Rosie’s on Robson (website, menu, map, 298 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-689-4499) is a casual British pub -style restaurant located in the heart of downtown Vancouver’s entertainment district. The establishment offers reasonably-priced, hearty North American and British fare. House favorites include the Shepherd’s Pie, stuffed Yorkshire Pudding, fish and chips, and chicken pot pie. For health-conscious Vancouverites looking for something a little lighter and “west coast”, Rosie’s also features delicious items such as the Thai Chicken Salad, Veggie or Salmon burger, and the chicken and mushroom penne.
At lunch time, most entrees are in the $10 to $14 range which is quite reasonable considering the restaurant’s convenient location and proximity to venues such as Rogers Arena, BC Place Stadium, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and the Centre for Performing Arts. A 10 minute walk up Robson Street will bring you past the local library (book lovers unite!) to Vancouver’s famed upscale shopping district with the likes of Tommy Hilfiger, Le Chateau, and lululemon.
I ordered the Salmon Pesto Penne ($15, pictured below) which was served with diced tomatoes, broccoli, and walnuts in a pesto parmesan sauce. It tasted as good as it looked!
Stepping into Rosie’s and experiencing the comfort food and decor of a British Pub is a refreshing change from the mostly-similar and ultra-modern trendy places which seem to be popping up these days. Don’t expect to be wowed by super-slick staff sporting the latest in cosmetic enhancements – instead you’ll enjoy a down-to-earth dine on delicious and honestly good victuals.
Salmon Pesto Penne from Rosie's on Robson (British Pub-style restaurant in downtown Vancouver BC Canada)
Salmon pesto penne pasta from Rosie's on Robson, restaurant in downtown Vancouver BC Canada.
The Templeton (web site, map, 1087 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-685-4612) is one of my favorite places to visit on the Granville Street strip downtown, for healthy nourishing food. The decor is retro with the original furnishings of a 1950’s diner, including juke box controls at every table, swivel bar stools, and lots of stainless steel. The modernized menu is packed with vegetarian options as well as some non-vegetarian choices for those into something a little more meaty.
This area of Granville Street is a colorful mixture of new, high-end restaurants, older greasy spoon places, night clubs with pounding beats, and a couple of remaining sex shops left over from seedier days. The street is in transition with the sidewalk widening almost complete, making it a safer place to walk at night (along with the sometimes rowdy crowds of night-clubbers). It’s only a five minute walk from the upscale Yaletown shopping and restaurant district to the east, and about the same distance to Burrard Street to the west and beyond that the West End residential neighborhood.
Some of my favorite items to order at the Templeton are the Macaroni and Cheese (around $10, served with fresh tomato salsa, three kinds of cheese, and an organic green salad), and the Med Quesadilla (also around $10, made with artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, green olives, aged white cheddar, fresh tomato salsa and sour cream). On my last visit however, I had already eaten something substantial earlier in the evening, so opted for the ultra healthy and “good for you” Dinner Salad (around $6.50, pictured below).
The Templeton is one of the few dining spots that is open with full service food late at night in the downtown area. I was there a little after 10:00pm on a Sunday night and they did Last Call for food at around 10:30pm. That’s pretty good for a Sunday. If it’s late and you’re hungry, it’s worth a shot – why not give them a call (604-685-4612) to find out if they’re open? =)
For more photos (and info about their breakfasts) please view Part 3, Part 2, or Part 1.
Dinner Salad from the Templeton on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver BC Canada.
Dix BBQ and Brewery (web site, map, 871 Beatty St. Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-682-2739)Â is a casual pub that specializes in American-style barbecue cuisine. Located downtown on Beatty Street very close to BC Place Stadium and GM Place, Dix is a popular place to visit before or after a sporting event.
Traditional barbecue in a young, fun, attitude-free environment.
I enjoyed some beer with friends, and also ordered a delicious burger item, the Drunk and Dirty Chicken ($11.99, pictured below) which their menu describes as chicken “grilled with your choice of: teriyaki, cajun, bbq or pesto – topped with cheddar cheese and bacon”. It was reasonably priced, a good sized portion, and mighty delicious.
