Big Night Out Classics

ELISA
1109 Hamilton Street – Yaletown, 604.362.5443
elisasteak.com
Distance: 10-minute walk
Price: appetizers ~ $25, steaks ~ $54+, other mains ~ $50
If “date night” means “steak night” to you, Elisa is where you go. A beautiful, modern take on a steakhouse that also happens to do seafood really well, and boasts one of the city’s best wine lists. Start with a cocktail in the lounge.

L’ABATTOIR
217 Carrall Street – Gastown, 604.568.1701
labattoir.ca
Distance: 30-minute walk, 10-minute drive
Price: appetizers ~ $28, mains ~ $56

The best way to describe the menu is “French-influenced West Coast cuisine.” The room is elegantly casual, the cocktails are stellar, and the food manages to be both fresh and butter-drenched.

ST. LAWRENCE
269 Powell Street, – Railtown, 604-620-3800
stlawrencerestaurant.com
Distance: 10-minute drive
Price: Four-course table d’hôte menu – $125 (no a la carte)
With one Michelin star, St. Lawrence offers the classic Quebecois dishes that Chef JC Poirier recalls from his childhood. Right now they’re serving a set four-course menu with limited choices, taking on a different theme each month.

GARY’S
1484 West 12^th Avenue – South Granville, 604.245.3800
garysrestaurant.ca
Distance: 10-minute drive
Price: Small plates ~ $20, large plates ~ $34
Gary’s might not be as grand as some of the others in this section, but it’s the perfect neighbourhood bistro for a date: a polished room with lots of energy, excellent Scandinavian-influenced food, and a killer wine list. Extra points for being right by the Stanley Theatre, making it the perfect pre- or post-performance meal. 

PUBLISHED
3593 Main Street – Mt. Pleasant, 604.423.4840
publishedonmain.com
Distance: 15-minute drive
Price: small plates ~ $20 – $30, larger plates (to share) ~ $58
One of this city’s most lauded restaurants (thanks to a Michelin star, and honours including Best Upscale Restaurant from Vancouver magazine), Published offers a contemporary menu that pulls in equal parts from local ingredients and international influences.