9 Best Restaurants in West End, Vancouver

Here you'll find house-made pasta, antipasto, and out-of-the-ordinary wood-fired pizzas with out-of-the-ordinary toppings such as burrata with prosciutto apple. Reservations aren't available. Instead you'll be asked to write your name in chalk on a blackboard. But the food is worth the wait. There are lots of gluten-free options, a good selection of craft beers, and a reasonable wine list. You'll also find Nook in Olympic Village, Kitsilano, and at North Vancouver's Shipyards.

This is one of the most authentic restaurants in town when it comes to Syrian Lebanese flavors. And its waterfront location doesn't hurt either, although in winter, you may want to wear a sweater if seated next to the window. Enjoy stuffed grape leaves, smoked eggplant with pomegranate molasses, and a signature hummus. Shish tawouk (yogurt-marinated chicken) is a winner, as is the mashawi, a mixed grill of eight kebabs (C$110) geared for sharing. Burgers (lamb, of course) get the nod, too. The small bar is elegant and the cocktails imaginative. It's one of the few place to enjoy imported arak. The wine list is decent, too.

Watch the dumpling makers at work in the open kitchen, and you'll know what to order at this bustling Chinese eatery specializing in traditional Shanghainese and Taiwanese-style food. From xiao long bao (delicate pork-and-crab-filled soup dumplings) to freshly steamed vegetable buns, you'll find plenty of doughy deliciousness here. Handmade Shanghai-style noodles, fresh greens quickly stir-fried with garlic, and salted vegetables with pork and green beans are tasty options, too. Their original location in Richmond is larger and more upscale.

Relax, you're in Spain—or at least you'll feel like it when you enter this narrow West End nook, a traditional Spanish tapas bar that serves classic (and not so classic) small bites and daily variations of paella. Order a sherry or a glass of Spanish bubbly, then graze on anchovies on toast, crispy squid with mint yogurt and jam, or fried zucchini flowers stuffed with potato and salt cod. As in the best Iberian tapas joints, you can come in for a nibble or three, or keep ordering more dishes as you linger into the evening, often accompanied by flamenco guitar.

A standout amid the crowded dining scene on Denman Street, Khaghan's varied menu has piled assorted Middle Eastern flavors into traditional fare: a multitude of kebabs, a tasty ghormeh sahzi beef stew loaded with greens and fresh herbs, a lamb shank with dill rice, and a pomegranate walnut stew for vegetarians. Locals keep this place cooking, so reservations are essential.

Behind its ornate wooden door, this izakaya occupies the stylish end of the spectrum, with a carved wood bar, lots of greenery, and sexy mood lighting. The intriguing Japanese small plates, from salmon carpaccio to grilled miso-marinated pork cheeks to the spicy tako-wasabi (octopus), are delicious. And the vibe is bustling and fun. To drink, choose from several varieties of shochu (Japanese vodka) or sake.

With thin, fresh egg noodles and homemade broth (it's a meat stock, so vegetarians won't find much on the menu), a bowl of noodle soup here is cheap, filling, and oh so tasty. Expect long lines, but you can use the wait to decide between lean or fatty pork, and rich, medium, or light stock. Once you're inside the bare-bones storefront, the harried staff doesn't tolerate any dithering. Kintaro is owned by the same people as Motomachi. They're both top-notch ramen shops, but this one is more of a quick eat-and-run stop—not the place for a leisurely meal.

As you'd expect from the name, this compact storefront specializes in noodles, and they're made by hand in the open kitchen, so you can watch. The choices are simple—noodles in soup or in straight-up stir-fries—but you can also order a plate of garlicky pea shoots or a steamer of dumplings to accompany your meal. The restaurant is just a short stroll from English Bay.