Whole Vegetarian Cuisine (formerly Bo Kong Vegetarian Restaurant, website, map, 3068 Main St, Vancouver, phone: 604-876-8899) is a very popular Chinese vegetarian restaurant in uptown Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood.

The good sized and pleasant dining room of Whole Vegetarian is where you’ll find truly delicious Chinese vegetarian dishes, from the crispy and munchable Chef’s Special Chow Mein with imitation seafood (that tastes like the real thing!) to the creative and adventurous Seaweed and Soft Bean Curd Rolls.

Following the principles of traditional Buddhist-style vegetarian cooking, no garlic or onion is used in any of the dishes, but after the first bite you’ll discover that these kitchen restrictions have no effect on the overall flavor of these delightful dishes. My favorites such as the Sweet and Sour Pineapple Delight (a vegan-friendly version of the conventional sweet and sour pork) are always super fresh and mighty flavorful.

This inspired vegetarian restaurant fits in perfectly with the eclectic mix of dining options along the increasingly hip and trendy Main Street. With Whole Vegetarian’s great selection of large and affordable family-style dishes (all less than $15), the restaurant squarely hits the mark for Vancouverites and lucky visitors in-the-know. Here the tasty and satisfying eats might even fool a meat-eater’s eyes, while appealing to appetites of all persuasions.

Sweet and Sour Pineapple Delight (vegan) from Whole Vegetarian Cuisine restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada (Main Street).

Chef's Special Chow Mein (vegan, with simulated seafood) from Whole Vegetarian Cuisine, a vegetarian Chinese restaurant on Main Street in Vancouver BC Canada.

Another great Chinese vegetarian / vegan dish from Whole Vegetarian Chinese food restaurant on Main Street in Vancouver BC Canada.

About the Authors
Tony from RealMenEatGreen contributed to this article. Tony is a Vancouver based writer/blogger on masculinity, food, health, and man boobs.

This article was edited by Geoff from geoffmobile. Geoff also lives in Vancouver and leads a busy life as a software developer, video editor, and food enthusiast.

Congee Noodle House (map, reviews, 141 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-879-8221) is a long-standing Chinese restaurant in the rapidly developing Mount Pleasant / Main Street area of East Vancouver. This is an area with a rich working class and immigrant history, but is targeted by developers as a young, upwardly mobile alternative to the now somewhat old fashioned and high heeled Yaletown. Across the street you’ll currently find a development proposal for a massive housing and retail complex that is bound to transform the neighborhood into more of a commercial and classy domicile for the twenty and thirty-something urban professional rather than its current melange of mixed-ethnic lower to moderate income earners.

But in the meantime, we still have Congee Noodle House. This voluminous dining room is brightly lit and is full of clean but well-used tables and an efficient and experienced kitchen and wait staff. Come here late (until 2:00 am most nights!) and enjoy some decent and tasty Chinese dishes. Our favorites are the various offerings of Chinese congee – a porridge-like boiled rice soup that can be served plain (as pictured below), when it is mostly flavorless but incredibly comforting, detoxifying and warm, or with delights added such as assorted seafood, Chinese mushroom, beef, pork, duck, or egg. For complementary dishes, check out the crispy tofu and the green beans with pork (also pictured below).

This restaurant is one of the few options in the neighborhood for nourishing food in the wee hours after midnight. Another good choice would be Foundation (2301 Main St) just a short walk down Main. But of course both Congee Noodle House and Foundation make great destinations for lunch or dinner too. Eat on, Vancouver!

Plain congee garnished with green onion from Congee Noodle House Chinese Restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada.

Spicy Green Beans with pork from Congee Noodle House, a great Chinese restaurant in Vancouver Canada.

Crispy tofu from Congee Noodle House in Vancouver BC Canada, a wonderful Chinese restaurant in Mt. Pleasant.

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.