Photo by Jelger + Tanja Photographers/courtesy Railtown
There’s always something to do in Vancouver… but first we eat!
If you like to make food the focal point of fun, we’ve got 22 delicious food events happening in and around Vancouver this August.
Whatever you’re eating this month, trust that it pairs well with Heineken. Now available in 192 countries, the Amsterdam-based brewery has crossed borders and become the world’s most renowned, premium lager. It goes without saying, Heineken goes with everything, no matter where in the world you’re enjoying it.
On to the food!
Big Gay Luau at Royal Dinette
Royal Dinette kicks off Pride with a Big Gay Luau. The celebratory evening features Hawaiian-style barbecue dishes and Tiki drinks by executive chef Eva Chin and bar director Kaitlyn Stewart – both of whom are members of the LGBTQ2 community. Luau menu items include Hawaiian barbecue classics such as Maui Ribs, Poke Me Bowls, Huli Huli Chicken Wings and Haupia. The tropical vibe is further enhanced with Stewart’s Tiki-influenced cocktail features.
When: Thursday, August 2, 2018 starting at 5:30 pm.
Where: Royal Dinette - 905 Dunsmuir Street
Dinner in the Sky
Photo courtesy Dinner in the Sky
This summer, the option to eat a meal while you’re suspended about 50 metres over Vancouver is once again on the table, thanks to the return of Dinner in the Sky. Run by WESTCOAST Sightseeing, Dinner in the Sky has brought Vancouver chef Ned Bell on board for this year’s event. The way Dinner in the Sky works is that you are safely strapped in around a communal table, with the chef and their helpers and a safety expert at the centre. Up you go into the sky, where you’ll have your food and drink while taking in a spectacular view.
When: August 4 to September 3, 2018
Where: Ambleside Park - West Vancouver
Cost: $149-$569 and up per person; details about all of the experience packages are available online.
Great British Tea Party
For the Great British Tea Party, Notch8 is pulling out all the stops: Vintage décor, bunting, Union Jacks, and a red telephone booth can be found in the restaurant’s Private Dining Room. There’s Coronation Chicken, roast beef and stilton, and egg salad tea sandwiches; Eton Mess; scones and Devonshire cream; and plenty of house-made UK-inspired pastries.
When: Now through September 3, 2018. Seatings at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm
Where: Notch8 – Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, 900 West Georgia Street
Cost: Adults $65, Children $32.50 (ages 12 & under). Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made by phone at 604-662-1900, or online.
Richmond Night Market
Photo Richmond Night Market
Midway games, vendor booths, live entertainment, and an insane amount of food will once again draw crowds at the Richmond Night Market. The market consistently offers an impressive quantity of options for shopping and eating–they have over 100 food stalls and 200 vendors.
When: Now to October 8, 2018. 7 pm – midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 7 pm – 11 pm Sundays and holiday Mondays
Where: 8351 River Road, Richmond
Cost: $3.75 admission, free for children 10 and under and seniors 60 and up (with ID)
Ice Cream Socials at Beta5
Summer is the sweetest time of year in Vancouver, made even sweeter by the creative treats being served up at the Ice Cream Socials every weekend at Beta5. The wildly inventive sundaes Beta5 will have on offer for their Ice Cream Socials are all inspired by pop music. They’ll be running Ice Cream Socials every weekend through the summer, so check their social media or website for details about what tune and its companion sundae is on deck next.
When: Every weekend in August from 1 to 5 pm
Where: Beta5 – 413 Industrial Avenue, Vancouver
Shipyards Night Market
Running May 4 to September 28, 2018, the Shipyards Night Market will once again liven up Shipbuilders’ Square in North Vancouver’s lower Lonsdale with over 100 vendors, including food trucks, and a 19+ beer garden. With a “hot food alley” stacked with dozens of food trucks, the Shipyards Night Market is one of the summer’s most delicious pop-up weekend eats destinations. Plus sip on craft beer and cider in the beer garden, shop from the many vendor stalls, and enjoy live entertainment.
When: Fridays from 5 to 10 pm, now to September 28, 2018
Where: Shipbuilders’ Square – 15 Wallace Mews, North Vancouver
Fridays on Front
@downtownnewwest/Instagram
For a second year, weekends in New Westminster kick off this summer with a family-friendly night market…with booze. Featuring artisan vendors from New West Craft, live music curated by the New Westminster Arts Council, and beloved street eats from food trucks from the Columbia StrEAT Food Truck Fest, Fridays on Front will take over the 600-block of historic Front Street.
When: Friday nights from 5-9 pm from July 6 to August 24, 2018
Where: 600 block of Front Street, New Westminster
Merchant's Workshop's Final Dinners
It's time to say goodbye to Merchant's Workshop on Commercial Drive. But the storied restaurant is going out with a series of fun evenings planned to celebrate their innovation and sense of community.
- 2nd Annual Taco Fest, featuring Superflux Beer Company: August 2 to August 5
- Coalesce Mixed Fermentation Tasting Menu - 10-courses with Coalesce Brewing pairings: Tuesday, August 14
- Parallel 49th Tasting Menu with the “OG" Chefs: Wednesday, August 15
- Greatest Hits Dinner (final evening): Thursday, August 16
When: August 2-16
Where: Merchant's Workshop - TK Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Cost: Varies by event
Gastown Pride Party @ Tacofino’s Taco Bar
Pride flag/Shutterstock
Vancouver Pride Week partygoers can ramp up the feisty and get fierce at Tacofino’s Taco Bar on Friday, August 3 when the Gastown hotspot hosts a Pride Party from 3 to 7 pm DJ Gissala will drop the beats and four drag performers will strut their stuff during an event that features Happy Hour food specials until 7 pm and the Pride-themed RoSlay Sangria, which mingles rosé, fresh lime juice, El Jimador Blanco, agave nectar and soda with peaches, strawberries, blueberries and mint. From August 3 through 6, a dollar from each RoSlay ($8) and two dollars from each pitcher ($24) sold will be donated to QMUNITY, a local centre providing support and resources for the LGBTQ/2S community.
When: Friday, August 3 from 3-7 pm
Where: Tacofino Taco Bar -15 W Cordova Street, Vancouver
Food Day Canada at Wildebeest
On Saturday, August 4, restaurants across the country will be creating special dishes and menus in honour of Food Day Canada. At Wildebeest, Chef Ian McHale will be offering a Sole Food Farms Salad for $16, which features mixed greens from Sole Food Street Farms (an urban agricultural project here in Vancouver), heirloom radish, Hives for Humanity dressing and spiced maple granola. Interestingly, Hives for Humanity has hives located at all Sole Food Farms locations, where the bees help pollinate crops and produce the honey that is used to create the dressing for this special Food Day Canada feature dish. BONUS: Check out our interview with one of the co-founders of Hives for Humanity on the V.I.A. Podcast.
When: Saturday, August 4
Where: Wildebeest - 120 West Hastings Street, Vancouver
Sunday Seafood Boil at Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
Photo courtesy Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar’s popular Sunday Seafood Boil Series continues into August. The weekly dinner series takes place on Boulevard’s picturesque downtown patio, where Executive Chef Roger Ma and his talented culinary team unveil a bounty of fresh-caught seafood that includes jumbo prawns, clams, mussels, lobster and Dungeness crab. Guests are invited to pull up a chair and tuck into a true, East Coast-inspired communal seafood spread piled high on butcher’s paper and served with all the fixings, including Boulevard’s signature bacon cornbread and sweet beignets for dessert.
When: Sunday, August 5, 12, 19, and 26
Where: Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar -845 Burrard Street, Vancouver
Cost: Tickets are $65 per person (plus gratuity, taxes and service fees) and are available online
Lobster & Crab Boil Dinner at YEW
The team at YEW seafood + bar is celebrating summer by bringing back the ultra-popular family style Dungeness Crab and Lobster Boil Dining Series. Guests will tie on a bib (yours to keep) and raise a complimentary glass of wine to begin the evening. These communal family-style dinners promise to be fun and delicious.
When: Sunday August 5, 12, and 19 from 6:30-9:30 pm
Where: YEW seafood + bar – 791 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
Cost: $72.26; tickets available online
Harmony Arts Festival
Harmony Arts Festival/Facebook
The Harmony Arts Festival is one of the North Shore’s premiere cultural events. Now in its 28th year, the fest attracts people from all across the region to the beautiful West Vancouver waterfront to enjoy visual, culinary, and performing arts. Taking place August 3 through 12, the Harmony Arts Festival will feature over 150 free events at multiple sites in the festival zone. From ticketed evenings spotlighting fine cuisine and spirits to casual grub ops, there are several ways to enjoy all that this fest has to offer. Check out our full outline here.
When: August 3 through 12
Where: Various venues in West Vancouver
Cost: Varies by event
Botanist x Acadia
Photo courtesy Botanist
This month, Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim will host an exclusive Michelin on the Road culinary experience with internationally acclaimed Ryan McCaskey, executive chef and owner of Chicago's Acadia, a Michelin Two-Star restaurant. Executive Chef Hector Laguna of Botanist will collaborate with McCaskey to design a coast-to-coast inspired seven-course tasting menu. Chef McCaskey will profile three contemporary dishes inspired by summer in coastal Maine, while Chef Laguna will design three original selections to reflect seasonal flavours of the Pacific Northwest.
When: Thursday, August 9
Where: Botanist - 1038 Canada Place, Vancouver
Cost: $219 per person, including a cocktail and wine pairings (plus applicable taxes and gratuity). Purchase tickets online.
Les Dames Summerdine
From Summerdine 2017 (Photo via Les Dames d’Escoffier – BC Chapter/Facebook)
This is the beautiful summer night when several restaurants around the province set aside a special table at the same time in support of Les Dames d’Escoffier scholarship fund. From the hottest new restaurants, like Di Beppe, to the impossible to get into, like Vijs. From secret roof tops to boat decks catered by celebrity chefs and vineyards catered by award winning restaurants. Les Dames then pairs the restaurant with a winery as the chef creates an exquisite set food and wine menu. Choose one seat at a larger table or book out all the seats at a smaller table.
When: August 15
Where: Pariticipating locations; find listing online
Cost: Prices vary by location
RibFest Langley
This year, Langley hopes to a bite out of Metro Vancouver’s barbecue scene by hosting top “ribbers." Langley’s first ever celebration of all things barbecue will feature event pits helmed by well-known barbecue masters from Boss Hogs, Prairie Smoke, Gator BBQ against the North Vancouver favourites, Smoke and Bones Barbecue and Fraser Valley’s Guerilla Q. The free event is open to families of all ages with live music and family entertainment throughout the day.
When: August 17-19 from 11 am-9 pm
Where: McLeod Athletic Park - 56th Ave and 216th Street, Langley
Cost: Free admission
Railtown Cafe's Tailgate Barbecues
After a two-year hiatus, Railtown Cafe’s popular Saturday al-fresco-style Tailgate Barbecues are back for two exclusive events at their original location in the heart of Vancouver’s historic Railtown District. Railtown Chefs and Co-Owners Dan Olson and Tyler Day will fire up their custom-built, 12-foot smoker/barbecue barrel to heap plates high with mouthwatering, slow-smoked brisket and pork shoulder and beer-brined chicken and brats, as well as a choice of made-from-scratch sides.
When: August 18 and 25 from 4-9 pm
Where: Railtown Cafe - 397 Railway Street, Vancouver
Cost: Tickets are available for $29 per person ($19 vegetarian) plus tax, both online and onsite. All tickets purchased online in advance include a complimentary drink voucher (up to $6 value).
Preserve The Harvest: Fermented Brined Pickles
Join Andrea Potter in learning how to pickle veggies in this fun and hands-on class. Fermented pickled veggies are full of probiotics, enzymes for digestion and stress-busting B vitamins, making them everyday super-foods. Learn about the benefits of fermentation, and leave with your very own jar of pickled veggies. You'll leave with recipes and a jar of pickles.
When: Wednesday, August 22 at 7 pm
Where: Be Fresh Local Market -1900 West 1st Avenue, Vancouver
Cost: $15; tickets available online
Le Dîner en Blanc Vancouver
Photo by Jonathan Evans / Jonny Picture via Diner en Blanc – Vancouver/Facebook
Le Dîner en Blanc returns to Vancouver this August for the seventh year. This also marks the 30th anniversary of Le Dîner en Blanc, which began in Paris as a special pop-up picnic, and has since been carried out year after year in cities around the globe. Haul your own table (white chairs, white table) and table setting–and again, all white only, please to this ticketed picnic at a secret location. Bring your own food, and be prepared to set it all up and take it all down when the night is done. Champagne and/or wine will be available for pre-purchase. Beer and hard liquor are prohibited.
When: Thursday, August 23, 2018
Where: Shhh, it’s a secret
Wild Salmon Celebration
In collaboration with BC Salmon Marketing Council, the Chefs' Table Society of British Columbia (CTS) hosts the second annual Wild Salmon Celebration event at the dockside of False Creek Fishermen's Wharf. This year's Wild Salmon Celebration features well-known BC chefs who have gathered to create delicious dishes using sustainable BC wild salmon donated by family-owned seafood supplier, Grand Hale.
When: Saturday, August 25 from 6:30-9pm
Where: False Creek Fishermen's Wharf -
Cost: Tickets available online for $59 per person (plus taxes and fees).
Southlands Farm Charitable Dinner
Southlands Farm in partnership with Whole Foods, Albion Fisheries, Trimpac Meats, and Le Veux Pin winery, will be presenting an 8 course BC inspired Menu, paired with wines from Le Veux Pin and sister vineyard La Stella. This dinner will be a true farm to fork experience, held in the orchard of one of Vancouver’s last true urban farms--Southlands Heritage Farm.
When: Sunday, August 26 at 5:30pm
Where: Southlands Heritage Farm -6767 Balaclava Street, Vancouver
Cost: $120; tickets available online
Betty’s Boil Up
A good old fashioned seafood boil, with beer, is on the menu at Central City on Beatty. Lobster, mussels, fried clams, prawns, and Vancouver Island Rockfish are tossed in sweet cajun spices with roasted nugget potatoes, corn on the cob, lemon and herbs. You will be welcomed with your choice of our very own Red Racer beer.
When: Thursday, August 30; food served at 7:30 pm
Where: Central City on Beatty Street – 871 Beatty Street, Vancouver
Cost: $35; tickets available online
For more awesome food pairings visit, Heineken.com
Written by Lindsay William-Ross
