Every year for two decades now, the Dine Out Vancouver Festival gives us a chance to enjoy our local restaurants in a fun and exciting way, with set menus and special offers. The annual event is a great opportunity to re-visit familiar favourites as well as give a new spot a try.
For 2022 there are over 300 restaurants on the list, and, of course, even some longstanding spots might be new to you. But what about newer Vancouver restaurants that have opened in the last year? Not a problem! This year's Dine Out Vancouver participating restaurant list includes several newcomer options, and we're shining the spotlight on these newbies.
Here's a look at some new Metro Vancouver restaurants you can get to know during Dine Out 2022, and what's on the menu at these buzzy new places.
Paul Bakery Cafe
Beloved in France for well over a century, Paul is a bakeshop and restaurant on Robson Street in downtown Vancouver that features a more casual dining space up front and a more formal one in the back. They opened their first Canadian location here in Vancouver last May, and are now taking part in their first Dine Out, offering a $21 per person three-course brunch menu and a $39 per person three-course dinner. The dinner menu is a terrific value (one main course option alone typically costs $40, the steak frites with bearnaise sauce and an herbed butter topping) and offers a glimpse into Paul's bistro stylings and dessert expertise.
Alouette Bistro
File this other newcomer to downtown's restaurant scene under French fare. Alouette opened in 2021, replacing the previous Indian concept at the Executive Hotel Le Soleil. For their first DOVF, Alouette has a $45 three-course menu available for lunch and dinner, showcasing their bistro fare, including vegetarian options.
Bacaro (Giovane Bacaro)
For another stop on your Vancouver tour of Europe, get a taste of Venice via Bacaro, which is operated by the Kitchen Table Group at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Coal Harbour. Among the starters you can opt for is their Beef Carpaccio di Harry's, a tribute to the famous Venetian restaurant that's been open nearly a century in the beautiful city of canals. Don't skip out on Bacaro's gorgeous house-made pasta dishes, and consider opting to add-on their terrific wine pairings featuring B.C. wines.
Jess' Restaurant
Jess' opened last year, giving Kerrisdale an inviting new option that serves high tea by day and morphs into a restaurant-lounge by night. For their first Dine Out, Jess' is offering a $50 three-course dinner, with selections like Hamachi Two Ways or sweetbreads for starters, Smoked honey duck breast or mushroom risotto for mains, and sweet finishes like an Earl Grey mousse or a classic Paris-Brest for dessert.
Carlino
Dine Out brings a great opportunity to check out one of last year's most closely-watched openings, which is the new Italian restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver. Here you can experience a four-course meal priced at $65 per person that includes a starter, a pasta course, a main course, and dessert. Chase away the winter blues with "Jotta," a soup of borlotti beans, smoked bacon, potato, and sauerkraut, bite into thick strands of bigoli pasta in a house ragu, and try Carlino's signature seafood stew.
Hello Nori
This Robson Street sushi spot is laser-focused on hand rolls, using premium ingredients. Hello Nori's DOVF menu is an affordable $25 and is available at lunch and dinner (no reservations) and features four of the restaurant's signature hand rolls: Bluefin Tuna, Kanpachi, Anago, and Snow Crab. It's a great intro to the restaurant at a wallet-friendly price.
Tendon Kohaku - Vancouver and Burnaby
Both Metro Vancouver locations of Tendon Kohaku, the Singapore-based franchise that specializes in Japanese tempura rice bowls, are taking part in Dine Out for the first time, and both are offering a $25 menu available at brunch, lunch, and dinner time. The menu includes their house special, the Kohaku Tendon set, which is a bowl loaded with rice; Kohaku Tendon sauce; two prawns; one piece each of tempura-fried chicken, squid, baby corn, mushroom, kabocha squash; two French beans, and their soft fried egg. The tendon set comes with miso soup and for DOVF your choice of a specialty lemonade or dessert.
Tutto
A modern Italian restaurant in Yaletown, Tutto is participating in its first Dine Out since opening in late 2020. Tutto is offering a $49 three-course meal for either lunch or dinner, and options include some of their well-known dishes like their squid ink pasta.
Zaatar w Zeit
This global casual franchise focusing on fast, healthy Lebanese fare made its Canadian market debut in Vancouver. For its first Dine Out, Zaatar w Zeit has a $23.99 menu available for dining in or taking to-go that's on offer for lunch or dinner. For lunch, start with your choice of a quinoa salad or fries, enjoy a wrap as your main, and finish with "Red Velvet in a Cup." Evenings, begin with lentil soup, have a potato chicken skillet main, and for dessert spoon up their Carrot Cake in a Cup dish.
A. Bento
Launched in late 2020, A. Bento is a "modern Asian" restaurant specializing in Chinese, Taiwanese, and fusion dishes located on Broadway near Cambie. For the restaurant's debut Dine Out, they are offering a dine-in only dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. for $35 and a menu that showcases their Taiwanese dishes such as cuttlefish with five flavours sauce, or a spicy basil seafood stir fry.
Zarak by Afghan Kitchen
The first Vancouver venture from the established Afghan Kitchen in Surrey opened its doors late last year, so this is a wonderful chance to try this brand new spot out. Enjoy a three-course Middle Eastern dinner for $42 that includes options like hearty lamb for main, and dumplings and savoury dips for starters.
Acqua Restaurant & Bar - Burnaby
This newcomer is located at the Executive Suites Hotel and Conference Centre Metro Vancouver in the Brentwood area. Their $39 Dine Out dinner menu is available for dine-in or take-out. Enjoy French-fuelled dishes like escargot to start and apple tarte tatin to finish, with decadent mains like grilled flank steak or baked seabass with cauliflower couscous.
Britannia Brewing Ladner
The Ladner Village sibling to Steveston's Britannia brewpub is a lively spot that opened up last year. For DOVF 2022 the new restaurant has a $35 dinner showcasing their west coast approachable fare, with choices like Korean fried cauliflower or their refreshing seared albacore tuna to start, mains ranging from housemade pasta with a beef brisket sauce to a health-focused "power bowl."
Bruno Restaurant - Richmond
This groundbreaking new restaurant in Richmond has a couple of different ways to get to know what they're up to, from the casual $29 three-course lunch that features a fried chicken sandwich as its centrepiece to its $59 decadent dinner where you can opt to experience calling card dishes like their oysters, truffle lavender duck, black garlic balsamic glazed pork belly, or grilled wagyu flank steak.
