Fantastic foods for Father's Day feasting in and around Vancouver

Looking to celebrate a dad, grandfather, dad-to-be, or any kind of special guy this weekend? If the way to the heart of the man you're honouring is through his stomach, heads up - right now there are some incredible offerings from Metro Vancouver restaurants and food vendors available with Father's Day in mind.

Sure, there's plenty to cover the dads who like to grill hard or go home, but then there's also stuff for dads who prefer plants. Whether he's a wine lover or a brew enthusiast, and hands-on in the kitchen guy or a sit back and let someone else do the cooking dude, there's a lot to choose from when it comes to food-focused Father's Day offerings around town. 

We've rounded up a few delicious things for all sorts of dads.

Railtown: Epic meals delivered

Just in time for Father's Day weekend, Railtown is bundling up some epic feasts, including their popular Tailgate BBQ, for you to enjoy at home. These are some serious spreads, that feed four people (with leftovers) and that just need you to set the table, warm things up, and dig in and enjoy. Kick your backyard BBQ game up a notch with this meal comprised of tender and flavourful meats (a generous selection of sausage, juicy smoked chicken, tender brisket, and succulent pulled pork - with BBQ sauce on the side) and then tons of sides, like a tangy Carolina slaw, creamy potato salad, zippy jalapeño cornbread, and fresh grilled corn on the cob. If you can imagine eating anything more, since it's Railtown, they have plenty of sweet treats to add on for dessert, too. They're also offering Italian and Greek menus, too. Bonus: Purchase a package for Sunday June 21, 2020 and receive free delivery in Vancouver between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Earls + Road 13 Winery: Protein packs and wine

Narrow in on the best of the best: Meat and wine. Earls Restaurants have been offering grocery bundles for the last couple of months, and they've got a massive "Protein Pack" that will thrill any summertime grill boss. Packed with two racks of ribs, four steaks, six Angus Chuck burger patties, and four salmon portions, this is some serious eats bundled up and ready to turn into several great family meals. Right now Earls has a great offer, too - they are selling a beautiful bottle of Road 13 2017 Syrah that has previously only been available at the Okanagan winery itself. Add it on to your Protein Pack order, then pop it open when those steaks or burgers or ribs come hot off the grill. 

Odd Society: Camping Cocktail Kits

Raise a glass to great dads with the gift of a camping-inspired cocktail kit from East Vancouver's own Odd Society. The distillery's shop has two new kits, perfect for taking on a camping trip (or in your backyard). The Gin Camp Cocktail Kit which features Quince shrub from Mixers and Elixers, Ginger Mint soda from Callister Brewing Co., and gin from Odd Society Spirits.  Mongrel Amaro Camp Cocktail Kit featuring Raspberry Earl Grey soda from Callister Brewing Co. along with Odd Society Unaged Rye and Mia Amata Amaro. Just add ice!

Coho Market: Locally-sourced eats

Build a gift pack for the dad who digs locally-made foods, including many that are totally plant-based. Order a selection of items from East Van's Coho Commissary’s Coho Market and get it delivered. Provision him up to cook bean-based faux meats from The Very Good Butchers, spice things up with Kula's Pili Pila Sauce, or put a little zing in things with kimchi from Salty Cabbage. 

Collective Goods: Father's Day meal from Say Mercy/The Mackenzie Room

Collective Goods, the take home meal company started by Collective Hospitality, is helmed by Chef Sean Reeve of The Mackenzie Room and Say Mercy! Chef Sean has prepared a dry-aged bone-in ribeye kit including cognac and green peppercorn sauce; loaded potatoes, roasted mushrooms and a buttery broccoli puree with strawberry shortcake with white chocolate chantilly for dessert. Add on a bottle of Fort Berens Red Gold or a Werewolf in Vancouver Cocktail-Kit to it and complete the package. Father’s Day Meal Kits are available for purchase online until June 18 at 4 p.m. for $195 with wine and cocktail add-ons available. The kit feeds four adults and comes with a complete list of ingredients and cooking instructions. All the kits are delivery only, on Saturday, June 20.

PNE Car-B-Q

For their second drive-thru micro-event, the Fair at the PNE is holding a "Car-B-Q" that's all about some of their most popular rib-slingers. Taking place June 18 through 21 at Hastings Park, the advanced-purchased event will feature two concessionaires from other provinces, as well as two local vendors. All of the food must be pre-ordered, and you'll drive through and pick up your eats. Selling their food will be Smith family of Ontario with Gator’s Barbeque and Reinhardt family of Saskatchewan with Prairie Smoke, both popular picks at the PNE's Ribfest zone. And our own local Reel Mac and Cheese truck, and The Fry Guys have grub up for grabs, too. Ticket purchasers will choose their day and time, and pre-purchase all their food. Ticket purchases include two tickets to the opening day of the 2021 PNE Fair. 

Fable Diner: Dadcuterie

Fable Diner is offering limited-edition Dadcuterie packages featuring a delicious selection of local goods. Designed to be enjoyed at home or as part of an al-fresco picnic, the Dad-approved platters include a variety of preserves, sauces and pickled vegetables prepared in-house by Fable's culinary team, cured meat from Two Rivers, artisanal cheese, and a rustic baguette. Pre-ordering is available and pickup on Sunday, June 21.  

Father’s Day for chocolate lovers at Mon Paris Pâtisserie

Cheers to dads with a sweet tooth: Father's Day at this popular Burnaby bakery means boozy chocolate cigars and a sophisticated coffee and chocolate cake. Their "Best Dad Ever Opera Cake" is a 6” square cake all dressed up in a dapper tuxedo addressed to "The Best Dad Ever” and made with coffee drenched biscuit and coffee crémeaux and dark chocolate mousse. Then there is a three-pack of Chocolate Cigars, which are filled with rum flavoured dark chocolate ganache. Or you can double down and get both. Choose to preorder for pickup at the Burnaby shop (4396 Beresford Street) or have your order delivered straight to Dad’s door. Delivery is available to Burnaby, New Westminster, Vancouver and North Vancouver Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nuba: BBQ Kits

Local Middle Eastern cuisine favourite Nuba is giving families a great way to channel their inner grillmasters by featuring limited-time-only Father’s Day BBQ Kits available for pickup at all four local Nuba locations on Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21. Offered for $95 plus tax and featuring all the food, craft beer and fixings necessary to provide a Father’s Day feast for four, each Nuba Father’s Day BBQ Kit contains: four skewers of marinated sirloin; mixed vegetables; half a pre-baked cauliflower; rice; salad kit; pita; garlic Sauce, hot Sauce, and tahini; and four 330-mL bottles of 33 Acres of Life ‘California Common’ craft beer.  You can pick up your order at any of the four Vancouver-area Nuba locations (Gastown, Mount Pleasant, Yaletown, Kitsilano) by phoning in your order at the Nuba location of choice. 

The Daily Palette: Vegan local products pack for Father's Day

Purchasing for a plant-based papa? The Daily Palette has an amazing box stuffed with local foods that are all plant-based. Their Luxury Father's Day kit has vegan jerky, coffee beans, doughnuts, chocolates, spreads, and much more. 

St. Lawrence Restaurant's new spice line-up

St. Lawrence's award-winning Chef/Owner J-C Poirier is building on the restaurant's popular ‘à la Maison’ offerings by introducing a new gourmet ‘STL Spice and Salt’ line available at the restaurant beginning Wednesday, June 24 and through local providers. Available in three varieties - Èpices de Montréal (Montréal Spice-inspired blend of sea salt, black peppercorn, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, onion flakes, garlic powder, turbinado sugar, dill weed and chili flakes, ideal for beef and meat dishes); Herbes de Provence (Herbs of Provence blend of sea salt, herbs of Provence, turbinado sugar and garlic powder, perfect for chicken and poultry dishes); and Sel aux Agrumes (citrus salt blend of sea salt, orange and lemon zest, tarragon, dill and turbinado sugar, for recipes incorporating fish and vegetables) - the seasonings will be for sale soon at Les Amis du Fromage as well as via Legends Haul. However, if you are treating dad to dinner at St Lawrence on Sunday, June 21, you'll get a complimentary jar. 

Fable Kitchen: Father's Day Brunch Cooking Class

This Father’s Day, Chef Trevor Bird and Fable Kitchen are offering a unique take on the traditional brunch with an online cooking course preparing a delicious three-course brunch at home. The menu on tap for June 21st will be highlighted by Fable’s Beer-Braised Brisket Hash which can be prepared on the BBQ or stovetop. The class costs $50 per person and all the menu’s ingredients will be delivered before the event. Using all the tasty ingredients in the box, participants will learn how to make salsa verde, perfectly poach eggs, and grill the delicious brisket to perfection. Along with the brunch menu, Fable Kitchen is also offering a range of add-on drinks and kits including mimoasa, Old Fashioneds, and Fabletinis, along with beer and wine. The Father’s Day Brunch virtual cooking class begins at 10 a.m. on Sunday, June 21 and full sign-up and menu details can be found online.

Legend's Haul

The grocery delivery service will help you make feasting with your fave father easy with their meal kits and "Dad-ons" of dad-approved ingredients. They've got a brunch kit, a grill kit, and more, like hot sauce, top quality olive oil, and their log "Dad" cap. 

Hawksworth: Burger Gift Box

Get on the grill in style, from one of Vancouver's most celebrated fine dining destinations. Hawksworth's Burger Gift Box includes four house made brioche buns; four Hawksworth seasoned house-ground beef patties; housemade special sauce; applewood smoked bacon; aged Canadian cheddar; and lettuce, onion, and tomato for total customization. Complementing the juicy burger kit are two exciting add-ons: The Backyard Old Fashioned Cocktail Kit ($68) and Fuggles & Warlock’s Destiny IPA Craft Beer 6-pack ($18). The bourbon-based classic cocktail features maple, oak, and nutmeg flavours with notes of grilled pineapple, giving it an easy drinking character. The Cocktail Kit makes six cocktails and includes: Bulleit Bourbon, Angostura Bitters, cocktail mix (Caribbean Pineapple Liqueur, Spiced Falernum Syrup and Liquid Smoke), a grapefruit and two rocks glasses. To order your Hawksworth Ultimate Burger & Bourbon Gift Box, or for more information, call 604-673-7000 or email info@hawksworthrestaurant.com. 

Big Day BBQ

Get your order in for one of the hottest BBQ options in Vancouver. From mouthwatering ribs, brisket, pulled pork to house made sausages and more, Big Day BBQ opens up for orders on Tuesday morning of June 16. Pick-up is on Father’s Day at Powell Street Brewing, 1357 Powell Street. Packages start from $32 and up to $160. Add on a pie from The Pie Shoppe or a trio of new package BBQ sauces. Fair warning, though: Big Day BBQ usually sells out, so don't sit on this one!

‘Handmade & Homegrown’ beer lover gift pack from Tourism Abbotsford

Support local vendors and celebrate a special dad with a ‘Handmade & Homegrown’ gift pack. Beer loving papas will want the set that will send him on a tasting adventure through the area, featuring a voucher for one beer and a set of two 16 oz beer glasses from Field House Brewing; a voucher for one beer flight at Ravens Brewing; a voucher for one beer flight at Old Abbey Ales; a voucher for two beers at Loudmouth Brewing; and a voucher for one cider flight at Taves Estate Cidery. Pre-Order your Father’s Day Packages online before June 18 at 5 p.m. Package pick up is at Fraser Valley Tradex June 18 and 19.

Temper Pastry: Charcuterie Pack

Temper's Father's Day Charcuterie Pack ($65) features two demi baguettes, a jar of homemade tomato jam, three different meats and a pepperoni stick from nearby Two Rivers Specialty Meats, artisanal cheese, a six-piece box of whisky chocolates and two cans of beer from Beere Brewing Company in North Vancouver. Available in limited quantities, the packages are available for pick-up on Saturday, June 20 and can be ordered in store, online or via phone.

Build-Your-Own-Sundae Box from Glenburn Soda Fountain

While not exculsively for Father's Day, you can sweeten up the day of a special guy with Burnaby's favourite scoop shop's sundae kit. Order up your choice of sauce, ice cream, and toppings, then scoot by for curbside pick up.

Bizou + Yukon: Get a sip from one of B.C.'s newest wine labels

Is the dad in your life a wine lover? If he's keen to keep up with you and your rosé all day (or white or red), turn him on to wine from Bizou + Yukon. This charming label is from the Okanagan Crush Pad family, and their first vintages were released this spring. Go all out with a set of 12 bottles, four of each of their three wines, and with each bottle showcasing a different piece of label art - all inspired by Bizou + Yukon, the two Great Pyrenees that guard the flock of sheep at The Ranch.

The Parlour: Surf & Turf

Yaletown's The Parlour restaurant is offering a pretty cool Surf & Turf BBQ Father's Day take-home kit (and they're even doing a contest on their instagram for it). You'll get dinner and drinks for four people for $129. Included are a 750 ml bottle of J.P Wiser’s Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail; 45 Day Aged Grass Fed Bone in Rib Eye Steak; Steelhead Salmon; Grilled Potatoes; Asparagus; Oyster Mushrooms; Sweet Pickle Dill Tartare & Steak Seasoning; and of course, instructions for cooking. All orders must be made through their online web pick up. Order cut off time is this Wednesday night and orders will be ready to be picked up Saturday afternoon. 

East Van Roasters

The bean-to-bar chocolatier and coffee roaster - which is also a kickass social enterprise - has a few delicious goodies on hand for Father's Day. There's a new "trilogy" of special chocolate bars, if dad has a sweet tooth. Or, go for the Father's Day Gift Box, which comes with a bag of EVR coffee beans (your choice of two roasts) and six EVR Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Heck, this sounds so good you might want to send one to mom, too. Order online.

The Stanley Park Brewing Restaurant and Brewpub: Enjoy at home or dine-in

Prefer to stay home? No worries. Fire up the grill and enjoy this DIY BBQ kit sized to feed two, four, or six people. The kits are loaded with  lemon and herb marinated chicken, 8oz steaks, burgers with all the fixings (6 person kit only), Sunsetter baked beans, child lime roasted corn, sweet potato salad, coleslaw, and homemade cornbread. Plus you can add on six packs of brews for an additional charge. The brewery has partnered with Filson to add a little something to keep your dad's beer cold on Father's Day. Receive one insulated stainless-steel can cooler with your kit (while supplies last). Place your order online by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17. Packages will be available for pick-up at the Restaurant & Brewpub on Saturday or Sunday. Now, if you want to go out, The Stanley Park Brewing Restaurant and Brewpub will be having a special dine-in only Father’s Day Feast Menu for $38 per person. You can also add a pint of flight of your choice for only $5.75 (happy hour pricing)! The menu includes: Pretzel with spicy mustard and Noble Pilsner beer cheese, half a pound of Chicken Wings, Halibut n Chips with coleslaw, and a Cheesecake by The Cheesecake Factory Bakery for dessert. (Yes, you read that right: The Cheesecake Factory!)