Vij's
Indian restaurant · Mount Pleasant ·
Inventive Indian cuisine featuring lamb popsicles & B.C. wines
Inventive Indian cuisine featuring lamb popsicles & B.C. wines
"I noted Vij’s as a go‑to for Indian fare in Vancouver, a must for anyone wanting high‑quality, inventive South Asian dishes in the city." - CNT Editors
"Chef Vikram Vij is a huge star, with a stint as an investor on Dragon’s Den, the reality show for aspiring entrepreneurs, and a national range of prepackaged gourmet frozen curries to his name. Vij has created a fine dining Indian restaurant where you can feast on ambrosial curries utilizing local ingredients and hand-ground spices, paired with B.C. wines and funky cocktails. Pre-pandemic, the queue for a table might have included luminaries such as ex-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau or Harrison Ford, but now you can make a reservation and skip the wait. Don’t miss the lamb popsicles. Know before you go: Don’t snooze on the cocktail menu. It’s packed with savory drinks to pair with curry." - Nikki Bayley
"Vij’s on Cambie St. is a 10-minute drive from downtown, or a short walk from the Broadway/City Hall SkyTrain station. This Indian restaurant has been around since the ’90s, and it has a great rooftop patio open in the summer. Get things like their famous lamb popsicles or mango kulfi to share if you’re with a group, but know they also do single servings of most appetizers and half orders of their curries if you’re solo or with just one other person. They take reservations, but you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a table if you walk in. If you can’t get seated right away, just have a cocktail in their lounge while you wait." - carolyn b heller, amber gibson
"Since 1994, this Bib Gourmand trailblazer of Indian fine dining has made a compelling case for the subcontinent’s gastronomic riches, with namesake chef-owner Vikram Vij still working the room to ensure everyone’s happy. Consider the signature wine-marinated “lamb popsicles” with a fragrant fenugreek sauce, or opt for a vegetarian curry of red bell pepper, portobello mushroom, and paneer; a list of unique cocktails offers a perfect foil for the well-spiced cuisine." - Michael He
"When it opened back in 1994, this local staple was at the vanguard of Indian fine dining in North America, and it continues to make a compelling case for the gastronomic riches of the subcontinent. Namesake chef and owner Vikram Vij hasn’t slowed in spreading the good word, still maintaining a daily presence in the dining room, where he stops at tables to check that every guest is happy. He has little cause for worry, in light of the culinary treasure trove on offer: consider a signature dish of wine-marinated “lamb popsicles,” with a fragrant fenugreek sauce or opt for one of the vegetarian dishes, like a curry made with red bell pepper, portobello mushroom and paneer. A list of unique cocktails offers a perfect foil for the well-spiced cuisine." - Michelin Inspector