West End
Establishment
neighborhood
Sushi Bar Maumi
1226 Bute St., West End
Maumi's eight seats bring the authenticity of the thousands of teeny sushi bars found throughout Japan to Vancouver. Chef Maumi Ozaki presides over his establishment nightly and his rules are clear—no kids, no booze, and a hard-and-fast seating schedule. However, despite the seemingly strict parameters, the seafood—imported daily from Japan—is so spectacular in freshness, preparation, presentation, and price, all is forgiven. The ten-course omakase menu, priced at approximately $35 a person, is the best deal in town.
Aritzia
1100 Robson St., West End
We’ve long been fans of Vancouver-based Aritzia’s suped-up basics—a well-tailored trench, a crisp poplin ruffled blouse, lacy bralettes, and high-waist trousers, are among our favorites. Robson Street is the brand's flagship, meaning that it's also their largest space (they recently wrapped a 4,800-square-foot expansion). Spanning 13,000-square-feet, the warm interior feels like a well-appointed residence with lots of natural light, an interesting assortment of artwork—much of it by local artists—plus an indoor garden.