Vancouver end of December/early January

December 13, 2018 5:53 PM

I'll be meeting a friend from the UK in Vancouver during the last week of December/first week of January. It's their first time to Canada, and I'm not overly familiar with Vancouver. Interests include music, kink, environment, pescatarian diet. They're extroverted and I'm not, so I'd appreciate offerings of unique things to do for NYE.

I'd love a sushi recommendation, as well as neat places for a nice pescatarian dinner and ways to spend some time indoors during rainy days.

We'll definitely hit up the Museum of Anthropology at UBC.

posted by Juniper Toast to Travel & Transportation around Vancouver, BC (4 answers total)

My favourite sushi place was Kishimoto on Commercial. It gets busy though, so I would usually go right around opening (5pm dinner - it’s worth it!). Once you’re on Commercial you can hit up a bunch of breweries.

Not sure about NYE stuff, but you might be able to find some good events at Scout (also lots of good restaurant recommendations).
posted by Paper rabies at 10:36 PM on December 13, 2018

Kishimoto is good sushi and Commercial Drive is an overall solid location for good, affordable, mostly unpretentious food and other options.

As for NYE, last I looked Vancouver city was still hiding from the shadow of the 2011 Hockey riot, so I wouldn't expect anything very interesting on an officially sanctioned level.
posted by philip-random at 10:46 PM on December 13, 2018

I'd recommend an izakaya like Guu - Japanese pub food with a fun atmosphere! You order the food like tapas so it'd be really easy to adhere to a pescetarian diet. They also have good sashimi.

If any of you are remotely nerdy, you should probably go to Storm Crow which is nerdy beyond belief.

Another thing that might be fun is the Van Dusen Botanical Garden's Festival of Lights. It's outdoors though so you may have to stroll through a lovely atmosphere in the pouring rain. Same thing for the Capilano Suspension Bridge.

I'm glad you're going to check out MOA! The Vancouver Art Gallery is also quite a nice place to spend some time indoors, as is Science World (although geared quite a bit toward children) and the aquarium (a little pricey).
posted by thebots at 10:55 PM on December 13, 2018

The Acorn (finer dining), Nomad (more casual) and The Arbor (most casual) are all worth checking out for plant-based dining (and pescatarian, at Nomad, which also has great cocktails and a nice brunch). They're all basically right across the street from each other, on a little stretch of Main Street that also has lots of little coffee shops and stores to poke around in. Close to Queen Elizabeth Park, which is still pretty, even in winter.

Fox Cabaret is doing this NYE dance party that may be of interest? If you like craft beer and/or drag shows, Queers & Beers + Man Up are doing both an early lower-key NYE thing plus a second round that goes late with a dance party.

Do note that a lot of restaurants may be closed around the holidays, particularly on New Year's Day -- you'll want to have plans in advance for any holiday closures.
posted by halation at 10:26 AM on December 14, 2018 [1 favorite]