It’s hard to believe 15 years have passed since Chef David Hawksworth opened his much-awarded Hawksworth Restaurant, and 10 years since his upscale-casual Nightingale debuted. Unsurprisingly, as one of our city’s pioneering culinary forces, we wanted to know where Chef Hawksworth shops and dines—in Vancouver and beyond.
Chef David Hawksworth’s Favourite Restaurants
Seaport City Seafood Restaurant
2425 Cambie St.
When Hawksworth celebrated a birthday recently and went to the packed Seaport City for lunch with a group, he was “blown away” by the Chinese fine dining spot. “The dim sum was amazing. They have a great spicy salt-and-pepper Dungeness crab. Fried rice with egg white and scallop. Hot and sour soup. Excellent.” Say no more, we’re on our way.
La Quercia
3689 West 4th Ave.
“This place never gets the recognition it deserves—it should have a Michelin star,” says Hawksworth of the cozy Italian institution on West 4th. “The quality in that restaurant has got to be the best west of Montreal. [Chef Adam Pegg’s] knowledge and dedication to simplicity creates perfection in everything he does. Not to mention, world-class pasta.” Hot tip, if you haven’t heard already: “He’s got a seasonal place on the Sunshine Coast that opened in the summer.” Look up La Bettolina at Secret Cove Marina, thank us later.
Top Ten Produce
4536 W. 10th Ave.
For fruit, vegetables, and fun music blaring on the soundsystem, the chef shops at this blink-and-you’ll-miss it grocery store in Point Grey. “They have everything you need in a super-compact store. Great vegetables, fruit, wild mushrooms, all types of dumplings in the freezer, even a wall of comic books. If you’re lucky you’ll run into Mickey the cat.” For a quick meal after a beach walk, Hawksworth picks up frozen shrimp pork dumplings, adds shiitake mushrooms, homemade chicken broth, shaved daikon, green onion, sesame oil, a touch of soy and white pepper—voila.
Oddfish
1889 West 1st Ave.
“They always do a great job—great energy, fish preparations.” A few recent favourites from the ever-changing menu: charred mackerel, burrata and toast, and prawn toast.
Focacciaza
1007 E. Cordova
Hard to spell but easy to love, Focacciaza’s solo owner-operator, “Focaccia Joe” serves up Italian street food year-round from a commissary on East Cordova. Using hand-laminated dough, Canadian flour, and extra virgin olive oil to bake his bread, that’s not all there is on offer. “Panini, soup—he has everything,” says Hawksworth. “He’s also a really good mushroom forager.” Hidden-gem status, acquired.
Sushi Masuda
1066 W Hastings St.
With a sleek counter seating only eight people, this sushi spot across from Nightingale is something special. “It’s some of the best sushi I’ve had in Vancouver; the whole setup is amazing. You feel like you’ve been transported to Tokyo.”
Noodle Arts
1739 Robson St.
Handmade noodles and soups in the Lanzhou tradition are the order of the day at Noodle Arts on Robson. “All of their broths are unbelievable,” says Hawksworth. “I have the beef, or the pork with fermented mustard greens, and then a load of chili.”
Thomas Haas
Various Locations
This iconic chocolatier-bakery-extraordinaire is a perennial favourites. The chef’s order? “We’ll migrate to all things chocolate and caramel; the pain au chocolate are great too. I feel if you do a walk on the seawall, you’ve kind of earned your treat.”
Sungiven Foods
Various Locations
The Asian supermarket chain has been a recent go-to for ingredients like whole chicken (head on/feet on), pork belly, rice, bok choy, dumplings and more. “They also do a beef digital muscle cut, from the shank, that makes a great beef bourguignon.” Check out all the different products in their frozen section if you go.
Ed’s Bred
2067 Lake Placid Rd #206, Whistler
Hawksworth travels to Whistler often and that’s where he’s buying “some of the best sourdough I’ve ever had in my life.” Ed’s Bred, a vegan and organic sourdough bakery in Creekside, is the source. And if you think it’s just buttered toast at the Hawksworth household, think again. “I like to drizzle some fantastic olive oil on top, grill it, top it with Maldon salt, fresh pepper, then maybe some whipped ricotta and chilli flakes.” Another favourite accompaniment? His wife Annabel’s hummus. “The trick is to add ice cubes while you blend to get it smooth and silky.” (Who knew? Not us.) When he’s craving baked goods back in Vancouver, Flourist is the go-to.
Outbound Station
27400 Sea-to-Sky Highway, Britannia Beach
This highway-side craft burger shop in Britannia Beach is just the place “if you fancy a treat on the road to Whistler.” Hawksworth’s 18-year-old son will go for a double burger; Chef gets the single.
