7 Food and Drink Events Around Vancouver That You’ve Gotta Try This September

I quit fighting and embraced the basic joy of PSL (or, pumpkin spice latte) season mid-pandemic (if you recall, literally any crumb of happiness was a major win). So YES, thank you, I am quite excited that my drinks are about to change from iced strawberry matcha to PSL everything. However, there will still be days of glorious sunshine before September is done, so get your tush out on the patio and enjoy every single last ray—get your vitamin D before “The Endless Grey” returns.

On your plate, eat all the salmon and every piece of stone fruit coming your way, and savour the last of the sweet corn from Chilliwack. Life is short; fall is fleeting; get out there and have some delicious fun this month. 

Go to Noah’s Cafe (It’s not a cafe!)

It’s exciting to see cool new spots opening on Denman street in Vancouver again. I haven’t been to the new steak place, Handson, yet, but I did swing by Noah’s Cafe, and man, that was so overdue. Très sexy and grown-up, all dark shades and neon on the outside with exposed red brick on the inside—I love this room. On the menu, some izakaya/tapas faves include a superb chimichurri Hamachi and a pitch-perfect tuna tataki. The cocktails are set to stun, especially the smoky dirty martini (icy cold but giving great bonfire vibes). Pop by for double daily happy hour (5 to 6 p.m., and 9 p.m. till close), and weekly specials including half off bottles of wine and sake, $2.50 oysters on Mondays and $1 Japanese wine special on Wednesdays.  

Get Fancy with Krug at Published on Main

Consider the carrot. Beloved by bunnies and the backbone of sofrito and mirepoix, carrots lend depth of flavour and complexity to so many dishes. But what if you were to showcase their sweet, earthy flavours and pair them with one of the world’s most famously delicious champagnes? Discover what happens when Krug meets carrots September 13–28 at Published on Main. You can enjoy an innovative multi-course tasting menu, or stop by the bar for a glass and a snack to get a taste of pure carroty heaven.  

Eat the Cheez Whiz and Caviar Hot Dog at Breeze Bar

Yeah, you heard me. It absolutely shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does. Serving up fancy-ass hot dog heaven and oh, so much more till late (seriously, at last! A good late-night food option!) Breeze Bar is open at the Twisted Fork in Gastown from Wednesdays to Sundays, 6 p.m. till midnight. A tastily playful food menu and an exciting, ever-changing list of mostly low-intervention wines make for a truly delicious and dangerous combination.

Support the Divers’ Catch Gala in Richmond

There are still tickets available for the inaugural Divers’ Catch Gala at the Deck at Radisson Blu in Richmond. Did you know that we have several dive-catch fisheries here in B.C.? They harvest delicacies including geoduck, sea urchin and sea cucumber by hand for us, making these some of the most sustainable choices around. Celebrate the season and show these fishers some love at the gala which brings together an all-star chef line-up and dive harvesters. Guests will enjoy creative tasting plates, meet the divers who harvest by hand with no bycatch and minimal ocean impact, and discover why supporting B.C. dive fisheries has never been more important. 

Honey Salt Launches Puptastic Yappy Hour

I write this with my beloved mini-golden doodle staring up at me, presumably wondering why I have the audacity to be working instead of walking endlessly around the seawall. How excited we will both be later this month when we check out the new Yappy Hour at Honey Salt, a brand-new pet-friendly patio option. Guests who arrive with their pets will unlock a special menu featuring $5 cold brew and specialty coffees, $10 mimosa flights and $8 mocktails and kombuchas, plus 10% off select (y)appetizers. Treats and water bowls included. 

Les Dames Dine Around

This year’s Les Dames fundraiser is on September 16: one night, dozens of restaurants and endless impact. The event will raise funds for scholarships for women in B.C.’s food, beverage and hospitality industries and support programs such as Growing Chefs and Okanagan Chefs. Participating restaurants include Le Crocodile, Bacchus, Lila, Botanist and Five Sails. Bag a ticket to enjoy a multi-course menu paired with beautiful B.C. wines, and enjoy amazing food, drink and the knowledge that 100 percent of the proceeds go to great causes.  

Pre-Order Three Cheers Right Now!

Sure, it’s not out until the first week in October, and nope, I haven’t seen it yet, but it’s a cocktail book from Vancouver startender, Kaitlyn Stewart, so you know it’s gonna be superb.  

The blurb says: “An inventive and inclusive drinks book with 165 cocktail recipes, each one of three variations for classic, riff and zero-proof versions, from the World Class bartending champion behind Likeable Cocktails. A love letter to cocktails in all their forms, Three Cheers has a drink to suit every mood and occasion. This clever cocktail book offers recipes for three versions of 55 classic cocktails (165 recipes in total!). Whether you like to keep it classic, try a new twist or a enjoy a spirit-free version, this book gives you all three options.”  

I say: looks like you found absolutely everyone’s Christmas gift. Pre-order from an independent bookseller near you here.