Dine Out Vancouver Begins Jan. 16

One of my favorite cities in the world is getting ready to eat and drink like never before. The 13th annual Dine Out Vancouver Festival is taking place over the last two weeks of January, and this year more than ever, the city’s vast arsenal of restaurants and artisans are pulling out all the stops. In addition to featuring another record-breaking number of participating restaurants, they’ve lined up more than 70 food-themed happenings, plus a number of exclusive hotel packages that combine luxe accommodations with unique culinary experiences, as well as hotel rates that start as low as $78.

This year, there’s a cognac masterclass with renowned bartender Lauren Mote, an international chef exchange event (where Executive Chef Matty Bowling of the U.K.’s Terre à Terre will be dishing up a multicourse dinner at The Parker), and a craft beer and artisanal food tour of Vancouver. For a full event listing, just click here. A couple of other notable facts from this year’s Dine Out:

• Record-setting number of participating restaurants (275+).
• Club Amuse-Bouche event access. Available for select Dine Out events, festival-goers can now purchase premium tickets for exclusive VIP experiences and perks – ranging from cocktail receptions and priority access to special gifts and chef meet-and-greets.
• Club Amuse-Bouche Collection hotel packages, which pair Dine Out event tickets with unique culinary experiences and luxe accommodations.
• Street Food City IV, which showcases Vancouver’s exotic array of food trucks, has now been extended to a full week.

I’ve gone on and on in the past about the city’s Japadog stands, Vikram Vij’s namesake Indian restaurant and the Granville Market before, but if you’ve ever thought about visiting our Canadian/Asian neighbor to the North, now would be the time to book that trip. Dine Out runs from Jan. 16 – Feb. 1.