Gallery Café

We stopped in for a quick lunch over the weekend and sat on the gorgeous patio to soak up that sunshine. Bonus points for playing classical music on the outdoor speakers. The Gallery Café is a cafeteria-​style full of ready-​made entrees, sandwiches, soups and desserts on display for you to choose from. They also have an assortment of bottled beers, local wines and bubbles. We tried a few dishes:
1. Smoked salmon quiche (nice, light and flavourful)
2. Seafood chowder (not the creamy type of chowder I was expecting, this was a tomato based soup)
3. Halibut with rice (tender fish, but the rice was a bit over-​done and mushy)
4. Cheesecake (decadent and creamy topped with fresh berries)
We also had a glass of wine each. Portions are ok, but it can be a big pricey. Our total came out to be around $ 55 for the food and wine.

Honestly, this is one of the best location for summers. And luckily I got my favorite spot as I came back with my food from inside.
I have tried their chocolate cake and daily vegetarian soup. While soup was okay, their cake sucks. I love chocolate but for this one I had to leave the top chocolate part on the table .
I may try their other stuff and may like them but never going to have the cake again.

I didn’t even know this existed until now, but we’re SO stoked we found it!
The patio is amazing on a sunny day. Tons of plants and a cool European atmosphere. We just came for cappuccinos, but the food looked good too. There’s definitely waaaay better coffee nearby, but it’s worth coming here for the patio scene.

Have always enjoyed coming here — a wide selection of salads, sandwiches, pastas, soup and desserts with healthy and gluten free options. Much is made on the premises — fresh, not prepackaged food. Prices are reasonable. Had this today, kale and wild salmon ceasar for $ 10.95, delish tangy dressing made with lots of lemons and garlic!

I had dinner here today. It wasn’t anything great, but got the job done. I tried their turkey, pear and brie panini which was decent. I also added on a side salad (instead of the house salad) that consisted of chicken, greens and fruits. The setup inside is really nice and clean. I guess it’s a good spot to visit if you are at the museum and too lazy to venture out and find food.

This is my favorite Café in the summer. The outdoor patio is a great place to meet with friends or to spend some time on my own. It is moderately priced and I never feel like I am rushed.
The food is good and the deserts are wonderful.
The Cafés real attraction for me is the atmosphere.

Well priced lunch menu– Big portions and great location. Very busy but it moves quickly. This place is a much better option than all the other downtown cafes.

For our free Friday company lunch, my awesome CEO took us to Gallery Café which is only a 3 min walk from the office. (We were planning to go to Café Medina, but the 1.5 hour wait times made us impossible to have our lunch there). Anyways, the café looked gorgeous and beautifully decorated with colourful flowers from the front entrance to inside the café. I loved their patio, not too hot and not too cold for the food! This café basically prepares all the food made before people rushing into the café during lunch hours. I know they are not freshly made, but regardless of that the food is decent.
I got a Gluten Free Grilled Wild Salmon with Spaghetti Squash, Toasted Quinoa and Beets ($ 13.75) and a small salad, the Gluten Free Summer Italian Chop with Roasted Chicken, Potatoes and Golden Beets. Another salad was a small complimentary salad with the Grilled Salmon.
The salmon from my main dish was a bit dry and the food wasn’t really evenly warmed up. Some part was a bit colder while another part was too hot. In terms of the taste, the spaghetti squash was just average, but the beets were a good choice to make this dish more flavourful.
The Summer Italian Chop ($ 5.95 for Small & $ 10.25 for Large) was really tasty. I saw someone had it as a main dish. Pretty filling.
Overall, I was really satisfied with their food. I would definitely return during my lunch break as the place is really close from my office and good price too!
PROS
+ Good ambience, good food for affordable prices
+ Love patios
+ Salads are good!
CONS
— Wished the food was evenly warmed up
RATING
Food 3.5÷5.0
Ambience 3.5÷5.0
Service 3.5÷5.0
Price $

I like this café more than others. the location is special. u must see some beautiful birds, find good senery at the café In the center of downtown. foods r also fine.

Never expected the sandwiches here to be as awesome as they were! Ordered the Italian Chicken Club and not only was it filling, it was T-​A-​S-​T-​Y!!! The blend of foccacia bread, asiago cheese, prosciutto, and chicken is enough alone to bring me back!
The décor of the place makes it almost feel like an upscale restaurant, though it’s implemented more as a cafeteria style place. They also have a good assortment of desserts and coffee as well as liquor, so might be a great place to bring a friend for a light lunch or for something sweet! I imagine that during the Winter, it wouldn’t be as busy, so might be a good date idea for those that have just finished skating at Robson Square.

The only things this place has going for it location and a lovely patio. Otherwise the food is some of the worst I have had in ages. On my most recent visit this past week I tried the quiche, hoping the bad sandwich I had the last time was an anomaly, but no, it was even worse. Just reheated from frozen, barely edible, served with a sad salad for $ 10. The service is also completely lacking. What I can’t believe are the lineups for food if you don’t come early, people must have no taste buds. I will never eat here again unless forced to for convenience, much better options all in the same area.

After my visit to the art gallery I went upstairs for a bit of lunch. Gallery Café is a pretty awesome place to have lunch. Though it is laid out in a self serve cafeteria format the food is pretty good.
The large outdoor patio is a great place to have lunch. It’s too bad the weather is a touch too cold to be lunching outdoors.
I had the salmon quiche and diet coke. Hmmm… For a cafeteria it was pretty darn good. There is a wide selection of salads, sandwiches, and pasta dishes. They also have a ton of delish looking desserts. I was a bit too full from lunch otherwise I would have tired one of their cream pies!
Definitely a cool place in the heart of downtown Vancouver to enjoy the sights and smells of our lovely city!
Tell them I sent you! :))

The gallery Café is a place that you either love or hate. If you love that’s ok, it is by no means bad, it is mostly good.
However, the service at the counter has been for the past five years, to put it mildly, acceptable at best.
Calling, what is obviously a trifle, a Tiramisu is wrong. It either declares the customer is a moron or the kitchen is just arrogant, for a better word. Also a Key Lime pie is to be done with Key Limes and not just lime.
The hot foot is mostly screaming hot on the outside and can be ice cold in the centre.
So all in all, if you ignore the above, the food is tasty for most of the time. It is pricy, but you get the ambiance, and I mostly love going there.

The Vancouver Art Gallery Café has the best patio downtown by a long shot. The flowers and shrubs are carefully maintained and there are large umbrellas to keep you cool. They play lovely classical music, not too loudly, too. The clientele, many who are visiting the gallery, are some of the most interesting-​looking people in the city.
The food here is exceptional, especially the desserts. You will find tasty quiches like smoked salmon and capers; hearty salads with toppings like seared tuna and lentils; and more.
On your way out, be sure to stop at the Art Gallery gift shop, which is also fantastic.

The gallery café is a great place to grab lunch if you’re in the downtown area. They have a patio with greenery all around — which is a nice oasis in the city.
The food is mediocre and on the pricey end, but it’s relatively healthy. Their salads are the way to go.

Love the ambience. Patio seating, relaxed feel, and classical music being played in the background. Place is a little hidden from the crazy crowded street Robson during summers. Food is mediocre and prices a little steeper, hence the 3 stars but I do enjoy the setting and location. They have a liquor license so have a sip of wine, some dessert, and people watch. Part and parcel of what Vancouver summer has to offer

Well if this isn’t the most cute, quaint, darling spot to have lunch when you are smack dab in the middle of downtown… well then take away my pink Amex card!
This Café, atop the fabulous Vancouver Art Museum, is like a little secret garden. You walk up the big steps away from the insanity of Robson and Granville Streets and you enter a plush, green, flower filled oasis. Until 4pm you serve yourself (cafeteria style) then after that they do table service. There is low «soft-​seating», tables and high-​tops and you can not see any of the craziness of downtown from anywhere, the whole place is shrouded in shrubs!
The menu is quite good (but it is just a café, don’t expect fine dining), lots of salads, sandwiches, soups, quiche, desserts — including a rockin’ Nanaimo bar! And they also have wine and beer. I thought the prices were all very reasonable, and the service fairly good but I was there during the day.
Gallery café, I can’t wait to hide out in you once again!

This review is for the patio alone. And maybe the wine.
The patio is so incredibly wonderful! I feel like I am on vacation every time I sit down. There is usually some sort of fabulous music playing, most times they have live music — jazz quartets and wine go oh so well together in case you didn’t know.
The service is usually really friendly. But the food. oh the food. It’s pretty crappy really.

What a LOVELY patio café for the long summer days in Vancouver! It vaguely reminds me of patio cafes on Rodeo Drive, except it tries to be upscale like Rodeo without the pretentiousness. Location wise I don’t think it could get better than Vancouver Art Gallery where you can enjoy the street view from above stairs but still away from the hustle and bustle of downtown.
This is me and my friends regular spot for drinking champagne and enjoying the scarce summers of Vancouver… Do note that the food is pre-​made, but overall love it!
A tourists must stop place (in the summer)

A hidden gem in the heart of downtown (well, hidden for those unfortunate not hearing about this place). This place has all of the ingredients for a successful eatery: quality food with a changing menu and a good variety, pleasant classy atmosphere, good service and reasonable prices. It’s a good casual place to unwind or to have a nice chit chat with friends. The cafeteria-​style restaurant helps keep the cost of the food at a reasonable price.
Definitely will be a regular customer here :-)

One of the place open during my work break (at 9am!) in the area! I’ve always wanted to try it when i walk by it off Robson, their patio area looks awesome in the sun (unfortunately i went in on a rainy summer day).
I went into the Art Gallery for the first time, walked upstairs to where the Café is, and it amazed me already! The décor looked classy and very well-​lit, just an overall open concept look! I love it!
I picked the Halibut & Orzo dish and a mocha, about $ 17 – 18, which is not bad! Delicious food! I’ll definitely go back to try their Quinoa Salad, or their Ahi Tuna Salad!!! Oh, and did i mention how much i love their décor?

Summer finally came this weekend and there’s really no better way to spend a day under the blistering sun.
With sweeping views of Robson Square and downtown towers, this is truly a sanctuary in the heart of the city.
But the best part is really the patio. It feels like you’re transported to another locale, with high top tables, vibrant flowers, and the other best part: classical music.
So grab a glass of pinot grigio, take a seat in the sun, and soak it all up.
You won’t regret it.

If I was a boy, I would bring my favorite girl here.
— rooftop patio
— overlooking Robson Square
— view of downtown cityscape
— surrounded by luscious plants and flowers
— classical music accompaniment
— glass of light, crisp pinot grigio on a beautiful, sunny day
C’est très romantique, n’est-ce pas?
If you are a boy who takes his favorite girl here, I want to meet you.
ps… it’s true… the food here really is not that great. 5 stars nonetheless ’cause I’m a sucker for romance.

I usually eat here a few times a year in the summer.
The food is at best a ³⁄₅. You will need to go inside and order your food at the counter. Napkins, water and utencils are self serve. I had the bison shepard’s pie and the ahi tuna salad. The mashed potato on top of the bison shepard’s pie was not as thick as I would like. It almost tasted like instant mashed potatoes. The bison meat and vegetables inside were piping hot and flavorful. The ahi tuna salad was a little dry and even though I enjoyed it, I wasn’t blown away.
Now the reason Gallery Café gets a ⁴⁄₅ is for their atmosphere. Located on top of the Vancouver Art Gallery, it’s a great place to people watch or get some sun. If you’re not a fan of the hot summer days, there are tons of patio umbrellas and shade you can sit under. The patio area has a beautiful array of flowers throughout the outdoor seating area. A butterfly flew by as I was walking inside to order and a bird landed right beside me on the table as I was eating… what a beautiful way to enjoy lunch.