French cuisine has always been known to be decadent and artistic. Let’s be real, butter, wine, and a romantic atmosphere are a triple threat! Lucky for us, Vancouver is dotted with excellent French restaurants where you can indulge in those heartwarming french onion soup and rich beef bourguignon!
Scroll down and explore the 10 best French restaurants in Vancouver that will have you wanderlust for France!
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1. Au Comptoir
Whenever you’re in the neighborhood, wanting a cup of coffee, a quick brunch grab, or a feast for dinner with a style, Au Comptoir is the place! Recreating the ambiance of a true Parisian bistro, Au Comptoir has been our all-time favorite spot for traditional, decadent French dishes with Vancouver-inspired style.
Once you’re here, don’t hesitate to call out some Salmon Fume, Saumon À L’unilatérale, Magret De Canard, and Omelette Aux Fines Herbes. They can never go wrong! The Salmon firstly offers you a smooth flavor with hints of smoke, a particularly tender texture in your mouth, and a mild pleasant taste after all.
While the Magret De Canard, which is duck breast, is perfectly cooked, pan-fried that has a crisp, golden skin, and succulent pink flesh. This is no less satisfying than heaven!
What to order: Salmon Fume, Saumon À L’unilatérale, Magret De Canard, Omelette Aux Fines Herbes.
Address: 2278 W 4th Ave Vancouver, BC V6K 1N8
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2. Provence Marinaside
Offering waterfront views of the Yaletown Marina, Provence Marinaside is a perfect perfect place in Vancouver to enjoy modern French cuisine and fresh local seafood. Besides, Provence Marinaside also serves a wide range of pasta, chicken, beef, and lamb for you to choose from. Especially, their food & wine pairing menu is phenomenal!
Settle down with some Crab Cake Benedict, Prawn Cocktail, Seared Smoked Sablefish, and Wild Mushroom Ravioli. This list never gets old, to be honest! You’ll find it hard to resist the Crab Cake with a combination of sweet crab meat, runny egg yolks, and rich, creamy hollandaise sauce. Perfect flavor, perfect texture!
And their Wild Mushroom Ravioli must be the craziest one ever with its creamy, soft. and delightful yet flavorful taste! Stunning!
What to order: Crab Cake Benedict, Prawn Cocktail, Seared Smoked Sable Fish, Wild Mushroom Ravioli.
Address: 1177 Marinaside Crescent, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2Y3
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3. Jules Bistro
Right in the heart of Gastown, there stands Jules Bistro – an authentic French bistro with West Coast touches. Offering a quaint ambiance, a cozy red-brick interior, and surprisingly delicious food at an affordable price, you should never miss a chance to visit Jules Bistro whenever you are around the area!
You might find some very classic French dishes on the menu, like French Onion Soup, Escargots Bourguignon, Duck Confit, Moules Frites, and flavorful Steaks served with a variety of sauces or side dishes.
It’s beautiful to have a Sour Cherry Clafoutis for dessert. The buttermilk-lemon sorbet does not just trick your palate, but also gives you a perfect taste profile of sweetness and tartness.
What to order: French Onion Soup, Panna Cotta, Garlic & Black Prawns with Egg Fried Rice, Moules Frites, Duck Confit Cassoulet
Address: 216 Abbott St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2K8
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4. Le Crocodile
Being one of the city’s most acclaimed and visited restaurants in Vancouver, Le Crocodile blends traditional French cooking with innovative Westcoast style that has been passed down from generation to generation for more than 40 years. You ask us how to eat French dishes and feel like being in France? Go and visit Le Crocodile!
Some of the highlights include Lobster Bisque, Grilled Tiger Prawn, Roasted Lamb Rack, Pan-seared Haida Gwaii Sea Scallop, and of course, the most classic dessert ever – Creme Brulee l’Orange. We bet you might want to start with those!
The lobster bisque is surprisingly pleasant with its creamy, thick texture, cooked together with seared lobster meat. Serving with a side salad and a slice of crusty bread to soak up the broth, this gem can taste better than heaven! For a bolder and richer dish, try out their roasted lamb rack and you’ll thank yourself for doing so!
What to order: Lobster Bisque, Grilled Tiger Prawn, Roasted Rack Of Lamb, Pan-seared Haida Gwaii Sea Scallop, Creme Brulee l’Orange
Address: 909 Burrard St #100, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2N2
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5. Alouette Bistro
Located in the heart of Downtown Vancouver, Alouette Bistro is a classic French destination with West Coast flavors. Unlike other French restaurants that remain loyal to their French roots, Alouette Bistro offers you a unique and creative range of dishes that showcase the beauty and variety of British Columbia.
People love coming for their Lamb Rack, Duck Cassoulet, Moules et Frites, and also Fresh Oysters! While the lamb is tender, rosy meat with a beautiful brown crust, a flavor-packed showstopper of a main dish, the cassoulet is packed with confit duck, juicy Toulouse sausage, and cooked to perfection.
The most ideal way to end your night is to munch on their Chocolate Fondant, because these hot melting-middle chocolate fondants are utterly irresistible!
What to order: Lamb Rack, Moules et Frites, Duck Cassoulet, Fresh Oysters, Chocolate Fondant
Address: 567 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC V6C 2E8
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6. Bacchus Restaurant & Lounge
Tucked away inside the Wedgewood, Bacchus Restaurant & Lounge complements the luxurious Wedgewood Hotel & Spa’s reputation for excellence. With beautiful Venetian decoration and exquisite European-inspired cuisine, Bacchus Restaurant & Lounge is no doubt the most perfect place to experience a warm and romantic date with live entertainment in Vancouver!
Take any chance to try their Maple Ginger Butternut Squash Soup. This beautifully roasted butternut squash soup is flavored with hints of ginger, topped with a sweet maple syrup and sour cream blend, which creates a delectable, luscious, rich taste. You are going to love it!
Or you can try Parmesan Crusted Chicken, skinless and boneless chicken breasts dipped in a flavourful egg wash for the ultimate taste explosion before being coated in a Parmesan mixture!
What to order: Maple Ginger Butternut Squash Soup, Truffle and White Mushroom Risotto, Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Pan Roasted Yarrow Meadows Duck Breast.
Address: 845 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1V1
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7. Tableau Bar Bistro
Being a classic French bistro fare with a menu developed by Michelin-star Chef Catherine Stewarts, Tableau Bar Bistro is an old-world classic bistro with modern touches that serve enough excellent dishes to make you hungry at the thought of it.
Coming to Tableau Bar Bistro, there are some you shouldn’t miss, including Bone Marrow, Seafood Tower, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and Shrimp Louie. The seafood tower comes up with oysters, clams, shrimp, crab claws, a whole steamed lobster), plus shrimp ceviche, and homemade chips. It goes along with the cocktail sauce, horseradish, a classic mignonette, and a spicy one. Stunning!
You can pair it with Roasted Brussels Sprouts that are deliciously crispy and richly caramelized, a perfect side dish to almost every recipe.
What to order: Bone Marrow, Seafood Tower, Canard, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Shrimp Louie.
Address: 1181 Melville St, Vancouver, BC V6E 0A3
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8. Tour De Feast
Being a small, family-run restaurant specializing in French cuisine, Tour De Feast is famous for its local-inspired French dishes, which are designed to play the sense and leave guests feeling elated. Come if you want to try out French food in the homiest and most creative way!
Their Duck Confit, Prawn Scampi, and Shortrib Sandwich are top-notch. The duck meat is silky, tender, and well-seasoned with parsley and thyme that gives a touch of vegetal sweetness. Finger-licking good if you ask! And the Prawn Scampi is fresh, light taste with a bouncing texture, perfect to start any meal or pair with any salad.
Don’t you leave the table without having the Chocolate Terrine for dessert, this classic, rich, creamy sweetie will have you at hello!
What to order: Duck Confit, Prawn Scampi, Poisson du Jour, Chocolate Terrine, Shortrib Sandwich.
Address: 319 Mountain Hwy, North Vancouver, BC V7J 2K7
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9. L’Abattoir
Located in the heart of Gastown, between the historic Gaoler’s Mews and Blood Alley, L’Abattoir is where you can find the most imaginative twists on any French dish. Offering a bar, upper dining room, and self-contained private dining facility across the back alleyway, L’Abattoir can be a perfect option for a date, business meeting, or simply friend-gathering.
Whenever you have a chance to visit this place, start with their all-time favorite dish: Baked Pacific Oyster with truffle puree, mushroom marmalade, whipped garlic butter, and soy mixture drizzling on top. This one tastes like heaven, honestly!
For a more unique taste, you can also try their Tandoori Style Sablefish or Baked Fillet of Arctic Cha with Fines Herbs, which are no less delicious and have been gaining a reputation for L’Abattoir for years.
What to order: Baked Pacific Oyster, Bread Basket, Steak Diane, Tandoori Style Sablefish, Baked Fillet of Arctic Cha with Fines Herbs.
Address: 217 Carrall St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2J2
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10. Les Faux Bourgeois
Being one of the most favourite French restaurants among Vancouverites, Les Faux Bourgeois is widely known as a place to enjoy classic French cuisine with a budget. With excellent food, cozy ambiance, and intimate space, there’s no reason to miss this gem in Vancouver!
You can’t go wrong with their Grilled Squid, Truite Salmon, Mushroom Risotto, or Beef Tartare. The squid is juicy grilled, well-seasoned, and topped with herbs and drops of fresh olive oil, which is tunning to start with. Move on with the hearty, tasty Mushroom Risotto with flavor-boosting ingredients added like onions, garlic, vegetables, meats, spices, herbs, and cheese.
End your meal right with a classic Creme Brulee, this sweetness masterpiece has never gone out of trend!
What to order: Grilled Squid, Truite Salmon, Mushroom Risotto, Canard Confit, Beef Tartare, Steak Frites, Creme Brulee.
Address: 663 E 15th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5T 2R6
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We can’t get enough of French food and will never be. We hope our suggestion above can bring out some ideas for your next trip to little France in Vancouver. And if you want to rewind with something new but still European-inspired, check on our best Italian restaurants in Vancouver for various choices!
How We Create Our “Best” Lists
All Noms Magazine’s “best” lists are created using multiple factors and signals to help readers find the best restaurants, things to do, and places to stay at. Some of these factors and signs include personal experiences, correspondence with locals, and compiling experiences from review sites.
Each list is also created to be balanced (in terms of price, cuisine type, ambiance, and more) as possible. This means that the lists are not specifically created in ranking order. You should be comfortable picking from any of the spots on the list and generally have a good time. But of course, YMMV (your mileage may vary) and everyone may have different experiences/palates.