Railtown Café is set to expand in a major way over the next year. The popular café and catering company will be opening three new locations, with the first, a 1,700-square-foot space with 60 seats (plus 15 on the patio), opening this fall at 980 Howe. The second location, at 1691 Main, will open in the winter, with 30 seats plus a small patio. The final opening will be at 409 Granville, with 60 seats, plus 15 on the patio, and is scheduled for early 2017. RailtownCafe.ca
Fable Diner, the second venture from chef Trevor Bird, is now open at Main and Broadway. Bird is continuing his farm-to-table theme from Fable Kitchen, albeit at lower price points and with more casual dishes (think burgers, milkshakes, etc.). FableDiner.com
Chef Makoto Ono, who opened Pidgin in 2013, is opening a new restaurant in Kitsilano with chef Amanda Cheng. Mak N Ming will be located in the tiny space at 1629 Yew, and will see a slightly more formal take on Japanese-French fare. Look for the opening by end of summer. Instagram.com/MakNMing
On Thursday, Aug. 18, the fifth annual Le Dîner en Blanc Vancouver will take place at a secret location somewhere in the city. This year’s bring-your-own-picnic event will welcome more than 2,000 new guests. Tickets are still available. Vancouver.DinerEnBlanc.info/Register
On Aug. 14, 21 and 28, Yew Seafood and Bar is celebrating summer with a wild salmon bake. The family-style meal includes Yew’s Summer Sangria (red or white), baby kale and grilled peach salad, buttered potatoes, tomato confit, roasted zucchini and summer squash, fresh whole wild salmon, and seasonal stonefruit pie for dessert. Tickets $86. YewSeafood.com
Les Amis du Fromage is now offering ready-to-go picnic baskets at their East Van location. Available with several options filled with various cheeses, charcuterie, bread, crackers, cornichons, olives, dips, bottled water, compostable cutlery and plates, and napkins, all housed in a reusable picnic basket. Prices range from $50 to $100, and 48-hour advance booking required. BuyCheese.com
In honour of Canada’s 150th anniversary next year, Vancouver International Wine Festival will be celebrating Canadian wine, with 75 Canadian wineries (and more than 100 international wineries) gathering Feb. 11-17, 2017 for the 39th annual festival. There will also be a focus on Riesling and Pinot Noir varietals. VanWineFest.ca
The 14th annual EAT! Vancouver Food & Cooking Festival will take place Oct. 4-7, 2016, at various locations, and will include a dinner series, a Beta 5 chocolate demo, a food trends tasting panel, a harvest feast, celebrity chefs and much more. Eat-Vancouver.com
