The Patio Series: Vancouver’s Kitsilano
The Patio Series: Vancouver’s Kitsilano
TransLink takes you the people and places that matter most in Metro Vancouver. Our Patio Series highlights the many options for outdoor dining.
We’ve partnered with HUB Cycling to to highlight some of best outdoor dining experiences Metro Vancouver has to offer in this series. The neighbourhoods we’ve covered include Mount Pleasant, New Westminster, and Port Moody. But, a certain thriving, beach community in Vancouver’s core is also deserving of our attention. Of course, we’re talking about Kitsilano. It’s one of the most culturally diverse and charming neighbourhoods not only in Vancouver, but in the world (no bias here). So, kick back, put your feet up, and plan your next patio-hopping trip to Kits.
To help plan your trip, we’ll include bus route info for all the patios shared below. Alternatively, you can visit translink.ca/tripplanner for detailed route information.
The Local Kitsilano
Address: 2210 Cornwall Avenue, Vancouver, BC
Serviced by bus routes 2 & 84.
When you think, “I want to get some food and a drink in the sun in Kitsilano,” The Local on the corner of Cornwall & Yew is probably the first place you should think about if you’re looking for a traditional, beach-oriented experience. Directly across the street from Kits beach, the Local’s large patio invites its visitors to enjoy views of the water and North Shore mountains. The patio itself has plenty of space and is entirely open air with some temporary gazebo tents providing shade for those who want it.
They have an eclectic food menu that includes the expected such as burgers or fish tacos, but they also offer a host of international flavours like shrimp dumplings, a Malaysian curry bowl, and a duck confit arugula salad. Needless to say, the options are plentiful – and delicious.
The Local is a small chain of restaurants oriented on connecting with the neighbourhoods they base their business in, they say, “We only settle in neighbourhoods we fall in love with,” so it’s clear why they chose Kitsilano.
Charqui Grill
Address: 1955 Cornwall Avenue, Vancouver, BC,
Serviced by bus routes 2 & 84.
Just down Cornwall, headed east away from the beach, you’ll stumble upon a stretch of exceptionally charming, smaller, locally owned and operated restaurants. Among those is Charqui Grill, a self-described neighbourhood gastropub “inspired by the world in the heart of Kitsilano.” Charqui offers an eclectic experience, often hosting live music in their dining room, while a range of sports dons the two televisions. The dining room is adorned with a range of art, suave lighting fixtures and a prominent wooden bar with space for several guests. Outside, Charqui offers two patio options. The first is a permanent construction, which sits adjacent to Walnut Street, offering shade and a relaxed vibe as you dine along the tree-lined street. Meanwhile, the second patio sits out front along Cornwall Street and allows visitors to immerse themselves in the culture of Kitsilano.
Charqui’s menu is small and simple, allowing the undersized kitchen to execute on it excellently. The Mozambique peri-peri chicken skewers are a delicious option, while the wild sockeye salmon burger is a familiar West-Coast classic for good reason.
Romers Burger Bar
Address: 1873 W 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC,
Serviced by routes 2, 4, 7, 14, & 84.
If you’ve lived in Metro Vancouver for a while and you’re a burger fan – you’ve almost definitely been to one of Romers Burger Bar’s three locations. However, you may not know that their Kitsilano location at the corner of Burrard and W 4th has turned a portion of the parking lot on the West side of their property into a sleek patio. The patio itself is suave thanks to muted lighting that provides plenty of ambience, a wooden deck that carries over the texture of the outside of the building, and a colour scheme highlighted by red accents.
Romers has been around since 2010 and is named after their head chef Jim Romer. The restaurant has amassed a following thanks to their commitments to fresh local ingredients and creativity in the kitchen. That following is obviously well earned, winning the coveted Georgia Straight Golden Plate award for Vancouver’s best burger for seven years running.
It should come as no surprise that the menu is highlighted by 20 varieties of burgers including plant-based options, fish options, chicken, beef, chorizo, and everything in between. Their commitment to locality is evidenced by their collaborations with three local breweries – Parkside, Red Truck, and Yellow Dog – to offer specialty burgers inspired by their beers. Don’t think this is only a burger restaurant though, they have other options ranging from rice bowls to chicken parmesan.
The Cider House
Address: 1602 Yew St, Vancouver, BC,
Serviced by routes 2 & 84.
Headed back down to the beach along Yew Street, as you approach Cornwall, you’ll notice an attractive option to the east. Customers are dining along the street on the temporary patio as well as above you, on the deck, and they all have four glasses of a mysterious drink in front of them. All four glasses are a distinct colour, but seemingly everyone is enjoying themselves. Out of curiosity you look up to see “The Cider House” written on the side of the building and you discover you’re outside Western Canada’s first ever cider taphouse!
The Cider House has over 20 varieties of cider on tap, all of which are from local B.C. cideries and fermentation companies. Options range from Vancouver Island’s Merridale Cider and Merritt’s Left Field Cider co, to more even more local options like Fraser Valley Cider Company.
Their food menu is entirely plant-based and focused on sustainable, local options. Their appetizers are primarily focused on shareables like the maple chili bites, warm kale and artichoke dip, or the oyster mushroom calamari. While their mains range from handhelds like their “Jackfruit Tacos” to bowl options like mac + cheese or pad thai.
The Regal Beagle Neighbourhood Pub
Address: 2283 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC,
Serviced by bus routes 4, 7, 14, 16 & 99 B-Line.
Looking for a neighbourhood pub that encompasses the Kitsilano mantra? Look no further than the Regal Beagle on W. Broadway. Their food menu is a mix of traditional pub fare with the added bonus of all-day breakfast. They allso have a special “Taco & Tequila” menu all day on Fridays, offering beef, chicken, or cauliflower tacos alongside discounted tequila shots and cocktails. Saturday and Sunday mornings feature a $10 Beagle Breakfast for those mornings when you need some extra motivation to get out of bed.
The highlight of the Legal Beagle is their outdoor space that they’ve leaned into taking advantage of the weather to offer as many seats as possible. They’ve turned a former, unused space behind the restaurant into a carpeted, oasis patio. The tables are spacious, with some offering recliner-style outdoor patio furniture for maximum comfort. The overhead lighting sets the mood at night, while potted shrubbery supports the quaint and relaxed atmosphere.
What do you think of the patios we’ve chosen? Did we miss any? Be sure to let us know down below!
