How to Do Brewery and the Beast Right in 2024

We’re not supposed to “play favourites” in this industry, but I’ll bravely admit that Brewery and the Beast is my favourite food event in Vancouver. The all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-drink food fest is this Sunday, June 2, and it’s the best place to try 50-plus restaurants all at once. I’ve been three years in a row—last year, I brought my entire family. This event always sells out, but at the time of writing there are still a few tickets up for grabs… get them while you can.

And if you’ve already gotten a ticket, listen here: I know how to do Brewery and the Beast right. Buckle up, meatheads.

Is Brewery and the Beast Worth It?

The tickets aren’t cheap—entry into Brewery and the Beast in 2024 will set you back $196. For me, an omnivore with a giant appetite and “tank” status when it comes to drinking (according to my older cousin who is a paramedic so he knows what he’s talking about), the ticket is absolutely worth it, especially considering some of the pricier restaurants that are on board. For example, take Published and Boulevard: the sungold lamb at Published is $69, and the charcoal grilled chicken at Boulevard is $50. Those exact dishes won’t be on the menu at Brewery and the Beast, but that gives you an idea of the sort of price point that you’d expect for a single dish at a lot of the participating restaurants. Factor in Brewery and the Beast’s all-you-can-eatability and the value is obvious.

Oh, and there’s the drinks, too… I’m not going to publicly encourage going overboard, but there’s only so many all-you-can-drink opportunities we have in our short lives (please drink water, too). Even for those practising moderation or not drinking at all, I think this event is worth it—you can easily get your money’s worth on the food alone.

That said, it’s not for everyone. If you don’t eat meat, this is not the event for you. If you don’t have a big appetite or you’re a picky little baby, it also probably won’t be your jam… the value comes from the variety, and if you don’t have the stomach for trying new things, it’s probably not worth the $196.

How to Do Brewery and the Beast Right in 2024

Eat a small breakfast. Don’t skip meals, even if you are about to embark on the most serious eating challenge of your life. A little brekkie will do you good (especially if you’re going to be drinking alot, which for the record, I never explicitly encouraged).

Come prepared for the weather. Normally, I’d say wear sunscreen. For the last two years, lovely volunteers have walked around offering sunscreen to red-faced sunburned people (and red-faced people like my sister who have a single cider and turn into a tomato… they meant well!). This year it’s supposed to rain, so bring a waterproof jacket (no umbrellas, please).

Every person for themself. As I mentioned above, I brought my whole family to last year’s food fest… but I didn’t stay with them. There’s too much to see and too many people around to coordinate. Blood may be thicker than water but barbecue sauce is thicker than both—we can be a family again at 5:00pm.

Hit your favourite spots first. Sure, it’s all you can eat, but some spots will run out of food (hey, it’s not their fault everyone loves them). In the next section of this story I’ll take you through the restaurants I’m most excited to hit, and you can bet I’ll be stampeding to those tents first.

Eat while you wait. The biggest hack of all: never stand in a line empty-handed. If the Two Rivers Meats line is hella long (it always is) make sure to grab some food from some of the less busy tents to chew on while you wait. You’re welcome.

Take a mid-feast break. It’s actually really hard to eat and drink non-stop for three hours, so take some breaks to ensure you have the stamina to finish this foodie race.

Walk home. A new tip we discovered last year: take a nice long walk home from Brewery and the Beast. I walked all the way back to Kits last year, and it felt great to get my body moving after consuming a mountain of meat (and, okay, a lot of drinks).

The Restaurants I’m Most Excited for at Brewery and the Beast 2024

1. Anh and Chi

The winners of Vanmag‘s Readers’ Choice Best Mount Pleasant award always have something brilliant grilling (and a side of award-winning fish sauce, too).

2. Bacaro

My absolute favourite thing at 2023’s Brewery and the Beast was hot off the barbecue at Bacaro, so I’m definitely hitting this one up again.

3. Boulevard and Published on Main

As I mentioned earlier, these gold-standard restaurants are on the pricier side… it’s not all about the money, but this is where the value of your ticket can really kick in. Also, obviously, they’re delicious.

4. Elisa and C Prime

Not sampling the goods from these two spots would be a missed-steak. They’re the pros.

5. La Mezcalería

Another decorated restaurant that is sure to be grilling up something special.

6. Osteria Elio Volpe x Osteria Savio Volpe

Maybe one day I’ll get my life together enough to get a reso at Elio Volpe before 9:00 p.m…  but until then, you can catch me puppy-guarding this tent for a taste of both the Savio and Elio menu.

7. The Paella Guys

Cooking for a crowd is an art, and the Paella Guys really have the high-volume, high-flavour game nailed. They know how to deliver good food in bulk, making them an asset in this high-attended fest.

8. The Lunch Lady

Another award-winning restaurant (Best Commercial Drive) that’s tricky to get into without a wait—skip the line on the Drive and… well, I guess get in line here. But eat some meat on a stick while you queue.

9. Two Rivers Meats

When basically all the notable restaurants in the city are sourcing from this one producer, you must visit said producer’s tent. Warning: this is a popular opinion—hit this one early.

10. The Pie Hole

One final Brewery and the Beast life hack: grab a pie for the road. Or, eat a pie in the middle of your three-hour lunch. There are no rules.

Brewery and the Beast 2024 Map

Get the lay of the land with this map of some major landmarks in this year’s fest.

All Participating Restaurants in Brewery and the Beast

Alimentaria Mexicana
Alouette Bistro
Anh and Chi
Antise Vancouver
ARC Restaurant
Artigiano
Atlas Steak + Fish
Bacaro
Bar Oso
Bartholomew Bar
Basta Barbecue x Farmer’s Apprentice
Belgard Kitchen
Berrymobile Fruit Distribution Inc.
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
C|Prime Modern Italian Steak & Wine
Café Medina
Chambar Restaurant
Chop & Chew
Diva at the Met
Elisa
Free Bird Table & Bar
Gastronomy Gastown
H2 Kitchen + Bar
Havana Vancouver
Haven Kitchen + Bar
Homer Street Cafe and Bar
Hydra Estiatorio & Wine Bar
Il Caminetto
Jungle Room
La Mezcalería
Lift Bar Grill View
Mary Ann’s Macarons
Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provisions
Notch8 Restaurant & Bar
Okini Restaurant & Bar
Osteria Elio Volpe x Osteria Savio Volpe
Pablo Cheese Tart
Paella Guys & Co
per se Social Corner
Pourhouse
President’s Club at Roger’s Arena
Published on Main
Salt N Sear Catering
South Fire by Zambri’s
Steven’s Cocktail Corner Bar + Kitchen
Straight and Marrow
Sumibiyaki Arashi
Supper Club YVR
The Cahoots Kitchen x Old Stubborn’s
The Lunch Lady
The Pie Hole
The Watson
Torafuku
Tower Izakaya at D/6 in The Douglas Hotel
Two Rivers Meats
Vancouver Community College
Vancouver Private Dining
Wildlight Kitchen + Bar

Brewery and the Beast 2024

Sunday June 2
2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
811 Carrall St.
Get tickets here.