10 Best Restaurants in Main St. and Mt. Pleasant, Vancouver

Locally run 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters sources and roasts their own coffees, which they feature at their flagship café on Main Street. It's always packed with neighborhood residents and shoppers enjoying the top-notch brews and the house-made Lucky's Doughnuts, which come in flavors from simple vanilla-glazed to salted caramel to decadent triple chocolate. Centered on a wood-framed counter, this large airy space has walls of windows on two sides. Its three other locations help keep the rest of the city caffeinated.

The staff at this no-frills storefront explains that Bob is just an average guy. And if he likes the authentically prepared Thai fare, then so will you. The menu includes all the classics, from green papaya salad to laabmoo (minced pork with roasted rice, mint, fish sauce, and lime) to pad si ew (fried rice noodles with pork and egg). There's an assortment of curries, including fish with a creamy yellow curry. Some dishes are on the small side, so if you're hungry ask your server to recommend the right number of plates to share. For the best deal, come for the lunch specials. There's a second location at 1521 West Broadway in the South Granville neighborhood and a quick-service version at 1660 Robson in the West End.

Chef Andrea Carlson previously manned the stoves at locavore destinations Bishop's and Raincity Grill, and she's kept her focus on seasonal local ingredients at her own Michelin-starred storefront bistro. Though she changes the menu regularly, about half of her inventive sharing plates are vegetarian, like the squash cannelloni with chanterelle mushroom cream or the grain "risotto" with potato, miso, and quinoa. Set menu starts at C$89 per guest.

About a 10-minute walk from Main Street and Broadway, this bright, high-ceilinged take on a classic osteria fills up with neighborhood families and fashionable young people dining on house-made pasta, inventive vegetable dishes, and rich meats cooked over a wood-fired grill. The menu changes daily to showcase what's in season but always includes staples, like roasted chicken and steaks, along with more inventive items—think meatballs with pine nuts, a veal chop with polenta, or corn and wild chanterelles risotto. Reservations are recommended, but the seating at the central antipasto bar, right in the middle of the action, is strictly for walk-ins.

This casual eatery serves Mexican favorites like tacos, burritos, tortas, quesadillas, and more—all for less than C$12. Whatever you order, make sure to try one (or several) of their flavor-packed hot sauces. A great spot for a casual lunch or dinner, and if it's nice out, bring your eats to the nearby Robson Park for a picnic. The Kingsway location is full of Mexican artwork. There are three other locales across the city.

This bustling Cantonese restaurant is best known for its excellent dim sum (served 10:30 to 3 weekdays and 10 to 3 weekends), which ranges from traditional handmade dumplings to some adventurous fare. Dinner specialties include roasted squab marinated in the restaurant's secret spice blend and king crab plucked live from the tanks, then steamed with garlic. If you can, come with a group, so you can sample more dishes. There's an additional location in Richmond.

Vancouver's first upscale vegetarian dining room, this barely bigger-than-an-acorn restaurant serves imaginative plant-based fare that does its vegetables proud. With a hyper-seasonal menu, dishes rotate weekly following shipments from local organic farms. Many menu items are vegan or gluten-free. If you have to wait for a table, pass the time with one of their signature cocktails.

It would be easy to miss this tiny luncheonette and grocer nestled off Main Street on a residential street, but locals know this is a place to go for pastries, sandwiches, coffee, and specialty groceries perfect for a picnic. Their cakes and cupcakes are particularly divine. There's a small area for seating, but if it's a busy afternoon, take your snacks to go, and head to a local park for a picnic.