Provence Marinaside

1177 Marinaside Cres
Vancouver, BC V6Z2Y3
Tel: (604) 681-4144
Fax: (604) 692-0720
Neighbourhood: Yaletown
  • Cuisine: Italian, Pacific northwest, Seafood
  • Price: $$$$ ($45 or more)
  • Reservations: Recommended
  • Service: Takeout, Catering
  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Features: Ocean Wise, Patio, View
  • In the trendy Yaletown district where Davie street meets False Creek, Provence Marinaside is a great place to meet your friends on the patio or at our bar and watch the action in the marina or on the seawall. Fresh local seafood, raw oyster bar, antipasti showcase, extensive wine list, private room, takeout, gourmet picnic baskets, catering.

3.5
  • Food3.5
  • Service3
  • Value3
  • Ambiance3.5
  • Reviews42

Reviews

Displaying 1 - 20 of 42 Reviews Found
Disappointing experience
By FOOD-DISCERNER of Vancouver (17 Reviews)
Submitted Saturday, May 8, 2010 - 9:15am

I went there to celebrate my partner's birthday and were escorted to a window seat, as requested. It was a good start. Things started going downhill as the server, a 40-ish year old lady approached. She addressed her conversation to my partner completely and ignored me. Not wanting to spoil the evening, I kept quiet. To be fair, I tried to look for other aspects of the dining experience I could enjoy. Unfortunately, the mashed olive paste for spreading on the hard thin toast was salty, and so was the ciabatta bread that came along with it. I became increasingly irritated when the server kept on asking my partner how the food was and was oblivious to my presence again. I decided to assert myself and make my voice heard by asking for more bread (hoping that the next batch would be less salty but it still was). We ordered clams and mussels as starters. Although they were fresh, we bit into sand on a few occasions--suffice to say that it was horrible to be crunching on sand while eating shellfish. I liked the seafood bits on my linguini but the sauce had too much tomato paste for my liking. I must say that I prefer the seafood linguini served at another chain of restaurants (and which was less expensive too). My partner had nothing to say about about his steak dish although he commended on the fries that came along with it. The server still persisted in ignoring me and addressed her questions about the food etc to my partner. She even presented the bill assumingly to my partner, and a look of surprise showed on her face when I paid for it! Overall, it was a disappointing dining experience, and much less redeemed by an unprofessional server who is insensitive about her partial treatment of her diners--clearly underlining a training need to be educated on proper customer service in this restaurant.

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DOV2010 - Ambiance, Food & Service
By aquadl of Vancouver (31 Reviews)
Submitted Sunday, May 2, 2010 - 8:20am

Went here with the wife last night for DOV 2010.

Arrived at 6:30pm with a reservation. We were seated at a 2 person table quickly by the staff by the front windows - what an amazing view of the False Creek Waterfront. Positve experience #1.

Waitress quickly attended to us, offering water and a bit of time to look over the menu. She also mentioned the DOV menu and answered all wine and food related questions. Positve experience #2

The complimentary bread arrived shortly after.

My wife ordered the Seafood antipasto and and I the Smoked fish - both were amazingly good and substantial. Positve experience #3

For the main course, I ordererd the Beef Tenderloin AAA Canadian beef, red wine and peppercorn jus roasted vegetables, pomme frites ( it was cooked to perfections ) and my wife ordered the Prawns Provençal wild pacific prawns, garlic, parsley, brandy, butter sauce seven grain rice, zucchini spaghetti and it was delicious. We had the recommended wines, as per the DOV 2010 Menu. Positve experience #4

For Dessert, we were offered anything from the regular dessert menu - that is a nice touch, as it gives the clients more choice. - I had the Double Kaluha chocolate Cake - very rich and my wife had the Dessert special - pinapple with upside down cake and vanilla ice cream on top ... perfect dessert to top of the perfect dinner !! Positve experience #5

Ambience of the restaurant was very nice, the restaurant was bustling and wait staff was attentive. The w/c was clean, but very small ... oh well, more space for the customers to enjoy the food !!

Good Company, Good place, good food, what else could one ask for. Positve experience #6

Will definitely be back .. even if it is not DOV.

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Really good
By Helpful Joe of Vancouver (6 Reviews)
Submitted Sunday, March 14, 2010 - 2:20pm

Really nice food from a big menu, nice location, nice service.

It's got the best seafood I've had in Vancouver, and the non-seafood items are done really well. So come here if you want some great seafood - it's really that simple so I don't feel the need to talk anymore about it.

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A slice of Europe...
By tentales of Vancouver (9 Reviews)
Submitted Friday, February 26, 2010 - 10:51pm

I'm originally from Europe and have lived in Germany, France, Switzerland among other countries and would consider myself a foodie that both loves to cook at home as well as venture out and sample the great cuisine this wonderful city has to offer.

I moved here in 2007 and have eaten at Provence at least 30 times since then. Many Brunches, Dinners and in-betweens. Lately, I've even tested them during the Olympics. I continue to be impressed by the quality of their food and the above average service.

Even during the most busiest times, the service is prompt and I've never waited longer than 20mins for a dish. Maybe some of the recent negative reviews have high expectations, but I would say this, along with Bistro Pastis in the Kits, Provence is the best value in French Bistro eating in Vancouver.

Get on their mailing list and enjoy great Menu specials "for the locals" every now and then.

Bon Appetit!

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Bad experience with brunch & afternoon tea
By breadnbutter of vancouver (6 Reviews)
Submitted Saturday, October 10, 2009 - 2:50pm

I went to provence marinaside about 3 weeks ago for brunch. The food was great, but I got really poor service. The server almost never checked on our table, didn't ask how we were doing. It always took forever to look for her. I heard that the food was worth the wait, but I did not wait 45 minutes to receive this kind of service.

I went to the afternoon tea with my boyfriend again just yesterday. I knew that the restaurant wasn't in afternoon tea, but the food was simply not good. I've had a lot of afternoon tea experience and this one is the worst yet. The scones were flat, and the savory section was poorly done as well. Even though there was a nice view, the tables around us were not cleaned up. I expected more from this restaurant. I don't thing i'll come back again for a very long time.

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Come for the french toast!
By kplam of Vancouver (6 Reviews)
Submitted Saturday, July 18, 2009 - 9:51pm

I've heard a lot of people love the patio at this place and they love the view.Yes, it's by the water, but it's not much of a view. I'm surprised at how plain and somewhat uncomfortable the patio is. In any case, I'm there for the food. The service is regular. The prices are reasonable for what you get.

I've only been there for brunch, since I'm a vegetarian and they didn't have many appealing dinner options for me before. But I've been there for brunch several times and I plan on coming back more. I love waffles and french toast. they have Belgian waffles and they're not Chambar waffles, but they're pretty darn good. Have you ever had a bear claw or whale's tale or beaver's tale? You know, those deep fried treats that are sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. That's what they're french toast tastes like. It's french toasted baguette by the way. They're the reason why I gave 5 stars for the food. Anyway, I've tried some roasted potatoes from my friends' plates and they are soft, yet crunchy goodness, bursting with flavor! Their brunch has opened me up to the possibility of coming there for dinner.

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A wonderful evening filled with good food!!
By pookiebear of UBC (46 Reviews)
Submitted Monday, July 13, 2009 - 4:38pm

I came here late on a beautiful Friday night with a party of 4. Unfortunately, the patio was full so we sat inside next to the patio. It was a bit stuffy inside but they dimmed the lights 5 minutes after we sat down which cooled the restaurant a bit.

For appys, we ordered the Antipasto Di Mare (scallops, mussels, prawns and clams in this white wine garlic sauce) and the crab and shrimp cakes. The seafood in the Antipasta Di Mare was fresh and the sauce was just divine. We had to order extra bread to dip it into the sauce. The crab and shrimp cakes were okay, nothing to rave about.

For mains, we all ordered pasta, the Seafood Linguini and the Spaghettini. Both pasta dishes are basically the same with the same type of pasta, sauce, but it has different seafood. This was the BEST pasta I've ever had. The noodles were fresh and cooked to perfection with the right texture. I could also taste the freshness of the tomato sauce and seafood. The portions were pretty big and we got a decent amount of seafood. I am drooling just thinking about it.

The restaurant was nice and had a nice sunny feel. Service was friendly, although our waitress was absent at times. I couldn't blame her though because she had to serve a large party behind us.

Overall, it was a wonderful evening and I would definitely come back and eat the pasta again.

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Overrated
By asiapebbles27 of Vancouver (10 Reviews)
Submitted Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 8:05pm

Our friends love coming here for brunch...we aren't really sure why...each time we've been there, we keep thinking we should have gone to Nu. The food is decent here, but sitting along a sidewalk with people staring as they stroll by just isn't our thing I suppose. Had the savoury chicken crepe and it was very tasty, but really, I was still hungry after and I'm not generally a big eater. Might have to give this one another try, but definitely not hurrying back anytime soon.

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Why can't great food and great views coexist?
By H6yj6x of Vancouver (2 Reviews)
Submitted Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 12:51am

Provence Marinaside has one of the most delightful patios in Vancouver; minimal traffic on the adjacent road, spectacular water views and some of the most entertaining peoplewatching (the tiny expensive dogs! the enormous expensive cleavage!). Unfortunately, the restaurant seems content to rest on the laurels of these considerable assets and allow the food to slide into inoffensive but uninspired blandness. The service, too, left much to be desired on the night my friend and I had dinner there. We had made reservations for a patio table but were seated by our palpably disinterested host at a table for two that was overshadowed by a dense and oppressive topiary that completely obscured the view. I was put in mind of Charlie Brown's kite-eating tree. When we asked the bus-person if we could move to another table, he told us to ask our server when we saw her. Why couldn't he have notified her of our request himself? We waited half an hour for our meal, which, on a balmy, sunlit evening is no hardship, but doesn't speak well of the service. And our server was replaced halfway through our meal without having done us the courtesy of letting us know she was going off-shift.

The crab cakes were not bad, although they were served with a sauce that, despite its exotic pistachio green hue, tasted like mayonnaise. My friend ordered the special, a striped bass that was described as being served whole, with head and tail intact; however, our server returned a few minutes later to announce that it was now being served as a fillet instead. Unsettling. I ordered the vegetarian platter, which comprised a medley of roasted vegetables, asparagus, zucchini "spaghetti" (angel-hair strips of steamed zucchini), chickpea patties and millet pilaf. We both agreed that our meals, though adequate, were quite oily and oddly flavourless. My pilaf, in particular, was an ice-cold concoction of diced tomato and slightly undercooked grain that had no discernible dressing or flavouring--something along the lines of an unsuccessful Capers deli item. My friend was similarly disappointed in his bass (which arrived headless, tailless and ruthlessly dismembered into small chunks) and roasted fennel, both of which were oily and flavourless. We ordered a double chocolate cake to share and agreed that it could have come out of an Easy-Bake oven--two gritty, gluey layers cemented together with frosting made of icing sugar and brown crayon. (Forgive the bitterness, but I am passionate about cake.)

It was still wonderful to sit outdoors, sip wine and watch the sun set on our beautiful city but, oh, why can't we have all this AND a competent meal?

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Great service, great food at reasonable price. What's not to like?
By EatsFats of Vancouver (246 Reviews)
Submitted Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 12:58am

Went back here for dinner, first time at evening service.

It's a great location with a nice view out the marina. The decor and setup is totally inline with the location. Tough to do better here!

I have to give top marks to the service here. The waiter was very friendly, very attentive without being intrusive. It is not as "cold" and professional as some of the higher-end joints in town, but on the other hand, it made us feel very much at ease.
I noticed that they took the time to very carefully clean and polish their glasses (you can tell when the condensation forms on the glass, any dirt or impurities are immediately obvious), again usually I've seen this only at our top restaurants in town.

We had the special Poisson d'Avril set, so of course, fish it was. Cod cakes extremely well done, loved it. Also had the trio of smoked fish with salad. Very generous portion and the absolute highlight was the smoked trout.
Mains were sardines and halibut. What can I say? Sardines (filet, headless) were very good, very fresh and paired nicely with the rest of the plate. The halibut was an entirely different dish, much lighter and subtle, again paired perfectly with a shredded asparagus salad and risotto. The halibut, always tricky, was so tender and done to practical perfection. I'm putting this in the top 3 we've ever tasted.
Polished off with very generous portions of dessert. The desserts are competent, but not mind-blowing.
Believe me, we were practically rolling out of there, you won't leave hungry.

Price is not too bad either. Usually the mains are running similar or slightly higher than the chain restaurants in the area (e.g. Milestones, Earl's etc), so I'd rather hit this place ANY day.

Highly recommended. Can't wait for the ever-changing seasonal specials.

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Awesome brunch!!!
By Kitsilanochef of Kitsilano, Vancouver (16 Reviews)
Submitted Saturday, April 4, 2009 - 1:20am

Yummmm I love Provence!

The decor is very classy but not pretentionous at all! There are a lot of regulars from the area who just come down for a bite in jeans, sweats or baseball hats.
And even though the servers are very professional the atmosphere is super relaxed.

They are always packed for weekend brunch but do their best to accomidate the crowds.
The patio is amazing in summertime, even in other seasons since it is covered and heated.
Any menu choice will surely be good, if you are a french toast or waffle fan then you must try them!
The waffles are frozen from a local bakery but are still sooooo good and the french toast is cut from a baguette and dipped in cinnamon sugar, a nice change from regular bread.
Lobster omlette is great, made with fresh lobster and herbs. Actually they use fresh herbs in pretty much all their savoury items which I love!
A few really good vegetarian options too, I find vegetarian options to usually be bland but the veggie benny and omlette are both full of flavour!
Keep Provence in mind for a gourmet meal on the go too! They have a little take out counter with awesome daily made anti pasto items and delicious baked goods.
They serve Illy coffee too and make great lattes!
Its a little more higher priced but you get what you pay for!

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Went twice
By PDXGRL of Portland (4 Reviews)
Submitted Monday, March 23, 2009 - 4:24pm

Read a review and decided to go. The service was great, and food choices are inventive. Had the shrimp benedict and chicken crepes. My partner had salmon bagel and veggie benedict. The chicken crepes were the only let down.. But the other three dishes are worth a try. The coffee is great. It's right by the marina and aquabus, If you are going to granville island, stop here for breakfast before you hop the aquabus.

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Very good!!
By xoxo of Richmond (8 Reviews)
Submitted Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 7:18pm

I've been to Provence Marinaside few times and their food and services are very consistent so I never border to write a review in the past. But I thought that I should let everyone know that it's a very good restaurant in False Creek / Yaletown area.

I love seafood and they have lots of seafood selections - mussels, clams, scallops, shrimp provencal, bouillabaise - they are all well prepared, very consistent, never too salty. It's better than a lot of restaurants in DT / Yaletown area in my opinion.

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DOV2009
By Lanie23 of Vancouver (54 Reviews)
Submitted Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 12:00pm

Went for Dine Out- I'm just going to cut straight to the food. Appies- the goat cheese salad had a huge round of goat cheese on it- breaded and melted, yum. There were lots of choices for the salad + antipasto combo. Mains- good size, though there could have been flavour to the beef. Didn't care much for the fries- I think it was the oil they fried them in. Prawn dish was HUGE. The desserts....amazing. Creme brulee could have been a bit more creamy, but was delicious all the same. Lemon tart was beautifully tart and lovely. Would try this place again.

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A Dinner to Remember
By McDouglas of Delta (1 Review)
Submitted Monday, January 19, 2009 - 10:38pm

Not often do I leave a restaurant feeling that I got what I expected.
Our party of four decided to choose Provence Marinaside because of their menu offering. Ahi Tuna, caught our eye and were we ever glad we made the reservation. We arrived 20 minutes early, on a busy Saturday Night. Greeted at the door with a smile, and fully expected to be told we would be seated soon and offered we would
have a drink. The response was, we can seat you now if that is okay.
We were quickly seated and our evening started off. Seating was comfortable, a very large painting on the wall complemented the decor of the restuarant along with the view of boats at the Marina. We were soon given the menu, warm bread, tapenad, and the wine list. Salad, along with Goat Cheese, excellent, 3 smoked fish, wonderful, and Calamari.
We followed up with the Ahi Tuna and Beef Tenderloin. Both entres were exceptional, accompanied with different vegetables sauteed, accompanied with unique olives. We finished off the dinner with Cream Brule with Raspberries. Considering how busy the restaurant was our meal arrived quickly and the staff were attentative, knowledgeable and entertaining. Our experience rated as one of the best meals we have had at any restaurant. More often than not your expectations are not met. Provence Marinaside on a very busy night showed their professionalism in the art of fine dinning. A memorable evening and looking forward to another visit soon.

Doug McIntyre

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Excellent brunch menu selection
By Bonka of Vancouver (364 Reviews)
Submitted Wednesday, October 22, 2008 - 12:01am

I've always come here between their Breakfast and Lunch hours either on my own or to mingle with clients. I haven't had a chance to try their dinner menu but I did bring my girlfriend here for Valentines and we had their set menu.

It's a trendy location and Provence seems to suite it well. The food is far from trendy which is a relief considering the area.

I really like the decor but the ambience is somber. There's not much noise from the patrons early in the day (noticably louder at night). It's upscale-esque with subtlety and without a trace of ostentatiousness. I suppose it treads on a Meditteranean feel. Unfortunately tables are cramped together and feels obtrusive when it's busy as you can overhear your neighbour's conversation with clarity.

Service is impeccable and should be expected each visit there. The servers all seem ready to answer any spur the moment questions and are fantastic at recommending dishes. I would demand no less now that I know how good it can be.

I've ordered something different each visit there (which is a rarity for me) and it never disappoints. Off the top of my head I've had the: Smoked Salmon Eggs Benny, Waffles, Crab & Lobster Omelette, Fish Soup, Seafood Spaghettini, Caprese Panini and Sablefish. Very good quality with the ingredients used and how it was made. No surprise as this is what one would expect at the very least with their prices although I still think it is harder on the wallet than it should be.

I can empathize and see how one could not like this restaurant but I harbour no ill feelings with this location and have enjoyed every visit. It can be pretty quiet depending on what times you go but everyone could use some quiet time once in a while.

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Awesome food, attentive service, relaxed atmosphere
By dragondrea of Vancouver (47 Reviews)
Submitted Saturday, July 19, 2008 - 1:51pm

I was very very impressed with this restaurant, and will happily return for a special occasion.

We were a group of 6, dining out for my father in law's birthday. The first thing that struck me was the beautiful design of the restaurant. It's decorated in soft colours and is supposed to evoke the sensation of being in Southern France: warm and friendly, formal yet relaxed. I love the draperies on the ceiling--those are a very nice touch! The restaurant is almost all windows, so it's very bright with a beautiful view of False Creek.

Our server was friendly, professional, attentive, and very helpful when we asked for help navigating the menu. Serving large parties requires a certain amount of panache, and she had that in spades. Our water and wine glasses were constantly filled throughout the evening. Plates were cleared away promptly. I had a small complaint about my dessert (more to come on that) and she fixed it right away. Excellent!

We all shared appies: mussels, scallops, salads, and other yummy bits of goodness. Everything was fresh and tasty. Very simply prepared and beautifully presented so you tasted the food, not the concoction of sauce.

Mains were the same. I had Ahi Tuna, and it was served quiveringly rare, just as I like it. Fresh and tasty with delicious sides. My companions' meals of lamb, halibut, and salmon were equally delicious. The dessert menu needs to be longer. I love dessert and three items to choose from is just not enough! I would also like to see the inclusion of a cheese and fruit plate. Regardless, I had the nut and fruit tart with ice cream for dessert. My ice cream was missing its promised chunks of chocolate; however, so my server brought out a couple of extra scoops, no problem. Yum!

Highly recommended for a special occasion!

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Solid all round
By eatwhere of vancouver (6 Reviews)
Submitted Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - 3:36pm

This restaurant did all the things right it seems but nothing spectacular. Good place to try, nice feel, was busy. Everything seemed fresh. Went with a party of eight. The vast majority of all the dishes ordered were pretty good. A few so so, but not everyone has the same tastes. A nice place to bring friends from out of town.

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I love the view... but everything else is continental.
By lmote of Yaletown, Vancouver (11 Reviews)
Submitted Friday, March 28, 2008 - 11:32am

Finally, a brunch that makes sense.

All it took really to bring this avid diner the “brunch of brunches” was to literally walk across the street? Some would say, “..no, it can’t be...” but I assure you, although incredibly simple, the edibles satisfied my Sunday morning craving.

Provence Marinaside, brought to you by chefs Jean-Francis and Alessandra Quaglia, lies at the bottom of Davie St, just around the corner from the Yaletown Urban Fare. The decor is a little “hotel-continental”, but it worked to predict the kind of simple “hotel-like” foods that would soon be streaming through the kitchen doors. It was bang on.

The abundance of choice, meat-lover and vegetarian options alike, was astounding! How did we find a menu to cater to all of us?

To our backs, the glorious views of False Creek, and in front of us, we found our table littered with polished cutlery and china; rich dark coffee; lamb sausages & pork sausages - a sampling was required; toast, egg entrees, and salad.

Our brunch was not over the top by any means, like strawberry and squid parfait, but it certainly hit the spot, and restored our faith in brunch. It’s a true story, simple, reasonable yet satisfying brunch does exist, especially in Yaletown - with a nice view.

www.poivremedia.ca

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overpriced for what it is
By kristina of kits (3 Reviews)
Submitted Saturday, February 9, 2008 - 12:03pm

Used to come here often since I live in the area... but after a few disappointing experiences, stopped going altogether!
It is grossly overpriced for the portion, quality and presentation. Not very consistent either.
I'll never forget the one time a female server came to our table w/ mayo on the corner of her lips. EEEW!! and so unprofessional. You're nor gonna get a good service here.

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