Library Square Public House (web site, 300 W. Georgia St., phone 604 633-9644) is a popular pub and hang-out place located in downtown Vancouver next to the Vancouver Public Library. Decor is tastefully minimalist with some smaller art pieces by Emily Carr students. Large TV’s are perfect for keeping tabs on the game, and across the street you’ll find Queen Elizabeth theatre and only a couple blocks away, GM Place and BC Place Stadium. Along with the usual pub fare, the food menu is strictly sandwiches and burgers, unless you are there after 4pm when they also serve steaks and chops. I really enjoyed my chicken and cheddar sandwich which was served with a fresh hot house tomato slice and a side Caesar salad (pictured below).

Zachary’s on Robson (web site, 121 Robson St., phone 604.605.1472) is located in the Hampton Inn & Suites hotel which is on the south-east end of Robson Street downtown, right next to BC Place Stadium. Their lunch menu is reasonably priced with most items around $11.00, and I found the quality of food to be far better than I’d expect of a restaurant in a hotel. I enjoyed the Halibut pasta special ($11.99, pictured below), which had generous chunks of tender halibut in a tomato-based sauce with mushrooms and artichokes. The spinach salad (also pictured below, around $7) was quite large and tasted really fresh!