New Vancouver Restaurants: September 2016

Vv Magazine’s Helen Siwak fills us in on Vancouver’s best new restaurants, those opening in September and the buzziest in-the-works hot spots.

Poof! Summer in the city is done and Vancouver is pulling out sweaters, rain boots and looking for comfort food. There are still those who are diligently making their way through the dozen new frozen dessert meccas which exploded on the scene this summer but hot and squishy is what we are dreaming of now.

Food truck nuts will be converging at noon on the Street Food Festival on September 11th near the Plaza of Nations (88 Pacific Boulevard). This immense festival will be coating the city with the aroma of international proportions. Besides live music, market and fun distractions, the line-up includes Big Red’s Poutine, Dim Sum Express, Mo Bacon, Taters Baked Potato Co and dozens more. Fave scene stealers include Vij’s Railway Express, Tacofino, Roaming Dragon and Dougie Dog. Admission is free but the food ain’t.

Two weekends of Greek food binging is about to hit the city for its 39th year anniversary. Visitors and tourists cannot get enough of the Vancouver Greek Food Festival and this basic Mediterranean cuisine that consists of bread, meat, and cheese in dozens of combinations. Stuff your face with souvlaki, gyros, calamari, spinach and cheese pies and crunch down sweet baklava dripping in honey until your brain swirls. The event runs September 9-11th and 16-18th at the Hellenic Community Centre at 45th and Arbutus.

Saturday, September 10, sees American chain In-N-Out Burger popping up for one day only at the Langley Good Times Cruise-in. Feast your eyes on the colourful hot rod candy and enjoy a good old-fashioned burger while you Snapchat car after car.

Now Open

Raisu
This resto has wowed fans of Japanese fusion with their unique take on bento boxes, noodles, and sashimi plates. Located at 2430 West 4th, this new restaurant specialises in ‘Teishoku’, which is a pre-set meal that includes a main dish, miso, rice bowl with the chef’s seasonal whims.

Pokeritto
If a perfect food ítem could be designed for Vancouver, it would be sushi burritos. Located at 558 Dunsmuir Street, Pokeritto has merged the city’s fave – the burrito –  with poke (a traditional raw fish dish from Hawaii). Rolled up like a giant burrito, the pokeritto has a crispy nori outside and a soft middle of raw marinated fish with rice and veg. Not big on nori? All wraps are also available in a big bowl to sit and savour.

TAqueria KOreano
This must be the month of fusion madness! Taqueria Koreano, also known as TAKO, is located at 601 Expo Boulevard and is melding the great street food of Mexico with Korean zing. The tacos are stuffed with BBQ short rib, deep fried chicken, prawns and the adventurous will dig into the signature burrito bursting with kimchi fried rice, corn, cheese and your choice of meat.

SMAK
SMAK has opened the doors of its popular healthy fast food joint on busy Granville Street, just up from Waterfront station. Filling the space recently emptied by Taco Del Mar, the menu features quick and tasty gluten-free options, with salads, wraps, bowls, soups and thick favourable smoothies to wash it down with. Salads and smoothies are pre-made for those on the go and the modern layout makes for a quick grab and eat.

Coming soon

CACAO
With a planned opening in mid-September, licensedCacao will be serving up progressive Latin fare with modern versions of tradition Brazilian cuisine. Look forward to BBQ, ceviche, pabellon, grilled octopus and a full adult drink menu. The location is the old Epicurean Cafe at 1898 West 1st Avenue in Kitsilano.

Joe Pizza
This new joint will be bringing their style of rectangular pizza, a Roman pizza called ‘al taglio’ with a crispy crust to Gastown. Opening in the oft-forgotten corner of Carrall and Cordova (formerlyRainier Provisions), the Chef de Cuisine will be Annabelle Choi (The Pie Shoppe) and we are enthralled that they are developing a crispy gluten-free crust.

Tractor
This healthy eatery is getting ready to throw open the doors of its third location in the heart of downtown, at the base of the Telus building on Robson between Seymour and Richards. In the same proximity as Japadog and Beard Papa, lovers of diverse food congregate on this section of Robson for selection and a leafy green option will fill that last spot.

The American
The Electric Owl is being replaced at 926 Main Street by a 150 seat pub dubbed, The American. The 5,000 sq. ft. location was recently bought by the owners of the infamous Cobalt. With lots of booths, pool tables, foosball and (our love), old skool video games and pinball, The American may give The Cambie in Gastown a run for its money.

Nero Waffle Bar
For those drooling to obtain work in the food industry, get in on free waffles and coffee each shift,Nero Waffle Bar has put the call-out for their new location at the corner of Seymour and Nelson. A recent walk-by has the hoarding from the windows removed and training commencing. We cannot wait for the grills to fire up and the delicious aroma of Belgian waffles start wafting through the neighbourhood.

RELATED LINK: New Vancouver Restaurants: August 2016

Did we miss any new Vancouver restaurants? Let Vv Magazine know in the comments below, or tweet us @ViewtheVibe.