The fastest, cheapest, frequently best food on Vancouver's streets.
Vendors, food trucks and stalls: the cheapest, fastest, frequently best food in Vancouver.
Japadog's Robson cart since 2005 from owner Noriki Tamura is the Japanese hot dog that defined Vancouver street food, a brick-and-mortar plus city carts.
Try: Japanese-Canadian fusion hot dogs
Order: Terimayo dog with teriyaki sauce, mayo and dried seaweed; the original Japadog.
Tip: Cart only at Burrard and Smithe; the Robson brick-and-mortar has the full menu and seating.
Tacofino on West Cordova since 2014 is the Tofino-origin food-truck-turned-restaurant, Vancouver's reference Baja-style fish taco, four city locations.
Try: Fish tacos, burritos
Order: The Tuna Ta-Ta-Tot tots, the original Tacofino fish taco and a margarita pitcher.
Tip: The Gastown branch has a full bar; the original cart in Tofino remains the calendar event.
Japadog's flagship downtown cart at Burrard and Smithe since 2005 is the original location, the lunchtime queue and the city's most-photographed street food.
Try: Japanese hot dogs
Order: Oroshi dog with grated daikon and soy sauce, the lunchtime cart standby.
Tip: Card and Apple Pay accepted; weather closures posted on the operator's Instagram on the morning of the day.
Vij's Railway Express is Vikram Vij's food truck since 2010, a Granville Island Saturday vendor, the operator's casual format of the Vij's restaurant kitchen.
Try: Modern Indian street food
Order: Lamb kebabs in a paratha wrap with green chutney, Vij family classics, on the truck.
Tip: Schedule on the operator's Instagram week of; Granville Island Saturdays through summer is the most reliable stop.
Mom's Grilled Cheese Truck on Howe Street since 2011 is downtown's lunchtime grilled cheese cart, a 12-cheese rotation and the city's reference cheese truck.
Try: Grilled cheese, soup
Order: The Big Cheese with tomato soup, the operator's lunchtime calling card.
Tip: Card-friendly; downtown lunch line is busiest 12:00 to 13:00. Soup of the day pairs with any cheese.
Le Tigre on West Hastings is one of Vancouver's longest-running downtown food trucks since 2012, a Chinese-leaning Crack Salad and rice bowl menu.
Try: Chinese-leaning street food
Order: Crack salad with chicken, the operator's most-ordered bowl.
Tip: Daily location on the operator's Instagram; weekday lunch only.
Tacofino's downtown cart on Burrard since 2014 is the operator's lunchtime format, the original Baja-style fish taco and the burrito of the day.
Try: Fish tacos, burritos
Order: The original fish taco with the Tuna Ta-Ta-Tot, the Tofino cart-classic combo.
Tip: Daily location confirmed on the operator's Instagram; the Burrard cart is the most reliable lunch stop.
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka on Robson is the Vancouver branch of the Asahikawa-based chain since 2011, the cherry pork chashu and salt-broth shio bowl.
Try: Tonkotsu ramen
Order: Shio ramen with the Hokkaido cherry pork chashu, the kitchen's signature bowl.
Tip: Counter only; queue tops 30 minutes at peak lunch and dinner. The shio bowl is the kitchen's standard pour.
Banh Mi Tres Bon on Kingsway is the Khmer Vietnamese counter the city sets its banh mi bar by since 2008, a 10-seat counter, fresh-baked baguettes hourly.
Try: Vietnamese banh mi
Order: Classic dac biet banh mi with house pate and cold cuts, the city's reference banh mi.
Tip: Cash only; arrive before 12:00 for the freshest baguettes. The pate special is gone by 13:30.
Kaya Malay Bistro on Hornby since 2017 is the downtown branch of the Burnaby Malaysian kitchen, a roti canai and Singapore laksa counter the city's reference.
Try: Roti canai, char kway teow
Order: Roti canai with house curry, char kway teow and chicken satay; the kitchen's classic threesome.
Tip: Counter and small seating; the Burnaby flagship has the larger dim sum-style breakfast.