The Best Places To Find Ethnic Food In Vancouver

Given that about 40 per cent of people living in metropolitan Vancouver speak English as their second language, there are many more places to dine than your traditional steak and potato joints. If you’re interested in branching out, here are some of the best ethnic restaurants to try in the area.

Silvestre Gusto Latino

A family run business dedicated to making authentic, flavorful Peruvian cuisine, Silvestre Gusto Latino puts a little taste of Peru right in downtown Vancouver. Using the three traditional staples of Peruvian cuisine; corn, potatoes and ajies (chili), this deli and bistro, which boasts the “best Peruvian food in town,” creates delicious sandwiches and dishes such as the chicharron, a slow cooked and fried pork belly sandwich with sweet potatoes and salsa criolla.
Silvestre Gusto Latino, 317 Water St., Vancouver, B.C., +1 604 558 2825

Gurkha Himalayan Kitchen

Offering an authentic Nepali dining experience, Gurkha Himalayan Kitchen brings the heart of Nepal to British Columbia. Try the cook’s favorites, Quati or Pokhara Lamb, which is boneless lamb marinated in a yogurt, ginger-garlic paste and gentle Nepali spices before it’s grilled to perfection. The Himalayan kitchen also offers popular Nepali desserts.
Gurkha Himalayan Kitchen , 1141 Davie St., Vancouver, B.C., +1 604 565 7965

Mui Ngo Gai

Explore cuisine from different regions of Vietnam at this authentic restaurant, which offers dishes made to perfection with subtle flavors and great ingredients. Try popular rice or noodle dishes, Vietnamese ham, seasoned pork roll and cooked pork blood with large round rice noodles. Mui Ngo Gai also offers traditional Vietnamese pho dishes and a variety of other specialty soups and dinner dishes, all packed full with flavor.
Mui Ngo Gai, 2052 Kingsway, Vancouver, B.C.,+1 604 876 8885

The Dutch Wooden Shoe

If you ever wake up in Vancouver wishing you were in Amsterdam, make your way to the The Dutch Wooden Shoe Café, which has been around for over 35 years. Offering traditional Dutch breakfasts and brunch dishes like pannekoek and waffles, this place is quirky, charming and delicious. Think apple cinnamon waffles, Dutch pancakes with sausage and greens, bitterballen, or different types of pannekoeks.
The Dutch Wooden Shoe, 3292 Cambie St., Vancouver, B.C., +1 604 874 0922

Pork Sisig, a traditional Filipino dish.

Pinpin

It’s nearly impossible to miss Pinpin when you’re on the 6100 block of Fraser Street. Serving up Filipino-Chinese cuisine, this spot is home to authentic, favorite dishes from the Philippines like the pork binagoonan or the calderetang baka. For a sweet ending, try the cassava cake, a tasty pudding dish made from cassava, eggs, coconut milk and sugar.
Pinpin, 6113 Fraser St., Vancouver, B.C., +1 604 322 3086

About the author

Julianna Roche

Julianna is a Boston-based multimedia journalist pursuing her master's in communication studies. She holds a bachelor's in journalism and Italian Studies, and has previously worked as associate editor at Cincy and NKY Magazine. Having lived in eight cities and two countries, as well as having grown up in an Italian home, she has a huge passion for exploring different cultures, learning other languages, and traveling. When she's not writing, she can probably be found running, cooking, or spending time outdoors and with her dog, Starbuck (who she adamantly notes is named after a character in Battlestar Galactica, not the coffee!).