s Vancouver the city that never sleeps? Probably not, but it may just be the city that never stops eating.

From Granville Street’s West Restaurant there are reports that there will soon be kitchen renovations of the human kind. Resident chef, David Hawksworth, recently announced he will depart the scene in 2008 to launch his own restaurant. It will be located in the newly renovated Georgia Hotel. West’s owner Jack Everensel is presently interviewing chef’s from around the globe to step into these rather big shoes.

Also in the news for Mr. Everensel - all four members of his restaurant group (CinCin, West, Whistler’s Araxi and Blue Water Café) received Wine Spectator Best Award of Excellence announced in a recent issue. Yaletown’s La Terrazza was also a winner and received the honour for their wine list created by Sommelier Giulio Miceli.

For those who are fans of what was first known as “casual fine dining” and now just “cfd”, there’s a Joeys opening on Burrard Street just north of Don Francesco’s in the 800 block. Journey a little further north and you’ll run into the next location for the newest Cactus Club – Bentall Center. It’ll be a tough choice for hardcore cfders.

On October 1 on Fourth Avenue there was much cause not to celebrate as Bimini’s Public House caught fire in the early hours of the morning - a rather sad setback for the place that received the first neighbourhood pub license in Vancouver back in the 1970’s. Jeff Donnelly of the Donnelly Hospitality Group (owners of Bimini’s) reports that “no jobs will be lost as all staff members will be relocated to jobs in the company’s other locations”. Get out and support them at the Granville Room, Bar None, The Calling Republic, The Modern and the Library Square Public House .

Lumiere announced that they won the Georgia Straight’s Annual Best of Vancouver Readers’ Choice award for Best Restaurant for Fine Dining. Owners David and Manjy Sidoo also took the opportunity to announce a new Chef du Cuisine, Dale Mackay, who hails from Gordon Ramsay’s Maze Restaurant in New York. Rob Feenie is, of course, still the Executive Chef, despite false rumours that he has departed.

If cranberries are your passion (and who among us hasn’t enjoyed a few crantinis?), head out to Fort Langley this weekend for Saturday’s Cranberry Festival at the Fort Wine Company. There’s a BBQ, wine tasting and a demonstration cranberry harvest. Pick up a wine to pair with your turkey. What could be better than cranberry? For more info, call 604-857-1101.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, if you need Thanksgiving Dinner, but don’t have time to cook your own meal (such busy and stressful lives we lead, I know), Fleuri Restaurant at the Sutton Place Hotel has got the goods. Go for brunch from 10:30am until 2:30pm or do dinner after 5:00pm. They’ll also cook whole meal for you and wrap it to go. You could even pretend you did it yourself. Why not impress your guests (in-laws) for once?

Once you are sick of that turkey, check out some of the city’s finest dining with a view. Head to the either West Vancouver’s Salmon House, Downtown’s Aqua Riva, or Burnaby’s Horizons for the “West Coast Feast” from now until the end of October. Eat a locally sourced 3-course dinner for only $30.00. Ideal for a special night out.

Another fantastic event to be had from October 12-28 is Yaletown’s Taste of Yaletown. Enjoy three course menus from the hood’s top restaurants for only $25, $35 or $45. Partial proceeds go to Vancouver’s Food Bank.

You just better get some exercise in to balance out all the eating this week. Good luck!