Marmalade Kitchen and Bar (web site, #3 – 1010 Beach Ave, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-689-7800) is a London-inspired casual waterfront restaurant with a great patio, overlooking one of the marinas at Vancouver’s False Creek. It’s located just east of the Burrard Street bridge, on the north side of False Creek downtown. You’ll find it in front of the Chilli House Thai Restaurant at the bottom of Hornby Street. Google Maps (click here for map) incorrectly places their address on the west side of the Burrard Bridge, when in fact it is just to the east.

Marmalade is a great place to go for cocktails or dinner, and the restaurant is also open for lunch, weekday breakfast, and weekend brunch. Visit their web site for their current menu and specials.

Enjoy dishes that bring out the best of London-style cuisine, such as the Chelsea Flair (sauteed wild sockeye salmon with red onion marmalade, served on a bed of sauteed potatoes, $17.95) or the Knightsbridge Chic (half garlic herb-roasted game hen served with tomato ragout and saffron rice, $16.95). Or if you’re looking for something a little more traditional, there’s always the comforting and satisfying Shepherd’s Pie ($12.50, served with mixed greens) which is a rich stew served with mashed potatoes, vegetables and a tasty gravy. Pictured below are some of the chef’s creations.

Mushroom at Marmalade Kitchen and Bar

Tuna at Marmalade Kitchen and Bar (photos courtesy of the restaurant)

Cardero’s Restaurant (web site, 1583 Coal Harbour Quay, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-669-7666) is an upscale destination for seafood, steaks, wok dishes, and pizza. It’s a generously sized restaurant that sits out on a pier in the Coal Harbour marina, with great waterfront and dock-side views. This is an impressive place to entertain visitors to Vancouver, have a fancy business lunch, or even enjoy a romantic dinner with live music later in the evening.

Cardero’s restaurant is about a 10-15 minute walk along the Coal Harbor waterfront from the Vancouver Convention Center downtown (Canada Place) as well as the downtown business district. It’s also really close to the Westin Bayshore Hotel.

Pictured below are the Fishermen’s Platter (2 fresh oysters, 2 jumbo prawns, 2 slices albacore tuna, 2 slices seared rare ahi tuna, and seaweed salad for $18.95), and the 10oz New York Steak (grilled, seasoned, with pink peppercorn sauce $28.95) to which I added a 1/2 dozen bistro prawns for $5.95.

Fishermen’s Platter (prawns, albacore tuna, ahi tuna, seaweed salad, and oyster), $18.95

Another view of the same Fishermen’s Platter (Raw Oysters, and various sauces and garnishes such as dijon mustard, wasabi, and pickled ginger)

10oz New York Steak with Bistro Prawns ($28.95 plus $5.95 extra for the prawns)

Stephos Greek Restaurant (visitor reviews, 1124 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 604-683-2555) is so popular that most nights of the week you’ll find people lining up outside the door, waiting to get in. And the wait is worth it, for the portions are huge, prices reasonable, service attentive, and food really tasty. Christine G. Louie writes:

“The kalamari entree was even more enormous than the other dishes and so large that whenever one of us forked a morsel, five or six little kalamari pieces fell to the table ($9.99).”

Pictured below is the roast lamb, which is a steal at $8.99 and is served with rice, potatoes, Greek salad, and a very tasty tomato ratatouille (something that you don’t usually find at Greek restaurants). Everything on the menu is under $10, and the wine is also reasonably priced.