The ultimate Seth Rogen-approved Vancouver food crawl
It’s no secret that Vancouverite Seth Rogen loves the food scene in his hometown. He’s been spotted all across the city eating at all the best restaurants. In fact, he’s been seen at so many different restaurants that there’s enough to make a whole day out of all the restaurants he’s been to.
So naturally, we put together one epic Seth Rogen-themed food crawl for you to enjoy the next time you’re looking for something to do in the city.
From historic Vancouver doughnuts to a spot with Anthony Bourdain’s stamp of approval, here is where you should visit if you want to eat around Vancouver Rogen style.
Lunch Lady
To start your Rogen-themed adventure, we’d recommend heading over to Lunch Lady, where Rogen was spotted dining alongside SNL Star Bowen Yang and Tzi Ma.
Here, you’ll find a plethora of tasty options, but we urge you to save room for the other tasty stops in the store.
Order yourself a cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese iced coffee) to sip on while you snack on some shareables. Anything you find on the menu will be tasty, but we’d recommend trying the Crispy Soft Shell Crab and Prawn Fritters.
It wouldn’t be a Lunch Lady recommendation if we didn’t mention any of its noodle options. We’re particularly fond of the Wagyu Pho Bo (Snake River Farms wagyu zabuton, sliced beef shank, roasted bone marrow, slow-poached egg, and rice noodles all in a 24-hour beef broth), but be sure to save room for what else is to come.
View this post on Instagram
The Lunch Lady is no stranger to celebrity endorsements. The restaurant was featured in chef Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations when he dined at Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh’s food stall in Vietnam.
Local restaurant owner Michael Tran then brought the restaurant to Vancouver. Tran first travelled to Vietnam in 2012 and stopped at The Lunch Lady, an experience that he said had “changed his life forever.”
In 2018, the restaurateur contacted Thanh, and their partnership began. It was then that the first steps were taken to bring Lunch Lady to North America, and in 2020, the restaurant opened.
Address: 1046 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Pepino’s Spaghetti House
Pepino’s is the place to stock up on some tasty carbs. Perhaps best known for its limited-edition Hot Chicken Pizza collab with DL Chicken, this spot boasts a killer menu of pastas and ‘za’s.
Depending on the size of your party, we recommend ordering pasta and pizza to share (there’s no harm in taking leftovers home; don’t let anyone tell you otherwise).
For pasta, you can’t go wrong with either the Rigatoni alla Vodka, Fettuccini Truffle Alfredo, or the classic Spaghetti & Meatballs
View this post on Instagram
As for pizza, we’ll always be big fans of Big Stinger with vodka sauce, cheese, soppressata, Vic’s hot honey, and sesame seeds. However, every pie on its menu is fantastic, and we recommend following your heart when it comes to ordering.
Rogen visited this spot back in 2019, and the restaurant said he had so many fond memories from when his folks used to bring him as a kid. This makes sense since the spot has been around since 1962 under the name Nick’s Spaghetti House.
Address: 631 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Damso Modern Korean
If this were any other food article, we’d tell you to order the All-You-Can-Eat Pork Belly from Damso. However, this is a “eat like Seth Rogen for a day” article, and while the pork belly is definitely worth it, we can’t get you too full only halfway through your journey.
View this post on Instagram
Split a couple of Korean Tacos and an order of Rose Tteokboki while you sip on some Yogurt Soju cocktails. However, if you truly want to live the true Rogen experience, then you can copy his order of pork belly and Korean fried chicken.
Address: 867 Denman Street, Vancouver
- You might also like:
- Local barista turns studio apartment into free pop-up coffee shop
- Pedro Pascal, Owen Wilson, and 4 other recent celebrity restaurant sightings in Vancouver
- Food truck claims it was replaced by copycat vendor at Richmond Night Market
Little Bird Dim Sum + Craft Beer
Buns and beers? That sounds like the perfect combo, and it looks like Rogen agrees.
Rogen has been spotted multiple times at Little Bird Dim Sum enjoying its selection of items such as Siu Mai, Steamed Pork Buns, Sticky Rice, Curry Squid, Fried Wontons, and Crispy Bean Curd Roll.
View this post on Instagram
When it comes to what to order, feel free to go wild and get whatever sounds good to you at the moment (we’re personally big fans of the Siu Mai and Sticky Rice if you need a little guidance). If you’re someone who drinks alcohol, definitely get a craft beer to wash it all down.
Another recent star appearance at Little Bird Dim Sum includes Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard.
Maenam
By this point, you’ll be starting to feel pretty full, but we encourage you to persevere at these last two spots. It’s what Rogen would have wanted anyway.
At this spot, opt for something light, like the Grilled Thai Sausage & Crispy Rice Salad. It features house-made grilled pork sausage, curried crispy rice, fresh coriander, fried shallots, young lemongrass, young ginger, and nahm jim dressing.
View this post on Instagram
However, if you are looking for something more substantial, Maenam serves up a delicious Green Curry with Pacific Halibut and 3 Flavor Prawn Stir-fry.
Maenam is also a favourite spot of Hollywood celebrity Kate Winslet so you know it’s got to be good.
Lee’s Donuts
Rogen can’t seem to get enough of Lee’s Donuts, having mentioned it on multiple Netflix shows, such as Dinner Time Live with David Chang and Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
For Rogen purists, the order is simple: six hot jelly-filled donuts. Despite being extremely full, be sure to enjoy even just one bite. There are few things better in life than a fresh Lee’s donut.
View this post on Instagram
Take the rest home to share with friends and family — or to eat at 2 am after you lay awake, not being able to stop thinking about these tasty donuts. This is a judgment-free zone, don’t worry.
Still hungry? Discover Dished Vancouver on TikTok
Follow Channels and Categories