CHEAP DOWNTOWN BITES
Downtown Vancouver is a hub of great restaurants, cafes, events and activities. The downtown core has so many trendy restaurants. Navigating affordable lunch spots downtown can be challenging, and one can often end up spending more than they anticipated. During the week, if you are a busy professional, student or tourist, finding an affordable lunch can be a challenge. There are a lot of great lunch spots in downtown, it’s a matter of finding the hidden affordable lunch spots.
If you are looking for great lunch spots where you can enjoy a quick bite and quick service,
these are some great spots to consider:
Breka Bakery:
Benefits: This cafe provides various options, great portions, delicious sandwiches and soups. Their prices are unbeatable in the downtown core. Their portions and quality of food are great. They have something for everyone, including donuts, baked goods, desserts, and coffee. Their service is good and efficient.
There are many locations across Vancouver. They have good quality food and efficient service. They have many options for everyone. Their Sandwiches are great and freshly made with good bread and ingredients. They offer the option to have your sandwiches pressed on a panini grill.
Zaatar W Ziet:
It’s a great modern take on Lebanese food. Trendy restaurant with lots of seating, and to-go options. They are known for their delicious flat bread where they make pizza or wraps. They are a healthy affordable option with a unique dining experience of traditional with a modern twist. Whether looking for a leisurely meal or a quick bite, there is something for everyone. They use high-quality and fresh ingredients.
Recommended Dishes:
Zaatar Manakeesh: Traditional Lebanese flatbread topped with spices.
Chicken Shawarma Wrap: Super delicious, filled with marinated tender chicken, garlic sauce, fries and some pickles wrapped in a light warm wrap.
Fattoush: Delish salad, mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, light dressing and crispy pita chips.
Benefits: Good prices, nice dining atmosphere, to-go options, quick service and healthy food.
Sura Korean Royal Cusine:
Great lunch Korean spot. It is known for its nice ambiance and array of dishes. The restaurant focuses on traditional food with a modern presentation. The lunch special set is a popular choice, it provides a set menu and a la carte options. They offer a comprehensive dining experience with an array of small dishes ( banchan), and a main course.
Benefits: Authentic Korean Cusine, Variety of Dishes, lunch set options for 25 $ and high quality.
Heritage Asian Eatery
This is a great hidden gem. This spot is known for its fusion of traditional Asian flavours with modern twists. There are influences of Chinese, Southeast Asian and Japanese flavours. They focus on good ingredients, bold flavours and delish combos. They provide gourmet quality at affordable prices. They have hearty rice bowls, dumplings, noodles or bao.
Benefits: Great variety, high quality, good options and delicious choices.
Joyeaux Cafe and Restaurant
An authentic Vietnamese Lunch spot which serves lunch specials, including Pho, Rice Bowls and Banh Mi Sandwiches. They provide affordable lunch options that serve good portions. It’s got a casual atmosphere, which is great for a work lunch or a quick get-together with friends. The service is friendly, fast and efficient.
Benefits: Offers great value for being located in downtown Vancouver. They are popular for their lunch special combos, low prices and good portions. They have a variety of options for everyone. This restaurant has been around for years and conveniently located.
Mr. Sharawama
Great healthy options, with authentic flavours, quality ingredients and generous portions. They are reasonably priced and have the best value for the portion. They have many options and can be customized with different toppings and sauces. They have many locations and have food trucks downtown where you can grab a quick lunch.
Benefits: They have a diverse menu that can accommodate various dietary preferences. They offer a range of options for vegetarians, vegans and halal dietary requirements.
Tacofino
A trendy and vibrant eatery that specializes in Mexican-influenced cuisine. They have delicious tacos and burritos. Popular items include fish tacos, pork belly and crispy chicken. They are known for their creative and flavourful combinations. Their tacos are generous in size and often one is quite filling. The prices are cost-effective and you can get a quick lunch for under 20$.
Benefits: Quick service, great quality tacos and delicious combos. This is a local favourite that is a fun and casual atmosphere and is great for On-the-Go meals.
Sushi California
This sushi restaurant offers a variety of rolls, sashimi and other typical Japanese dishes. The prices are very affordable, providing large portions and high-quality sushi. They have a very large menu with many options. The atmosphere is casual, and comfortable and offers a relaxed dining experience.
Benefits: Great affordable prices, quick service and large portions. You will often have leftovers. This is a good-to-go option or a nice restaurant to dine in: a good casual spot or work lunch.
Always busy and bustling with people. They make high-quality artisanal sandwiches. They offer premium meats, cheese and bread. They offer roast beef, roast pork, meatballs, or brisket. They focus on a few high-quality meats and create flavourful sandwiches. They have a carving station where they often display the meat of the day. They have many locations and are a great affordable lunch. They keep it simple with a few popular items, Meatball, Porchetta or Chicken Sandwich. They focus on a few high quality ingrediants, with house made sauce and pickles. The meat is very delish and are the focus of this place.
Benefits: Great healthy sandwiches, set prices $11-15 and small easy menu.
A Vancouver Staple this is a popular Japanese Bakery with good sushi and snacks. It’s a local spot to grab a quick lunch and cheap sushi. This is a Japanese store that offers, fresh sushi and bento boxes and Japanese groceries and snacks. The quality of sushi is good and very cheap prices.
Benefits: Good quality and fresh, convenient and wide variety of sweets.
Hungry Guys Kitchen & Bar:
A casual dining restaurant that offers hearty and healthy meals. They offer a range of options such as burritos, salads, bowls or soups. They offer quick service without compromising the quality of their food. They provide customizable options such as burritos, bowls, salads and wraps. This allows for healthy substitutes. They are designed for comfort and convenience, that serve high-quality ingredients and generous portions. This is an affordable lunch spot which offers low prices for healthy options.
Benefits: Generous portions, quick service, central location, diverse menu and craft beverages.
Ebi Ten
A long-standing restaurant that offers fast-casual Japanese which specializes in tempura-based dishes. They offer Japanese favourites like sushi, donburi (rice bowls), and bento boxes. This is a great takeaway to pick up quick takeout. They are a cheap option with good portion sizes and customizable options.
Benefits: Affordable, customizable, casual dining, good fresh ingredients and great location.
This is a fast and casual restaurant that serves great poke bowls. Pokeritto is known for its fusion flavours and unique combos. They have redefined the poke experience and now offering broader options with Korean BBQ bowls and Bul-Dogs. Poke is a Hawaiian dish that serves raw fish on rice or salad and you can top it with many Asian toppings. They have pre-designed bowls to pick from but also have customizable options. They have burritos and torched fish options. They serve fresh and high-quality ingredients. They are a great healthy, affordable and quick option.
Benefits: Fusion combos, customizable, good portions and variety.
Pokey Okey: They offer delicious poke bowls with more traditional options. They focus more on simplicity, health and fresh ingredients. While they offer customization, their approach focuses on simple and traditional combos.
Benefits: traditional, modern decor, simplistic and good quality.
