Vancouver’s breathtaking surroundings make it all the more exciting to go out for a celebratory meal. But beyond epic waterfront views, the city’s thriving dining scene holds something for all kinds of celebrations. From group-friendly dining for celebrating a birthday to romantic gems for unforgettable date nights and fun, vibrant hotspots for dancing the night away, the best special occasion restaurants in Vancouver will mark your next event with a bang.
Whether it’s a top-notch Chinese meal in luxe interiors, flame-seared sushi enjoyed alongside views of Vancouver Harbor or a towering seafood platter shared in a city famous for its fresh catch, Vancouver offers plenty of options for a celebratory meal out.
Read on for 14 of the best special occasion restaurants in Vancouver, and book on OpenTable when you’re looking to ring in something memorable.
The best special occasion restaurants in Vancouver to book right now – read on for a guide
For celebrating a birthday – head to Dovetail in Yaletown
The family-style sharing platters, creative cocktails and groovy vibes make Dovetail one of the best party venues for a birthday in Vancouver. Large group bookings are welcomed, so you can take the whole gang and celebrate in Californian style. Always lively, yet with an aura of sophistication inspired by the chic energy of the West Coast. Expect upbeat house tunes to accompany you as you choose from the extensive cocktail list or sit down to a meal designed to be shared by the whole table. Try a Dovetail Sour while your table is being prepared – mezcal, passionfruit, honey, ginger and almond. Take your seat and start with bang bang shrimp with spicy aioli, mochiko chicken with marinated cucumber, and butter beef tataki with crispy shallots. Add a 12ox fillet of steelhead with tarragon remoulade or a dish of pasta in a spicy vodka sauce, then finish with a chocolate brownie with Tahitian vanilla gelato.
For one of the best party venues in Vancouver – book your table at Frankie’s Italian Kitchen and Bar in the Stadium District
One of the best venues for a birthday party in Vancouver, Frankie’s Italian Kitchen and Bar offers not only private dining for 20 seated guests or up to 30 for a standing reception. You can also be entertained by live jazz and blues in Frankie’s Jazz Club, open four nights a week and featuring a mixture of local and international musicians. Take a seat at the bar and enjoy an eclectic mix of local and imported Italian wines, or head to the restaurant for food that is fresh, simple and refined in true Italian fashion. While the menu changes with the seasons, sample dishes include melt-in-the-mouth boneless beef short ribs, braised in red wine with a shallot beef demi and rainbow maple carrots, a vegan spaghetti Bolognese, and cod puttanesca with tomato, basil and garlic. Alongside this, choose from various hand-made pasta and pizza dishes, and finish with a house selection of gelato and sorbetto.
For a top-notch Mexican business lunch in Vancouver – take a seat at Cantina Norte in North Vancouver
Serving upscale Mexican food in vibrant surroundings, Cantina Norte is the latest iteration of one of Vancouver’s most award-winning Mexican establishments. Café Norte operated a neighborhood gem between 1998 and 2009 with a family vibe, and now Cantina Norte takes over the reins. Still family-run and just 100 meters from the site of the original restaurant, locals and tourists alike can partake of beloved recipes and new flavors from the west coast of Mexico. For a light lunch, sample shrimp and papaya quesadilla, the daily special tamale, or a soup and salad combo. Platos grandes served from 3 pm include highlights such as chimichangas with chicken and juicy mango salsa, beef brisket braised slowly in cerveza, and Ocean Wise BC mussels with chipotle cream, chorizo and white wine.
For a romantic celebration at a 5-star hotel – visit Botanist in Downtown
The bounty of the Pacific Northwest is on display at Botanist, the swanky restaurant inside the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel. Executive chef Hector Laguna serves up dishes such as black pepper-crusted salmon with smoked buttermilk and kohlrabi, butter-smoked striped seabass with Dungeness crab and spaghetti squash, and seared scallops with pork jowl and green apple. Vinophiles are sure to appreciate the restaurant’s exceptional wine program, which mirrors the food menu’s strong sense of place with its emphasis on terroir-driven wines. The restaurant features four distinct spaces, including a champagne lounge and an indoor garden, making it an apt destination for a celebration.
For a cozy farm-to-table destination – try Farmer’s Apprentice in Kitsilano
As its name suggests, the menu at Farmer’s Apprentice changes constantly based on what’s harvested at the nearby farms it works with. Some recent highlights on the family-style menu, which earned a Bib Gourmand nod from Michelin in 2023, include dry-aged duck with 10-spice rose honey, xak-spiced roast cauliflower with almond and pine nut mole, and tender pork shoulder roasted with smoked quince in a hazelnut brown butter. The open kitchen offers views of the chefs dehydrating, smoking, and fermenting all kinds of ingredients, making for an action-packed evening at the restaurant.
For a celebratory feast with a group – book at Mott 32 – Vancouver in Downtown
Downtown’s Mott 32 is the only Canadian outpost of the famed international restaurant with locations in Hong Kong, Dubai, and Las Vegas. One of the world’s most awarded Chinese restaurants in Vancouver, including several themed private dining rooms and an expansive main dining room with views across Downtown. Book VIP private dining in one of four stunning rooms for six to 18 guests, or get one of the best birthday party places in Vancouver all to yourself (and up to 179 guests) by booking the whole venue. Chef Lee Man Sing’s menu has Cantonese and Sichuan influences with highlights including the Peking duck, which requires a 48-hour preparation; barbecued Iberico pork; and dim sum such as a soft-boiled quail egg inside a pork siu mai. Designer Joyce Wang imagined Mott 32’s luxe interiors featuring leather banquets and gold accents on the wallpaper.
For an award-winning steakhouse – try Gotham Steakhouse and Bar in Downtown
For top-notch steakhouse fare paired with live music and a sophisticated Art Deco interior, look no further than Gotham Steakhouse and Bar. Opulent mahogany with rich reds and blacks in Art Deco style make this a sophisticated choice for all sorts of events and celebrations. The romantic interiors make this one of the best date night restaurants in all of Vancouver. One of the highlights of the menu is a seafood tower featuring smoked & candied salmon, oysters, and scallop ceviche, with an optional third layer of whole Atlantic lobster and sturgeon caviar. The A5 wagyu from Kobe is another must-try. Musicians play in the lounge Wednesday through Friday evenings for diners looking for a livelier night out.
For elegant plates in a charming setting – visit Honey Salt at Parq Vancouver in the Stadium District
Husband-and-wife team Kim Canteenwalla and Elizabeth Blau work with local farmers and fishermen to bring diners the freshest ingredients at Honey Salt at Parq Vancouver. Sophisticated yet relaxed and with a local neighborhood vibe, serving farm-to-table produce in a setting ideal for a casual business lunch in Vancouver. Menu highlights include Nova Scotia lobster risotto, melt-in-the-mouth beef bourguignon, and mussels with chorizo and cider in garlic herb butter. Finish off the meal with one of the decadent desserts such as the chocolate cake served tableside with caramelized bananas, a milk chocolate mousse, and a dark chocolate glaze.
For one of the best special occasion restaurants in Vancouver for seafood with a view – don’t miss LIFT Bar Grill View in Downtown
LIFT Bar Grill View’s waterfront views of Stanley Park and the North Shore are its biggest draw, but its seafood-focused menu is just as compelling. Dishes such as smoked steelhead trout with maple Dijon cream, lobster tail in bearnaise and miso sablefish with wasabi pea puree steal the show. The multi-course chef’s menu with B.C. wine pairings is worth every penny for diners looking for a truly memorable meal to commemorate any type of special event, while the chilled seafood tower makes this one of the best date night restaurants in Vancouver.
For flamed-seared sushi at one of the best special occasion restaurants in Vancouver – book at Miku Restaurant in Coal Harbour
Miku Restaurant owner Seigo Nakamura is best known as the man who introduced Vancouver (and Canada) to the joys of flamed-seared aburi sushi, back in 2008 with the debut of his waterfront restaurant. Aside from the famed sushi, diners can opt for a multi-course kaiseki menu or choose from à la carte options such as lobster ceviche and Japanese A5 wagyu steak. Show-stopping desserts including green tea opera cake are a must to end the meal. When weather permits, grab a seat on the waterfront patio, which overlooks the five sails of Canada Place. And as one of the best restaurants with party rooms in Vancouver, enjoy private dining for as many as 20 guests in the beautiful Blue Sky Room, looking over both the harbour and the ocean.
For an extra-special brunch buffet on a rooftop – visit Notch8 in Downtown
Buffet at any of Canada’s Fairmont hotels is always special, and it’s no different at Fairmont Vancouver’s flagship where it’s served at Notch8, the stunning rooftop dining room with views of the city. Start a celebratory weekend brunch buffet with seafood, charcuterie and cheese and fresh smoothies. The hot buffet features eggs Benedict, French toasts, crêpes, pasta, pudding and a must-try Canadian striploin chef-attended carving station. For a boozy brunch, pair it with mimosas and bellinis, or opt for one of the signature cocktails. The Lavender Corpse Reviver combines local Empress gin with Cointreau, Lillet Blanc and lavender mist.
For an Asian feast at one of the best special occasion restaurants in Vancouver – book at Torafuku in Chinatown
Chef Steve Kuan’s Torafuku grew out of his pan-Asian Le Tigre food truck, and the restaurant is still going strong eight years after its debut. Highlights of the Torafuku menu include duck confit with spicy Thai som tam sauce and hazelnuts, black cod with a spicy bouillabaisse risotto, and bison tartare with pear galbi sauce and pickled kohlrabi. Cocktails also incorporate Asian ingredients with yuzu juice and tea-infused gin prominently featured on the menu. For parties of seven or more, the restaurant can customize the menu with advance notice, making this one of the best restaurants for an engagement party, birthday or other special occasion.
For one of the best brunch spots in Vancouver – head to Zarak by Afghan Kitchen in Mount Pleasant
This Mount Pleasant restaurant honours the recipes of owner Hassib Sarwari’s mother, Zohra Parwani. Order plates to share—roasted Brussels sprouts or charbroiled kebabs served with rice—for the table. The new weekend brunch menu at Zarak by Afghan Kitchen includes eggs Benedict served with a chutney hollandaise, as well as a classic fry-up reimagined with lamb sausage, potato flatbread and lubya—an Afghan kidney bean curry. Creative cuisine based on Afghani heritage, a fun, family vibe and a small team of passionate servers and chefs make this one of the best special occasion restaurants in Vancouver for a birthday dinner. Unique cocktails are on hand to lubricate every guest, while the sharing-style menu ensures great conversation.
For one of the best special occasion restaurants in Vancouver for fine dining – try Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar in Downtown
Chefs Alex Chen and Roger Ma head up Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar, a stylish Sutton Place Hotel restaurant. Their West Coast cuisine menu emphasizes seafood with constantly changing dishes. Recent highlights have included charcoal-grilled sablefish served with bull kelp plus a dish of seared scallops with smoked mustard and a vermouth velouté. For celebrations with big groups, opt for the caviar service or the seafood tower from the raw bar. The elegant restaurant features Italian marble and white oak floors, antique chandeliers, and a heated, wrap-around patio for al fresco dining.
Vancouver is a great city in which to celebrate all sorts of events, from a restaurant wedding reception to date night or a birthday party. These 14 special occasion restaurants in Vancouver offer everything you need for your next night out in the city – fantastic menus, impressive drinks lists and carefully curated surroundings. Book your next event at one of the best restaurants for special occasions in Vancouver and start planning today.
Still can’t decide? Explore more of the best special occasion restaurants in Vancouver on OpenTable.
Keen for more of Vancouver’s best restaurants? Check out the below guides:
- 10 of the best vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Greater Vancouver
- The best restaurants for private dining in Vancouver for every occasion
- The best restaurants in downtown Vancouver everyone should know about
- 10 of the best bars in Vancouver for a cool night out
- The best steakhouses in Vancouver for a meat feast to remember
- The 10 best restaurants with a view in Vancouver for a lively meal out
- Start your day at one of these 10 best brunch restaurants in Vancouver
- The 10 best seafood restaurants in Vancouver to try right now
- The best restaurants in Vancouver
- The 10 best family restaurants in Vancouver
- 10 of the best restaurants in North Vancouver to try ASAP
