Alexander College Students Share Their Favourite International Food Spots in Vancouver

From Korean to Cantonese, downtown Vancouver offers a world's worth of incredible, authentic dishes.

If you're a new student coming to Alexander College for the first time and looking for the best food in downtown Vancouver, we have a ton of great options that our students have shared with us.

One of the best ways to get to know another culture is by sharing a meal!

There is a lot of history behind food and our Alexander College students have shared so many of their stories when it comes to food from their home countries.

If you've ever been curious about why Korean rice cakes are eaten during new years, or why matcha is so prevalent in Japanese culture, then take a look at our AC Lifestyle videos featuring international food in Vancouver!

Korean food in Vancouver

Do you have an interest in Korean culture and cuisine?

We met up with our student Brian who took us on a journey to try some iconic Korean foods such as bibimbap, bingsu, and choco pie!

Bibimbap is a traditional Korean rice dish that is known for its variety of seasonal vegetables, meat and hot stone bowl. When it comes to meeting with your significant other, bingsu is a shaved ice dish that is really common in the summertime.

Brian also went over some popular Korean snacks such as choco pie and honey butter chips that you can find at your local Korean grocery store. We also explored some cultural dining etiquette that would be helpful the next time you visit a Korean restaurant or just want to impress your Korean friends during dinner!

Taiwanese food in Vancouver

Ever wonder what goes into a black pearl milk tea? Curious about why Taiwanese fried chicken tastes different from places like KFC?

We joined our student Linda as she guided us through classic and traditional Taiwanese foods and snacks such as the gua bao, beef noodle soup and salt & pepper chicken!

Taiwanese beef noodle soup is one of the most iconic dishes in Taiwan. Did you know they even have a national beef noodle soup competition every year? There are also many chains of Taiwanese styled fried chicken all over the world with some even located in downtown Vancouver!

The gua bao is also an amazing quick lunch as Linda shows us just how portable yet tasty it is. Definitely a great episode of AC Lifestyle to check out!

Cantonese food in downtown Vancouver

Have you ever wanted to know about some great dim sum and Cantonese snacks around Vancouver?

We joined our student Elle as she took us through some iconic Cantonese snacks such as dim sum, BBQ known as "char siu" and afternoon tea.

We also learn some interesting history and facts behind the snacks and beverages. For example, Hong Kong styled milk tea is different from Taiwanese milk tea!

Definitely a great segment to check out if you're near Vancouver's Chinatown, looking for some good eats.

Japanese food in Vancouver

If you're a fan of delicious and healthy dining options, look no further than Japanese food!

Our student Go Idoki had an amazing time teaching us some fun facts behind dishes such as sushi, ramen, and "konbini" snacks.

We explored why sushi is often paired with wasabi and how ginger acts as a palate cleanser. Go even introduced us to the handmade ramen noodles of a shop that he used to work at in Vancouver!

Finally, we learned about the "konbini," which refers to Japanese convenience stores that always stock a variety of fun and unique snacks.

If you're ever in downtown Vancouver and need a quick bite, definitely check some of these recommendations out!

Bubble tea in downtown Vancouver

Curious about how bubble tea is made? Ever wonder what the pearls are in bubble tea?

We had the chance to visit Teaever Bubble Tea shop for a behind the scenes look at how the popular drink is made. With our AC host Aaron as our guide, we learned about the differences between preparing milk teas, fruit teas, and slushes.

Aaron even had a chance to explore the little differences in the quality of tea, freshness of milk, and temperatures of the pearls to how it all affects the taste of bubble tea.

Special thanks to Teaever Bubble Tea shop for allowing us to make this video happen, so be sure to check it out!

Food trucks in downtown Vancouver

Vancouver is well known for its street food!

We joined our hosts Sam and James as they explored some great food trucks, ranging from Indian specialties and Japanese styled hotdogs to Filipino comfort foods with a modern twist.

Food trucks and street eats are great for either a small snack or a quick lunch if you happen to be working downtown. Especially if you're on a short break!

Check out this episode if you're ever in the mood for an on-the-go bite when touring downtown Vancouver!

Have an idea or topic for a future AC Lifestyle video?

If you're looking to get involved with an episode of AC Lifestyle, send us an email at youtube@alexandercollege.ca! You can also find more AC videos on our YouTube page — don't forget to subscribe!