Dining

Casual Dining

Some restaurants, most notably Iguana's Beach Grill and West Beach Bar & Grill on the waterfront, offer live weekend entertainment. The Sandpiper Pub draws a younger crowd to their jam sessions and karaoke nights. Visit White Rock mid-January to mid-February and take advantage of its Bite of the Rock promotion when numerous restaurants offer set taster menus at reduced prices. The best rooftop patio is at The Boathouse, White Rock's only waterfront chain restaurant.

Fine Dining in White Rock

The growing number of more sophisticated restaurants is testimony of White Rock's changing demographic and broad appeal to urban escapees. Try Giraffe or Zagat-rated Cielo's Tapas & Oyster Bar, an upscale late-night lounge where artful mini-plates and martinis are served. True-blue foodies take note of these two standouts: Pearl on the Rock offers top notch food, service and a wine list that boasts over 300 labels. There's a wall of wine in the restaurant and, by all accounts, wine bottles are stashed in every nook and cranny behind the scenes. The Pearl, as it's affectionately called, is the Rock's top destination restaurant along the seafront, attracting diners from around the Lower Mainland and across the border. Onyx Steakhouse & Lounge has the same stellar attributes of service and terrific food but with a menu that's geared to steak and seafood. Located in the Five Corners neighbourhood, it's also a quieter choice with mood lighting and private booths.

Coffee Shops

White Rock has an easy mix of new hang-outs like Coffee with Attitude, named by its customers for its independent style and great baking, and long-time favourites like Whitby's Coffee House, a destination for those interested in all things metaphysical. Five Corners Café has been a small, old-fashioned community diner since the 1940s and in spite of the surrounding development, the décor and ambiance is still of that era. Die-hard regulars would have it no other way.

Comfort Food

Moby Dick is the must-try for fish 'n' chips, a family run operation that's now into its third generation. The atmosphere's always lively – when a 12-piece fish barrel is ordered, they ring a ship's bell – and the home-made tartar sauce is to die for. Traceycakes Bakery and Cafe is a relative newcomer to the waterfront that has already made national headlines for its retro-delicious cupcakes. Try extraordinary combinations such as Sleepless in Seattle (chocolate mocha with chocolate icing and a shot of java) and Fill-me-up Buttercup (lemon cake filled with whipped cream and iced with meringue).

For more information on where to eat out in White Rock, head to the Visitor Centre on the Promenade.

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