Hon’s Wun-Tun House (1339 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-685-0871) is a large cafeteria-style Chinese restaurant downtown that is very popular with families and casual diners because of the low prices and generous portions.

Hon’s has other locations in Chinatown (288 East Pender Street, Vancouver, 604-681-8842), New Westminister (408 6th St, New Westminster, 604-520-6661), Coquitlam (310 – 3025 Lougheed Hwy, Coquitlam, 604-468-0871), and Richmond (101 – 4600 No. 3 Road, Richmond, 604-273-0871).

Hon’s on Robson has an open kitchen concept, with a totally separate kitchen for Vegetarian dishes as well as a special area where they prepare the potstickers. On Saturday during the day Hon’s serves Chinese Dim Sum, which is always a special treat. We ordered the many Vegetarian Dim Sum items pictured below, and our total bill for two people came to just under $20.

Vegetarian Potstickers ($3.25)

Chinese Vegetarian Siu Mai dim sum ($3.00)

Chinese Vegetarian Sticky Rice ($3.00)

Chinese Vegetarian Bean Curd Roll ($2.75)

Steamed Vegetarian Pork Dumpling ($3.00)

Mango Pudding Cake ($2.50)

Be sure to get your leftovers to go! Hons Chinese food is good for take-out too.

Urban Thai Bistro (1119 Hamilton St., Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-408-7788) is a very popular Thai restaurant in Vancouver’s downtown Yaletown district, that serves delicious and authentic Thai dishes at affordable prices. At lunch, enjoy a meal such as the Pad Thai (around $7.50, pictured below), which also includes a green salad and spring roll. Vegetarian options are available. For more photos and info about Urban Thai Bistro please visit: Part 2, Part 1.

Pad Thai at Urban Thai Bistro

The Red Sea Cafe (670 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone 604-873-3332) is an authentic Eritrean and Ethiopian restaurant located on East Broadway near Fraser street.

The menu has a good selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, with vegetables such as okra, kale, green beans, and cabbage, and meats including chicken, lamb, or beef (some of which is pictured below).

The stewed vegetables or meats are served on a spongy-like sourdough flatbread called injera. (Click here for more info about Ethiopian cuisine.) In the Ethiopian traditional cuisine, those enjoying the meal use their right hand to pick up pieces of the stew with the injera and eat without utensils. At the Red Sea Cafe you have the opportunity to eat the traditional way, or you can use a fork and knife if you wish.

Prices are very reasonable: one serving of a meat or vegetable with injera costs around $8.00. If you are very hungry, they offer a combination platter for two to share, that has four items (around $15 per person, including tax and tip).

Spiderwoman, a reviewer on DineHere.ca (click here for review link) writes:

I tried this restaurant for the first time the other day.
Got #4 on the menu. A lamb dish with tumeric, ginger, etc…

I was really pleased with the ambiance. It’s so clean and peaceful.

The food was fun to eat.

Traditional Ethiopian cuisine – stewed meats or vegetables served on a sourdough flatbread.

The decor of the Red Sea Cafe features some interesting art pieces from Africa.