16 Vancouver food events you can't miss in January

We can’t believe it, but 2020 is officially here.

Even though we’re in a different decade, Vancouver’s restaurants, bars, and the local food community, in general, have some amazing events in store for us all January long.

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  • A BC winery has been named the Canadian Winery of the Year for 2019
  • These were Vancouver’s most buzzed-about restaurant openings in 2019
  • Biggest celebrity sightings in Vancouver restaurants this year

So between trying to stay on top of your resolutions, be sure to head to some of these awesome January food events in Vancouver.

Special New Year’s Day brunches in Vancouver

Whether you’re planning to have a New Year’s Eve filled with debaucherous party antics or not, one thing we can guess is that you’ll likely be in need of a killer brunch on the first day of 2020. Lucky for you, several Vancouver restaurants have special brunches happening on January 1. Here are some awesome brunches to eat in Vancouver on New Year’s Day.

When: January 1
Where: Restaurants around Vancouver

Winter Wonderland Afternoon Tea at the Trump Champagne Lounge

Available daily from December 9 to March 22 from noon to 4 pm, this festive tea is $65 per person or $118 per person for an additional box of macarons and a glass of bubbles. This spread boasts eats like a ruby chocolate lace lollipop, mont blanc cream puff, and a roasted spice duck slider, to name a few.

When: Daily until March 22 from noon to 4 pm
Where: The Trump Champagne Lounge – 1161 W Georgia Street, Vancouver
Price: $65 per person or $118 for an additional box of macarons and a glass of bubbles; reserve online

Festive Set Menu at TWG Tea Salon & Boutique

The Festive Set Menu at TWG takes afternoon tea to a whole new level. Patrons who head here for this experience will enjoy a festive special mocktail, a main course of lightly seared foie gras and duck breast, and a choice of two desserts also with the Magic Christmas Tea, among other things. This menu is available from December 10 to January 3. Reserve online.

When: Daily until January 3
Where: TWG Tea Salon & Boutique – 1070 West Georgia Street, Vancouver

Winterlust at H Tasting Lounge

Courtesy H Tasting Lounge

The menu will feature several boozy festive drinks including cocktails, warm sips, wines, and beers. For food, expect seasonal snacks like Fondue, Two Rivers Wurst, and Dungeness Crab Gratin, along with a Baked Chocolate Ganache if you want a sweet finish.

When: Available until January 19
Where: H Tasting Lounge – 1601 Bayshore Drive, Vancouver
Price: $200 food and beverage minimum spend

Bells and Whistles’ Sunday Night Movie Series

This month Bells and Whistles is getting festive with screenings of The Hangover (January 5), Galaxy Quest (January 12), The Naked Gun (January 19) and This is Spinal Tap (January 26).

When: January 5, 12, 19, 26
Where: Bells and Whistles – 3296 Fraser Street, Vancouver

West Craft’s Sunday Service

West Craft (Hopwired Festival, Fruit Beer Fest) will be setting up shop at East Vancouver’s Prototype Coffee starting January 5 and every Sunday for the next five weeks after that until February 2. The temporary residency will offer patrons rare and hard to find craft beers alongside Prototypes coffee and snacks, and proceeds go towards supporting the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. West Craft will also be collecting non-perishable food items.

When: Sundays from January 5 to February 2
Where: Prototype Coffee – 883 E Hastings Street, Vancouver

Gluten Free Expo

Canada’s largest gluten free event is returning to the Vancouver Convention Centre East with hundreds of products to check out.

When: January 11 and 12
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre East – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver
Price: $12-$39; buy online

Wildebeest X The Acorn “Roots to Shoots” Winter Harvest Dinner

Wildebeest will be hosting a collaboration dinner with The Acorn on January 13 at 7 pm. The all-vegetarian “Roots to Shoots” Winter Harvest Dinner will be a multi-course feast. There is also a vegan option for this meal.

When: January 13 at 7 pm
Where: Wildebeest – 120 W Hastings Street, Vancouver
Price: $69 per person; buy online

Dinner With A View – Vancouver

Get cozy in one of 20 heated, clear, frameless geodesic structures. Each dome seats a minimum of four and a maximum of six people.

Inside guests will find luxurious pillows, blankets, and decor as they enjoy a three-course meal prepared by a celebrity chef. Diners can choose between blind menus, which will accommodate several different dietary restrictions including meals that can be made meat-, fish-, and vegan-centric.

When: January 15 to February 16, 2020
Where: Ambleside Beach, West Vancouver
Price: $199.99 for dome reservations and $109.99 per dinner per person; tickets go on sale December 9 at 7 am when you can buy them online

Dine Out Vancouver 2020

This annual festival boasts 17 days of culinary experiences, from guided dining adventures, brunch crawls, cocktail masterclasses, wine debates, guest chef dinners, BC VQA wine and craft beer tastings, to street food markets, and more.

When: January 17 through February 2
Where: Restaurant around Vancouver

Street Food City 9

Now in its ninth year, the food truck extravaganza will take place on select dates from January 17 to February 6, where foodies can find a rotating selection of purveyors outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, in šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square, on the north side of the building.

When: January 17, 18, 19, and 31, February 1 to 6; 11 am to 3 pm on weekdays and 11 am to 5 pm on weekends
Where: šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square (in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery), Vancouver
Price: Free entry

“Cabane à Sucre” Dinner Series at St. Lawrence

For three nights this month St. Lawrence will be hosting a trio of exclusive “Cabane à Sucre” dinner featuring multiple courses. There are seatings at 5:30 and 8 pm.

When: January 19, 20, and 21; seatings at 5:30 and 8 pm
Where: St Lawrence Restaurant – 269 Powell Street, Vancouver
Price: $125 per person; buy online

Bar Gobo at Burdock & Co

This pop-up dinner series runs on select Monday nights and offers walk-in patrons sustainable-themed fare. Bar Gobo’s January 20 pop-up features Curious Oyster and dishes made by Chef Andrea and her talented kitchen team.

When: January 20 at 8 pm
Where: Burdock & Co – 2702 Main Street, Vancouver

Hip Hop Trivia Night at Juke Fried Chicken

Teams of up to six are invited to take part in five rounds of questions on all things hip hop. There will be food and drink specials and prizes up for grabs too. Sign up as an individual or a team of up to six via email ([email protected]), Instagram, or Facebook to guarantee a spot or simply walk-in night-of.

When: January 21
Where: Juke Fried Chicken – 182 Keefer Street, Vancouver

The Dalmore Chinese New Year Dinner at Origo Club

Origo Club will pay early homage to two big celebrations in January — Robbie Burns Day and Chinese New Year — when it hosts The Dalmore Chinese New Year Dinner. The evening will feature special guest and The Dalmore Ambassador Louis-Jérôme Doise and a six-course Scotch-pairing dinner prepared by Chef David Pan to mark The Year of the Rat and the upcoming birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns.

When: January 23 at 6:30 pm
Where: Origo Club – 6888 River Road #110, Richmond
Price: $220; buy online

It’s Just Drag: BRUNCH

Hosted by Kendall Gender and featuring tons of other talented Canadian queens, your ticket to It’s Just Drag includes a brunch buffet and the time of your life.

When: January 25 from 11 am to 3 pm
Where: Colony Bar Granville – 965 Granville Street, Vancouver
Price: $40 – $500; buy online