The best comfort foods ever and where to get them in Vancouver
Comfort food: everyone has their own definition of what makes food comforting, whether it be nostalgia, the amount of cheese it involves, or just how it makes you feel.
No matter what your ideal comfort food is, there’s one thing we know for certain and that’s that winter is the ultimate comfort food season.
From noodles to dishes that are basically just cheese, here are our favourite comfort foods of all time, along with the best places in the city to find them.
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Ramen
Wagyu Shoyu Ramen from Afuri (Hanna McLean/Daily Hive)
We’re lucky to have a wealth of fantastic ramen restaurants in this city, but that also means it can be hard to choose where to go. From chicken-based broths to traditional tonkatsu to innovative charcoal-infused bowls, there’s ramen for every taste, mood, and occasion in Vancouver.
Some of our favourite picks for where to get the dish in Vancouver include Maruhachi (formerly known as Marutama), Ramen Danbo, Ramen Santouka, and Afuri.
Congee
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A versatile dish that is especially popular in China, congee is a porridge that can be enjoyed with different types of toppings. From sweet to savoury, seafood to veggie, there are congee types to satisfy any taste and mood.
Thankfully, there are loads of places in Vancouver and Metro Vancouver where you can find high-quality and tasty congee to keep you satisfied all winter long. Check out Congee Noodle King, New Town Bakery, or Congee Noodle Delight to get in on the congee action all winter long.
Pho
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One of the national dishes of Vietnam, and one of our favourite dishes ever, a good bowl of pho is a true cure-all, in our opinion. Whether it’s a cold day, a breakup, a pesky flu, or just a bout of hunger you’re dealing with, there’s little as satisfying as a big, steaming bowl of the stuff.
No matter the kind of pho you’re after, Vancouver has a fantastic variety of Vietnamese cuisine, meaning there’s so much good pho in this city that it can be hard to decide where to go. For starters, we recommend Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen, Pho Goodness, Mr. Red Café, or The Lunch Lady.
Macaroni and Cheese
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Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of homemade mac and cheese? Combining cheese and pasta (our two favourite food groups), this delicious carb and dairy (or dairy substitute) combo is guaranteed to hit the spot for all the right reasons.
With a range of Vancouver eateries – from Burgoo to Six Acres – putting their spin on this classic dish, there’s a wide range of types and varieties of mac and cheese to be found in this city.
Hot Pot
Courtesy Big Way Hot Pot
The origin of the hot pot goes back to China, but plenty of other cuisines also have their own take on the social dining experience, including Korean and Vietnamese.
Best enjoyed with friends – and bottles of beer, soju, or the fiery Fen Chiew (Chinese fermented vodka) for the hardcore – hot pot is not only a comforting winter dish, it’s an experience, one that is always different, depending on where you go. We like Big Way Hot Pot, The Dolar Shop, and Crab Hot Lau for some of the best hot pot experiences in the city.
Fondue
Champagne and cheese fondue/Shutterstock
There’s hardly a food more comforting than melted cheese, and lucky for us, fondue is the socially acceptable version of this decadent dish. Whether you’re dipping it in fresh sourdough or pouring it over potatoes and cured meat, fondue just screams comfort on a cold, winter night.
The dish had its heyday back in the 1960s and has since dwindled in popularity, but its retro vibes and fun, social aspect (also the cheese – did we mention melted cheese?) makes us want to bring it back in a big way. A few restaurants still serve it, including French Table, Burgoo, and La Mezcaleria.
Fried Chicken Sandwich
@pennyshotchicken/Instagram | @pennyshotchicken/Instagram
The fried chicken sandwich is probably one of the most perfect foods ever invented – and one of our personal favourites. The combination of fried chicken, a bun, and maybe a pickle, maybe some coleslaw, reigns supreme for us when it comes to go-to comfort foods.
Not every fried chicken joint is made equal though, and we certainly have our opinions about the best spots in the city – a list that includes Juke Fried Chicken, DownLow Chicken Shack, and The Frying Pan.
Soup
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Soup is simple, soup is good, soup is absolutely comforting. No matter your stance on soup, one thing is for sure: come winter, we start shifting into soup season. From French Onion soup at Jules Bistro to classic Tomato Soup at Burgoo, there’s a soup for every taste and mood in Vancouver.
Poutine
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Once again, cheese is the star of this dish – and of our hearts. Fresh fries, rich gravy, and squeaky cheese curds: this is the glorious trio that makes up the classic Canadian dish. Sure, you can order this up these days at McDonald’s, if you must, and it definitely doesn’t need to break the bank, but you can also sit down and stick your fork into some fancier versions of this ultimate snack (that eats like a meal). Vancouver is full of options when it comes to this tantalizing Quebecois import.