Blue Water Cafe is a seafood restaurant in Yaletown, Vancouver.
Blue Water Cafe in Yaletown under chef Frank Pabst since 2000 is Vancouver's reference seafood room, Ocean Wise certified and an Unsung Heroes host.
Signature dishes: Seafood tower, Wild BC salmon, Sablefish
Must order: The seafood tower with raw oysters, plus the wild BC sablefish from the wood grill.
Tip: The raw bar walks in early evening; the dining room books a week out on OpenTable. February's Unsung Heroes menu is the calendar event.
Address: 1095 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 5T4
L'Abattoir on Carrall Street in Gastown since 2010 has run chef Lee Cooper's French-leaning kitchen and a reference cocktail program, Michelin recommended.
Signature: Steak tartare, Smoked sablefish, Pacific oysters
Order: Steak tartare at the bar with a Sazerac and Pacific oysters from the cold table.
Tip: The bar takes walk-ins for the cocktail menu and snacks; the dining room books on OpenTable two weeks out.
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.
Signature: Banh xeo crepe, Bun cha Hanoi, Pho bo dac biet
Order: Banh xeo with the family-style sharing platter; siblings Amelie and Vincent Le run the room.
Tip: No reservations; walk-in line for dinner from 17:00. Weekday lunch is the easier seat.
Kingyo Izakaya on Denman is Vancouver's reference modern izakaya since 2008, named one of Canada's best Japanese rooms by Air Canada's enRoute in 2014.
Signature: Stone-grilled gyu tan, Buta kakuni, Sake-steamed clams
Order: Stone-grilled gyu tan and buta kakuni, the kitchen's standout izakaya plates.
Tip: Lunch walks in. Dinner books on OpenTable a week out; the chef's counter takes the omakase.
Dachi on East Hastings is a counter-style izakaya since 2018 with a deep sake list and seasonal fish, Michelin Bib Gourmand 2022 and a Vancouver Magazine top.
Signature: Daily fish crudo, Wood-grilled skewers, Sake selection
Order: The kitchen's fish crudo from the daily list, then yakitori skewers with a glass of sake.
Tip: Tock reservations open 30 days out; the counter walks in for the early seating.
Joe Fortes on Thurlow is Vancouver's long-running upmarket seafood house since 1985, named for Vancouver's first lifeguard, plus a rooftop oyster bar.
Signature: Oysters on the half shell, Cedar plank salmon, Crab cakes
Order: A dozen Read Island oysters with a glass of BC sparkling, plus the cedar plank salmon.
Tip: The rooftop oyster bar walks in for sundowner oysters from 16:00 May to September; the dining room books on OpenTable.
Phnom Penh on East Georgia Street since 1985 runs the Cambodian and Vietnamese kitchen the city sets its bar by, Michelin Bib Gourmand 2022.
Signature: Crispy chicken wings, Butter beef carpaccio, Pho ga
Order: A double order of the crispy chicken wings and butter beef carpaccio; Phnom Penh's reference plates.
Tip: No reservations; arrive before 18:00 or after 20:30 to skip the line. Cash takes a discount.
