Dine Out Vancouver 2024 Showcases Its Tastiest Year Yet

Every January, hungry Vancouverites usher in The Dine Out Vancouver Festival, spanning January 17 to February 4, with great enthusiasm. It’s a shining light on a city that, let’s face it, is pretty grey and glum this time of year.

The festival showcases the city’s diverse and exquisite food culture, inviting diners to explore a wide array of culinary experiences. With over 380 restaurants participating, each venue presents its unique take on flavours and dishes; from the ocean-fresh seafood at English Bay to the eclectic and vibrant fusion dishes found downtown.

Each restaurant taking part in the event is offering specially curated menus at fixed prices, ranging from $20 to $65. These menus are designed to offer a comprehensive taste of each establishment’s culinary philosophy, making fine dining restaurants such as Michelin recommended Acquafarina or Five Sales, accessible to a broader audience. And because of the price point, it’s feasible to dine out and try something new almost every weekend (or day), whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

The charm of the festival lies in its wide appeal, with something to please everyone. It’s a chance to dive into a culinary journey, sampling unique dishes from some of Vancouver’s top chefs, perfect for stepping out of your comfort zone and expanding your palate. 

With Veganuary in full swing, maybe you’ve been thinking about trying a more plant-based diet. In that case, you could sample the menu from The Acorn, a Michelin guide-recommended, award-winning vegetable-forward eatery, or Mila in Chinatown, which specialises in plant-forward cuisine like their crowd-pleasing Aburi Lox Oshi sushi.

Dine Out also encourages you to explore your neighbourhood more, maybe finally checking out that Italian joint you’ve been curious about. Plus, it’s a chance to venture into new areas, discovering not just diverse cuisines but also different vibes and atmospheres across the city.

From Bar SuSu in Mount Pleasant to Bells and Whistles in East Van, Dovetail in Yaletown and The Mackenzie Room in Gastown, everywhere you turn there’s a unique dining concept waiting to be discovered, reflecting the dynamic and multicultural essence of Vancouver. 

And what people may not know, even if they have heard about Dine Out Vancouver, is that in addition to dining, there’s a wide range of special events and culinary experiences to complement the event. 

The festival features a variety of tours like “Art, Eat & Sip Mount Pleasant,” where art and food intertwine in Mount Pleasant, and the “Chinatown Dumpling Masterclass” for hands-on dumpling making. 

It also includes unique dining collaborations, such as the “L’Abattoir x Portage Restaurant Collaboration Dinner,” blending different regional flavours. 

Events like “Gelato 101” at Uno Gelato and “Street Food City 12,” Vancouver’s original street food celebration, add more diversity. These activities offer a more in-depth look into Vancouver’s diverse dining scene, enriching the typical restaurant experiences.

With just over a week of Dine Out Vancouver left, we encourage you to support our city’s fabulous food scene and indulge in as many tasting menus as the waist on your jeans will allow until February 4th.