Sandwiched between breakfast (the alleged “most important meal of the day”) and dinner (the meal that seems to get all the attention), there’s no good reason to overlook lunch.
Lunch can be the midday bright spot in the workday, or where you linger on a day off. From where to settle in for a marathon chat sesh with the ladies who lunch, to handy spots for quick bites, we’re exploring lunch of all kinds, all around Vancouver.
See also
- Eat Your Lunch Out: Gastown
- Eat Your Lunch Out: 14 patio lunch spots in Vancouver
- Eat Your Lunch Out: New places to have lunch in Vancouver
- Eat Your Lunch Out: Railtown and the DTES
- Eat Your Lunch Out: Vegan and vegetarian restaurants
Here’s where to eat lunch if you’re in Yaletown.
Homer St. Cafe and Bar
Dishing up hearty, top-notch lunches (and dinners) week-round, this Yaletown hot spot on the corner of Homer and Smithe is a terrific spot to enjoy a sit-down meal. Known for their juicy cuts of rotisserie chicken, it would be rude not order a plate, at least once. Sold in quarter, half, or whole cuts, with coleslaw, roasted potatoes, and a delectable chicken jus, this dish will have you coming back time and time again.
Address: 898 Homer Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-428-4299
Twitter: @HomerStCafeBar
Tacofino – Yaletown
Photo courtesy Tacofino (Amy Ho)
Tacofino’s latest addition on Mainland Street is proving to be a huge hit with locals (was there ever any doubt?), so much so lines can be seen forming at lunch most days. Food wise, burritos and tacos are aplenty. Diners can expect to find burritos and tacos of all varieties, ranging from familiar favourites like the Crispy Cod Taco to new additions like the Lemongrass Chicken Taco and the White Beans and Pickled Cauliflower Burrito.
Address: 1025 Mainland, Vancouver
Twitter: @TacofinoVAN
Per se Social Corner
For an al fresco lunch in Yaletown head to the Social Corner. The restaurant offers a range of tasty pizzas, including classic options like Margherita (tomato sauce, fior de latte, and basil) and more inventive takes like Tuna Tartare (tuna, Japanese mayo, avocado, sesame seeds, and sesame oil). If you’re feeling snacky be sure to order a plate of the Free Fall Potato Chips, which are cut to order and presented as a huge towering stack.
Address: 891 Homer Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-428-6111
Twitter: @_socialcorner
WildTale Coastal Grill
Jess Fleming/Daily Hive
With a welcoming 40-seat patio and spacious interior who wouldn’t want to sit and linger at this modern, seafood-focused restaurant come lunch. Savour Crispy Humboldt Squid, Baja Fish Tacos, a Blackened Salmon Burger, a plate of freshly shucked oysters, and more out on WildTale’s open air stretch of Mainland Street.
Address: 1079 Mainland Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-428-9211
Twitter: @wildtalevan
Minami
If you’re after a high-end sushi lunch in Yaletown there’s only one place you can go: Minami. This revered sushi joint and sister establishment to Miku dishes up creative and flavour-packed sushi bites as well as hot entrees. For a ‘change your life’ moment be sure to order the restaurant’s famed aburi or flame-seared sushi.
Address: 1118 Mainland Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-685-8080
Twitter: @MinamiYaletown
Rodney’s Oyster House
You can always count on Rodney’s Oyster House for a delicious meal and some fun Maritime hospitality. While Rodney’s does indeed offer an impressive selection of freshly shucked oysters (sourced from local waters), the restaurant also serves up steaming bowls of clam chowder, potato encrusted halibut, and a scallop pasta that will have you coming back time and time again.
Address: 1228 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-609-0080
Twitter: @rodneysvancity
ZEND Conscious Lounge
Offering a lunch menu that is 100% vegan and made for sharing, ZEND Conscious Lounge serves a variety of healing food and drinks. All of the plant-based, organic, and nutrient-dense ingredients from ZEND’s signature beverages and edible creations are carefully sourced from around the world to provide the highest quality fare.
Address: 1130 Mainland Street, Vancouver
Phone: 778-588-6688
Twitter: @zendlounge
House Special
Uncle Hing’s Chicken Wings (Jess Fleming/Daily Hive)
House Special has been earning accolades since it opened earlier this year. The restaurant on Hamilton Street pairs popular Vietnamese street and market foods, with craft beer, wine, and cocktails. For their lunch menu (different from dinner) House Special showcases more street food fare. Find steaming bowls of pho, Banh Canh Ga (Fried Chicken Noodle Soup), rice bowls, and vermicelli here.
Address: 1269 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
Phone: 778-379-2939
Twitter: @housespecialvan
Small Victory
If a quick bite to eat or lunch to-go is more your style head to Small Victory on Homer Street. Part bakery, part cafe, Small Victory offers a selection of hearty sandwiches (like Corned Beef, Roasted Pepper Chicken, and a Turkey BLT), in addition to spicy chicken rolls, chicken pot pies, and more.
Address: 1088 Homer Street, Yaletown
Phone: 604-899-8892
Twitter: @sv_bakery
DD MAU
Jess Fleming/Daily Hive
This casual canteen-style eatery dedicates its menu to Vietnamese classics, such as vermicelli bowls and banh mi. With loaded subs (served on crispy fresh baked baguettes with cucumbers, picked radish and carrots, cilantro, and jalapeños) it’s no wonder why DD MAU has a line out their door at lunch. Sub toppings include lemongrass chicken, BBQ pork, honey-garlic beef, grilled lemongrass tofu, or an assortment of Vietnamese cold cuts (steamed pork loaf, head cheese, and pork shoulder).
Address: 1239 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver
Phone: 604-684-4446
Twitter: @ddmau
Bella Gelateria
Come lunch, Bella Gelateria’s location in Yaletown has a lot of things going for it; delicious Neapolitan-style pizza, a never-ending list of gelato flavours, and a cozy patio offering water views.
Address: 1089 Marinaside Crescent, Vancouver
Phone: 778-737-7890
Twitter: @bellagelateria