Greek Platters for Two at Takis Taverna

The sunny tiled downtown room with legendary Belgian waffles, a lavender dark chocolate situation, and a line that is genuinely worth it.

A restored downtown heritage atrium where soaring marble makes charred octopus feel like a civic event.

Ladner Village's best table since 1996: flaming saganaki, paidakia lamb chops and a room that has never once been in a hurry.

Two Kissa Tanto alumni built Fraser Street a proper Portuguese tasca: 36 seats, an all Portuguese wine list, and a menu that changes when the fish does.

The top-ranked restaurant in Coquitlam, a warm family-run taverna famous for enormous portions and a festive room.

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

Downtown's chocolaterie-patisserie on Alberni: thick drinking chocolate, a macaron case that looks like jewellery, and cheap enough to be completely spontaneous.

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

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

The Vietnamese street food that made Anthony Bourdain misty on television now has a permanent home on The Drive.

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

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

The only dinner where eating with your hands from the same plate is not just allowed, it's the whole point.

Six or eight tables, Ethiopian art, and a tradition called gursha where you hand-feed each other, which is romantic on purpose.