22 Nov

2015 Dine Out Vancouver Festival Preview

As the weather turns colder in Vancouver, the days get shorter and snow blankets the North Shore Mountains, thoughts naturally turn to … the annual Dine Out Vancouver Festival.

Each winter, 100,000 foodies descend on the city’s restaurants as part of Canada’s largest annual dining celebration. Bargain-priced prix-fix menus, plus a bevy of special food-themed events turn Vancouver into Canada’s culinary capital for more than two weeks each year.

The 2015 festival, Jan. 16-Feb. 1, is still more than a month away. But tickets for special events, which tend to sell out fast, go on sale Dec. 1. To whet your appetite, here’s a quick preview of the culinary thrills planned for the 2015 Dine Out Vancouver Festival:

Now in its 13th year, the festival will feature more than 250 local restaurants, from casual bistros to white-linen fine-dining standards. (Participating restaurants have not yet been revealed.) Each of these restaurants will be offering specially priced three (or more) course meals at one of three price points: $18, $28 or $38. For gourmands on a budget, these set meals can be a great way to sample some of the city’s top restaurants without breaking the bank. Many of these special menus can be paired with a flight of local B.C. wines, craft beer or cocktails for an additional price.

But for many adventurous eaters, the real highlight of Dine Out is the packed line-up of special culinary-themed events, which combine dining with edgy shows, city tours, impassioned debates and more. Back this year by popular demand are a few Dine Out favourites. Street Food City brings a collection of the city’s top food trucks together in one location for a street eats smorgasbord, Jan. 19-Jan. 25. The Grand Tasting on Granville Island, Jan. 15, gives epicures a rare opportunity to explore the famous Public Market and its gourmet delights after hours.

Other returning events, whose dates haven’t officially been announced, include: Dinner at the Birdcage (a dinner drag show inside a swanky cabaret space), the Brunch Crawl (a series of progressive brunch tours, which explore multiple eateries in distinct neighbourhoods), and the Six-Course Discourse (a kind 0f unplugged session where top chefs chat about their dishes while you eat them).

Finally, Dine Out also features prix-fix hotel deals. More than 20 local hotels, from intimate boutique jobs to five-star gems, will be offering rooms at one of three price points: $78, $108 and $138 per night. Many hotels also offer special “Dine and Stay” packages for additional discounts.

Event tickets and hotel offers go on sale Dec. 1 on the official Dine Out Vancouver Festival website. The list of participating restaurants will be announced in January, at which time diners can make reservations on the Dine Out site.