Local Flavours – Exploring BC Food Trucks and Boutique Restaurants

Where do I start? With so many fantastic places in our province, whether it be ordering through the window of a mobile eatery, or settling into a family-owned bistro, the delicious choices are beyond plentiful. Here, a few local flavour favourites to get you started. Oh and? Arrive hungry.


FOOD TRUCKS

 

Aperitivo Food Truck

Aperitivo! is the latest idea by a husband-and-wife team that also own and operate three other popular food trucks in the Vancouver area including Melt City, Mom’s Grilled Cheese, and Green Coast Coffee. Aperitivo is like a little slice of Bella Italia serving traditional charcuterie, olives, and espresso drinks from a cheerful, hard-to-miss vintage truck. Watch for it around the lower mainland. Book Aperitivo! for your own private event too and they can serve cocktails, beer and wine as well.

 

Rosie’s BBQ

Rosie’s BBQ & Smokehouse has a serious following for those who appreciate the real deal when it comes to authentic BBQ. Watch for the new trailer plus new locations to pop up at, including Parkside Brewery, Saturday Vancouver Canadians home games at The Nat, plus Tofino Wine & Dine, Extreme Mudfest in Dawson Creek and more. A new menu includes a Brisket Bowl with kimchi fried rice, a Texas Trinity Baked Potato, which is a fire-baked potato topped with pulled pork, sausage, brisket, beans, and cheese. 

 

Chopstick Truck

The Chopstick Truck in Fernie parks their food truck just off Highway 3 and serves the freshest Vietnamese street food with a modern twist. Traditional dishes include pork and beef, but vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options are on offer too. The Bao Bun tacos are legendary, ‘pachos’ (house made chips with pulled pork), the Kimchi crunch wrap and just some of the impossible to resist menu highlights. People come for the bubble teas and stay for the salad rolls.

 

BOUTIQUE RESTAURANTS

Big Feast Bistro

Once featured on Food Network Canada’s hit show “You Gotta Eat Here!” Big Feast bistro in Maple Ridge has a serious local following. This restaurant proudly works with over fifty BC suppliers, many of them organic products, to use in their dishes and at the bar. Serving breakfast and lunch only, and don’t forget to stop into the retail space where coolers are stocked with grab and go soups (think Moroccan red lentil), chilis and frozen meals (hello mac and cheese with Cajun chicken).

 

Tannenbaum

A family-run German/Bavarian restaurant in New Westminster, The Tannenbaum is the coziest place to tuck into a comfort meal that tastes like it was made with love. Try the

Schwarzwälder, a traditional schnitzel topped with Black Forest mushroom gravy, pan- fried potatoes, vegetables, and their secret-recipe red cabbage. Gluten-free breading is an option, as is a tofu/veggie version. Other specialties include the spätzle, bratwurst, pork hock and much more, plus German beer and wine. Save room for apple strudel. Or chocolate mousse. Or both. There’s no crime in the doggie bag either.