Virtuous Pie — Vancouver, Canada

Main Street has always been the epicentre of Vancouver’s Chinatown, with traditional herbal shops, grocers and Hong Kong-inspired lunch counters like The Boss. But it’s also the harbinger of neighbourhood change – more often than not a contentious case of gentrification and shiny new flats. Now, a new kid on the block called Virtuous Pie nicely straddles the old Chinatown and the new hipster-ridden one that has seen the area rebranded as foodie central.
Right across the street from The Boss, the restaurant, owned by chef Jim Vesal, embodies a new world lunch counter with an old world Roman vibe, serving delicious all veggie pizzas that are rich, hearty and flavoursome.
The Med is a crowd pleaser; smokey baba ganoush, thoughtful house-made falafel, tofu based feta, roasted red peppers, kalamata and mint chutney. This is best complemented with a seasonal salad (try the Brussels sprout and squash) and washed down with a fresh spicy apple and pepper juice, and of course, finished off with a coconut-based mint and chocolate ice cream.
Like the cuisine, the decor by local design agency House of Bohn is a harmonious layering of elements: West Coast wood and Italian travertine counters with yellowy veins to match custom brass lighting that frame the open kitchen’s pizza oven. Clean contemporary custom benches flank long communal tables, creating the perfect space for Mandarin and Cantonese speaking locals to rub shoulders with young artists and entrepreneurs.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
538 Main Street Vancouver
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
What not to miss at NYCxDesign 2025, according to our editors
From mega furniture fairs to can't-miss parties, here's what to catch at North America's biggest celebration of design
-
These Loro Piana sunglasses are inspired by the house’s superlative garments
Continuing the house’s continent-crossing journey to find the very best materials – from Mongolia to New Zealand – Loro Piana’s new sunglasses collection takes it to Japan, where the first titanium frames were made in the 1980s
-
How to build a home wine cellar
Our resident drinks writer takes us through his own experiences on building the dream wine cellar at home including his favourite wines to stock up on now
-
Six brilliant bars for your 2025 celebrations, hot off the Wallpaper* travel desk
Wallpaper’s most-read bar reviews of the year can't be wrong: here’s inspiration for your festive and new year plans, from a swanky Las Vegas lounge to a minimalist London drinking den
-
Montreal Navigator: a guide to the city, from modernist marvels to gastronomic gems
Montreal, Quebec’s largest city, is a creative whirlwind, offering up a vibrant mix of arts and design venues, great restaurants, and a crowd-pulling cultural calendar
-
Vancouver restaurant Elio Volpe evokes a sun-drenched Italian beach club
Experience the laid-back feel of coastal Italy in Elio Volpe, a transportive new restaurant designed by Ste. Marie Studio
-
Take off with Wallpaper* June 2024: The Travel Issue
The Wallpaper* June 2024 Travel Issue is on sale now, ready to whisk you to the best of Ho Chi Minh City, Caracas’ modernist marvels, classy Canadian cabins, a Swiss sleep retreat, and more
-
Ama Bar, in Vancouver, is sexy and a little disorienting
Ama Bar features ‘Blade Runner 2049’-inspired interiors by &Daughters
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico
-
Martim — Wroclaw, Poland
-
Tattersalls Hotel — Armidale, Australia