrong; it was pure bliss and maybe my favorite dish in a meal with many highlights.

Lunchtime in the large dining room was buzzing and evening drinks at the bar would be even more lively. I’m not a beer drinker but those who are will want to try Nighting-Ale, a craft beer specially developed for the restaurant by the local brewery, Main Street Brewing Company.

 

See Joanne Shurvell’s full list of new restaurants on Forbes.