Vitamin Daily

Our highly subjective ranking of the best places to eat and drink right now:

Best Business Lunch: Hawksworth
When someone important comes to town, this is where you take them. Sit under the Damien Hirst in the bar for a glass of Henriot, then head into the elegant-yet-cool dining room. Order the apple and beet salad (a masterpiece of execution) and whichever fish or pasta is offered that day and you’ll have sealed your deal. Hawksworth, 801 W. Georgia St., Vancouver, 604-673-7000, www.hawksworthrestaurant.com

Best Yoga Brunch: Che Baba Cantina
Something about this new restaurant reminds me of my parents’ Volkswagen van (The batik? The starburst cushions? The three shades of brown?) Still, the haute hippie vibe (it’s below a yoga studio on a gentrified strip of East Van) feels right now, as does the grilled polenta topped with poached eggs and pulled pork with a side of gently tossed arugula. Bliss. Che Baba Cantina, 603 Kingsway, 604-558-1519, www.chebaba.ca

Best Lobby Bar: Fairmont Pacific Rim Lobby Lounge and Terrace
The scent of jasmine floats overhead in this lofty and bright space warmed with couches and a floating fireplace. There’s the requisite white grand piano for traditionalists, yet the vibe feels pan-Asian at this indoor/outdoor space where sashimi and oysters, rather than tea sandwiches, are the order of the day. Fairmont Pacific Rim, 1038 Canada Pl., Vancouver, 604-695-5300, www.fairmont.com

Best Dim Sum: Kirin
Views of the mountains and City Hall, white tablecloths, attentive table service: this is where chefs eat on Sunday, in rounds of 12. Crispy, spicy squid, scallop and pea shoot dumplings, plus all the dim sum favourites you know and love. Kirin, 555 W. 12 Ave., Third Floor, Vancouver, 604-879-8038, www.kirinrestaurants.com

Best Street Meat: Meat & Bread
Ok, so technically there are seats, though they are probably all full. Luckily there’s a swift turn of foodie hipsters who know their porchetta from their brisket at this smartly-conceived concept that would be right at home in Williamsburg or London’s East End. Meat & Bread, 370 Cambie St., Vancouver, 604-566-9003, www.meatandbread.ca

Best Bar Snacks: Boneta
Sure the new restaurant is a fishbowl (quite literally with walls of glass) but the back bar off Blood Alley is a lovely place to spend an intimate hour before a show, bonding over excellent microgreens, house-made octopus chips, warm bread and wines paired by the inimitable sommelier Neil Ingram. Boneta, 12 Water St., Vancouver, 604-684-1844, www.boneta.ca

Best Out-of-Vancouver Experience: Medina
Breakfast and lunch via the Ivory Coast, France and Spain (think merguez tagines and Paella), or Belgian waffles, both savoury and sweet, make this Crosstown destination a cosmopolitan hotspot. Medina, 556 Beatty St., Vancouver, 604-879-3114, www.medinacafe.com

Best Restaurant that isn’t Vij’s: Rangoli
Yes, you can wait in line for two hours to get into Vij’s. Or leave the mutton to the sheep and head to its sister restaurant next door where dishes are swiftly served by excellent staff in a modern Indian room. Black chickpea fritters and a glass of Gewürz: what else could you want? Rangoli, 1488 W. 11th Ave., Vancouver, 604-736-5711, www.vijsrangoli.com

Best Threesome: ReFuel, Campagnolo, and Campagnolo Roma
Some of the best dinners we’ve had in the past year have been from the team behind this culinary trifecta.  We especially like Campagnolo for its central location and Tuesday night $19 prix-fixe, which may be as simple as fennel sausages, peppers and polenta, but perfectly so.  Campagnolo, 1020 Main St., Vancouver, 604-484-6018, www.campagnolorestaurant.ca, ReFuel, 1944 W. 4th Ave., Vancouver, 604 288-7905, www.refuelrestaurant.com,  Campagnolo Roma, 2297 Hastings St., Vancouver, 604-569-0456, www.campagnoloroma.com

Best Patisserie: Thierry
New, yet already evolved enough to be an international brand. Yes, you can order a glass of red wine at 9 p.m. with your Hazelnut choux: That’s progress. A Pear Charlotte purchased here will be the hit of your next dinner party (along with your pithy repartee). Thierry, 1059 Alberni St., 604-609-6870, www.thierrychocolates.com —Sarah Bancroft