It’s clear that Vancouverites take brunch very seriously—why else would there be (socially distanced) lineups outside popular brunch restaurants every weekend, even in a pandemic?
Whether you and your household are craving eggs benedict with the perfect runny egg yolks, or the fluffiest buttermilk pancakes, savoury beef bulgogi hash or flavourful chilaquiles (a Mexican breakfast dish made with corn tortillas), this city boasts brunch dishes for all palates.
Here’s where to find some of the best brunches in and around Vancouver. Trust us, these morning menus are worth waking up early to enjoy, and many of them offer takeout and delivery so you don’t even have to leave the safety of home.
Jam Cafe
This Victoria import specializing in all-day brunch has carved out a loyal fan base in our city since its arrival a couple of years ago. Its menu has been temporarily condensed due to the pandemic, but all the favourites are there: pork belly benny with house hollandaise and shredded hash browns; the Charlie bowl with crumbled buttermilk biscuit, ham, bacon, hash browns, and sunny side eggs; and banana walnut pancakes with sautéed bananas and walnuts in maple butter.
Photo by Tammy Kwan.
Dine-in and takeout is available.
OEB Breakfast Co.
Originally from Calgary, OEB (Over Easy Breakfast) landed in Yaletown last year and immediately became a hit with the local brunch crowd. Its virtual waitlist usually fills up immediately on weekends, attesting its popularity. Menu items include French toast, Belgian waffles, a wide variety of bennys, and classic breakfast plates. But the stars of the show here are breakfast poutines, featuring poached eggs with everything from duck confit to Philly-style beef short rib to ahi tuna.
Poutine at OEB Breakfast Co.
Dine-in and takeout/delivery is available.
Yolks
Its name says it all: Vancouver’s much-loved brunch destination, Yolks, specializes in eggs. Its menu features perfectly poached eggs benedict, served atop double-toasted English muffins. Pair it with pork belly, maple-smoked ham, double-smoked bacon, or grilled Portobello mushrooms, and truffle lemon potatoes on the side. Chicken and waffles, beignets, and double blueberry pancakes are also available.
Image courtesy of Yolks.
Dine-in and takeout is available.
Café Medina
Widely lauded as one of the best all-day brunch restaurants in Vancouver, Café Medina serves Mediterranean-inspired cuisine and cult-favourite Belgian waffles. Popular dishes include the cassoulet (sunny eggs, Medina bacon, Andouille sausage, white beans), les boulettes (poached eggs, spicy Moroccan lamb meatballs, roasted peppers), and the harissa burger (sunny eggs, harissa-spiced beef in a grilled pita, grana Padano, hummus, baba ganoush). Its Liege-style waffles pair perfectly with topping flavours such as milk chocolate lavender, white chocolate pistachio rosewater, and salted caramel.
Image courtesy of Café Medina.
Dine-in and takeout/delivery is available.
Breakfast Table
Tucked away in South Granville, this appropriately named brunch eatery is known for its creative take on traditional morning dishes. Classic eggs, sausage, and toast are all available, but standouts on its menu include beef bulgogi hash, chicken karaage hash, coffee-crusted pork belly benedict, and sake-miso smoked salmon benedict. A variety of omelettes and French toast are also served here, such as the poached chicken omelette, and marble organic matcha French toast.
Image courtesy of Breakfast Table.
Dine-in and takeout/delivery is available.
B House
Commercial Drive’s latest Asian fusion eatery features Vietnamese-meets-West Coast flavours. If its 5-star ratings on Google reviews are any indication, customers love B House’s affordable and delicious food, including its daily brunch. Try the classic benny (beer-braised pork belly, spicy aioli, truffle hollandaise, and duck-fat fried potato hashbrowns), the beef hash (sliced AAA top sirloin beef, roasted mushroom, and two poached eggs), the surf ‘n turf breakfast bowl, or the cinnamon French toasts.
Image courtesy of B House.
Dine-in and takeout is available.
El Santo
New Westminster’s upscale Mexican eatery is home to a great brunch service, which features many traditional dishes full of hearty flavour. Top picks include chilaquiles (a Mexican breakfast bowl made with fresh salsa and homemade chips), torta ahogada (spicy sandwich drowned in orange sauce and avocado, with either short rib or potatoes), and costilla benedict (short rib with poached egg on housemade cornbread). Pancakes with spiced blueberry compote and ancho (chili) syrup are also on the menu.
Image courtesy of Leila Kwok.
Dine-in is available.
The Red Wagon
This iconic neighbourhood spot in East Van serves tasty all-day breakfast and brunch plates in a fuss-free environment. Warm up with a hot beverage before tucking into popular menu items such as the trucker (eggs, buttermilk pancakes, homefries, toast, and bacon or sausage), pulled pork pancakes, breakfast sandwich (egg, back bacon, aged cheddar, mayo, and an English muffin), and a variety of eggs benedicts and omelettes.
Photo by Tammy Kwan.
Dine-in and takeout is available.
Noah’s Cafe
Downtown Vancouver’s newest Japanese fusion café has been generating plenty of attention since it opened this fall. Its brunch menu is particularly attractive, combining Japanese and Western cooking techniques, including tonkatsu loco moco (with sous vide pork-loin cutlet, sunny side-up egg, and potato salad), omelette rice lunch (with dashi and butter sautéed shitake, white mushroom, rice, and egg) and ebi fry sando (with fried breaded shrimp, caramelized onion butter jam, and house dill pickle tartar sauce). One of its most popular dishes is the Noah’s Ark (hakobune), a weekly special platter available in limited quantities featuring several small bites, which can include quail scotch egg, tuna tataki, potato salad, chicken karaage, and more.
Loco Moco. Image courtesy of Noah’s Cafe.
Dine-in and takeout is available.
Fable Diner
This popular diner in the heart of Vancouver now serves “Weekend Prohibition Brunches” offering tasty meals in a safe, socially distanced setting. The pre-fixe brunch menus ($25) include a freshly baked item, a main course (such as hash and eggs, loaded French toast, brunch burger, a featured benny, or a truckers plate), a sweet treat, coffee or tea, and a choice of beverage (think mimosa, milkshakes, or a signature mocktail). All seatings are for one hour, and reservations are required.
Image courtesy of Fable Diner.
Dine-in and takeout/delivery is available.
Pourhouse
Gastown’s notable Pourhouse offers a boozy brunch service on weekends: mimosas and caesars are two for one, particularly enticing for anyone who has had a long week. As for the food, guests can indulge in favourites such as the mushroom frittata, smoked salmon benedict, chicken and waffles, or the classic (housemade sausage patty or double smoked bacon, poached eggs, potatoes, and grilled sourdough).
Chicken and waffles. Image courtesy of Pourhouse.
Dine-in is available.
Fairmont Hotel Restaurants
The luxury hotel has a roster of stand-out restaurants at its local properties, many of which are now hosting new or revamped brunch service. The Botanist at Fairmont Pacific Rim, for example, features pre-fixe brunch menus, though à la carte is also available. We love the hand-cut beef tartare, brioche French toast, wild mushroom risotto, and fish and chips in charcoal batter. Pair your meal with an antioxidant green juice to kick-start the morning.
The Botanist. Photo by Tammy Kwan.
Notch8 Restaurant at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver has relaunched with a brunch menu of mouthwatering items. Try the bison carpaccio, banana bread French toast, braised beef short rib and eggs, or buttermilk pancakes with apple compote. If you’re sharing the meal with members of your household, add some extra crispy smoked bacon or Notch8 fried potatoes, because why not?
Notch8 Restaurant. Photo by Tammy Kwan.
And the “bottomless brunch” service ($35 per person) that recently launched at Fairmont Waterfront’s ARC Restaurant should be enticing for food-lovers across the Lower Mainland. Guests can sample unlimited dishes, such as buttermilk biscuits with honey butter, liege waffles, jerk fried chicken with funnel cake and maple syrup, traditional benedict, croque madame, beef shortrib poutine, and more. We recommend wearing stretchy pants.
Image courtesy of ARC Restaurant.
Dine-in is available.
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