Top 20 Vancouver Restaurants to Celebrate Your Holiday Party in 2018
2018 Best Vancouver Restaurants to Celebrate your Holiday Party
With the holidays just around the corner, there’s no better time than now to plan all those holiday dinners and Christmas parties. Whether you’re getting together with friends or organizing the annual office bash, it’s time to start booking places before it’s too late. If you need some inspo on where to your host your soiree, then check out my top picks of the best restaurants in Vancouver for a holiday party.
For Intimate Dates and Smaller Groups
Les Faux Bourgeois
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A hidden gem in Mount Pleasant, Les Faux Bourgeois is a humble little French bistro that serves honest, delicious food. Their intimate dining room offers a quiet spot for a romantic date over the holidays, and their menu is filled with traditional French fare. One thing I can’t resist is Le Steak Frites. Simple yet classic, this French dish hits all the right notes with its perfectly grilled hangar steak and crisp fries.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: French
Can’t miss dish: Le Steak Frites
The Greek by Anatoli
A modern Greek eatery in Yaletown, The Greek by Anatoli makes a great spot for a holiday get-together with friends. Their dinner menu is packed with tons of options designed for sharing, with one of our favourites being the Souvlaki Platter. A true Greek feast, this platter comes with four succulent skewers, rice, and The Greek’s signature potatoes. It’s so good, we can’t get enough.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Greek
Can’t miss dish: Souvlaki Platter
The Mackenzie Room
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Looking for an intimate restaurant for a relaxed holiday dinner? Look no further than The Mackenzie Room. This innovative restaurant serves up fresh, seasonal dishes designed for sharing. While their chalkboard menu is ever-changing, keep your eye out for the Chicken of the Sea – a to-die-for sea urchin pate that just melts in your mouth. And if your group can’t decide on what to order, tell them, “I WANT IT ALL,” to get everything on the menu.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Canadian
Can’t miss dish: Chicken of the Sea
Pepino’s Spaghetti House
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Once the home of the long-standing Nick’s Spaghetti House, Pepino’s Spaghetti House has maintained their predecessor’s vibes and stepped up the food game. Brought to you by the same team behind Fraserhood’s Salvio Volpe, this bustling Italian joint is a great spot to celebrate the holidays with friends. Can’t decide on what to eat? Go for the “Big Anthony” Pork Chop Parm. This massive piece of juicy breaded pork is smothered in tomato sauce and cheese, and comes with a side of spaghetti to boot.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Italian
Can’t miss dish: “Big Anthony” Pork Chop Parm
St. Lawrence Restaurant
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Named Vancouver Magazine’s Restaurant of the Year in 2018, St. Lawrence Restaurant is an intimate spot for a romantic holiday date. Their rustic French menu features Quebecois-inspired fare that transports you to another world. For a whimsical start to your meal, go for the Oreilles de Crisse. These fried pork rinds come overflowing from a maple syrup can.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: French
Can’t miss dish: Oreilles de Crisse
Belgard Kitchen
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If you’re looking for a rustic, casual space to gather with friends over the holidays, then check out Belgard Kitchen. Located in a historic building in Railtown, this spot serves up local beer from neighbouring Postmark Brewing, as well as wine on tap. We love Belgard Kitchen’s Salmon Gravlax Hash – available during weekend brunch. So, why not plan a holiday brunch with friends at this Vancouver hidden gem?
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Canadian
Can’t miss dish: Salmon Gravlax Hash
Vij’s Restaurant
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Since its inception, Vij’s ran a strict no reservation policy – until now, that is. This popular Indian restaurant in Vancouver takes a limited number of reservations per night and also has private rooms for larger parties. Their innovative menu features local, sustainable ingredients, but an entrée you have to try is the lamb popsicles served in fenugreek cream curry.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Indian
Can’t miss dish: Wine marinated lamb popsicles in fenugreek cream curry
For Larger Groups in Private Rooms
Blue Water Café
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Yaletown’s swanky Blue Water Café has four private room options for your next holiday party in Vancouver. Ideal for both sit-down dinners and standing receptions, Blue Water Café offers space for 24 to 120 people in their private rooms. Their group menus include canape options for receptions or three- to four-course plated meals for sit-down affairs. Available on various menus, Blue Water’s Seafood Tower is a must-try dish.
Dining style: Fine dining
Cuisine type: Canadian
Can’t miss dish: Seafood Tower
Botanist
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Located in the Fairmont Pacific Rim, Botanist is an upscale restaurant with ultra-chic vibes. They have four private event spaces – each beautifully decorated – for sit-down dinners for up to 20 people and receptions for up to 40 people. Whether you go for a multi-course dinner or a reception with canapes, you have to enjoy some cocktails at your holiday party. My recommendation? The Poetry in Motion.
Dining style: Fining dining
Cuisine type: Canadian
Can’t miss dish: Poetry in Motion cocktail
Calabash Bistro
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A Caribbean restaurant with seriously good food, Calabash Bistro can host private holiday parties in their downstairs space. Plan a sit-down dinner for up to 50 people or a standing reception for up to 80. Their set dinner menus are served family style and include one of my favourite items – the Fried Coconut Dumplings.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Caribbean
Can’t miss dish: Fried Coconut Dumplings
L’Abattoir
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Located in the heart of Gastown, L’Abattoir has the perfect private dining space for your next holiday party. Separate from the restaurant but styled in the same industrial chic, L’Abattoir’s private space can host sit-down dinners for up to 50 people or standing receptions for up to 70. From their dinner menu, the terrine of duck foie gras is a favourite. It’s not only Instagram-worthy, it’s delectable, too.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Canadian
Can’t miss dish: Terrine of duck foie gras
Water St. Café
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A Gastown landmark, Water St. Café has two private rooms for your holiday party in Vancouver. The intimate Fireplace room is ideal for groups up to 13, while the larger Steam Clock view room has space for up to 45 people. If you’re looking for a traditional holiday dinner, Water St. Café offers turkey if you request it. But if you want to try something from their everyday menu, you can’t go wrong with the House Made Gnocchi in truffle butter.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Italian
Can’t miss dish: House Made Gnocchi
For Private Holiday Party Buyouts
Anh and Chi
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A modern Vietnamese restaurant with traditional roots, Anh and Chi offers a stunning space for your holiday party in Vancouver. They take reservations for groups of eight to 20 people and also offer a buyout option with space for 72 people (plus eight at the bar). For large parties, Anh and Chi offers a range of family-style chef’s tasting menus, some of which include our favourite dish – the Vietnamese crepe.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Vietnamese
Can’t miss dish: Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese crepe)
AnnaLena
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While AnnaLena is a romantic spot for a date, they also host private parties. Choose from a sit-down dinner with a set menu for up to 60 people or a standing reception with canapes for up to 70 people. AnnaLena’s creative menu features modern Canadian fare, including one of my favourites – the oyster. Not your ordinary oyster, AnnaLena’s is topped with shaved foie gras.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Canadian
Can’t miss dish: Oyster
Burdock & Co.
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For a private soiree with an intimate feel, check out Burdock & Co. This snug Main Street restaurant can host up to 34 people and offers multi-course, family-style dinners. Their menu focuses on fresh, farm-to-table fare, while their wine list is carefully curated, too. Try the Buttermilk Fried Chicken for an elevated take on the classic comfort food.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Canadian
Can’t miss dish: Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Catch 122
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By day, Catch 122 is a lineup-out-the-door brunch spot. By night, it’s a rustic Gastown bistro that can host your next holiday party. Ideal for groups of 35 to 98 people, Catch 122 can serve up multi-course set menus featuring locally sourced ingredients or delightful canapes like arancini, pork belly skewers, and mini burgers. And for dessert? You can’t go wrong with the Salted Caramel Bread Pudding.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Canadian
Can’t miss dish: Salted Caramel Bread Pudding
Heritage Asian Eatery
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We can’t get enough of Heritage Asian Eatery and their Pork Belly Benny Bowl. So, we were happy to find out that this casual Asian spot also hosts private events. Heritage Asian Eatery can host up to 48 people for a sit-down dinner or 65 people for a standing reception with canapes. Their menu is seasonal but flexible based on what you want for your holiday party.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Fusion
Can’t miss dish: Pork Belly Benny Bowl
Medina Café
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Medina Café is a popular brunch spot with an amazing lavender latte, but they also host private events for groups of up to 65 seated or 90 standing. Their stunning space evokes both a romantic and industrial feel, and their menu options are abundant for both standing receptions and sit-down dinners. From their family-style dinner menu, try the Traditional Chicken Tagine. It’s served with green olives, couscous, dried fruits and nuts, and spicy yogurt for true Mediterranean flavours.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Mediterranean
Can’t miss dish: Traditional Chicken Tagine
Neverland Tea Salon
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Looking for a fairy-tale space to host your holiday party in Vancouver? Look no further than Neverland Tea Salon. Though they’re usually only open during the day, Neverland offers evening buyouts for parties up to 40 people. Their Grande Adventure High Tea is the ideal choice for a magical evening tea party. Because who says afternoon tea can only be enjoyed in the afternoon?
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: Canadian
Can’t miss dish: Grande Adventure High Tea
Royal Dinette
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Serving locally sourced, farm-to-table fare, Royal Dinette can host private holiday parties for up to 55 people. Their family-style menu depends on what’s in season, but is customizable based on your preferences. Royal Dinette makes their pastas fresh in-house, so you can’t go wrong with their Smoked Ham Hock Gnocchi.
Dining style: Casual
Cuisine type: American
Can’t miss dish: Smoked Ham Hock Gnocchi
