There are still a couple of weeks left in the first-ever Dine OutSide Vancouver festival, and plenty of sun in the current forecast. While lots of us might have back to school and pumpkin spice everything on our minds, it is still summer, and there are several restaurants across the city taking part in Dine OutSide that are putting together some amazing picnics you can grab and go.
So pack up your blanket, disguise that vino in a juice bottle (wink!), and head to your favourite park, beach, or yard for a physically-distanced picnic with your closest bubble-mates. Here are our recs for the best picnic-to-go sets to score during Dine OutSide Vancouver - which runs until Sept. 21.
Chimec
Chimec's fried chicken. Photo courtesy Dine OutSide VancouverGive one of Vancouver's newer fried chicken hot spots a go with their $25 bundle for two. The picnic to-go meal contains five pieces of legs and thighs, one order of Fries, a Small Caesar Salad and two pops or waters. Then hit the nearby beach for your feast!
BeSide Forage
Put on your comfy eating pants, because BeSide Forage (the fun music-themed casual spot adjacent to, you guessed it, Forage) has a big feed available to-go: BBQ Ribs with their special sauce, fried chicken wings, deep-fried cheese curds, living gem lettuce Caesar salad, and their famous Remix hot sauce for dipping.
Fanny Bay Oyster Bar
You. Fresh oysters with all the fixings. An eight-piece prawn cocktail with salad. A bottle of white wine. $49 and it includes the shucking knife. Boom.
Beetbox
Photo courtesy BeetboxBeetbox is 100% plant-based, and 100% delicious comfort eats. For their Dine OutSide promo, the West End eatery is doing an awesome picnic pack with a branded tote bag - perfect for heading straight to the beach or park. The Beetbox Beach Bag is a picnic for two featuring two main course options (their plant-based burger or Chick-Un sandwich) and two side dishes, plus two drinks (Biota Kombucha, Bridge PrimeTime, or Lone Tree Cider).
DiBeppe
Toast to your good decisions in life with a couple of Aperol spritzes from DiBeppe. The unpretentious high-quality Gastown Italian eatery has a terrific picnic to-go for two that features a selection of salumi and cheese with house-made sottaceti (pickled things), agrodolce pickled beets, a fresh-baked loaf of bread, and strawberry rosemary Jam. Oh, and those two spritzes, too!
OEB Breakfast
Yaletown's outpost of this YYC-based breakfast spot has three pretty killer to-go bundles, each designed for two. For $50 they've got a "Poutine Basket" you can get with a mini Mimosa kit. Next, at $60, they've got a bagels and waffles bundle. Then, the heavy-hitter at $100 is their "Yaletown" which has one of their signature chunky lobster and shrimp scramble breakfast poutine, French Toast Trifle and a bottle of Grey Monk Odyssey Rose Bubbles - plus the option to add a tin of organic sturgeon caviar (for $80).
Bread x Butter Cafe
Bread x Butter's picnic to-go. Photo courtesy Dine OutSide VancouverThis brand-new downtown cafe is putting out a stunner of gourmet picnic for two, priced at $45. You get the following: Marinated Scallops; Poached Prawns; House Cured Salmon; Tuna Salad; Lemon Caper Aioli; Green Chili Lime sauce; Seaweed Butter; House selected bread; and your choice of San Pellegrino or house soda.
Forage
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.
Brunch
One of downtown Vancouver's newest daytime eats spots has a fun $15 picnic to-go meal for one set featuring a turkey and Cheese torta (Turkey, candied bacon, Havarti cheese, avocado, pickled jalapeño, mayonnaise) served with roasted potatoes or side salad. To drink, it's your choice of horchata or hibiscus water.
Pizzeria Grano
Pizzeria Grano. Photo courtesy Dine OutSide VancouverThis is a great way to get to know Vancouver's newest plant-based pizza joint. Grano has a to-go deal for two pizzas and a salad for $40. Score!
Sopra Sotto
The Drive's Sopra Sotto has a lovely picnic to-go set on offer. Priced at $50, it contains Caserecce al pesto (pasta made daily in-house, home-made pesto sauce, cherry tomatoes and fresh burrata); Rucola Salad (arugula, radicchio, fennel, shallots, and olives); fresh focaccia bread made in-house; and a bottle of Costamolino Vermentino wine (white).
Water St Cafe
Gastown's Water Street Cafe has a lovely pair of $50 meals for two they're offering for take-out right now. Each is four courses, including a dessert, with a side of garlic toast. One is a meaty option, the other all veg. That's a great deal for a big meal!
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
Who knew picnics could be so high-end? Boulevard did, of course. They've got a meal for two featuring the following: Oyama Charcuterie with Olives and Sourdough; Duck Confit; Cheese, Almonds and Quince Paste; Smoked Salmon with Capers, Onion, and Cucumber; Potato Salad; Farm Greens and Vinaigrette; and Cherries.
Miku and Minami
Minami. Photo courtesy Dine OutSide VancouverThese sibling spots are both putting on a tantalizing sushi-centric spread during Dine OutSide Vancouver. Miku is offering a special $41 Lunch Shokai which 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. Similarly, Minami in Yaletown has Minami Zen for lunch take-out, also starring prawn fritters, an array of aburi, nigiri, and maki sushi, and dishes like Fraser Valley Chicken Nanban and a tofu salad.
Fable Diner
This is one for a whole family, designed to feed four people. Here's what's in what they're calling the Family Picnic: Kale Caesar salad for four, Fried Chicken appetizer for four, two ham & swiss sandwiches, two grilled vegetable sandwiches (ask about substituting four Main street burgers for $20), four house-made Ice cream sandwiches, four drinks (choice of cans of beer, cider, mocktails, pop).
