Chocolate & Pastries at Thierry

An actual world-champion gelatiere turning out four-litre artisan batches a block from English Bay, ideal after a seawall stroll.

A pastel Parisian parlour making obscenely rich creme-anglaise ice cream, where sharing a jar counts as a whole date.

A layered Uji-matcha parfait engineered for two spoons and one 'that bite was mine'.

A bright Alexandra Road patisserie where a Mont Blanc and a chiffon cake photograph better than either of you.

A Steveston gelato shop with flavours like Hong Kong milk tea and miso caramel, steps from the boardwalk.

West-side favourite churning honey-lavender, salted-caramel, and rotating seasonal flavours from local dairy, a block off the Kitsilano-Point Grey stretch of West 4th.

Vancouver's beloved small-batch ice cream in reusable glass jars, a short stroll from the Olympic Village seawall.

A thirty-year Dundarave corner bakery where the butter smell hits before the door, and the cinnamon buns sell out before noon.

Hand-churned small-batch since 1997 in Port Moody, with banana fudge, espresso flake, and a doggie scoop for the third wheel.

The only place on earth with 238 flavours of gelato under one roof, which turns dessert into a genuinely fun decision-making adventure.

Lantern-lit West End izakaya where the sake list rewards bravery and stone-grilled beef keeps arriving until you've forgotten your plans.

Robson St Korean with tabletop grills, banchan aplenty, and the universal icebreaker of shouting 'is that done yet?'

Seventeen seats, one sitting, Edo-style nigiri piece by piece, and your phone face-down all night. Michelin-recommended and books out fast.

Fukuoka-style tonkotsu you customize on a little order sheet, plus a queue that counts as your best first-date warmup.