5 New Venues in Vancouver for Spring 2020 Meetings and Events

In December, 1931 Gallery Bistro opened in the iconic Vancouver Art Gallery. The restaurant, which features minimalist modern decor, offers seating for 95 guests indoors or 120 for events that incorporate the outdoor patio. The contemporary Canadian menu spans breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner and presents a wide variety of dishes ranging from eggs Benedict with duck confit to roasted squash soup to coastal BC salmon fillet with root vegetables and pumpkin-seed pesto. From the bar, guests can order wine, beer, cocktails, cold-pressed juices, and Phillips sodas.

Main Street Vancouver welcomed Old Bird in January. Serving modern Chinese cuisine, the hip restaurant boasts high ceilings that bring in an abundance of natural light during the day, while giant red lanterns create a moody atmosphere at night. Guests can enjoy a menu inspired by both Chinese street food and home cooking, with dishes like Taiwanese-style pork sausage, fried veggie spring rolls, steamed black cod, lamb skewers, and crispy tofu with sambal chili sauce and black vinegar. The 1,500-square-foot restaurant seats as many as 59 guests, including 14 seats at the bar.

Housed in the iconic Marine Building, Brass Fish Tavern opened in February. The menu focuses on modern pub fare with pan-Asian influences, with dishes like Brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze, almonds, and chorizo streusel; pappardelle with mushrooms, hazelnuts, yuzu brown butter, and kale; and a crispy chicken sandwich with cabbage slaw and housemade pickles. The on-site izakaya bar features its own array of inventive sushi options. Throughout the 3,000-square-foot venue, art deco details intermix with eye-catching elements, like a 21-foot whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling. The restaurant is wired for live music, and TV screens throughout the dining areas are available for planners to use for events. In total, Brass Fish Tavern can seat as many as 120 guests in the tavern, 55 on the mezzanine, and 24 at the izakaya bar. A semiprivate dining room seats 16.

Set along the waterfront just steps from Dundarave Pier in West Vancouver, Beach House Restaurant completed a renovation in November. While it presents a fresh new design, the space retains its signature ocean views and pays homage to the building’s history through vintage photographs, eclectic antiques, and original Edwardian architecture. The seafood-heavy menu features options like raw oysters, monkfish in a white wine mustard sauce, and a chorizo mussel pot, with additional crowd pleasers like steak frites, short rib pappardelle, and a 100-percent plant-based burger served with hand-cut fries. The 3,420-square-foot restaurant is available for buyouts and can accommodate as many as 125 seated guests or 240 for cocktail-style parties. For smaller groups, The Landing, a 2,176-square-foot event space, seats 50 guests or accommodates 90 for cocktail receptions.

Just a minute’s walk from English Bay, Café Portrait opened in February. The 400-square-foot coffee shop brings a Parisian vibe to the West End, with stylish artwork, light fixtures, and tables all made by the venue’s owner. The space is ideal for gatherings of as many as 16 seated guests, who can enjoy Pallett coffee and brunch options like shakshuka, stuffed pastries, and fried eggs with sausage. Planners can utilize the built-in sound system during events.