SOCIABLE SO.CIAL
Gastown's culinary climate is on the rise, thanks to the likes of So.cial, a taste-filled multitasker in the artfully restored 1911 Le Magasin. Pack in for super sandwiches at the butcher-deli in back, pop downstairs for oysters on the half shell, or settle down for West Coast fare such as Dungeness crab salad with crème fraiche in the dining room, with its stamped ceiling and bevelled mirrors. Savour more good flavours nearby at casually continental Water Street Cafe or Moroccan-themed Le Marrakech.

MORE THAN MEATS THE EYE
Just a T-bone's toss from Canada Place and the cruise ship terminus, Morton's The Steakhouse -- known for stellar steaks and serious wines -- also tempts with globetrotting seafood, from Australian cold-water lobster tail to Indonesian crab cakes. Locals know to drop by the clubby lounge weeknights from 5 to 7 p.m. for home-grown tastes of complimentary mini filet burgers.

CULINARY LICENSE
Star chef Karen Barnaby has a knack for coming up with simple, healthy recipes and putting them into bestselling cookbooks. No surprise her latest effort, The Passionate Cook (Whitecap Books, $24.95), celebrates such tastes as mussels steamed in spicy coconut lime broth, and flaming prawns with garlic, roasted sweet red peppers and ouzo. Find both dishes on the menu at The Fish House in Stanley Park, where the chef is a firm believer in serving the best of local seafood in an idyllic setting.

4 FOR SHORE
Waterfront dining abounds around the city's oceanfront, from casual café fare to cutting-edge coastal cuisine.

1 Watermark Dramatic upstairs setting with glass on three sides, offering sweeping views of English Bay and the North Shore.

2 C Restaurant Minimalist West Coast seafood -- the pace-setter for serving sustainable species.

3 Pajo's at the Wharf The freshest of fish 'n' chips, served right on the water, at a floating dock in picturesque Steveston Harbour.

4 Aqua Riva Creative West Coast plates and wines to match, overlooking the harbour setting by the SeaBus and convention centre.

HAUTE CUISINE
Chefs Wayne Martin and Mary Ann Masney, both Four Seasons alumni, have scaled the heights of Cypress Mountain to open Fraîche, their strikingly elegant, vista-kissed room. On the menu: Arctic char with bacon and Brie ravioli, grilled bone-in New York steak with cauliflower gratin, and slow-roasted duck breast with black lentils and truffled carrots, all served against a panorama stretching from Mt. Baker to Vancouver Island.