Water St. Cafe

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Gastown Landmark Since 1988

Water St. Café occupies a 1906 heritage building on the cobblestone streets of Gastown — the same address that once housed the Edward Hotel. Since 1988, it has been one of Vancouver's most enduring dining destinations, operated today by Director Eli Brennan and Culinary Director Chef Alan Tse, with General Manager Sandy Grant leading the front-of-house team.

The kitchen's focus is classic Italian West Coast cuisine: hand-crafted dishes built from fresh, local ingredients, with every item made in-house by the culinary team. That commitment extends to the pastry program, where Pastry Chef Isagani Sales produces a rotating daily dessert feature alongside Italian staples like tiramisu, cannoli, and affogato with house-made gluten-free almond and chocolate biscotti.

The Wine List and the Room

The beverage program earned Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence in 2023, recognition that reflects the restaurant's deliberate, BC-forward approach to wine. The list draws heavily from British Columbia producers and pairs with a house-crafted cocktail program — including liquid desserts like an Espresso Martini and the signature WSC Coffee. It's the kind of list that prompted one anonymous guest to call it "the best BC wine list in the world."

The dining room itself carries the character of its surroundings: upscale but relaxed, with the warmth of a space that has hosted Vancouver's milestone moments for decades. As Eli Brennan puts it: "Thank you for sharing your life moments and turning them into lifelong memories."

2nd Floor Gastown

One floor up, through a winding staircase and a set of bookcase doors, sits the 2nd Floor Gastown — a speakeasy-style venue with original hardwood floors and live music seven nights a week. Catered by Water St. Café, the space runs its own tapas menu alongside the full award-winning wine list and cocktail program. Thursday evenings bring all-night happy hour. The lineup mixes established artists with emerging talent, making it a genuine live music room rather than background entertainment.

Between the Italian-inflected Canadian cuisine downstairs and the live music upstairs, Water St. Café operates as two distinct experiences within one historic address — both rooted in the same hospitality philosophy that has kept it relevant in Vancouver for nearly four decades.