8 of the best snowy day eats in Vancouver (and where to get them)

Baby, it’s cold outside. If you’re hungry for something that will warm you up from the inside out, here are eight of our favourite things to eat in Vancouver on a frosty day that will, at the very least, send you back out into the chill feeling a bit more ready to face the cold.

1. Hot Chocolate

Fewer things warm up a cold wintery day like  a cup of hot chocolate. With so many tempting variations, from dark and rich to with a hint of mint, and always the option to float some sweet marshmallows on top, hot chocolate really hits the spot on a snowy day.

Where to get it: Some of the best hot chocolate in Vancouver can be found at Prado Cafe, Thomas Haas, and Bel Café, among others. A great new option is to try Dalina in Chinatown, where they make an Italian drink called Gianduiotto, which is made with hazelnut, milk chocolate, and steamed milk.

2. Mac and Cheese

Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of homemade mac and cheese? With the right amount of salt, perfectly melty cheese and soft noodles, this delicious carb and dairy (or dairy substitute) combo is guaranteed to hit the spot for all the right reasons.

Where to get it: Tuck into some of the city’s stellar serves of the ultimate cheesy comfort classic at Burgoo, The Wallflower, and Six Acres.

3. Chowder

Fill up on this hearty cold weather staple. Whether you like yours studded with seafood and rich with cream, or if you’d rather fill your belly with veggies, there are a lot of great chowders to chow down on in Vancouver. (And it’s fun to pair them with beer, too!)

Where to get it: We’re fans of the chowders at Rodney’s Oyster House, The Fish Counter, and Liquids + Solids.

4. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Grilled cheese and tomato soup go together like…well, grilled cheese and tomato soup. The ultimate childhood lunch gets the restaurant treatment in the most delicious way in Vancouver. Go ahead and dunk: That’s how you do it!

Where to get it: There are a handful of places that have mastered this pairing, but we’re really fond of Belgard Kitchen, Fable Diner, and The Cannibal Cafe.

5. Croque Monsieur or Madame

Essentially a pumped up hot ham and cheese sammy, the Croque Monsieur is often served smothered with a creamy Béchamel sauce, and is a ubiquitous cafe staple. Take this amped up eat to a new level with the addition of a fried egg on top and voila, you have a Croque Madame.

Where to get it: A few places to find top-notch Croque Monsieurs and Madames include Tableau Bar Bistro, Red Wagon, and Au Comptoir.

See also

• Best chowder in Vancouver
• 9 must-try creative takes on poutine to find in Vancouver
• Where to get Tourtiere in Vancouver
• 7 places for grilled cheese and tomato soup combos in Vancouver

6. Poutine

What could be more appropriate on a cold Canadian day than the classic Canadian dish? A heaping of fries, smothered in gravy and dotted with cheese curds, certainly will stick to your ribs–more so if you go for some of the more inventive and substantial renditions to be found in Vancouver. Hell, you can even get it just for breakfast!

Where to find it: Who makes the best poutine in Vancouver sometimes comes down to how much booze you need to soak up, but some tried and true spots include Frenchies Diner, Fritz European Fry House, and The Spud Shack.

7. Tourtiere

Speaking of Canadian, this French Canadian meat pie is traditionally served on Christmas Eve in Quebec, but no one is judging if you dig into a slice of Tourtiere any other day of the season.

Where to get it: Winter is prime Tourtiere time in Vancouver, and you can get some great versions at spots like Timber, Lime & Moon Pie Co., and Aphrodite’s.

8. Ramen

Stick your face into a giant bowl of steaming, savoury, salty broth and slurp up long strands of noodles, and get warm from the belly out with ramen.

Where to get it: There’s been a glut of ramen spots that have opened up this year, so there are plenty of places to get your slurping on. You can try it spicy with fried chicken at Ramen Gojiro, Toronto import Touhenboku, or stick with some of the city’s enduring faves, like Ramen Danbo, Marutama Ra-men, or Santouka.