Vancouver. 9 Reasons Why the West Coast is the Best

As Western Canada's most populous city, Vancouver has long been a favorite destination for tourists thanks to its fine dining, mountain air and stunning views. This year, that's truer than ever: Among the new establishments and iconic spots that have been reinvented in 2021, here are nine places you simply must visit on your next Vancouver vacation:

Named after famed Haida artist and master carver Bill Reed, it is the only gallery in the country dedicated to contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous art. The gallery's current exhibition features the powerful work of artist and activist Sho Sho Eskiro. The show "celebrates the beauty, strength and resilience of Indigenous communities in the face of historical and ongoing trauma" and features a selection of stunning Esquiro couture dresses made from materials sourced directly from the Yukon.

Oh Carolina Cafe and Grocery Store is where nostalgia meets reality. Aiming to be a “corner store that becomes a second home,” the owners opened Oh Carolina in the summer of 2021 and have been building a community ever since. The store offers a deliberately curated selection of products, but the main attraction is the menu of excellent sandwiches, salads and great coffee. Grab smoked sockeye salmon toast, a pastrami sandwich, or grilled sourdough cheese. Be sure to keep an eye out for pop-ups on their Instagram (recent shrimp and beer commercial).

It's not selfish if it's self-care. Inspired by the idea that every person deserves the chance to enrich, energize and improve their body from “head to heart,” Tila Huynh co-founded Enhance Arts Spa in February of this year. With treatments ranging from BB Glow facials to reflexology and Thai body massage, this salon-spa hybrid allows visitors to restore and revitalize their mind, body and spirit.

Back in the late 80s, Café Norte was Vancouver's most awarded and beloved Mexican restaurant. Due to unfortunate circumstances, the owners, Philip and Linda Mitchell, had to close their doors in 1998. Now the owners' children, Jeremy and Katie Mitchell, have brought back the beloved flavors of the past with a new restaurant called Cantina Norte (located one step away from the original). The upscale, casual restaurant serves favorites such as quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos and other Mexican favorites. Try the scallop aguachile, made with fresh, local scallops, thinly sliced ​​and seasoned with green chiles and cucumber.

An Indigenous owned and operated restaurant, Salmon n' Bannock strives to "feed your spirit." In a room filled with Indigenous art, the restaurant serves creative traditional dishes such as canned tacos, smoked salmon burgers and bison roasts. Committed to using traditional ingredients, Chef Inez Cook and her team prioritize Indigenous suppliers and use organic, free-range game meat and wild-caught fish. Try the mushrooms on toasted bannock with melted brie, sage, blueberries and bison gravy (rumoured to be drinkable by the glass).

It's probably been a while since you've traveled - why not make your first hotel stay a luxurious one? Fairmont hotels are renowned for their excellent locations and extensive amenities, and the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel is no different than its chain brethren. Situated on Vancouver's stunning harbour, it's close to almost everything, with elegant accommodations and great restaurants. If you really want to indulge in luxury, the hotel offers a special package that includes a private helicopter ride to British Columbia, a backcountry picnic with a chef, by the lake or on a mountaintop.

With a focus on sandwiches and desserts in the aesthetically pleasing packaging of a Japanese convenience store, Yuzu Vancouver is the perfect place to grab a bite before a long walk, picnic, or any other activity that requires a snack. With options like pork, teriyaki chicken, beef and tofu, Yuzu Vancouver's katsu sandwiches are as cute as they are delicious. For dessert, brown sugar pudding or yuzu panna cotta, and finish the meal with iced barley tea.

A longtime arts and cultural hub, Granville Island is located on Vancouver's city waterfront and is always a great place to while away the afternoon. Pick up a curry or fresh fish and chips from the public market, explore an art gallery or pottery workshop, or take a leisurely stroll along the seawall. Renowned Haida carver Clarence Mills returned to Granville Island this spring to give visitors the opportunity to see a true Haida artist at work as he transforms cedar into the embodiment of his culture's mythology.

Thanks to a collaboration between local restaurateur Michael Tran and Vietnamese food stall owner Nguyen Thi Thanh, Lunch Lady is bringing the world-famous Vietnamese street food to Vancouver. (Nguyen was dubbed the "lunch lady" by the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain during an episode of No Reservations.) The eatery offers daily noodle rotations such as bún bò huế (rice vermicelli soup with beef) and bánh canh cua (crab soup noodles and tapioca), as well as mouth-watering main courses such as steamed clams in lemongrass broth and stir-fried garlic noodles.