25 Things to Eat and Drink in 2025

Hope you’re all caught up on last year’s roster of must-try dishes, essential meals and put-on-everything sauces we can’t stop thinking about, because we’re back with another to-do list to feast on. From fro-yo infused with cherries and nostalgia to artful cocktails and crispy, snackable hand pies, these are the delicious, decadent and downright essential bites that make this city a gourmand’s paradise—foodies, start your engines.  

And, for the brave Vancouver gourmands willing to go out and sample a good chunk of the tasty treats on our list, we’ve got an excellent prize in store: a trip for two to the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival in Kā’anapali, Maui. Find out all of the delicious details here.

1. Beef Wellington, Linh Cafe

Our celebratory dish of choice, Linh Cafe’s beef wellington ($85) is a stunning take on the British classic. Substituting black forest ham for the traditional prosciutto adds a punch of flavour (and structural integrity), while the creamy peppercorn sauce brings bite and the buttery puff pastry delivers technique-driven crisp. We’re not forgetting the star, though: the tenderloin itself is executed to perfection, meaning your first bite will be as good as your last—because, really, we’re not leaving a single morsel on the table. 

2. Green Oysters, Meo

As a general rule of thumb, we avoid green oysters… but we’ll make an enthusiastic exception at Meo. In the Chinatown cocktail bar, the briny bivalves are served up by the half-dozen in vibrant pools of herb-celery emulsion ($30); fresh pico de gallo on top adds an additional zing as you slurp from each shell. It’s a taste of both the ocean and the garden—one that has us seeing green. 

3. Seared Cabbage, Pizza Coming Soon

We’re not afraid to admit that we love all things cabbage, but it’s not often the star of the show at our local restaurants. But at Pizza Coming Soon, the seared cabbage ($18) gets its rightful due. The lacto- fermented cruciferous beauty is perfectly seared and plated with a miso cashew crema so excellently umami you’ll want it on all the things, while the bright yuzu kosho vinaigrette keeps it all from feeling too rich or heavy. It’s a dish even the cabbage-averse set would be hard pressed to turn down. 

4. Mineral Cocktail, Suyo

Suyo’s Max Curzon-Price won this magazine’s 2024 Bartender of the Year award, but with the Mineral cocktail ($26), he proves that he might have missed his calling as a magician. The earthy, aromatic whisky-and-tequila drink features two layers of flavoured ice that mimic the layers of the earth; as they melt, your cocktail transforms. Abracadabra! 

5. House Special Fried Rice, Lunch Lady

It goes without saying that the best part about fried rice is the menagerie of textures thanks to an abundance of, obviously, fried ingredients co-mingling in the same dish. Lunch Lady takes its house special fried rice ($24) to the next level with a combination of tender cured pork belly, succulent tiger prawns, salty lap cheong sausage and the not-so-secret star ingredient: puffed rice. The resulting product means a snap, crackle, pop of rice perfection. 

6. Anchovy Stuffed Olives, Livia

Can you really enjoy an aperitivo without a little snack? Livia says no and swings for the fences with an anchovy stuffed inside the queen of olives ($5): the castelvetrano. She’s buttery, she’s mild and, when filled with an umami-bomb, she transforms into the ideal salty sidekick to the pitch-perfect negroni you’ll order alongside. 

7. Spicy Heirloom Tomato Jam, Klippers

Move over ketchup—Klippers’ spicy heirloom tomato jam ($10) is bringing main character energy to your carb game. Packed with farm-fresh heirloom tomatoes (a.k.a. the GOAT of flavour, according to tomato buffs), onions and a spicy kick, this 250-ml jar is filled with limitless snacking potential. Whether you’re jazzing up toast, crackers or baked scones—or just spooning it straight from the jar, we won’t judge—it’s a zesty summer heat you can spread all year long.  

8. Pastel Classico Carne Seca, Whatafood

Denman’s Whatafood slings Brazilian street food like nobody’s business. The pastel classico carne seca ($5) is not to be missed—this crispy-as-all-hell hand pie is filled with Brazilian-style beef jerky and a ton of alliums (green onions, white onion and garlic) and comes paired with uniquely savoury-yet-sweet cassava cream for an on-the-go snack that’s perfect for a wander around Stanley Park… if it makes it that far. 

9. Potato and Cauliflower Pakoras, Lila

Pakoras and chutney are like hot dogs at a baseball game—comforting, familiar, always a solid choice. But when one makes us stop and take notice, like Lila’s potato and cauliflower pakoras ($15), it’s like falling in love for the first time all over again (sans any rebound concerns). Lila, Main Street’s newest vegan Indian gem, is already on our foodie radar despite being open less than a year. These crispy, perfectly fried chickpea-battered bites (gluten-free, we might add) come with a classic mango chutney with a fresh mint twist. 

10. Passion, Orange, Guava and Vodka Cocktail, Nicelife

Thanks to the city’s year-round alcohol in parks program, you can bring back that summer feeling even in the middle of winter—and with NiceLife’s ready-to-drink cocktails, sharing a toast in Queen E Park no longer means smuggling a tepid beer in your backpack (not that we would ever do something so monstrous). We’re pretty obsessed with the brand’s unique, bar-worthy flavour combinations—like the passion, orange, guava and vodka ($5), which is made with real fruit and tastes like a Hawaiian vacation in a (very chic) glass bottle. 

11. Vodka Pepperoni Pie, Don’t Argue Pizza

“Best pizza in the city” is an oft-debated topic among Vanmag editors. The crust, the cheese-level, heck, the toppings—most of us will die on the hill of opinion supremacy as we advocate for our slice. But there’s one thing we all agree on: Don’t Argue Pizza’s vodka pepperoni pie ($34) is the city’s current do-not-miss ’za. The creamy sauce is the ideal counterpart to the charred ’roni cups, the cheese is just pull-worthy enough and basil and honey add a sweetness that has us singing “that’s amore.” 

12. Mussels and Nduja, Dear Gus

Mount Pleasant’s 513-square-foot snack bar Dear Gus is proof that good things come in small packages. Plus, if you cozy up to the marble bar, you can watch (or stare longingly) as the best plate of mussels ($28) in the city is prepared by chef Jorge Tuane. The bivalves arrive suspended in a hearty tomato-saffron broth enriched with spicy nduja that makes the dish more than just snackable; hell, when scooped up with the made-daily bread, it’s last-meal-level good. 

13. Portuguese Egg Tart Bubble Waffles, Eggette

The sweet scent of decadent, crisping batter has us following our noses like cartoon characters (while fighting the inevitable crowds) on Robson Street to Eggette House’s newest location. Once you’re inside the counter-service store, your decision won’t be easy—but if seeing the staff gingerly scoop house-baked custard for the Portuguese egg tart bubble waffles ($8.50) isn’t a flavour endorsement, we don’t know what is. The waffle itself is hot and golden and the inside creamy. If you break your waffle open (we know, it’s sacrilege to not just inhale it all at once) you can even see the trademark pasteis de nata blackened top. 

14. Pan-Fried Pork Buns, Wang’s Shanghai Cuisine

We’re big fans of all varieties of buns: steamed, deep-fried, you name it, we eat it. But Wang’s Shanghai Cuisine brings the best of both worlds together with its pan-fried pork buns ($8.75): a soft soup-dumpling top meets a crisp, texture-forward bottom and it’s all tied together with a rich broth so flavourful you’ll be more than happy to burn your tongue as you scramble for your first bite. 604-428-6818

15. HK Curry Street Food Chili Oil, Mama in the Kitchen

Here at Vanmag we’re no strangers to chili oil—but Mama in the Kitchen’s HK curry street food version ($16) brings more than just the heat. Created to replicate the founder’s childhood memories in Hong Kong, this handcrafted “put on everything” condiment has a curry-forward kick but mellows down on the palate thanks to hoisin and oyster sauce. 

16. Cardamom Syrup, Mishmash

Be warned: unlike many of the flavoured drinks you can get at Starbucks, if you order something at Mishmish, you’re going to actually get that thing—not a cloyingly sweet, artificial version of it. Take the Fraser Street bakery’s made-in-house cardamom syrup ($0.30) that can be added to any drink. When it’s stirred into a latte it arrives floral, slightly savoury and scrumptious. Plus, it’s an absolutely delightful pairing with one of Mishmish’s pastries (we’re partial to the halva cornflake cookie). 

17. Ricotta Pancakes, Hunnybee Brunchonette

One of the best things about brunch is the ability to order dessert that’s masquerading as regular old breakfast fare. Hunnybee Bruncheonette’s sweet ricotta pancakes ($14) are not only the fluffiest, butteriest and possibly most generously portioned in the city, they also come topped with maple syrup, butter, cultured cream and a key ingredient: a dollop of intensely fruity jam. 

18. Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi, Merci Beaucoup

When your friend recommends a sandwich by saying “I’d eat it every day if I could,” you know you’ve got a contender for one of the best dishes in the city—and Merci Beaucoup’s lemongrass chicken banh mi ($9.75) delivers on the high expectations (at under $10, no less!). No one at the cult-fave Commercial Drive Vietnamese café is trying to reinvent the wheel here, but every classic detail is done right with this sando, from the perfectly crusty made-fresh French baguette to the bright pickled carrots to the tender, lemongrass-marinated meat. 

19. Calabreselli Alla Vodka With Crab, Elio Volpe

There are plenty of pastas to fall in love with on the menu at Cambie Village hot spot Elio Volpe, but the calabreselli alla vodka with crab ($30) is the true heartthrob of the lot. Obviously, the Banda Volpi group has their fresh pasta game dialled in at this point, but the addition of the spicy, creamy, peppery vodka sauce and heaps of fresh crab meat (with a generous dusting of pangrattato, naturally) takes the dish to lick-the-plate-clean heights. eliovolpe.com

20. Al Pastor Taco, Taqueria Chicatana

On Mondays and Tuesdays Chinatown’s Hunnybee Bruncheonette transforms into a haven for Mexican food fanatics: Taqueria Chicatana. A spinning trompo is layered with achiote-marinated pork and pineapple, and when it’s shaved off, topped with onions, cilantro and avocado salsa and served on a corn tortilla, it becomes the best al pastor taco ($6) this side of well, Southern California.  

21. Hoi An Nights, Good Thief

Good Thief may have only opened on Main Street in 2024, but its well-crafted Hoi An Nights cocktail ($18) already has us wanting more of what this rebellious snack bar has up its sleeve. The drink creates a splash with its bright purple hue, and flavour-wise it leans delicate thanks to lemongrass gin, lychee, jasmine, ube foam (hence, purple), Maldon salt and chili—making this cocktail bright, spicy, not-too-sweet and on the more-ish side of floral.

22. Muhammara, Yasma

We Vanmag editors stand on business. Which means we’re lobbying hard for dip to be considered its own food group. That lobbying plea comes with a nomination for best in show: the muhammara ($14) at Yasma. Not only is it a stunning shade of red thanks to fire-roasted peppers, but with the textural crunch of walnuts and tang of pomegranate molasses, well, it’s worthy of a double-dip (or three). 

23. Hey Dreamer Beer, Container Brewing

Who makes the best sour beer in Vancouver? It probably depends on who you ask. Brassneck’s rotating Changeling has a claim for sure, as does Strathcona’s Love Buzz and Luppolo’s Limoncello Sour Weisse. But, for our money, Container Brewing is the current heavyweight champion. Upon writing, the Hey Dreamer ($5.35) was in rotation—it’s tart as heck but also immensely refreshing. But whatever’s on tap we know that if it’s from Container, it’ll be the kind of beer you reach for on a long day and suddenly the things you were worrying about cease to exist. 

24. Melon Sago, Song

Ripe melon and chewy tapioca pearls meet in Song’s melon sago ($12): a not-too-sweet rendition of the classic Thai dessert made intensely refreshing thanks to melt-in-your-mouth coconut shaved ice and delicate fresh young coconut. This texture-forward (chewy, icy, melon-y?!) pudding is the ultimate palate reset after enjoying one of the restaurant’s hot curries. 

25. Cherry Ice Cream Cone, Killer Ice Cream

Be prepared to wait for your cherry ice cream cone ($6 for a small waffle cone) at Kitsilano’s Killer Ice Cream. Everything is churned-to-order in the two frantically running soft serve machines, so yeah, it can take a minute. But it’s a sweet treat that’s worth a little patience. Fresh B.C.-farmed cherries are whipped with B.C. dairy vanilla ice cream (or fro-yo or oat or coconut, if that’s your thing) into a picture-perfect pink swirl that tastes as summery as it looks. And if cherry isn’t available, pick a delicious alternative from the ever-changing fruit menu—peach basil, anyone?