Concierge Corner
Make the most of your 72 hours in Vancouver with these fantastic suggestions from our talented Concierge team.
Title
Vivamus euismod, quam ac consectetur efficitur, odio lectus gravida tellus, vel pretium sapien dolor sit amet leo. Donec ex lorem, porttitor et augue at, viverra congue elit. Fusce pharetra odio id lacus aliquet scelerisque. Donec blandit magna eu lectus lobortis sollicitudin. Duis eget vulputate lacus. Nullam condimentum venenatis eros, in pharetra sem vestibulum ac. Mauris consectetur massa sed ultrices vulputate.
Day 1
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar at The Sutton Place Hotel
To start the day off right, head to our famous Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar for our scrumptious buffet of hot and cold items.
Recommendation: Create your own omelette equipped with all of the fresh ingredients you will need.
Activity: A walk to Stanley Park via the Seawall
Head north and walk down Burrard Street, past the hotel and financial district to Canada Place. With the coastal mountains as a backdrop, walk along Coal Harbour (one of the busiest seaports in North America) and into Stanley Park with its colour-changing trees. This 12-kilometre walk is a good way to work off the breakfast. For a change of scenery, make your way through the tree-lined residential streets of the West End, Canada’s most densely-populated area. The Wes End has some wonderful local hidden gems.
For a caffeine-boost, stop at the Greenhorn Espresso Bar for a “café en vaso” or cappuccino along with a house-made pastry.
Cactus Club Café - English Bay
The Cactus Club Café is located at English Bay, on the southwest corner of the West End on the seawall. This home-grown restaurant started in Vancouver and is known for its local ingredients and signature dishes by Vancouver’s own Iron Chef Robert Feenie. Rain or shine, you cannot beat this restaurant located right on the beautiful English Bay beach.
Recommendation: Try the Creole Chicken, the Quinoa Salad, or the Fish Tacos.
Activity: The Vancouver Art Gallery
Walk back towards the hotel, and a short distance away you will find the iconic Vancouver Art Gallery. Founded in 1931, the art gallery is the fifth largest in Canada and the largest in Western Canada. It is home to 41,400 square feet of exhibition space and features over 10,000 works of art and photographs, including its renowned and permanent Emily Carr collection. Other permanent collections include Jeff Wall, Marc Chagall, the Group of Seven, and Harry Callahan. The art gallery has hosted travelling exhibitions ranging from Monet to Degas and da Vinci. The Vancouver Art Gallery comprises of a café, gift shop, and library and is open from 10:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. daily and until 9:00p.m. on Tuesdays.
Italian Kitchen
The Italian Kitchen is conveniently located across the street from the hotel. Exposed brick walls, lush greenery, and white linen-covered tables exemplify a sophisticated and relaxed Tuscan-style décor.
Recommendation: Truffle Spaghetti & Meatballs as well as their signature Antipasto Platter containing burrata, caprese, peperonata, prosciutto, and more.
Bacchus Lounge
Exactly one block from The Sutton Place Hotel, Bacchus Lounge offers a luxurious and elegant ambience. Live piano performances coupled with richly-upholstered furniture, a cozy fireplace, and warm, dark woods make this the perfect spot to enjoy a night cap or two. A lounge menu is also available.
Recommendation: Any martini.
Day 2
Café Medina
Take a quick walk down Robson Street to a terrific Belgian restaurant called Café Medina. Rated one of the top brunch spots in the city, Café Medina is truly an exceptional breakfast, lunch, and weekend-brunch destination and is known for the best, freshly-made Belgian waffles and decadent sauces. Go early as there can be a queue since it is a favourite amongst the locals.
Recommendation: The waffles with the milk chocolate lavender sauce or the savoury Fricassee. Coffee buffs will want to try the lavender latte.
Activity: Granville Island
Walk a short 15-minute walk down to the False Creek Ferries, and hop on to one of their ferries that will take you across False Creek and under the restored Burrard Street Bridge to the island. Visit the famous Granville Island Public Market where you can wander through the public farmer’s market and feast your eyes on the vast array of fruit, vegetables, and artisanal delights. Outside the market, you will come across several unique art galleries and shops containing handmade items for sale.
Edible Canada
Adjacent to the public market is Edible Canada, a fantastic bistro that uses local ingredients bought fresh from the marketplace. Be sure to stop in their very own cozy retail shop inside the bistro to take something to go as a culinary memory of your tasty lunch.
Recommendation: The Cache Creek Beef Burger (add bacon) with aged cheddar, truffle mushroom jam, arugula, roasted garlic mayo, hand-cut fries or the Fish & Chips.
Activity: Yaletown
Hop back on to the False Creek Ferry water taxi and head over to Yaletown, Vancouver’s old warehouse district. Yaletown is known for its early 19th century brick buildings turned into European-style residential lofts and flats sitting above the restaurant patios, cafés, shops, and galleries.
Homer St. Café
Located in the Yaletown district, this rotisserie, café, and bar offers a contemporary yet cozy ambience. The cuisine is comfort-style; the menu presents a variety of roasted proteins all thanks to an on-premise rotisserie. Feature roasts change daily.
Recommendation: Without a doubt, their rotisserie chicken, served with the chicken jus. Served in quarter, half, or whole portions.
Brix & Mortar
Located just a few short blocks from the Homer Street Café, this is a unique lounge located in the lower level of a brick heritage building built in 1912. Brix & Mortar is known for its old-fashioned and creative cocktails. Sipping on one of their signature cocktails and enjoying the ambience is a perfect way to relax after your day of exploring.
Recommendation: Seyton’s Whisper cocktail, a refreshingly tart drink made with all local ingredients and vintage Canadian Whisky.
Day 3
Forage Restaurant
Head three blocks down Robson Street to a fantastic restaurant called Forage. It is a local farm-to-table eatery, serving creative, area-sourced plates. Breakfast is served daily as well as brunch on the weekends.
Recommendation: The house-made “Nutella”.
Activity: Spend a few hours outdoors in North Vancouver.
Head over to the North Shore and visit Grouse Mountain (weather-permitting) and the Capilano Suspension Bridge.
The gondola sky ride ascends over the remarkable Douglas Fir trees to the stunning views atop Grouse Mountain; where in the summertime, you will find Grinder and Coola, the mountain’s resident Grizzly Bears, the mountain ziplines, the Lumberjack show, and more. For those brave and/or athletic souls, you can choose to climb the famous Grouse Grind, a 2.9-kilometre steep hike up the face of the mountain. In the winter months, Grouse Mountain transforms into a magical winter wonderland and a local ski resort. During this time, there is an outdoor skating pond, a light walk, snowshoe trails, and a sliding zone.
The 450-foot long and 230-foot-high Capilano Suspension Bridge hangs amid our majestic rainforest of the Capilano fjord. Enjoy the Cliffwalk suspended high above the Capilano River Canyon as well as walk through the canopies amongst the tree tops. In the wintertime, this park turns into a festive oasis. Hundreds of thousands of lights are hung throughout the park as part of an event known as Canyon Lights.
Feeling hungry? Head back downtown and grab a bite to eat.
Meat and Bread
This is a must do. Ethically-raised, local, organic, homemade, mouth-watering slow cooked meats and freshly baked ciabatta are what entices its many fans of this local spot.
Recommendation: The Porchetta Sandwich - pork belly and loin rolled with fresh herbs, topped with a fennel-chili salt rub, slow roasted then chopped up with salsa verde into a ciabatta loaf.
Activity: FlyOver Canada and Gastown
See Canada like never before with this unforgettable, must-see attraction! FlyOver Canada is a breathtaking, all-age flight simulation ride like no other. You will take off into a huge dome screen and soar East to West over some of the most spectacular scenery the country has to offer (complete with wind, scents, and mist). See Concierge in the lobby for show times and admission.
Then, take a short 5-minute walk from there to the historic neighborhood of Gastown. Galleries, antique shops, fashion boutiques, cafés, lively restaurants, bars, and lounges add life to this famous area, where cobblestone streets and renovated Victorian-style buildings offer a glimpse into Vancouver’s past.
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar at The Sutton Place Hotel
‘Fresh, local and inspired’ thoughtfully reflects the culinary vision of Executive Chef Alex Chen’s West Coast seafood-focused menu along with creative hints of his international influences. The décor is a combination of classic, European flair, and contemporary design. From the stylish dining room, seated oyster bar, and craft-cocktail and champagne bar to the vintage-style lounge, private dining room, and expansive wrap-around outdoor patio, Boulevard offers a wide range of culinary experiences.
Recommendation: The Seafood Tower – wild B.C. sidestripe shrimp, albacore tuna tataki, Read Island mussel escabeche, Dungeness Crab Louie, snow crab legs, shrimp, and local oysters.
Gerard Lounge at The Sutton Place Hotel
Walk only a few steps to the Gerard Lounge. Few rooms capture that English private club ambience as well as the Gerard Lounge. An oasis of mahogany wood paneling and hunter green leather with a fireplace, it is a great place to have a drink to begin or cap-off an evening. Light bistro fare is also served here.
Recommendation: The Gerard cocktail, a whisky-based drink.