The Acorn Restaurant cemented its place among the top vegan restaurants in Vancouver with its elevated vegan dishes. These dishes are made with the freshest ingredients and prepared by their talented chefs, which is why they look straight out of a cooking show.

We reached out to previous customers who said that the best way to experience the restaurant’s offerings is through the chef’s tasting menu. They shared how this multi-course tasting menu highlighted seasonal ingredients and featured delicious flavours.

The place also offers an à la carte menu featuring a wide array of vegan and gluten-free dishes. Among these is their bestseller, “Celeriac”, which consists of red fife dumpling, smoked tomato, celery leaf, porcini, and focaccia.

The Acorn Restaurant is also one of the classiest places we’ve eaten in, period, with its elegant interior decor and world-class customer service. Of course, an experience this premium comes at a cost, which is the restaurant’s only downside apart from its limited operating hours.

A delightful culinary journey

“I had the pleasure of sampling the chef’s tasting menu, which was wonderful and offered a delightful culinary journey. The staff’s enthusiasm for the dishes and friendly service were evident throughout the experience. 

The restaurant’s cozy and pleasant atmosphere makes it a great choice for most occasions.”

– Ben Young, Google Review

Probably one of the best meals of my life

“I was in Vancouver for one night, and the concert I came for was cancelled, so I thought I’d do something special to make the trip worthwhile. I did the Chef’s Tasting Menu (vegan) and it was probably one of the best meals of my life. 

I thought the price of $85 was really reasonable for the quality of food (impeccable) and the amount (12 dishes, albeit small, which was perfect). My favourites were the tomato (cold soup with pasta made from the tomato leaves), the cucumber and the raspberry (dessert). 

Service was great and I’d love to come back here!”

– Hannah Finlan, Google Review

MeeT on Main was recommended to us for its huge portion sizes, especially with their burgers and poutine. This automatically makes their dishes great for sharing, albeit a bit messy presentation-wise at times.

This place does a great job of replicating both the looks and flavours of classics. For instance, we were impressed with how their fried cauliflower and mushrooms tasted and felt like actual chicken—plus, they came in flavourful sauces, like sweet chilli.

Regulars also highlighted the restaurant’s vegan burger, which they credited for being its own thing instead of trying hard to replicate the taste and feel of real meat. We also loved the restaurant’s signature chipotle mayo, which adds smokiness and creaminess to the burger.

MeeT on Main’s dessert selection was also brought up during our interviews for its variety. Among the selections was their bestseller, the cream “cheez” glazed carrot cake, which perfectly captures the silkiness and creaminess of cream cheese.

The place also features a hip interior, deserving to be posted on Instagram.

Everything is always top-notch

“Always love stopping here when in town. Everything is always top-notch. Tried the garlic chicken skewers, and those were phenomenal. Got my usual Mac burger and then enjoyed a rocky road ganache tart. 

Wow, everything was so tasty and just as good as I remembered from last visit. I even took a friend who had never eaten vegan burgers before, and he loved it. It is a dark vibe, which can be a pro or con depending on what mood you’re in.”

– Michelle Solomon, Google Review

Everything was well-balanced and well-seasoned

“The food was perfect, everything was balanced and very well seasoned. I had the Caesar salad, and I was very impressed with the Parmesan. I’m not vegan and eat meat and dairy regularly, and the Parmesan tasted like the real thing. 

The chocolate ganache tart with marshmallow fluff was the perfect balance of sweet and dark.

The service was attentive and friendly, but unfortunately, a little slow at the end; it took around 20 or 30 minutes to get the bill. 

I would definitely return for the delicious food, and I hope the slowness was just a fluke because the servers were very good otherwise.”

– Bethany Walker, Google Review

Chickpea Restaurant caught our attention with its “create your own” options, where they let customers choose their own mains. For instance, they offer cauliflowers, sauteed oyster mushrooms, or chickebab.

We were further impressed with their creativity and dedication to replicating meat-based dishes using various plant ingredients. One of the prime examples is their halloumi burger, where the cheese is deep-fried before being sandwiched between gluten-free buns.

Regulars also shared their appreciation for the restaurant’s generous portions. They also added that the dishes are well-presented, even those that feature tons of ingredients such as hummus, chickpeas, and bread.

The restaurant is also a joy to dine in, thanks to its cosy, almost cafe-like interior decor. It also offers plentiful seating as well as a patio where dogs are welcome.

The only issue we’ve noticed during our interviews with previous and returning customers is the occasional rude customer service. However, we did appreciate how the company takes accountability for these instances, as shared by those who raised their complaints.

It blew our minds

“New favourite brunch spot! The food here was so incredible that it blew our minds. We loved our server too. Our favourite part was the omelette with bacon – very savoury, saucy, and cheesy. 

We also got the strawberries and creme waffle that was so good we dove in before I took the photo. They are dog-friendly on the patio. Highly recommend !”

– Danielle Long, Google Review

Definitely one of our favourite spots

“Along Main Street is an awesome variety of excellent restaurants. Visitors and residents must make a point of perusing this culinary district to experience the wonder of Vancouver. But after strolling along and whetting your appetite, be sure to check out Chickpea Restaurant. 

With its funky décor and friendly service, this is definitely one of our favourite spots. The food is wonderful! No, it’s amazing!! You have to try the chickpea fries in a delicious, sweet and spicy sauce. 

I had the Calamachick Platter with oyster mushrooms and a tzatziki & parsley garnish on hummus and turmeric rice! Others at our table had choices from the all-day breakfast, including the poached egg on sausage with incredible roast potatoes. 

This restaurant is highly recommended, and I haven’t even mentioned that it’s all plant-based! Unbelievable!”

– Geoff G, Google Review

The Hestia Veggie offers some of the most authentic Vietnamese dishes in Vancouver, and it just so happens that all their dishes are vegan and vegetarian-friendly. 

Right off the bat, we were impressed with the variety of their menu, featuring staples such as spring rolls and curries. What stood out to us further, however, was how “real” their dishes and ingredients tasted.

For instance, their vegan beef steak actually tastes and feels like sizzling meat. The gravy they’re drenched in is also extremely savoury, and could easily pass as something that contained slow-cooked meat.

We also spoke to previous customers, who highlighted the friendly and helpful customer service of the staff members. They said that they were immediately catered to and even explained dishes that they weren’t familiar with.

The place is also well-maintained, but they could improve the interior a bit, as it’s too simplistic at the time of writing.

I really wish I lived nearby

“Wow, I finally found an incredible gem downtown Vancouver. Very tasty vegan food, and your meat-eating friends will not even notice. They will be completely fooled by how amazing the meat dishes actually taste like the real thing.

We had a really nice, informative waitress named Mia. Very kind and helpful. I really wish I lived nearby because I would come here all the time. Do yourself a favour and check out this place. You will not regret it. 

This place is very new…only about one years old..so enjoy no lineups while you can because it’s gonna get very busy soon.

Huge bonus is that everything is very reasonably priced. This is definitely gonna be one of my top three vegan restaurants in all of Vancouver.”

– James Lee, Google Review

Must-try!

“This place is a must-try! The king oyster mushrooms were the perfect appetiser. I had the curry laksa, and it was very good. It was a big portion, and the lady serving us even showed us how to properly pack it to go so that it was easy to reheat at home. 

Would absolutely recommend this restaurant!”

– Tia Dahmer, Google Review

Botanist is a great option for elevated vegan dishes. It offers a fine-dining experience with its beautifully presented dishes, fresh ingredients, and its elegant interior decor, affixed with luscious plants and modern fixtures.

The variety is also impressive, as they offer original vegan dishes as well as vegan versions of classics. One of the best examples of the latter is their pan-seared flank steak, where instead of beef, they use potato pancakes, braised shallots, and broccoli puree.

Another factor that makes Botanist stand out is the freshness of their dishes. This is best exemplified with their Pacific halibut, which uses the sweetest sidestriped shrimp we’ve tasted in Vancouver.

Previous and returning customers also noted the staff members as highlights of their dining experience. They said that they were patient in explaining dishes and even recommended ones that they thought would suit customers based on their conversations.

Of course, the only downside to dining at a restaurant like this is the hefty price tag. However, they do offer great value for money, food, ambience, and customer service.

A spot where we are always happy to return

“Between ambience, service and the food, this location has been a spot where we are always happy to return. Our server truly made the experience one to remember and cherish. My spouse loved the salmon. 

I cant say enough about it, and I dare say it was one of the best salmon that I’ve ever had a bite of. I had the lamb, and that was also a winner, but 2nd place to the blackened salmon. 

If you want to celebrate and price isn’t the biggest hurdle in your celebrations, then I recommend the Botanist for its service, food and drinks!”

– Soheil Fatehi, Google Review

A fantastic experience

“Had a fantastic first experience at Botanist. Opted for the six-course tasting menu, and we were impressed from start to finish! All of the dishes were crafted perfectly, and each one had a unique element that we hadn’t experienced elsewhere.

Staff were very pleasant and were able to accommodate our dietary restrictions without any question. They also made special, unexpected touches for my wife’s birthday, which was appreciated. Would highly recommend.”

– Thomas Canale, Google Review