Feed Your Dad On Father’s Day

Sure. He appreciates the nice gifts and the cute cards. But really, what dad wants is a truly great meal. One for the books. Here’s where to take him, and spoil him rotten. —Catherine Dunwoody

Botanist: Fairmont Pacific Rim’s restaurant was just named one of Canada’s Best 100 Restaurants for 2022, and a fancy brunch here is always found. Dad can decide between the hand-cut beef tartare with smoked egg yolk, caper berries, parmesan and sourdough or the oven-roasted sablefish cassoulet with white beans, arugula and bacon jus. The cocktail program here is solid as ever, including the Spindrift, featuring a local IPA, aged rum, rosemary, grapefruit sherbet and lime juice. 

Carlino’s: The famous Brunch Board is back—this time geared to hungry papas. Imagine a feast of sweet and savoury favourites like hanger steak, cheddar scrambled eggs, rosemary potatoes, Nutella waffles topped with bananas foster, cornetti and fresh fruit.   

Rosie’s BBQ & Smokehouse: This Texas-style barbecue joint is celebrating their first anniversary with a new smoker, an updated menu, and the Texas Trinity Platter. Brisket, smoked beef links and ribs, plus sides of West Coast slaw, house-made cornbread and pit beans add up to one super-satisfying meal for any BBQ-lovin’ dad. There’s also June’s monthly menu feature: a massive two-pound smoked beef rib, available in limited quantities every weekend.

H2 Kitchen + Bar: The Westin Bayshore’s seawall-situated restaurant has a brand-new Sunday Supper Series that kicks off on Father’s Day with a three-course menu that starts with a grilled baby romaine salad, a smoked CAB prime rib carvery roast, along with potatoes, honey-glazed carrots, roasted brussels sprouts and Yorkshire pudding. Dad’s sweet tooth will be satisfied with the sticky toffee pudding for dessert.

Pica Blue Hat Bistro: Celebrate a day early at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts near Granville Island, on June 18. A spring tasting menu features a six-course meal envisioned, prepared and plated by the school’s instructors and their top students. Enjoy a B.C. spot prawn salad, broccoli and fennel tortellini, beef carpaccio, pacific king salmon and dessert.