Vancouver is home to many good brunch spots. Those listed below are in a different category: they are outstanding. Determining who makes the list is easy. I’m either blown away or I’m not.
Each restaurant is to die for in its own way, though each offers 1) incredible, mainly local, quality food 2) great, friendly, timely service 3) a sense of aesthetic and/or ambiance.
On the hunt for a truly fantastic brunch in Downtown Vancouver? These spots are pretty much guaranteed to leave you tingling with satisfaction.
Twisted Fork Bistro
1147 Granville St | 604-568-0749 $$ | Brunch
A cozy, bustling brunch joint serving ultra-delicious, homemade-style dishes and freshly baked bread. Expect a line-up. Visit website
Yew Restaurant + Bar
791 W Georgia St | 604.692.4939 $$$ | Seafood
A seafood-centric special occasion spot set within the Four Seasons Hotel. Chef Ned Bell, a leader in the sustainable seafood movement, offers a 22-item brunch menu including gluten-free pancakes and lunch-style options like fish 'n chips. Wash it all down with half-price wine bottles on special during brunch. Private dining area available and large groups welcome. Visit website
Café Medina
780 Richards St | 604-879-3114 $$ | Belgian
A vancouver institution boasting the longest queue in town, liege waffles, extra special 49th Parallel lavender lattes and Chef Jonathan Chovancek's Mediterranean-inspired all-day breakfast menu (with lunch options). Owner Robbie Kane, the heart and soul of the place, explains that the Medina experience transcends food; he and his staff aim to feed the soul of each guest. Choose from dishes like Paella, a harissa burger with fried egg and Lem Marrakech-cured wild salmon. Visit website
Boulevard
845 Burrard St | 604-642-2900 $$$$ | Seafood
A fancy brunch that tastes as good as it looks. Chef Alex Chen's pan-fried octopus with poached eggs and marcona almond foam is a stand-out, but the real crowd-please would be the stuffed Nutella French toast. Wash it all down with a pot of always-hot Espro press coffee. Visit website
Looking for top brunch spots in the Gastown area? These cobblestone streets are home to some of Vancouver's coolest, off-the-radar destinations.
Secret Location
1 Water St. | 604-685-0090 $$$ | European
An impeccably luxurious room fit a Sex-and-the-City-style brunch with the girls. Visit website
Ask For Luigi
305 Alexander St | 604-428-2544 $$ | Italian
Italian brunch done right in a small, simple room. The bread is made in-house, free-range eggs are luscious with near-fluorescent orange yolks and coffees are expertly made by Chris Giannakos of Revolver. Visit website
Tuc Craft Kitchen
60 W Cordova St | 604-559-8999 $$ | Comfort Food
A big room, great for groups, offering comforting meat dishes like Lamb & Eggs and Crispy Chicken and Waffles. Care where ingredients are from? Check their site for a list of suppliers (most local). Wash brunch down with a Lavender, Rosemary or Salted Caramel latte. Visit website
Calabash Bistro
428 Carrall St | 604-568-5882 $$ | Caribbean
Cozy, friendly vibes and well-portioned, deliciously Jamaican brunch. Think egg bowls with coconut rundown hollandaise and Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. Visit website
Belgard Kitchen
55 Dunlevy Ave | 604-566-1989 $$ | Fusion
The transition from your couch to brunch is made especially easy thanks to Belgard's oversized, super-comfy leather couch and comforting brunch dishes like the Salmon Gravlax Hash and the Health Nut Breakfast Bowl. Visit website
Nelson the Seagull
315 Carrall St | 604-681-5776 $ | Lunch
Simple and perfect. Cozy up on a comfy couch or antique chair for a thick slice of sourdough avocado toast and a latte made with Nelson's own almond milk. The South African brother sister team running this joint have an especially good eye for style and flavour. Visit website
Chambar
568 Beatty St | 604-879-7119 $$$ | Belgian
Vancouver's beloved carbon-neutral Belgian eatery has nailed dinner service for years. Now, you can head to Beatty Street for outstanding brunch, as well. Their 11-item, meat-forward menu (including sausage-riddled Paella and a pulled pork hock omelette) is available on weekends from 8am-3pm. Visit website
Looking for your best brunch options in Chinatown and Strathcona? These character-rich neighbourhoods offer quality-over-quantity kind of spots...
The Union Brunch
219 Union St | 604-568-3230 $$ | Asian Fusion
With South Asian dishes like the Filipino Pankaplog and a selection of Bao Bun Bennies, "The Union" is one of Vancouver's most exciting brunch spots. Thai Caesars, Lychee Mimosas and non-alcoholic coconut milk-based drinks (like the Rosa Milk with hibiscus flower tea and pandan syrup) are liquid menu highlights. The communal seating here is ideal for large groups.
Visit website
On a mission to find Kitsilano and Point Grey's very best brunch restaurants? This small list of spots outshines the other options in these laid-back, seaside neighbourhoods.
Jethro's Fine Grub
3420 Dunbar St | 604-569-3441 $$ | Breakfast/Brunch
Wonderfully outrageous menu and portion sizes, as featured on Diner’s Drive-ins & Dives. Try the Chocolate Banana Bread French Toast.
Visit website
The Oakwood Canadian Bistro
2741 W 4th Ave | 604-558-1965 $$ | West Coast
Cozy cabin-style feel complete with an oversized fireplace – seafood is Ocean Wise, meat is local and hormone-free.
Visit website
Abigail's Party
1651-1699 Yew St | 604-739-467 $$ | West Coast
Tiny, hugely popular brunch-centric location that epitomizes the casual neighbourhood vibe.
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Aphrodite's Organic Cafe
3598 W 4th Ave | 604-733-8308 $$$ | Canadian
A casual neighorhood bakery restaurant with an entirely organic menu. Health-focused brunch plates (gluten free, vegan options) are wonderfully sloppy, delicious and filling. But be sure to save room for pie -- they've got load of tempting flavours to choose from. Visit website
Looking for the best brunch on Granville Island? This touristy area is home to several brunch-menu-bearing joints, but only one is worthy of extreme praise and respect.
Edible Canada Bistro
1597 Johnston St | 604-682-6681 $$ | West Coast
The perfect destination for your out-of-town guests. The eight-item menu is rich with Canadian classics and local ingredients. Try the Wild Mushroom Eggs Benny and sit on the patio. Visit website
Looking for best brunch options in the South Granville 'hood? You've got fine dining, underground, vegetarian and extreme-locavore options to choose from.
The Birds Nest
Secret | $$ | Brunch
A most charming, "underground" brunch destination ideal for private special occasions. Expect homemade cooking, seconds for the extra-hungry, and bottomless self-serve coffee in an eclectic Paris-inspired apartment. To reserve, head to The Birds Nest website. Visit website
The Farmer's Apprentice
1535 W 6th Ave | 604-620-2070 $$ | Local
Proof that a seriously good dinner restaurant can also be an excellent brunch spot. Expect feel-good music, a cozy room and real fresh-squeezed orange juice set out on the counter beside the breakfast pies. Menu changes weekly. Open for brunch on Saturdays only. Visit website
Heirloom Vegetarian
1509 W 12th Ave | 604-733-2231 $$ | Vegetarian
Boasting one of Vancouver's most option-packed brunch menus, this spacious, beautifully-designed vegetarian restaurant is a crowd-pleaser for groups, moms with strollers or a even hurried twosome. Options include five bennies, several omelettes, French toast, and comfort food dishes like Huevos Rancheros, Quinoa Hash and Buckwheat Pancakes with cashew cream. Visit website
West Restaurant
2881 Granville St | 604-738-8938 $$$$ | Local
A fine dining-style brunch featuring Chef Quang Dang's seven-item menu riddled with high end, local ingredients. This is the kind of spot where the "fresh squeezed orange juice" on the menu really is squeezed ten steps away behind the bar. Visit website
If a seriously satisfying brunch near Main Street and Mount Pleasant is what you're looking for, you've got a slew of super options...
El Camino's
3250 Main St | 604-875-6246 $$ | Latin American
A casual joint serving generously-portioned Latin American dishes made with organic free range eggs, humanely-raised meats and sustainable seafood. Visit website
Burdock & Co
2702 Main St | 604-879-0077 $$ | Local
Chef Andrea Carlson’s relationship with local suppliers ensures that only the best arrives at the table, whether sourced from one of Vancouver’s nearby farms or a downtown urban garden. Burdock & Co. serves refined dishes crafted from organic ingredients. Visit website
Thyme to Indulge
2858 Main St | 604-877-1760 $$ | Brunch
A charming space with friendly service, local ingredients and indulgent brunch dishes like the Crispy Bacon Crusted Poached Eggs. Wash it all down with locally-roasted Milano Coffee or Tea Forte. Visit website
Chicha
136 E Broadway St | 604-620-3963 $ | Modern Peruvian
Ever tried a Peruvian brunch? Get to Chicha, where you won't only be impressed by the modern, South American-inspired dishes from Chefs Shelome Bouvette and Allison Flook...you'll be full. Choose from hefty Huevos Benedicts, Buttermilk & Sweet Potato Waffles, veggie-centric hash bowls and lots more. Note: their house-made honey quinoa bread is a carb-splurge you want to make. Visit website
Camp Upstairs
1020 Main St | 604-484-6018 $ | Bar / Snacks
Through a discreet door you'll enter, and up a flight of stairs you'll go. At the top, you'll discover a delicious world hidden to the masses featuring in-house baked goods, 49th Parallel coffee, craft cocktails, and the type of indulgent brunch dishes weekends were made for, like Free-Range Fried Chicken and Biscuits, Baked Free-Range Eggs with pimento cheese and Hazelnut Crepes. Visit website
33 Acres
15 W 8th Ave | 604-620-4589 $$ | Brewpub
33 Acres Brewing Co. proves that a lengthy brunch menu does not necessarily equal success. Their tiny, super solid, two-item menu creates a lineup at the 11am opening hour. Choose from an Avocado Smash on (Nelson the Seagull's amazing sourdough) and Beer waffles topped with a poached egg, crispy bacon or a scoop of seriously good Earnest Ice Cream. And obviously, beer for brunch is a must here. Visit website
Don't let this small section disappoint you. East Vancouver's "best brunch spots" could possibly be some of the very best in the whole city.
The Red Wagon
2296 E Hastings St | 604-568-4565 $$ | Breakfast/Brunch
A neighbourhood joint famous for its large portions, Pulled Pork Pancakes (with Jack Daniels maple syrup) and an appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives - expect a line-up every day of the week.
Visit website
Roundel Cafe
2465 E Hastings St | 604-253-2522 $ | Breakfast/Brunch
Super friendly neighborhood spot serving great coffee (JJ Bean) and big-messy-delicious portions ’til 5pm on weekends (4pm on weekdays).
Visit website
Yolk's
1298 E Hastings St | 604-441-9655 $$ | Breakfast
All-day breakfast and brunch spot in the old "Brave Bull" location specializing in sumptuous free-range egg breakfast sandwiches, eggs benny and more. The orange juice is fresh-squeezed on the spot and all sauces are made in-house. Visit website
This up-and-coming neighbourhood is home to one truly special brunch spot. Though its menu is plant-based, the carnivores in your life will NOT be disappointed...
Graze
3980 Fraser St | 604-620-8822 $$$ | Vegan
Some might call Chef Karen McCathy's 100% plant-based brunch menu a feat. With dishes like Carrot Cake French Toast, Breakfast Tacos and a Smoked Tofu Benny, she and her team disprove any and all vegan stereotypes. Add their house-made Rosemary Fennel Sausage Links for extra edible comfort. The brunch menu is available on weekends from 10am-3pm. Visit website
