Vancouver Guest Guide: Downtown Vancouver’s Essential Stops

Downtown Vancouver is the core of the City of Vancouver, with an eclectic mix of restaurants, cafes, and attractions you’ll want to visit. This guide provides a few highlights of some of the best places to eat at and enjoy in Vancouver’s city centre. 

Downtown Vancouver’s Attractions and Sights to See

Vancouver Art Gallery
750 Hornby Street

Right by Robson Square is the Vancouver Art Gallery, which features various art exhibitions and displays throughout the year. Not just a centre for art displays, the Vancouver Art Gallery stands as an important location where many of Vancouver’s iconic protests and events took place, defining it as a historic location for the city. Along with the front square and inside of the gallery, behind the gallery facing Robson Square you can find the Vancouver Art Gallery’s cafe, which has a lovely view of the square and a great selection of pastries and savoury snacks.

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Park and Classical Chinese Garden
578 Carrall Street

Located in Vancouver’s historic neighbourhood of Chinatown (a National Historic Site of Canada since 2010), Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s Park and Classical Chinese Garden is a hidden gem in the busy bustle of downtown Vancouver. While you can access the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen park freely, the classical Chinese garden has an admission fee of $14 for adults, and $10 for students and children. An authentic representation of Ming Dynasty-era tradition and the first of its kind outside of China, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s classical Chinese garden’s beautiful water-lily covered ponds and lush plants make it a tranquil attraction worth visiting in downtown Vancouver.

Downtown Vancouver’s Best Restaurants

Hawksworth Restaurant
801 West Georgia Street

With contemporary Canadian cuisine alongside Asian inspiration and influence, Hawksworth has captured the attention of Vancouver’s avid foodies since opening up in 2011. Opened and managed by Chef David Hawksworth in the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, this glamorous yet elegant restaurant offers a complete dining experience using local and Canadian ingredients blended with a range of international culinary techniques. With dishes like smoked cod ravioli and wild mushroom pappardelle with truffle, Hawksworth Restaurant is unsurprisingly among Vancouver’s very best restaurants and is well worth a visit when you’re in town.

Shizenya
965 Hornby Street

While you’ve probably found more than a few great sushi spots in the city of Vancouver, Shizenya is a special one that’s well worth the visit when you’re in downtown Vancouver. The first natural food Japanese restaurant chain in North America, Shizenya serves its sushi only with brown rice and organic vegetables and salad. Using homemade stock, genuine Japanese wasabi, and locally caught seafood that is cut fresh every morning, Shizenya’s attention to detail and health-focus makes the difference in taste and quality of food. Located on the corner of Hornby and Nelson, if you love sushi then Shizenya is a must visit in downtown Vancouver.

Downtown Vancouver’s Best Cafes and Bakeries

Waves Coffee
900 Howe Street

One of Vancouver’s favourite coffee shops, Waves Coffee offers a peaceful space where you can enjoy your favourite brew in the core of downtown Vancouver. With plentiful and comfortable seating both indoors and outdoors, this Waves Coffee location has a great selection of pastries and sandwiches for you to enjoy along with your coffee or tea. This location also features meeting rooms if you’re looking for an isolated environment to get some work done, a Keycafe SmartBox where you can store and exchange your keys, and a bitcoin ATM where you can buy and sell cryptocurrency. 

Faubourg Paris
769 Hornby Street

Faubourg Paris is part of a trio of Parisian bakeries and cafes which settled into Vancouver in 2010. Since then, this bakery and pastry shop has enchanted Vancouver and West End’s residents with their freshly baked bread and deliciously light and fluffy croissants. All of their food items follow traditional french recipes and are made by hand every morning. Along with the cakes, Macarons, and pastries, you’ll also find a variety of breakfast and lunch options including savoury croissants, sandwiches and quiches, all made in-house. Faubourg Paris is open every day from 7am until 7pm, and opens at 8am on Sundays. 

Grocery Stores in Downtown Vancouver

IGA 
909 Burrard Street

If you’re in the heart of downtown Vancouver and are in search for groceries, IGA on Burrard is located right in the centre of the city and offers a huge selection of groceries to choose from. From fresh produce, meat, and seafood departments to a complete bakery and deli that serve up prepared meals and delicious pastries and bread baked daily. Along with IGA’s great selection of products, you can find a small bistro to grab a quick coffee before you shop along with a complete floral section with flowers and bouquets for every occasion. You can find IGA on 909 Burrard Street between Barclay and Smithe Street open from 7am until 12am every day. 

H-Mart
590 Robson Street

If you’re looking for a grocery store which stocks international and imported Asian foods and goods, H-Mart is the place to purchase groceries in downtown Vancouver. From their fresh seafood counter to endless varieties of hard-to-find produce, H-Mart has a huge selection of groceries and food items. Along with their selection of imported foods, you’ll also find various housewares and ready-to-serve meals at H-Mart. If you need a bite of food while you’re shopping for groceries, H-Mart has a complete food court along with a bakery that serves freshly made cakes and pastries.

Late Night Snacks in Downtown Vancouver

Pizza Garden
675 Smithe Street 

After a night out in downtown Vancouver, it can be difficult to resist the urge for a late night slice of pizza from Pizza Garden. With various authentic toppings and vegetarian options, Pizza Garden makes top-quality Neapolitan style pizzas that are baked in hearth stone ovens. With their location featuring an open kitchen, you can get a full view of the chef’s preparing your pie before it’s baked to perfection. Open from 11am until 12am from Tuesday to Thursday, you can grab an extra late night slice of pizza on Fridays and Saturdays when they close at 3am. 

7-Eleven
982 Granville Street

Always open no matter the time of day or day of the week, 7-Eleven offers all kinds of late night snacks from refreshing drinks to the tastiest of chips and chocolate bars. If you’re looking for something more filling, 7-Eleven also carries hot food items like hot dogs, pizza slices, and spicy taquitos, along with a coffee bar where you can choose from a selection of hot beverages. With friendly service and a great selection of other household and electronic essentials, 7-Eleven on Granville is a great place to stock up on any needed essentials and grab a late night snack.