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Updating the Vancouver HeatMap: Where to Eat Now

by Nikki Bayley
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by Nikki Bayley

If you've been puzzling over where you should eat out, Eater is back to answer that very question with our newest edition of the Heatmap—a guide to what's new, what's hot, and which restaurants are causing most buzz in Van City. 
While the Eater 38 is a resource that covers old standbys and neighborhood essentials across the city, it is not necessarily a chronicle of the "it" places of the moment. Thus, in no particular order, we offer the Eater Heatmap, which will change every month to continuously highlight where the food nerds are flocking to at the moment.
You'll have to go to Surrey to eat at the hottest restaurant in Vancouver this month; Vikram Vij's My Shanti is off-the-charts sizzling-hot. Add to that a new brewery, a matcha dessert spot and a Scandi/PNW tiki bar and you'll see the summer in the city is shaping up to be a lot of fun.
Come on in, and meet the new heat-makers.
IN: My Shanti, Main Street Brewing, Kanaka, Bon Crepe.

OUT: The Roof at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Farmer's Apprentice, Dynasty, Upstairs at Campagnolo.
Got a suggestion for a restaurant you think deserves to be added to next month's Heatmap? Drop us a line or leave a comment or contact our 100% confidential TipLine and stay tuned for the next edition of the Heatmap, dropping the first Thursday of July.


Heatmap History:
June
Added: My Shanti, Main Street Brewing, Kanaka, Bon Crepe.
Removed: The Roof at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Farmer's Apprentice, Dynasty, Upstairs at Campagnolo.

May
Added: The Farmer's Apprentice, Belgard Kitchen, Uva, Dynasty and Jackalope's Neighbourhood Dive.
Removed: The Fish Counter, Basho Cafe

April
Added The Roof at Hotel Vancouver, Cinara, Basho Cafe, Blacktail Florist, Los Cuervos Taqueria & Cantina
Removed Notturno, Ask For Luigi, Bestie, Mamie Taylor's, Yolk's, Wagon Rouge

March
Added Merchant's Oyster Bar, Burger 2.85, Upstairs at Campagnolo
Removed: Greenhorn, Temper Pastry, Dunlevy Snack Bar

February
Added: Bestie, Temper Pastry, Greenhorn
Removed: Mosaic, Rain or Shine Ice Cream, Craft Beer Market

January

Added: Yolk's, The Fish Counter, Ask for Luigi and the Dunlevy Snack Bar

Removed: Burdock & Co, Good Wolfe, Bambudda and Boneta

December

Added: Rain or Shine Ice Cream, Notturno, Craft Beer Market, Mosaic, Boneta

Removed: Gringo, Cuchillo, Emerald

November

Added: Wagon Rouge, Gringo, Emerald


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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

My Shanti by Vikram Vij

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All hail the unstoppable Vikram Vij! Finally rolling his empire into South Surrey (after months of delay) with the brilliantly-blingy My Shanti. On the menu, a culinary tour around Vikram’s favouite places in India - and beyond. Make the trip to Morgan Crossing to see if the hype is real.
15877 Croydon Drive, The Shops at Morgan Crossing, Surrey, BC V3S 2J6, Canada

Los Cuervos Taqueria & Cantina

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Riding the buzz from a pair of good reviews from the Globe and Mail and Van Sun, this compact neighbourhood taqueria is earning its good word by whipping up authentic always-cooked-to-order tacos which sing with well-balanced flavours and delicious local ingredients. The seared tuna and chipotle crema tostada may be the best $5 you ever spent.
603 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Main Street Brewing Company

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With impeccable timing throwing open their doors for Vancouver Craft Beer Week, Main St Brewing’s spacious tasting bar, airy 20 ft ceilings and views over the brewing floor is making hop-heads very happy indeed.
261 E 7th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5T 0B8, Canada

Merchant's Oyster Bar

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A new chef, David Jackman, at this neighbourhood favourite has put it squarely back on the map. Yes, go for the great buck-a-shuck oyster deals, but take time to check out treats like house-made gnocchi and their EVOO ice cream with sea salt too. Oh - and brunch is a solid bet especially the lobster benedict.
1590 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC V5L 3Y2, Canada

Jackalope's Neighbourhood Dive

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Winning fans with their Southern-inspired comfort food and craft beer, Jackalope opened just a few weeks ago and are already scoring good word with Yelpsters and beyond for their great service, tasty food and pinball machines. Welcome to the Heatmap.
2257 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V5L 1V3, Canada
(604) 568-6674
(604) 568-6674

Belgard Kitchen

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Now serving brunch and weeks away from the opening of Postmark Brewing, could Vancouver Urban Winery’s Belgard kitchen be any hotter? Under the command of Earl's alum Chef Reuben Major, serving up quick eats like fresh salads, a burger, pizzetti and soup for lunch before swapping over to a small plate menu in the evening Railtown is becoming the place to be.
55 Dunlevy Ave, Vancouver, BC, Canada
(604) 566-9463
(604) 566-9463

Kanaka

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Is it a Scandinavian-surfer bar? Or a Pacific North West Tiki hut? Who knows. Either way, Blacktail Florist’s downstairs bar is buzzing. Now serving this season’s hottest cocktail, the Slushie, check out the ‘only served after 10pm’ burger.
322 Water St, Vancouver, BC, Canada

The Blacktail Florist

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Ex-Top Chef Jimmy Stewart's passion project opens in the old House Guest space in Gastown. Designer Craig Stanghetta has woven his usual magical spell and spun a space of light and creamy warmth in which chef Stewart and team can create vegetable-forward seasonal cuisine which seeks to answer the question: what is Canadian cuisine.
322 Water St, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Cinara

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This is chef Lucais Syme's (La Pentola) new project serving "modern-style European cuisine with a strong Italian focus". A brace of good reviews keeps Cinara sizzling away on the Heatmap.
350 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6B, Canada
604-428-9694
604-428-9694

Burger 2.85

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One no-name burger van. Two items. Queues down the block and a Globe & Mail review from restaurant critic Alexandra Gill. It's a $2.85 burger and incredibly, you can believe the hype. It's fantastic: all crisp lettuce, juicy patty and a judicious slick of Teriyaki sauce. Months after they launched we are all still obsessed.
500 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6B, Canada

Uva Wine Bar

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Under the skillful stewardship of top bartender Lauren Mote, and with a fresh programme of food and drink specials, DJ nights and fun cocktail contests, Uva is showing up on the radar again and has earned its place back on the Heatmap.
900 Seymour St., Vancouver, BC V6B 2L9, Canada
(604) 632-9560
(604) 632-9560

Bon Crepe

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Head down Robson street to the Kobiniya Japan Centre - it’s the one with the huge Pocky boxes on the signage - and you’ll spot the Bon Crepe cafe which is where you’ll find the dessert that is currently causing line-ups as we head into summer. Order up a Green Tea parfait; $6 of matcha magic with soft serve matcha ice cream, cake, cornflakes, red beans, pearl jelly and more.
1238 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 3Z6, Canada
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My Shanti by Vikram Vij

15877 Croydon Drive, The Shops at Morgan Crossing, Surrey, BC V3S 2J6, Canada
All hail the unstoppable Vikram Vij! Finally rolling his empire into South Surrey (after months of delay) with the brilliantly-blingy My Shanti. On the menu, a culinary tour around Vikram’s favouite places in India - and beyond. Make the trip to Morgan Crossing to see if the hype is real.
15877 Croydon Drive, The Shops at Morgan Crossing, Surrey, BC V3S 2J6, Canada

Los Cuervos Taqueria & Cantina

603 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Riding the buzz from a pair of good reviews from the Globe and Mail and Van Sun, this compact neighbourhood taqueria is earning its good word by whipping up authentic always-cooked-to-order tacos which sing with well-balanced flavours and delicious local ingredients. The seared tuna and chipotle crema tostada may be the best $5 you ever spent.
603 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Main Street Brewing Company

261 E 7th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5T 0B8, Canada
With impeccable timing throwing open their doors for Vancouver Craft Beer Week, Main St Brewing’s spacious tasting bar, airy 20 ft ceilings and views over the brewing floor is making hop-heads very happy indeed.
261 E 7th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5T 0B8, Canada

Merchant's Oyster Bar

1590 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC V5L 3Y2, Canada
A new chef, David Jackman, at this neighbourhood favourite has put it squarely back on the map. Yes, go for the great buck-a-shuck oyster deals, but take time to check out treats like house-made gnocchi and their EVOO ice cream with sea salt too. Oh - and brunch is a solid bet especially the lobster benedict.
1590 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC V5L 3Y2, Canada

Jackalope's Neighbourhood Dive

2257 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V5L 1V3, Canada
Winning fans with their Southern-inspired comfort food and craft beer, Jackalope opened just a few weeks ago and are already scoring good word with Yelpsters and beyond for their great service, tasty food and pinball machines. Welcome to the Heatmap.
2257 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V5L 1V3, Canada
(604) 568-6674
(604) 568-6674

Belgard Kitchen

55 Dunlevy Ave, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Now serving brunch and weeks away from the opening of Postmark Brewing, could Vancouver Urban Winery’s Belgard kitchen be any hotter? Under the command of Earl's alum Chef Reuben Major, serving up quick eats like fresh salads, a burger, pizzetti and soup for lunch before swapping over to a small plate menu in the evening Railtown is becoming the place to be.
55 Dunlevy Ave, Vancouver, BC, Canada
(604) 566-9463
(604) 566-9463

Kanaka

322 Water St, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Is it a Scandinavian-surfer bar? Or a Pacific North West Tiki hut? Who knows. Either way, Blacktail Florist’s downstairs bar is buzzing. Now serving this season’s hottest cocktail, the Slushie, check out the ‘only served after 10pm’ burger.
322 Water St, Vancouver, BC, Canada

The Blacktail Florist

322 Water St, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Ex-Top Chef Jimmy Stewart's passion project opens in the old House Guest space in Gastown. Designer Craig Stanghetta has woven his usual magical spell and spun a space of light and creamy warmth in which chef Stewart and team can create vegetable-forward seasonal cuisine which seeks to answer the question: what is Canadian cuisine.
322 Water St, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Cinara

350 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6B, Canada
This is chef Lucais Syme's (La Pentola) new project serving "modern-style European cuisine with a strong Italian focus". A brace of good reviews keeps Cinara sizzling away on the Heatmap.
350 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6B, Canada
604-428-9694
604-428-9694

Burger 2.85

500 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6B, Canada
One no-name burger van. Two items. Queues down the block and a Globe & Mail review from restaurant critic Alexandra Gill. It's a $2.85 burger and incredibly, you can believe the hype. It's fantastic: all crisp lettuce, juicy patty and a judicious slick of Teriyaki sauce. Months after they launched we are all still obsessed.
500 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6B, Canada

Uva Wine Bar

900 Seymour St., Vancouver, BC V6B 2L9, Canada
Under the skillful stewardship of top bartender Lauren Mote, and with a fresh programme of food and drink specials, DJ nights and fun cocktail contests, Uva is showing up on the radar again and has earned its place back on the Heatmap.
900 Seymour St., Vancouver, BC V6B 2L9, Canada
(604) 632-9560
(604) 632-9560

Bon Crepe

1238 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 3Z6, Canada
Head down Robson street to the Kobiniya Japan Centre - it’s the one with the huge Pocky boxes on the signage - and you’ll spot the Bon Crepe cafe which is where you’ll find the dessert that is currently causing line-ups as we head into summer. Order up a Green Tea parfait; $6 of matcha magic with soft serve matcha ice cream, cake, cornflakes, red beans, pearl jelly and more.
1238 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 3Z6, Canada