We are so fortunate here in Vancouver to live on the edge of some of the most dazzling wild nature on earth. We've also got a deserved reputation of being a fantastic seafood city - and many of our chefs are working hard to protect the oceans for future generations by committing to an Ocean Wise menu.
Ocean Wise is the Vancouver Aquarium conservation program which partners with restaurants, markets and suppliers to ensure they're making fish-friendly decisions, such as keeping endangered species off their menus and letting consumers know which options are more sustainable. There are some 140 restaurants across Vancouver who are part of the programme who have Ocean Wise options on their menus. There is even an app so you can track em down when you're out and about in the city. But there are a handful of restaurants who have made a total commitment to offering 100% sustainable fish, 100% of the time. In no particular order, these are Vancouver's 100% Ocean Wise restaurants.
Whether you find their trucks in Vancouver, Tofino or Victoria or go to the restaurant on E Hastings you’ll be rewarded with zingingly fresh fish that’s 100% guilt-free. The baja fish tacos are especially good - and come recommended by ZZ Top.
No Ocean Wise map would be complete without including chef Robert Clark and Mike McDermid who were co-founders of the Ocean Wise programme and now run the Fish Counter on Main Street. Yes, it's a place to go to get 100% sustainable fish to take home and cook, but it's also a spot to enjoy some of the finest cooked-to-order fish and chips, oyster po'boys and fish tacos in town.
Claiming to be Vancouver’s greenest restaurant is a bold claim - which possibly Forage might dispute - but what can’t be argued over is their prix-fixe menus which are great value at $35 and $45. Even better, desserts come from their sister- dessert restaurant, Sweet Obsession.
Aphrodite’s on W4th have been bringing local organic food to the city and cheerfully catering to those with dietary restrictions since 2003. Not the most budget option but oh man, those pies! Team with a wild salmon burger for 100% sustainable supper.
A tapas bar which focusses on pairing their dishes with craft beers? It’s a crazy idea but Nova Scotia-born chef Benjamin Curtis is making it work. Stick to the tapas menu as that has the most variety of seafood - and it’s also where you’ll find their popular truffle popcorn.
Boasting gorgeous waterside views and a fancy patio, C restaurant used to also boast chefs Robert Clark (Fish Counter) and Quang Dang (West), admittedly it’s not in the spotlight so much nowadays since chef Lee Humphries left for the Okanagan, but some old favourites are worth re-visiting and C’s recent Dine Out menu certainly impressed city critics. Importantly - the seafood is still 100% Ocean Wise.
Cheap and cheerful, mix and match noodle dishes is the name of the game here, where you pick your spice-level and protein and then have it stir-fried for you as you wait. Sustainable seafood on a truly affordable level.
Search social media and you’re likely to find endless shots of Yew’s chef Ned Bell either delightedly holding a fish, beaming on a boat or hugging the city’s resident rock-star fisherman, Organic Ocean’s Steve Johansen. Bell’s passion for seafood is clear to see and it shows on his innovative menus which let the quality of the ingredients sing.
Chef Darren Brown and team are to be applauded for pushing the Fairmont Pacific Rim above and beyond the cause to create the city’s very first 100% Ocean Wise sushi bar. Some seafoods have been switched around to make the menu work, for instance, substituting unago for house smoked sablefish, introducing Yellow Fin Tuna and Silva Prawn, as well as removing Tobiko and replacing it with Masago. Don't be put off by the fancy venue: stop by for lunch - the bento boxes are surprisingly good value.
Chef Monty Lau’s deft touch with Asian-inspired flavours lets the west coast seafood shine in Market’s surprisingly dimly-lit room. The fish is the star on the plate here with excellent quality ingredients in the hands of a talented chef.
Chef Chris Whittaker’s commitment to all things sustainable goes from growing his own vegetables, making his own preserves, composting all of his food waste and keeping mason bees to pollinate his plants, so yeah, the fish is as sustainable as possible too. Try the award-winning chowder which won people’s choice two years running at the Vancouver Aquarium Chowder Challenge.
The grandaddy of farm-to-table and 100 mile cuisine in Vancouver with one of the most lovely views across English Bay, RCG have been focused on local and sustainable food for the past 20 years. In summer, grabbing fish and chips from their window on Denman Street to scoff on the beach is a Vancouver tradition.
One of the city’s go-to spots for special occasion celebrations, their west coast seafood menu is one of the most comprehensive in Vancouver; you’ll always find a wide choice of line-caught, sustainable local seafood.
Whether you find their trucks in Vancouver, Tofino or Victoria or go to the restaurant on E Hastings you’ll be rewarded with zingingly fresh fish that’s 100% guilt-free. The baja fish tacos are especially good - and come recommended by ZZ Top.
No Ocean Wise map would be complete without including chef Robert Clark and Mike McDermid who were co-founders of the Ocean Wise programme and now run the Fish Counter on Main Street. Yes, it's a place to go to get 100% sustainable fish to take home and cook, but it's also a spot to enjoy some of the finest cooked-to-order fish and chips, oyster po'boys and fish tacos in town.
Claiming to be Vancouver’s greenest restaurant is a bold claim - which possibly Forage might dispute - but what can’t be argued over is their prix-fixe menus which are great value at $35 and $45. Even better, desserts come from their sister- dessert restaurant, Sweet Obsession.
Aphrodite’s on W4th have been bringing local organic food to the city and cheerfully catering to those with dietary restrictions since 2003. Not the most budget option but oh man, those pies! Team with a wild salmon burger for 100% sustainable supper.
A tapas bar which focusses on pairing their dishes with craft beers? It’s a crazy idea but Nova Scotia-born chef Benjamin Curtis is making it work. Stick to the tapas menu as that has the most variety of seafood - and it’s also where you’ll find their popular truffle popcorn.
Boasting gorgeous waterside views and a fancy patio, C restaurant used to also boast chefs Robert Clark (Fish Counter) and Quang Dang (West), admittedly it’s not in the spotlight so much nowadays since chef Lee Humphries left for the Okanagan, but some old favourites are worth re-visiting and C’s recent Dine Out menu certainly impressed city critics. Importantly - the seafood is still 100% Ocean Wise.
Cheap and cheerful, mix and match noodle dishes is the name of the game here, where you pick your spice-level and protein and then have it stir-fried for you as you wait. Sustainable seafood on a truly affordable level.
Search social media and you’re likely to find endless shots of Yew’s chef Ned Bell either delightedly holding a fish, beaming on a boat or hugging the city’s resident rock-star fisherman, Organic Ocean’s Steve Johansen. Bell’s passion for seafood is clear to see and it shows on his innovative menus which let the quality of the ingredients sing.
Chef Darren Brown and team are to be applauded for pushing the Fairmont Pacific Rim above and beyond the cause to create the city’s very first 100% Ocean Wise sushi bar. Some seafoods have been switched around to make the menu work, for instance, substituting unago for house smoked sablefish, introducing Yellow Fin Tuna and Silva Prawn, as well as removing Tobiko and replacing it with Masago. Don't be put off by the fancy venue: stop by for lunch - the bento boxes are surprisingly good value.
Chef Monty Lau’s deft touch with Asian-inspired flavours lets the west coast seafood shine in Market’s surprisingly dimly-lit room. The fish is the star on the plate here with excellent quality ingredients in the hands of a talented chef.
Chef Chris Whittaker’s commitment to all things sustainable goes from growing his own vegetables, making his own preserves, composting all of his food waste and keeping mason bees to pollinate his plants, so yeah, the fish is as sustainable as possible too. Try the award-winning chowder which won people’s choice two years running at the Vancouver Aquarium Chowder Challenge.
The grandaddy of farm-to-table and 100 mile cuisine in Vancouver with one of the most lovely views across English Bay, RCG have been focused on local and sustainable food for the past 20 years. In summer, grabbing fish and chips from their window on Denman Street to scoff on the beach is a Vancouver tradition.
One of the city’s go-to spots for special occasion celebrations, their west coast seafood menu is one of the most comprehensive in Vancouver; you’ll always find a wide choice of line-caught, sustainable local seafood.
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