Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
📍Vancouver BC City Guide
41
items A curated selection of the best that Vancouver — coffee, cocktails, and everything in between!
Map
Sections
7
☕ For the Coffee Lovers
☔ Rain Essentials
🍺 For the Beer Curious
🌯 Casual Eats
🍷 For the Love of Wine
🍸 For a Proper Cocktail
☕ For the Coffee Lovers
This is my Vancouver coffee rotation — the places I go back to for a solid pour-over, properly pulled espresso, and spaces that feel intentional. Some are better for slow mornings, others for focused afternoons, but all take coffee seriously!
A Gastown favorite that's as much about the coffee as it is about the space - high ceilings, train inspired seating niches and big windows pulling in natural light. The pastries are a delightful bonus! Seating can be snug but it's ideal for a slow mo...
Timbertrain Coffee Roasters
Bright and modern space in the heart of downtown that is good for getting work done. I usually settle in with a pour-over, though their espresso is consistently dialed in and holds its own.
FUNK. Coffee Bar
Minimal and quietly refined, Oidé feels intentional in every detail. I come for the pour-overs that are always thoughtfully prepared. A calm spot when I want to slow down for a bit.
Oidé Coffee
A thoughtful, specialty-leaning spot with a minimalist approach and a serious coffee program. They offer a wide selection of beans from Asian roasters, friendly baristas, well-balanced pour-overs, and consistently excellent espresso. My go-to for a q...
Yuán Coffee
A specialty coffee standout in Strathcona with a serious roast-to-cup program. I usually go for one of their many pour-overs, and the espresso offerings are impressive too. Watching beans roast behind the bar and chatting with knowledgeable baristas ...
Prototype Coffee
Cozy and unpretentious, Slo leans into a slower pace without compromising on quality. Thoughtfully brewed pour-overs and reliable espresso make it an easy neighborhood stop when I want something low-key but well done.
Slo Coffee Granville St.
☔ Rain Essentials
You can’t talk about Vancouver without talking about the rain! These are the essentials that make it feel manageable.
Designed in Vancouver. Lightweight, comfortable, and easy to style — perfect for coffee runs and grey-day walks without worrying about soaked socks.
Vessi Stormburst Sneakers
A true Vancouver staple. Lightweight, fully waterproof, and built for real rain — this is the layer I reach for when the forecast looks questionable but I still want a clean silhouette.
Beta Jacket
Designed to withstand wind and steady rain, this is the kind of umbrella you buy once and keep. Functional and understated.
Ballantyne Umbrella
🍺 For the Beer Curious
When I'm in the mood for a beer, these are the spots I return to - good pours, relaxed energy and somewhere I'd happily stay awhile.
A Mount Pleasant staple with a creative, small-batch program and an easygoing energy. The rotating taps are fun to explore, (especially as a flight). I tend to gravitate toward their sours. The patio makes it an easy linger spot.
Electric Bicycle Brewery
One of my favorites in the city. Strange Fellows leans Belgian-inspired, with thoughtfully crafted beers that feel balanced and intentional rather than trendy. I usually explore whatever’s rotating, but their sours and farmhouse styles are especially...
Strange Fellows Brewing
Known for their hazy IPAs and unmistakable branding, Superflux brings a little more energy to the lineup. The beer is consistently well made, especially if you lean hop-forward, and it’s an easy place to meet friends when you want something more live...
Superflux Beer Company
An easygoing Mount Pleasant brewery with a well-balanced, approachable lineup. The beers are thoughtfully made without being flashy, and the space has a relaxed, neighborhood feel. A comfortable stop when I’m in the mood for something low-key.
Slow Hand Beer Company
A smaller, experimental-leaning brewery in Mount Pleasant with a thoughtful rotating lineup. It’s a good place to try something new — especially as a flight!
Faculty Brewing Co.
A true East Van staple known for small-batch, ever-changing brews. The space is unpretentious, the lineup is unpredictable, and that’s part of the charm. A fun stop when I want something a little off the beaten path.
Storm Brewing
A low-key Mount Pleasant brewery with a well-crafted, rotating lineup. I appreciate that the beers feel considered and balanced rather than overworked. An easy, neighborhood stop.
Brewing August
🌯 Casual Eats
For when you’re tired of the reservation hustle and just want to eat something good.
While the fried chicken gets the attention, the tofu is actually my favorite — crispy on the outside, well seasoned, and generously sauced. It’s quick, satisfying, and exactly what I want when I don’t feel like navigating reservations but still want ...
Disco Cheetah
A quick, no-fuss stop when I just want something satisfying. I usually go for the hoisin wrap — crispy chicken with a sweet-savory glaze that hits the spot without feeling too heavy.
Eat Chicken Wraps
The downtown location is an easy, no-fuss stop when I’m in the area and need something satisfying. I usually go for the Indian-inspired roll — warm, spiced, and generously packed. It’s quick, flavorful, and exactly the kind of place I default to when...
Rollzzy
A casual Korean spot I default to when I want something satisfying but not heavy. I usually go for the kimbap — fresh, well-balanced, and easy to eat without committing to a full sit-down meal.
Nom Nom
A dumpling spot that feels genuinely owner-driven. The soup dumplings are the draw, the chili oil wontons are just as good, and there’s a clear sense that care goes into what’s coming out of the kitchen. Casual and comforting!
Nine Dumplings Nine Dishes
🍷 For the Love of Wine
For the nights that call for wine. A mix of natural-leaning bars, classic European lists, and wine-forward kitchens — all places where the bottle is taken seriously.
An intimate downtown wine bar with a laid-back, unpretentious spirit. Run by local natural wine enthusiasts, Pretend Wine Bar pours a curated, globe-minded list — from Greek bottlings to unexpected discoveries — and pairs it with a small menu of snac...
Pretend Wine Bar (@pretendwinebar)
A Gastown natural wine bar with a thoughtfully curated list and a rotating kitchen concept that keeps things fresh. The staff are knowledgeable and great at guiding you through bottles from BC and beyond, and the small, seasonal plates — paired with ...
Bar Tartare
A Chinatown wine bar with a laid-back but intentional vibe. The wine list leans terroir-driven and natural, and guests consistently praise the friendly, knowledgeable service that makes it easy to explore bottles you might not otherwise try. Small, s...
Bar Gobo
A cozy, French-leaning wine bar with a warm, neighborhood feel. The list skews classic and European, and the staff is consistently praised for being welcoming and knowledgeable without making it feel intimidating. The small plates are simple but well...
Is That French
A Railtown tasting room that leans more winery than wine bar. The focus here is on BC-produced wines, with flights that make it easy to explore what’s being made locally. The space feels airy and relaxed, and it’s an easy choice for a casual tasting ...
Vancouver Urban Winery
An East Village wine-forward restaurant with a natural-leaning list and standout seasonal plates. The pairings feel intentional, and it’s an easy place to make a night of it.
Dachi Restaurant and Natural Wine
A Mount Pleasant snack bar with an approachable, natural-leaning list and well-executed small plates. Lively, unfussy, and an easy place to meet over a bottle.
Dear Gus Snack Bar
🍸 For a Proper Cocktail
For when the drink matters. From hidden speakeasies to lively late-night rooms, these are the spots I return to for well-built cocktails and the right kind of atmosphere.
A cozy neighborhood spot with well-balanced cocktails and an unfussy vibe. Easy to drop into for a proper drink without committing to a full night out.
Noah's Cafe: Home
A Gastown cellar bar with live music and a strong late-night energy. Solid cocktails, exposed brick, and a good pick when you want more atmosphere than conversation.
Guilt & Co
A Chinatown spot with a focused cocktail program and a clean, modern feel. Creative without being overworked, and an easy place to start — or end — the night.
Meo
A tucked-away speakeasy inside The Lion with low light and well-executed cocktails. Classic-leaning, balanced, and a good option when you want something quieter and more intentional.
Call Me Back
A Chinatown cocktail bar with an apothecary-inspired menu and a darker, late-night feel. Layered drinks, bold flavors, and a room that leans more toward atmosphere than conversation.
The Keefer Bar
A hidden Chinatown speakeasy tucked behind a dumpling shop, with a cocktail menu inspired by Chinese apothecary ingredients. The drinks lean bold and herbal without feeling gimmicky, and the room is intimate, dim, and a little transportive.
Laowai
An intimate cocktail bar with a playful, well-executed menu. Inventive without being overworked, and a good pick when the night starts to stretch.
Key Party
🍽 Reservation Worthy
For the nights that call for something a little more considered. Book ahead.
A yōshoku-inspired dining bar with a strong cocktail program and a playful, nostalgic edge. Thoughtful execution, a moody room, and a good choice when dinner is the plan.
Nomo Nomo
A Chinatown restaurant known for its Japanese-Italian approach and polished execution. House-made pastas, carefully composed small plates, and a wine list that complements the menu without overpowering it.
Kissa Tanto
A Mount Pleasant tasting-menu restaurant known for its hyper-seasonal, ingredient-driven approach. Tons of precision and care behind each course, with a strong emphasis on local sourcing and natural-leaning wines.
Burdock & Co
An East Van Italian spot with house-made pastas, wood-fired dishes, and a strong Italian-leaning wine list. Warm, polished, and worth booking when the night calls for something a little more special.
Osteria Savio Volpe
A Main Street restaurant showcasing modern Peruvian cooking with bold, well-balanced flavors. The ceviches and seafood-forward dishes stand out.
SUYO Modern Peruvian
A Japanese spot with beautifully composed set menus and restrained execution. Intentional, polished, and worth reserving when dinner feels like the occasion.
Raisu