These are the best Dine OutSide Vancouver deals when you want to treat yourself

There's often no better time to splurge on a delicious meal at a local restaurant than when they're running a great special, and right now restaurants all across Vancouver are doing just that, as part of the new Dine OutSide event.

Dine OutSide Vancouver runs August 21 through September 21, 2020. The month-long "festival" finds Vancouver restaurants offering specially-priced multi-course menus to be enjoyed on their permanent or temporary patios, with some offering special to-go picnic packs, and other enticing offers.

There are over 160 participating restaurants, including some of the cream of the crop in Vancouver known for their fine dining (and the accompanying price tag). While some are sticking to the traditional prix fixe menus, many have creative and exciting offerings for enjoying on their patios or picnic to-go style. Here are our picks for some of the best Dine OutSide Vancouver menus if you're really looking to treat yourself. 

Miku

The sushi course of Miku's Dine OutSide lunch menu. Photo: Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome

With a second-floor terrace facing the Burrard Inlet and those iconic sails on Canada Place, and a menu of showstopping sushi and modern Japanese fare, downtown's Miku restaurant is always a stunner. But during Dine OutSide Vancouver, they're offering a special $41 Lunch Shokai that is an absolute treat you shouldn't miss out on. Available for dine-in or take-out, the meal includes a set of appetizers (Miso soup, prawn fritters with salad, and a tender piece of sake-glazed beef with potato puree and fried Brussels sprout) and a beautiful selection of sushi, including nigiri pieces, roll pieces, and their signature torched (aburi) sushi. Their green tea cake is available as a $7 add-on for dessert.

L'Abattoir

L'Abattoir is offering guests dining on their patio during Dine Outside a $60 menu for two people, with a choice of four patio menu items off the blackboard and two homemade ice cream bars. Don't wait on this one - patio seating is first-come, first-served, starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, weather permitting.

The Acorn

Feast on the unique, locally sourced, organic and seasonal three-course prix-fixe $45 dinner menu at this award-winning vegetarian restaurant. Rserve a socially distanced table in The Acorn dining room, or get a first-come-first-served spot on their curbside patio. Vegan and gluten-free options are available, too.

Burdock & Co.

Seared halibut from a recent five-course tasting menu at Burdock. Photo: Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome

Main Street's trail-blazing Burdock & Co. has a fun side-street grassed patio, and you can sit down there to check out the restaurant's seasonally-driven five-course $55 menu. Look for stars of the summer like fresh peas, Saskatoon berries, and peaches in elegant, approachable dishes. You'll dine next to the restaurant's edible garden, and you'll want to check out their list of carefully-selected wines and other beverages.

The Lobby Lounge and RawBar

There are fewer places in Vancouver that instantly make you feel like a million bucks than the sweeping marble lobby of the Fairmont Pacific Rim. For lunch, their Lobby Lounge and RawBar has an incredible $35 three-course Dine OutSide menu that can't be beat. Choose from two soups to start - both starring stunning B.C. seafood - and either a trio of sushi nori tacos or the chef's choice bento box for your main. Plus you can choose from two tempting sweet treats for dessert.

Nightingale

Sit down to lunch for two or four with downtown's Nightingale's duo of special menu offerings. Enjoy fresh salads with seasonal ingredients, veggie sides, and elegant mains - including their terrific fried chicken dish.

Forage

Charcuterie set at Forage. Photo: Forage Vancouver/Facebook

Robson Street's Forage has your choice of two stellar picnic to-go packs to choose from. Head to the nearest park and tuck into their loaded charcuterie bundle, or opt for the "Sea and Land" pack showcasing their albacore tuna crudo, bison carpaccio, and grilled seasonal veggies.

Espana

Infuse a little Spanish flavour into your dining life. Espana has two offerings. First up, between 5 and 6:30 p.m. nightly, dine-in guests can enjoy a paella for two (meat, seafood or vegetarian) and a bottle of house red, white or rose wine or 1L of Espana sangria. Enjoy a similar bundle from their to-go options (Beach Package 1) or an elegant charcuterie selection with wine (Beach Package 2).

Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar

Considered one of the city's top fine dining destinations, Boulevard is offering a $45 dine-in option and a $61 "to go" menu, both packed with their beautiful west coast and seafood-centric high-end fare. 

The Victor

The Dine OutSide feature at The Victor. Photo: The Victor/Facebook

Go for a little Vegas-in-Vancouver experience and check out the $45 dinner menu at the recently re-opened The Victor. You can sup on lobster bisque and steak, or Caesar salad and salmon, plus tuck into a decadent dessert. Lots of luxe add-ons available, like foie gras and prawn cocktail, or you can upgrade your main to an even more high-end cut of meat.

The Teahouse in Stanley Park

Haven't been to this classic in Vancouver's iconic Stanley Park in a while...or ever? Why not now. They're offering a $45 menu for lunch or dinner, with options like chicken liver pate, duck confit a l'orange, and a lemon tart. 

Chambar

Chambar is an enduring contemporary favourite in Vancouver, and whether it's been a while or the restaurant is still on your bucket list, their $45 dinner menu would be a great pick for a treat yourself meal out. The menu includes an impressive collection of choices for each course (though when it comes to the main, it's hard to not choose their Moules Frites (mussels and fries).