Where to Dine Outside in Vancouver

"Acorn and The Oak is 20 miles east of downtown Vancouver, perched on Lacamas Lake. At this secluded spot, Chuck and Janessa Stoltz have created a unique outdoor dining experience by adding their own quirky style to their newly renovated lake chalet. Janessa’s florist skills came in handy snagging a wedding-level tent and festooning it with greenery and flowers. A small projector silently projects subtitled film favorites — from classics like The Wizard of Oz to Gen-X nostalgia like Say Anything — onto one of the tent’s walls. From noon to 4 p.m., the spot serves light bites like deviled eggs, cheese boards, and cocktails. After 5 p.m., the menu shifts to updated classics like wedge salads and chicken stroganoff, along with cocktails like the Tipsy Oak, a blend of bourbon, orange juice, and Acorn and The Oak’s own thyme simple syrup, finished with a few splashes of cardamom and walnut bitters. The tent will be transformed into a tiki theme in March. Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant or through OpenTable." - Rachel Pinsky