8 Of The Best Cheap Eats in Vancouver, BC
When it comes to eating in Vancouver on a budget, a little preparation comes in handy. After we’d spent a hefty chunk on our flights and hostel booking, our Vancouver budget was looking a little thin – so finding cheap eats in Vancouver was high on the agenda!
We stayed in the Samesun Vancouver hostel, which actually had breakfast included – with the most delicious jalapeno bagels! So most days, breakfast was sorted. Although we did have banging meat and vegan sausage rolls from Granville Public Market the morning before our whale watching tour.
For lunches and dinners, we tried to keep our food spending to a relative minimum, as without a bit of research, you could easily find yourself spending more than you expected in a pricey Vancouver restaurant – especially factoring in tax and tips.
But equally, Vancouver has some great foodie spots, and we didn’t want to go TOO extreme and miss out on the tasty food scene. So we settled for a middle ground – eating out in affordable but well-rated spots, and these are the ones we loved.
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La Belle Patate, Davie Village
The first but not the last poutine on the list (although it WAS the last meal we had in Vancouver…) – because when in Canada, right? In case you didn’t know, poutine is a staple Canadian dish, featuring chips with cheese curds and gravy. Poutine originated in Quebec, and La Belle Patate specialise in serving up that traditional Québécois taste.
Their menu offers around 30 different takes on poutine, from the Traditional – just fries, curds and gravy – to more offbeat toppings, including ground beef, stuffing, and frankfurter sausage pieces, all available in sizes S, M or L. I chose a Small Traditional Poutine ($9), although I probably could easily have scoffed down a Medium ($11). I’ve had poutine in Canada before, but La Belle Patate might just be some of the best – perfectly squeaky curds and gloriously rich gravy, on top of perfectly cooked hand cut fries.
Location: 1215 Davie St, Vancouver
Veggie/Vegan? Vegetarian gravy and veggie toppings available
Mean Poutine, Granville St
Okay, who wants more poutine? If you’re looking for cheap eats in Vancouver, street food is the way to go – and Mean Poutine is a classic hole-in-the-wall serving up tasty poutine at a deliciously affordable price. Even the smallest size is a hearty portion, and both the meat and vegetarian gravy is perfectly made, melting the cheese curds perfectly. Perfect for taking to a city park and dogwatching while you tuck in.
Location: 718 Nelson S, Vancouver
Veggie/Vegan? Vegetarian options available
La Tortilleria, Granville Island
Fun fact: When I first visited Vancouver on my Canadian Rockies road trip back in 2018, I had one meal in Vancouver – a taco salad at La Tortilleria on Granville Island. For my return visit, it was an absolute must, as the dish that kickstarted my absolute adoration for Mexican munch served up in a crispy fried bread bowl. A small taco salad will cost you $9 ($11 with meat) and a large is $11 ($15 with meat). Full of fresh flavours paired with a satisfying crunch from the edible bowl – eat it outside with views over the water to downtown Vancouver. Just make sure the seagulls don’t steal a bite when you’re not looking.
Location: Granville Public Market
Veggie/Vegan: Veggie options for most main meal options
Kaisereck Delicatessen, Granville Island
Granville Island’s Public Market is a must-visit in Vancouver for anyone even remotely foodie-inclined, and their street food stalls are ideal for eating on a budget in Vancouver. With food tastes from around the world, there’s plenty to choose from – including the affordably priced hot dogs at Kaisereck Delicatessen. The kiosk offers locally sourced German-style sausages in meat and veggie options, with a selection of toppings all included in the price.
I had the veggie/vegan option, the Beyond Meat Spicy Italian Sausage ($8.95) – a plant-based sausage with Italian spices, served on a bun with sauerkraut & sautéed onions. If you’re feeling extra spicy, the meat sausage can be served as a Currywurst ($8.95), and there are also sandwiches and plates available if sausage isn’t your vibe.
Location: Granville Island Public Market
Veggie/Vegan? Vegetarian & vegan options available
Looking to explore more of Vancouver’s culinary scene? Check out these food tours:
Gastown Walking Food Tour: Visit six foodie spots in the historic Gastown area
Granville Island Market Tour: Enjoy street food tastings on Granville Island
Authentic Asian Eats Walking Food Tour: Hidden gems and authentic Asian cuisine
El Furniture Warehouse
The Warehouse Group have six locations across British Columbia, including El Furniture Warehouse on Granville Street, and bill themselves as ‘food-forward’ ‘premium dive bars’. I picked up a recommendation to head here for cheap food and good vibes. Honestly, I wish we’d discovered it sooner, because the menu is perfect for eating in Vancouver on a budget.
We ordered a selection of starters, made up of Perogi, Crispy Wings , Tacos and Loaded Potato Skins . Erm, we did NOT need that much food. But it was worth it as all four were exactly what we needed – not gourmet dining, but classic bar food with some delicious flavours. The four dishes came to around $35, which worked out to approximately £23, and it filled us up wayyyy through the afternoon.
If you’re feeling like more of a meal, their burgers start from $10.95, or you could pick up some tacos from $9.25. There’s a good selection of affordable beers on tap too!
Location: 989 Granville St.
Veggie/Vegan? Plenty of veggie + some vegan
The Moose, Granville Street
If you’ve known me for a while, you’ll know I love a rock and roll dive bar, and The Moose fits the criteria perfectly. Classic rock merchandise adorns the walls, the soundtrack blasts Kiss, Zeppelin and Sabbath, and the clientele are the type to hear your English accent and insist they buy you a large shot of Jameson to welcome you to their country. At lunchtime.
Speaking of lunch, we took the same route for our Moose munch and ordered a selection of starter dishes. The poutine came with curly fries (!) and while it might not quite match up to La Belle Patate, it was still enjoyable as some decent pub grub. Unfortunately they were out of chicken wings, so we had some chicken pieces (also served with curly fries) and perogies. If you like rock music, good beer and easy, affordable bar food, The Moose might just be your vibe.
Location: 724 Nelson St, Vancouver
Veggie/Vegan? Some vegetarian dishes
MeeT, Yaletown (& Main Street and Gastown)
MeeT was recommended to us by some local friends, and we actually ended up in the Yaletown branch when we caught up with them on our last night in Vancouver. The perfect meeting point (!) between upmarket and casual, and the entire menu is 100% vegan! They also have restaurants on Main Street and in Gastown, so wherever you are in Downtown, chances are there’s one within easy reach.
I had the Crispy BBQ burger ($18.75) which came battered, tossed in a whiskey BBQ sauce, and topped with crispy onion strings, a slice of chao cheez and chipotle mayo. An absolute messy delight of flavours, I absolutely wolfed it down! If you’re not feeling a burger, they also offer noodle and rice bowls, salads, and completely vegan poutine!
Location: 1165 Mainland St, Vancouver
Veggie/Vegan: The whole menu is fully vegan!
La Ruota, Kitsilano (& Gastown)
A little further out, we ended up spending some time in the Kitsilano area of Vancouver, as the friends we were visiting live there. It seemed a little harder to find some budget eats there, but we settled on ordering a takeaway pizza from La Ruota, a busy corner joint serving pizza by the slice or whole.
A 14inch Calabria pizza cost us $22.55, and it was exactly what we needed – a thin crust Neapolitan base with tomato sauce, fior di latte, grana padano, capicolla, fennel sausage and hot soppressata. Nice and spicy, with a light dough base, a rich sauce, and fresh flavourful toppings. Paired with some cans from Biminis liquor store, we found an area on the street where you’re able to have a drink, and people-watched while we grazed on our pizza. Perfection.
