Farmhouse

If there's one thing The Farmhouse is teaching the people of Vancouver, it's that the West Coast is plentiful and lends itself beautifully to all the richness and majesty of Italian cuisine.

Keeping growers, farmers and foragers across the neighbouring valley busy, The Farmhouse is a loyal customer when it comes to local produce. Honest ingredients form the crux of the menu whilst the restaurant itself offers warm and welcoming solace from the demands of modern life. The Farmhouse truly lives up to its name with its wood-heavy dining hall that's punctuated by contemporary design notes and a crew of the most hospitable staff this side of Mt. Pleasant.

The lunch starters signal the beginning of a match made in heaven. Organic greens, vegetables, cheeses and cured meats form are transformed into Italian nibbles like beef and pork meatballs, oozing arancini balls, charcuterie boards and spritely relishes and marinades. Then for mains, fresh pasta is the star of the show with house-made fusilli, tagliatelle, rigatoni and spaghetti, all adorned with a variety of seafood, ragus and sauces.

Supper offers the same magical combinations as well as larger plates that befit any special occasion. First up is Pacific halibut with roasted cauliflower, the cut of the day with a confit garlic puree, and earthy oyster mushrooms stirred into a creamy, sticky risotto topped with roasted potatoes.

Canada's West Coast may have just found its match!