Best Cheap Eats in Vancouver

Updated Jan, 2024

Cheap food in Vancouver can be found if you know where to look. You can enjoy fine food at expensive restaurants, but I recommend saving your cash for another city.

There are many cheap eats in Vancouver and I will let you know about my favourite spots.

The best cheap eats in Vancouver are found in the small cosy places, often hidden away from the main streets and packed full of serious food lovers.

I’ve just spent a long weekend in this vibrant and hip city, and cheap food in Vancouver is everywhere. As usual, my motivation was only to satisfy my hunger for incredible food.

Vancouver over-delivered in this category, and I’m seriously contemplating a temporary move here, so that I can eat my way across this city at a normal person’s pace.

If you’re wondering whether to visit Vancouver, don’t wonder any longer, go! Even if you go to just taste the food from Vancouver, it’s a great idea.

If you’re interested in gaining some insider tips on where to eat and stay, then check out my foodie trail here and discover the best cheap eats in Vancouver.

Insider Tip: Consider purchasing a ticket for the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus to make your way around the city to eat!

Where to Eat Breakfast – The Best Cheap Eats in Vancouver

Breakfast is the day’s most important meal, so make it a good one!

cheap eats in vancouver brunch
Best cheap eats in Vancouver – Breakfast or brunch

Twisted Fork Bistro – This busy little place makes its fresh bread every day, and it serves excellent breakfast and brunch to match. The location is on Granville St, a real winner if you are happy to line up for a table, cos it’s super popular.

Café Medina is a super popular place in downtown Vancouver, known for its amazing breakfast and brunch options.

You can build your own waffles, which I can tell you are delicious. Their lavender latte is kind of famous in Vancouver, so you should definitely swing by here to find out why.

Yolk’s – A restaurant in East Vancouver, but it’s pretty tough to get a seat here. For a quick and really delicious breakfast, find their food truck (open Tuesday-Friday).

Their specialty is breakfast sandwiches and egg bennies, and believe me, they are something to rave about. (exactly what I’m doing now!).

best cheap eats in vancouver ramen
Best Cheap Eats in Vancouver – Kintano – Ramen noodles

Where to Eat Lunch – The Best Cheap Eats in Vancouver

Vancouver has some amazing food trucks which are dotted around the city. Check out this directory to find out their location and when they’re open. We tried and loved Kaboom Box (delish, yet casual fresh seafood).

Another great place for cheap eats in Vancouver is Kintaro Ramen. We found this little Japanese restaurant by chance. It was the best thing we ever did! The place was packed, the huge bowls of ramen were under ten dollars, and I left here with the most satisfying smile ever. 

If I’m being honest with you here, it felt like I was sitting in a secret little restaurant somewhere in Kyoto, Japan. I love how food can transport you like that, don’t you?

Anyway, let’s continue by telling you about all the best cheap eats in Vancouver.

Japadog Food Truck is something else you need to put on your list of best cheap eats in Vancouver. These guys take hotdogs to a new level!

Expect Japanese fusion-style dogs, pimped out with yummy sauces, Japanese flavours, and crispy seaweed for crunch. Yum! Check out the menu on the Japadog website for inspiration. This place rocks – don’t miss it! Delicious and cheap food in Vancouver; what a combination.

As I mentioned before, you cannot leave this city without eating sushi at least once. Some of the world’s best sushi chefs live here, along with the freshest seafood around, which means the sushi is amazing and very affordable.

Start here or ask a local at your hostel or accommodation which is their fave.

best cheap eats in vancouver spring rolls
Best Cheap Eats & Cheap food in Vancouver – Vietnamese spring rolls

Where to Eat Dinner – The Best Cheap Eats in Vancouver

My favourite sushi place was definitely The Eatery. A delicious and quirky place to go for dinner and drinks, with Astro boy cartoons painted on the walls and funky sculptures hanging from the roof.

The sushi here was ridiculously good. This is the some of best sushi I have ever eaten for sure.

Their website gives you a good indication that these guys are different and fun for sure! I love that sushi is delicious and cheap food in Vancouver.

best cheap eats in vancouver sushi
Best cheap eats in Vancouver – Sushi

Pho Goodness – Unpretentious little Vietnamese restaurant, located on Davie St in downtown Vancouver. Fantastic Pho Bo here, and really affordable too. It deserves a top spot on the list of cheap eats in Vancouver, so don’t miss it!

Rodney’s Oyster bar – For all the seafood lovers out there, check out this place. (they have locations in Gastown and Yaletown): fun, casual seafood and cocktails. A perfect addition to our best cheap eats in Vancouver list.

Where To Go For Drinks?

It’s always hard to choose the right place to go for a drink in a new city. There’s always so much choice, but you want to make the right ones. Am I right?

Whether you just want a great coffee or are keen on a few drinks to celebrate all the best cheap eats in Vancouver you’ve eaten, we’ve got some suggestions.

cheap eats in vancouver
Revolver Coffee Roasters

The list below gives you a few tips about where the locals recommend having a drink.

Coffee lovers  Matchstick is a specialty roastery and coffee retailer with an emphasis on hand-crafted preparation and delivery of single-origin coffees. Revolver is about two things: Coffee, and the experience that should go with it. I really enjoyed the coffee and atmosphere here.

Cocktail lovers – The Keefer Bar and the Diamond. – Both have a great atmosphere and fantastic cocktails.

Beer Lovers St Augustine’s. 60+ Tap Beers — Many from locally sourced microbreweries. This place has got a full patio, a lounge, and also a gastropub menu.

I hope this delicious dose of foodie options gives you a satisfying smile as you indulge in some of the best cheap eats in Vancouver.

Where To Stay In Vancouver

So, delicious and cheap food in Vancouver is everywhere, but if you’re backpacking or travelling independently and relying on public transport to get around, then accommodation in the downtown area is super handy.

Budget-Friendly Accommodation

I stayed at HI Vancouver Downtown Hostel. I had everything I needed in this hostel. It was clean, very affordable and the facilities were great. The cheap food in Vancouver listed in this post was usually within easy walking distance from here.

They serve a variety of choices for breakfast each morning and the staff was super knowledgeable about where to go out, where they love to eat and where to find more cheap eats in Vancouver.

The hostel is perfectly located on Granville St, nearby all the bustling food joints in downtown Vancouver. You can find so many fantastic cheap eats right here, although way too many to mention here.

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Granville Island is a 20-minute walk from this hostel. The food markets here are brimming with farm-fresh produce, artisan cheese, bread, beautiful delicatessens, and small eateries cooking wonderful meals and treats to enjoy. You can easily spend a few hours here, simply by eating and enjoying the harbour views.

Behind the market building is also many independent boutique shops with bars and places of interest.

Also, Stanley Park is 30 minutes walk away from the hostel. The location is really on point here. Restaurants and nightclubs in the historic Gastown are only 1 km away; a great place to find many options for cheap food in Vancouver.

Mid-Range Hotel

The Sylvia Hotel: This place is good value for money. We love that they have an on-site restaurant and good wifi on offer. This hotel is located in Vancouver’s English Bay with views of the ocean. Robson Street shopping district is 1.5 km away, where you can find many options of cheap food in Vancouver.

High-End Hotel

The St Regis Hotel: This hotel is nice! If you’re going to go ‘all-out’ and stay at one of the best places in downtown Vancouver, then consider this hotel. It’s a locally owned boutique hotel that offers a fantastic breakfast included in the rate.

Not to mention a great bar and two on-site restaurants, we guarantee you will enjoy your stay at The St Regis Hotel. If you choose to stay here, it’ll balance out with all those cheap eats you’ll be chowing down on in Vancouver.

Best Food Tours Vancouver

I LOVE to do food tours when I travel, I believe they’re one of the best ways to get a good feel and taste of a new destination. If you’re keen to join a passionate food guide as he/she takes you around to taste the best of Vancouver, I have some recommendations.

The Gastown Walking Food Tour is fantastic! A 2.5-hour walking food tour of Vancouver’s historic Gastown which includes 8 eateries to enjoy some amazing food.

This Food Tour of Granville Island Market is another great choice. Bring your appetite for this 2-hour walking tour of this bustling market with some of the freshest food you’ll taste.

Best Things to Do in Vancouver

Where do we even start? This is a city that has it all. I highly recommend this popular Vancouver Highlights Bike Tour and this half-day Whale Watching Tour

Check out these other top-selling day tours in Vancouver below.

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Do you have a favourite place that should be featured on our Best Cheap Eats in Vancouver list? Where do you eat cheap food in Vancouver? Let us know in the comments below.

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