30 casual dining worth the trip across Canada, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Canada guides.
Phnom Penh ★ 4.8 · Vancouver
chinatown · 244 East Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 1Z7
Phnom Penh on East Georgia Street since 1985 runs the Cambodian and Vietnamese kitchen the city sets its bar by, Michelin Bib Gourmand 2022.
Tip: No reservations; arrive before 18:00 or after 20:30 to skip the line. Cash takes a discount.
Bao Bei ★ 4.7 · Vancouver
chinatown · 163 Keefer Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 1X3
Bao Bei on Keefer Street since 2010 is Tannis Ling's modern Chinese brasserie, Michelin Bib Gourmand 2022, Vancouver's reference natural-wine Chinese room.
Tip: No reservations; the bar walks in from 17:30. Sunday evening is the easier seat.
Maenam ★ 4.7 · Vancouver
kitsilano · 1938 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6J 1M5
Maenam on West 4th since 2009 is chef Angus An's modern Thai kitchen, Michelin recommended 2022, the city's reference Bangkok-meets-BC room.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable open 30 days out; the bar walks in for pad Thai and a Tiger beer.
Anh and Chi ★ 4.7 · Vancouver
mount-pleasant · 3388 Main Street, Vancouver, BC V5V 3M9
Anh and Chi on Main Street is the sibling-run modern Vietnamese kitchen since 2016, Michelin Bib Gourmand 2022, Vancouver's reference banh xeo and pho.
Tip: No reservations; walk-in line for dinner from 17:00. Weekday lunch is the easier seat.
Pai Northern Thai Kitchen ★ 4.6 · Toronto
king-west · 18 Duncan Street, Toronto, ON M5H 3G8
Pai on Duncan is chef Nuit Regular's northern Thai kitchen since 2014, the khao soi from Chiang Mai that set Toronto's modern Thai standard.
Tip: No reservations; expect 45 minutes at 19:00. Lunch 11:30 and 14:30 the easier window; uptown sister at 2335 Yonge.
Kingyo Izakaya ★ 4.6 · Vancouver
west-end · 871 Denman Street, Vancouver, BC V6G 2L8
Kingyo Izakaya on Denman is Vancouver's reference modern izakaya since 2008, named among Canada's best Japanese rooms by EnRoute in the 2014 list.
Tip: Lunch walks in. Dinner books on OpenTable a week out; the chef's counter takes the omakase.
Savio Volpe ★ 4.6 · Vancouver
mount-pleasant · 615 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5T 3K5
Savio Volpe on Kingsway from chefs Mark Perrier and Paul Grunberg since 2016 is a Roman trattoria with a wood-fired grill, Michelin recommended 2022.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable open 30 days out; the bar walks in for grilled antipasti.
Ask for Luigi ★ 4.6 · Vancouver
strathcona · 305 Alexander Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 1C4
Ask for Luigi in Railtown since 2013 is J-C Poirier's Italian handmade-pasta room, the same kitchen behind St Lawrence, Michelin Bib Gourmand 2022.
Tip: No reservations; walk-in line from 17:00. The bar opens 30 minutes earlier.
Dachi ★ 4.6 · Vancouver
strathcona · 2455 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V5K 1Z2
Dachi on East Hastings is a counter-style izakaya since 2018 with a deep sake list and seasonal fish, Michelin Bib Gourmand 2022 and Vancouver Magazine top.
Tip: Tock reservations open 30 days out; the counter walks in for the early seating.
The Acorn ★ 4.6 · Vancouver
mount-pleasant · 3995 Main Street, Vancouver, BC V5V 3P3
The Acorn on Main Street since 2012 is Vancouver's reference vegetarian dining room, Canada's 100 Best top 30, the calendar Plant-Forward leader.
Tip: Reservations on Tock open 30 days out; the bar walks in for halloumi and a natural-wine glass.
Salmon n' Bannock Bistro ★ 4.6 · Vancouver
south-granville · 1128 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6H 1G5
Salmon n' Bannock on West Broadway is Vancouver's only Indigenous-owned restaurant since 2010, run by Inez Cook, Eater Vancouver Restaurant of the Year 2023.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable open 30 days out; the bar takes walk-ins for the bison and salmon plate.
Mother's Dumplings ★ 4.5 · Toronto
chinatown · 421 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 2G6
Mother's Dumplings on Spadina has run northern Chinese comfort food in Chinatown since 2005, Shenyang-born Zhen Feng pressing dumplings by hand.
Tip: Walk-in only; frozen dumpling fridge by the door for takeaway. Cash and card accepted, but cash moves the line faster.
Lai Wah Heen ★ 4.5 · Toronto
chinatown · 108 Chestnut Street, 2nd Floor, DoubleTree by Hilton, Toronto, ON M5G 1R3
Lai Wah Heen reopened on the second floor of the DoubleTree Hilton in July 2025 after a two-year hiatus, chefs Heyden Sin and Huang Zhenqing.
Tip: Reservation-only since the 2025 reopen. The NYT once called it the best dim sum in North America under founder Canson Tsang.
Sotto Sotto ★ 4.5 · Toronto
yorkville · 120 Avenue Road, Toronto, ON M5R 2H4
Sotto Sotto on Avenue Road has run Roman-style Italian below street level in Yorkville since 1993, chef Massimo Renzi's fresh pasta in an exposed-brick room.
Tip: Drake's photo hangs on the wall and he eats here. Book ahead; the room seats 50 tightly.
Patois ★ 4.5 · Toronto
kensington-market · 794 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1V1
Patois on Dundas West is chef Craig Wong's Jamaican-Chinese fusion kitchen since 2014, fine-dining French training applied to Caribbean home cooking.
Tip: JunePlum by Patois next door at 796 Dundas is the patty-and-drink offshoot. Closed Mondays.
Bestie ★ 4.5 · Vancouver
chinatown · 105 East Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 1T6
Bestie on East Pender since 2014 is a 25-seat German sausage and beer counter, Vancouver Magazine Best Casual Restaurant 2018 and a Chinatown anchor.
Tip: Walk-in counter only; cash-priced after-work specials between 17:00 and 18:00.
Kintaro Ramen ★ 4.5 · Vancouver
west-end · 788 Denman Street, Vancouver, BC V6G 2L5
Kintaro Ramen on Denman is Vancouver's first Sapporo-style ramen shop since 1999, the city's original tonkotsu counter and a Robson corridor staple.
Tip: Counter only; line up before 12:00 or after 14:00 to avoid the lunch queue.
La Taqueria ★ 4.5 · Vancouver
downtown · 322 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1K6
La Taqueria on West Hastings is Vancouver's reference Mexican counter since 2009 under chef Marcelo Ramirez Martiarena, six locations and a Chinatown branch.
Tip: Counter-only; order at the till and grab a stool by the window. The Cambie branch is the calmer seat.
Khao San Road ★ 4.4 · Toronto
king-west · 11 Charlotte Street, Toronto, ON M5V 2H5
Khao San Road on Charlotte Street has run Bangkok-style street food downtown since 2011, the boat noodles and crispy pad see ew the city standard.
Tip: Reservations the only way in for dinner; lunch walks in. Closed Sunday lunch.
Cluny Bistro and Boulangerie ★ 4.4 · Toronto
distillery-district · 35 Tank House Lane, Toronto, ON M5A 3C4
Cluny on Tank House Lane is the King Street Food Co.'s French bistro in the Distillery District since 2014, steak frites and an attached boulangerie.
Tip: The patio runs onto cobblestones in summer. Sister boulangerie next door for takeout viennoiserie.
Mamakas Taverna ★ 4.4 · Toronto
ossington · 80 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON M6J 2Y7
Mamakas Taverna on Ossington is owner Thanos Tripi's 85-seat Aegean kitchen since 2015, traditional Greek taverna cooking from scratch each morning.
Tip: Sister Bar Mordecai sits at 1272 Dundas West for a pre-dinner drink. Weekend lunch runs into early dinner without a break.
Byblos Downtown ★ 4.4 · Toronto
king-west · 11 Duncan Street, Toronto, ON M5V 3M2
Byblos Downtown on Duncan Street is Charles Khabouth's Eastern Mediterranean room since 2014, family-style plates spread across the Storys Building.
Tip: The first-floor bar runs spritzes from 16:00 and accepts walk-ins. Second floor needs a reservation.
Lahore Tikka House ★ 4.4 · Toronto
little-india · 1365 Gerrard Street E, Toronto, ON M4L 1Z3
Lahore Tikka House on Gerrard East is Little India's reference Pakistani halal kitchen since 1996, tandoor-grilled meats in a Persian-tile dining room.
Tip: Halal certified. The summer patio the city's most colourful outdoor strip; bring cash for tips.
Centre Street Deli ★ 4.4 · Toronto
yorkville · 995 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3C4
Centre Street Deli on Bay Street is the 2024 downtown outpost of the Thornhill original since 1988, Montreal-style smoked meat hand-sliced over light rye.
Tip: Order the lean-and-medium mix; pure lean dries out fast. The Thornhill original is at 1136 Centre Street.
Nuba Gastown ★ 4.4 · Vancouver
gastown · 207 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1H7
Nuba Gastown on West Hastings is the second branch of Vancouver's reference Lebanese kitchen since 2004, halal-certified, family-run by the Sabbagh family.
Tip: Multiple locations across Vancouver; this Gastown branch takes walk-ins at the bar plus reservations on OpenTable.
Fat Mao Noodles ★ 4.4 · Vancouver
chinatown · 217 East Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 1Z6
Fat Mao Noodles on East Georgia from chefs Mark Perrier and Angus An since 2018 is a Cantonese noodle counter, Michelin Bib Gourmand 2022 and a late-night.
Tip: Walk-ins from 17:00; the kitchen closes 23:30 the latest open in Chinatown post-pandemic.
Lupo ★ 4.4 · Vancouver
downtown · 869 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 2R7
Lupo on Hamilton Street since 2008 in the heritage Mansion House is a Northern Italian dining room under chef Julio Gonzalez Perini, OpenTable Top 100 Canada.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable open 30 days out; the bar walks in for the antipasti menu.
Ramen Danbo ★ 4.4 · Vancouver
west-end · 1833 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6J 1M4
Ramen Danbo on West 4th is the Vancouver branch of the Fukuoka Hakata-style ramen shop, three city branches since 2015 and a Robson late-night standby.
Tip: Counter only; the West End branch on Robson opens until 01:00 Fridays and Saturdays.
Rol San ★ 4.3 · Toronto
chinatown · 388 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 2G5
Rol San on Spadina has run Cantonese dim sum since 1994, founded by Paul and Paulie Li, reopened at 388 Spadina in 2024 after redevelopment.
Tip: No carts; tick boxes on the paper menu. Late-night kitchen until 02:00 weeknights and 05:00 weekends serves the city's late-shift staff.
Pearl Harbourfront ★ 4.3 · Toronto
financial-district · 207 Queens Quay W, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M5J 1A7
Pearl Harbourfront on Queens Quay runs Cantonese dim sum overlooking Lake Ontario from the Queen's Quay Terminal, the city's waterfront dim sum room.
Tip: Lunch dim sum runs 11:00-16:00; the window tables fill first. Tower views and the wharf below justify the slight premium over Spadina.