Where to eat in Kitsilano: a food guide to Vancouver's beach neighbourhood

Kitsilano, which everyone calls Kits, is the neighbourhood west of Burrard Street on the south shore of English Bay. It has a beach, a long seaside path, a pool, and two main streets packed with places to eat. It is also one of the city's most active neighbourhoods, which shapes the food: plenty of healthy cafés and juice bars, plenty of weekend brunch, and a serious dinner scene for people who want to stay close to home.

If you are visiting, Kits is easy to reach by bus from downtown, or on foot and bike across the Burrard Bridge. Plan on a walk along the water and a meal on one of the two main streets.

Why is it called Kitsilano?

The name honours Khatsahlano, a Squamish chief, and Kitsilano is an anglicized spelling of his name. The land along this shore was used by the Squamish and other Coast Salish peoples long before the city grew around it. The neighbourhood that most Vancouverites picture today took shape in the twentieth century: rows of wooden houses, many later split into suites, then a famous counterculture era in the 1960s and 1970s, when Kits was the city's hippie district.

That history still shows in the food. Kits was early to vegetarian restaurants, health food stores and independent coffee, and it has kept a lean toward fresh, casual, outdoorsy eating. The Greek restaurants on West Broadway date from a later wave of families who settled nearby and opened businesses along the street.

Where should you eat in Kitsilano?

Most of the eating happens on two parallel streets.

• West 4th Avenue is the heart of it. Running roughly from Burrard to Alma, it is lined with brunch spots, bakeries, sushi, ramen, tacos, and some of the neighbourhood's most celebrated dinner restaurants. It is the place to wander without a plan.
• West Broadway is busier with traffic and a little less polished, but it has a long run of Greek, Thai, Indian, Malaysian, sushi and vegetarian places, many of them family-run and well priced.
• Near Kits Beach and Cornwall Avenue you will find casual spots for a coffee or something to eat after the beach.

What food is Kitsilano known for?

Kits does not have one signature dish. What it does well is variety close together, with a lean toward fresh and healthy food. Expect:

Kind of food	What to look for
Brunch	Long weekend lineups on West 4th, eggs, pancakes, coffee
Japanese	Ramen shops and casual sushi on both main streets
Vegetarian and vegan	One of the city's longest-running vegetarian restaurants, plus juice bars and bowls
Greek	Kits has a long Greek history, and West Broadway still shows it
Bakeries and cafés	Small neighbourhood bakeries and independent coffee
Dinner	A handful of ambitious restaurants that draw people from across the city

Is Kitsilano good for brunch?

Very. West 4th Avenue is one of the most popular brunch streets in Vancouver, and the best-known spots have lines on Saturday and Sunday mornings. To keep the wait down, arrive before the doors open, go on a weekday, or look one block further along the street where the line is shorter. Many places do not take brunch reservations, so the line is the system.

Where to eat near Kits Beach

The beach itself has a few casual places to eat, and Cornwall Avenue and Yew Street, a short walk uphill, have more. On a sunny day, a sensible plan is to pick up food on West 4th or at a bakery, then walk down to the water to eat it. Patios near the beach fill up quickly in summer, so do not count on getting one at the last minute.

Is there a farmers market in Kitsilano?

Yes. The Kitsilano Farmers Market runs on Sundays in the parking lot of the Kitsilano Community Centre during the main market season, with local produce, baked goods and prepared food. It is one of several markets run by Vancouver Farmers Markets. Days, hours and season dates change, so check before you go.

How expensive is Kitsilano for eating out?

It covers the range. West 4th has some of the neighbourhood's priciest dinner tables, but also takeout counters, sushi spots and bakeries that make a cheap lunch easy. West Broadway tends to be the better-value street. As anywhere in BC, the menu price does not include tax: food carries 5 percent GST, and alcohol also carries 10 percent PST. Tip 15 to 20 percent on the pre-tax amount at a sit-down meal.

Where to eat in Kitsilano with a group or kids

Kits is a family neighbourhood, so most casual places are used to strollers and kids' menus, especially at lunch. Pizza, burgers, tacos and sushi spots on West 4th and Broadway handle families well. For groups of six or more, book ahead at dinner, because many of the best-known restaurants are small rooms with tight tables and only a few spots that seat a crowd. A summer picnic is often the easiest group plan of all: pick up food along the main streets and take it to Kits Beach or Vanier Park, where there is space for everyone.

How to plan a food day in Kitsilano

1. Start with coffee and a pastry on West 4th, early, before the brunch crowd.
2. Walk to Kits Beach and along the seaside path toward Vanier Park.
3. Lunch on West Broadway, where the family-run places are.
4. Dinner back on West 4th, booked ahead if it is a Friday or Saturday.

Kits rewards people who keep notes. Mosey lets you rate the places you actually ate at, dish by dish, and build a list of the spots you want to try next, so the bakery a friend mentioned does not get lost.

More guides to read next:

• Holiday dining in Vancouver: the Christmas Market, festive menus and booking tips
• Korean food in Vancouver: barbecue, fried chicken and what to order
• Late-night food in Vancouver: where to eat after 10 p.m.

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.