Best Restaurants at Vancouver Airport - Best YVR Restaurant, Coffee Shop, & more

Our Pick: The Best Restaurants at Vancouver Airport

Our Pick of the Best Restaurants at Vancouver Airport, and a Guide to Where to Eat and Shop at YVR.

Vancouver International Airport has almost 40 different places to eat. Which one is the best? It's all a matter of opinion, but here's what we've found.

All of our choices can be enjoyed without going through pre-flight security. So if you're not travelling that day, you can still search out these places to eat.

And The Best Restaurant at YVR is:

Milestone's Restaurant, in the Domestic Terminal, Level 3 (departures level).

There are cheaper places to eat in the YVR food court, and more expensive and gourmet offerings at the Fairmont Hotel. But for a nice balance of good quality food, good location, atmosphere and fair pricing, Milestone's gets our vote.

Milestones is a nice oasis from the hustle and bustle of the terminal. Most importantly, the meals are quite good and reasonably priced. Milestones is a chain of restaurants in the greater Vancouver area, and we're happy to report that Milestones at YVR compares favorably with their other locations in Vancouver and Richmond.

There's a small but well-chosen wine list, and there is both booth and bar counter seating.

Our List of the Top 5 Restaurants at Vancouver Airport

Milestones
Globe@YVR - Located in the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel. Fine dining with a view plane-spotters will love of the US arrival/departures ramp.
Hanami Japanese Restaurant - on departures level 3 o fthe international terminal, just before pre-flight security. Quiet place to dine on Dim Sum & Japanese dishes
Pacific Market - a nice place to relax with a beer or glass of wine before taking off on that long overseas flight.
Flying Wedge Pizza - food court of the internaonal terminal, departures level 3. If you crave fast-food at YVR, make it the gourmet pizza at Flying Wedge.

A Few Other Bests at YVR...

Best Coffee at Vancouver Airport: Tie: Starbucks & Tim Hortons. The each have multiple locations. Starbucks is dependably strong, but Tim Hortons is a Canadian tradition (they also serves a large selection of donuts, bagels, and sandwiches).

Best Newstand at YVR: Vancouver News Connection, in the International Terminal near the escalator to level 2. Good supply of newspapers and magazines.

Best Place to Buy a Gift at Vancouver Airport: In the Domestic Terminal on level 3, Northern Impressions is good for last minute souvenirs, or the Fish Market for smoked salmon you can take as a carry-on.

In the International Terminal, there's a Roots store full of the popular clothing line just past pre-flight security on level 3. Or, try Gifts of the Raven just beside the food court for First Nations art work.

Best Place to Get a Pre or Post Flight Massage: Absolute Spa at YVR can help work out those economy-class kinks in your neck! They have 4 locations at YVR.

Best Place to Relax or Sleep at YVR: You don't have to leave the airport to get to the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel (hotel entrance is just across from USA departures check-in). It's been called the "best airport hotel in the world". Wonderfully spacious rooms, extremely quiet, gourmet dining, and a full spa and exercise facility.

More Info:

yvr.ca - official site of Vancouver International Airport.

Vancouver Airport / Best Restaurants at Vancouver Airport

footer for best restaurants at Vancouver Airport page